Our teachers are operating just as effective leaders in the business world do. They set a vision that most people think is crazy. They convince the kids why it's important to accomplish the goal. And they are totally relentless.
Wendy KoppRead
There is a perception in our communities that we have low educational outcomes in low-income communities because kids aren't motivated or families don't care. We've discovered that is not the case.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote challenges the misconception that low educational outcomes in low-income communities are due to a lack of motivation or care from families.
Wendy Kopp highlights a common flawed perception that low educational achievement in economically disadvantaged areas results from a lack of motivation among students or indifference from their families. Instead, she emphasizes that such assumptions overlook the complex social and economic factors at play and that families do care about education. By pointing this out, Kopp calls for a deeper understanding of the systemic issues affecting educational outcomes, encouraging a more empathetic and informed approach to the challenges faced by these communities.
Themes
EducationMotivationLow-IncomeCommunityOutcomes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on educational reform, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of understanding the factors affecting learning in low-income areas.
More from Wendy Kopp
All quotes →Research shows that whether you are low-income or not, mindset is a bigger predictor of success than academic skills, and how students gain great academic skills and persevere in the face of challenges.
Wendy KoppRead
More often than not, the most effective leaders have been shaped by teaching successfully in high needs classrooms. Because of their experience, they know that it is possible for low-income children to achieve on an absolute scale and understand what we need to do to allow them to fulfill their potential.
Wendy KoppRead
In the long run, we will need many more African-American, Latino, and Native American leaders, and leaders from low-income communities, who can bring additional insight and a deeply grounded sense of urgency, and who are the most likely to inspire the necessary trust and engagement among students' parents and community leaders.
Wendy KoppRead
We are working essentially to build a leadership force of folks who will, during their first two years of teaching, actually put their kids on a different trajectory - not just survive as a new teacher, but actually help close the achievement gap for their kids.
Wendy KoppRead
We have found that the most successful teachers in low-income communities operate like successful leaders. They establish a vision of where their students will be performing at the end of the year that many believe to be unrealistic.
Wendy KoppRead
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