Page 13 - 5th Anniversary Reflections

“The most important thing I have come to realize as I work in Teach For All is the importance and depth of the Theory of Change. In other words, the need, the potential and the power of people. In an era where we make everything automatic, technology is almost everywhere and there are techniques for everything, people in the end are and always will be irreplaceable!
I understood this entering Teach
For All, but just hearing and sharing testimonies all over the world this
is much more powerful and deeper than I initially thought.
Rooted in this is the importance of values, mindsets, beliefs and
expectations. This will inevitably guide your actions, either for good
or bad. I used to think values were things you put in your annual review and just left them there. Your principles and values are what keep you going when things get tough, where there are no easy answers.
We always talk about the importance of the why we do things. When you go inside the classroom perhaps re ecting on this is the most important thing.
I was amazed by these two things, but I didn’t realize what could happen if we put many people together with a common Theory of Change and some common beliefs.
One of the things I most treasure about Teach For All is something
I heard in London in 2010. It was
a description of what I, and many, are experiencing in this journey. We were in a marvelous dinner over the Thames River and, almost unnoticed, a senior executive from a bank, went in front to say some words. He said something like this: Over my years I have come to realize that there is nothing more powerful than to seek a mission collaboratively. These words have stayed with me and will stay with me forever. Imagine adding the power and the urgency of the mission we have. Truly amazing.”
—Tomásrecart, CEO, EnsEña ChilE
“One important lesson for me so far is recognizing the value of constant learning and re ection for long-term sustained growth and impact. I have been very impressed by partners as old as Teach for America who to come to new organizations and seek ways to improve their own programs.”
— shisir Khanal, CEO, TEaCh FOr nEpal 11