Wendy Kopp

Thomas, M. A. M. and Baxendale, H. (2022) Wendy Kopp. In: Geier, B. A. (ed.) The Palgrave Handbook of Educational Thinkers. Palgrave Macmillan: Cham. ISBN 9783030810375 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-81037-5_208-1)

Abstract

Wendy Kopp launched Teach For America (TFA) in 1990. The scale and influence that TFA accrued in the ensuing decades helped establish Kopp as one of the most influential educational thinkers of the last 30 years. Her development of the TFA model – as well as efforts to ensure its proliferation both within the United States and internationally – has left an indelible mark on many aspects of education globally. Approaches to teacher recruitment, education, and placement in the United States, for instance, have been shaped in large part by the popularity and demonstration effect of TFA. TFA has, therefore, exerted an outsized influence on traditional education structures and educational policies. Through Teach For All, which Kopp also cofounded, her impact has spread to more than 60 countries around the world, further entrenching Kopp’s thinking and strategy for effecting educational change through high-achieving social entrepreneurs. The lasting impacts of Kopp’s life work and contributions to the field of education are still unfolding, particularly as both Teach For America and Teach For All seek to continue expanding their geographic coverage and educational influence.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Thomas, Dr Matthew
• Authors: Thomas, M. A. M., and Baxendale, H.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• ISBN: 9783030810375