One Day, All Children...: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way [Hardcover]

Wendy Kopp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2001

The inspiring story of one young activist's visionary effort to revitalize our nation's neediest schools. As a 21year old college senior, Wendy Kopp decided to transform the education system in America. From her dorm room at Princeton University, she set about creating Teach For America, a program that sends outstanding college graduates to teach for two years in the most dilapidated and under-resourced urban and rural public schools in the United States. Since the first group of teachers entered classrooms in 1990, over 5,000 TFA corps members have been placed in teaching positions all over the country. With their astonishing classroom success, these young teachers have proven that it is possible for children in low-income areas to reach the same level of academic achievement as children in more privileged areas. One Day, All Children tells the remarkable story of one young woman's tenacious grasp on a seemingly impossible dream. It reveals the struggles of an organization created by and for young idealists. But more importantly, it explores the growth of a new civil rights movement, a movement that demands educational opportunity for all Americans. Wendy's dream is that one day, all children across the nation will have the opportunity to receive an excellent education. People are listening.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"If at the time I had understood the importance of ensuring the necessary funds before moving forward with new ideas, Teach for America would never have been born in the first place," writes Kopp in this impassioned account of how what started 10 years ago as her bold college thesis has become a pioneering educational program . Her plan to create a national teacher corps by recruiting top college graduates to work in the neediest school districts across the U.S. led to the development of a solidly financed nonprofit organization that has placed more than 5,000 teachers, many of whom have achieved extraordinary academic results. But Kopp's primary aim in this frank, winning and well-timed book is to share what she's learned about bringing underprivileged and underperforming students up to par. For example, she argues that just giving them the same resources that privileged students have is not enough; teachers and administrators need to put in the extra time it takes to change these students' attitudes about their own capability for achieving success. When it comes to structuring and managing schools, she asserts that schools should recruit teachers from a variety of disciplines not just those with degrees in education give them the support they need, pay them well and encourage them to push their students to fulfill their highest potential, which is often far beyond any arbitrary measure of achievement. As an outsider, Kopp has brought a fresh approach to the educational process that has proved effective; her inspiring story will challenge schools and professional educators to take notice, while motivating college seniors and recent graduates to join her team.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Kopp's dream as a college senior ten years ago was to commit two years to teaching at a public school in a low-income urban or rural area. She turned this seeming pipe dream into reality by mobilizing members of her generation to form a corps of graduates called Teach for America (TFA). Since 1990, some 5000 TFA members have been placed into teaching positions in 13 states, drawing high praise from participating communities. In this revealing account, Kopp invites the reader to learn what it took to overcome the endless challenges while describing some of the most difficult as well as funniest moments from the past ten years. This kind of accomplishment rarely adequately celebrated proves that excellence is possible. Recommended for all collections on education reform as well as volunteer movements. Leroy Hommerding, Fort Myers Beach P.L., FL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: PublicAffairs; First Edition edition (April 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891620924
• ISBN-13: 978-1891620928
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #797,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring!, April 21, 2001

By 

Mike MacFerrin (Baton Rouge, LA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Day, All Children...: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way (Hardcover)

Telling the autobiographical account of herself as a naive college student launching a movement, Wendy Kopp offers detailed explanations of her mistakes and personal follies along the way, giving the book an unusual honesty and character. It's an excellent case study of building a large non-profit organization, but it's also a moving story of powerful determination. The book becomes a real gem when it tells inspiring personal accounts of the teachers within her corps. By the end, you realize (or at least I did) that her vision may actually be a possible reality: That "One day, ALL children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education." A must-read for those (even remotely) interested in improving educational equality in this country.

(FYI, all proceeds from the book go directly to Teach For America to attain classroom resources for its corps members!)

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An inspirational short read, September 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: One Day, All Children...: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way (Hardcover)

In less than 200 pages, Ms. Kopp details every step she took in establishing Teach for America, the national teaching corps for recent college graduates. Chapters 1-9 are a primer for fundraising techniques, non-profit organizational set-up and strong management skills. But, Chapter 10, the most interesting by far, is a lengthy description on what makes good educators. You may be inspired enough to join in the efforts in ensuring excellent education for all children in this great nation of ours.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for Educators and Change Agents, May 22, 2001

By 

Bill Coplin (Syracuse, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Day, All Children...: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach For America and What I Learned Along the Way (Hardcover)

Wendy Kopp's book is must reading for anyone concerned about the poor performance of disadvantaged students in too many of our schools. As the founder of Teach for America, Ms. Kopp started an organization that has led the way in bringing new people and new solutions to our schools. This experience has given her insights into what must be done to change our schools and is therefore a straightforward, entertaining and above all positive approach to educational reform. It peddles no particular curriculum or even pedagogical approach.

The book is not just instructive for those concerned about education. It should also be required reading for anyone in the nonprofit sector who wants to improve an existing organization or start a new one. It tells how Ms. Kopp as a college senior transformed her senior thesis at Princeton into a movement for educational reform throughout the United States. Would-be do-gooders who want to help make some part of the American Dream a reality for others can learn from this model of commitment, leadership and intelligence. The book is not a puff piece about the success of the TFA, but a detailed account about the false starts and many mistakes made by Ms. Kopp that can hopefully help others to avoid. This book is about how to be an effective change agent in a world that needs thousands more like her.