Teach For Armenia
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Teach For Armenia ( hy, «Դասավանդի՛ր, Հայաստան» կրթական հիմնադրամ) is a non-profit organization, which aims to expand educational opportunities for all children in
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances, by recruiting, training, and supporting high-achieving graduates and professionals to teach for a minimum of two years in the most underserved schools across
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
.


Background

Teach For Armenia was founded in 2013 by Larisa Hovannisian after her two-year teaching experience in an elementary and middle school in
Glendale, Arizona Glendale () is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located approximately northwest of Downtown Phoenix. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 248,325. History In the la ...
through the Teach For America program. Together with its supporters, Teach For Armenia's founding team embarked on an ambitious mission to transform the country's public education system so that educational excellence and opportunity would reach every child, even the most marginalized.


Activities


Theory of Problem and Theory of Change

Today in Armenia, approximately 25% of students from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities do not enroll in high school. The country's students have consistently ranked behind their peers in neighboring countries and below international averages in math and science, and these figures decline further with each passing year. Children in the communities Teach For Armenia serves, lack access to the high-quality teaching and educational opportunities that are readily available to their wealthier peers; and an estimated 35% of schools in these communities face teacher shortages. As a result, tens of thousands of Armenian children are being left without the skills they need to pursue higher education and attain financial security. This educational inequity fuels Armenia's most urgent societal problems and entrenches cycles of poverty in a country where about 30% of the population is impoverished. To address this crucial issue of educational inequity, Teach For Armenia harnesses the energy, enthusiasm, and drive of exceptional university graduates to infuse great teachers into Armenia's most disadvantaged schools and to cultivate lifelong champions for educational excellence.


Geographical reach

Currently, Teach For Armenia operates in five regions of Armenia: Gegharkunik, Lori, Armavir,
Tavush Tavush ( hy, Տավուշ, ) is a province of Armenia located at the northeast of Armenia, bordered by Georgia from the north and Azerbaijan from the east. Internally, Tavush borders the Gegharkunik Province from the south, Kotayk Province from ...
, and
Aragatsotn Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of Ashtarak. The Statistical Committee of Armenia reported ...
.


Partnership with Teach For All

In 2015, Teach For Armenia officially became the 36th partner of Teach For All, a global network of 58 and counting independent, locally led, and locally operated partner organizations with a shared mission to expand educational opportunity within their own countries by leveraging their country's best talent.


Recruitment and Application Acceptance Rate

Teach For Armenia recruits highly-achieving university graduates from
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
and the
Armenian diaspora The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...
through a uniquely designed admissions process that consists of five-stages: online application, phone interview, subject knowledge test, and assessment center. According to recent statistics, participant acceptance rate is 7.5%.


Leadership Development Program

Once selected, Fellows participate in a rigorous two-year, context-specific training and leadership development program that prepares them as educators and future leaders of education in Armenia. Prior to the two-year training, Fellows go through Summer Institute, an intensive 6-week, mandatory training program. The objective of the institute is twofold: first and foremost, it is designed to effectively train future Fellows for their two-year teaching commitment, while helping students from rural communities overcome knowledge gaps through free of charge summer school. During the Fellowship, Fellows receive constant leadership development and classroom management support by the Teach For Armenia training team. Furthermore, Fellows have an opportunity to pursue a free-of-charge master's degree in pedagogy from an Armenian state university. Following completion of the two-year Fellowship, Fellows join the Teach For Armenia ambassador network, a community of passionate and committed leaders who continue to address the issues of educational disadvantage and inequity in Armenia.


Teach For Armenia’s Impact to Date

Following its first two years of placements, early data indicates that Teach For Armenia is already making a change. According to recent survey results, student engagement levels in Teach For Armenia classrooms are above average within the Teach For All network, with Fellows establishing rigorous and interactive environments and setting students on an expanded path towards educational opportunity. Furthermore, student assessments show a dramatic boost in student growth both in academics and personal leadership development; after just a year with Teach For Armenia Fellows, students demonstrate double average growth in academic content mastery. Beyond the school curriculum, through extracurricular activities and community projects, Teach For Armenia Fellows are helping students to develop lifelong non-academic skills and mindsets.


Supporters

Due to Teach For Armenia's early impact and reputation, the organization was able to establish partnerships with important stakeholders in Armenian education, including the national Ministry of Education and regional educational authorities. Beyond this, Teach For Armenia is also partnered with other education-focused, highly reputable foundations, such as the
AGBU The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU, Eastern Armenian: Հայկական Բարեգործական Ընդհանուր Միություն, ՀԲԸՄ, ''Haykakan Baregortsakan Endhanur Miutyun'', or hyw, Հայ Բարեգործական Ընդ ...
, Scholae Mundi Armenia Foundation, the Simonian Educational Foundation, etc.


Board of directors

The members of the Board of Directors of the Teach For Armenia Educational Foundation are: * Veronika Zonabend, chair of the Board (chair of the Board of Governors
UWC Dilijan College UWC Dilijan College is the 14th member of the United World Colleges movement, one of eighteen colleges around the world, and the first international boarding school in Armenia. The college matriculated its first 96 IB1 students (11th graders) in ...
, co-founder of IDeA (Initiatives for Development of Armenia) Foundation, Founder of RVVZ and Scholae Mundi Armenia Foundations); * Sam Simonian (Founder of
Tumo Center for Creative Technologies The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies ( hy, Թումո ստեղծարար տեխնոլոգիաների կենտրոն) is a free education program for teenagers aged 12–18 specializing in technology and design, with education being provided ...
and Simonian Educational Foundation); * Sylva Simonian (co-founder of Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies and Simonian Educational Foundation); * Alice Petrossian (Member at Armenian Educational Foundation); * Carol Aslanian (Member of
AGBU The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU, Eastern Armenian: Հայկական Բարեգործական Ընդհանուր Միություն, ՀԲԸՄ, ''Haykakan Baregortsakan Endhanur Miutyun'', or hyw, Հայ Բարեգործական Ընդ ...
Central Board of Directors, President and Founder of Aslanian Market Research and Senior Vice President at Education Dynamics); * Pierre Gurdjian (President of Board of Directors at Université Libre de Bruxelles); * Yamit Taragan (Senior Director of Growth Strategy & Development in Europe at Teach For All); * Armine Hovannisian (the Founder and Chairperson of Orran NGO and Founder of Junior Achievement of Armenia); * Sonya Hovsepyan (Chief Project Expert at the National Center for Legislative Regulations, Government of the RA); * Serob Khachatryan (Lecturer at Chair of History of Philosophy of Yerevan State University).


See also

*
Peace Corps The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order of President John F. ...
* Teach For All *
Teach First Teach First (also Teach First Cymru) is a social enterprise registered as a charity which aims to address educational disadvantage in England and Wales. Teach First coordinates an employment-based teaching training programme whereby participa ...
* Teach For America *
Teach First Deutschland Teach First Deutschland is a German non-profit organization started in 2008 and adapted from Teach For America and Teach First. In an effort to help eliminate educational inequity, it recruits exceptional graduates from across all subject areas and ...
*
Tumo Center for Creative Technologies The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies ( hy, Թումո ստեղծարար տեխնոլոգիաների կենտրոն) is a free education program for teenagers aged 12–18 specializing in technology and design, with education being provided ...
*
UWC Dilijan College UWC Dilijan College is the 14th member of the United World Colleges movement, one of eighteen colleges around the world, and the first international boarding school in Armenia. The college matriculated its first 96 IB1 students (11th graders) in ...


References


External links


teachforarmenia.org
{{Teach For All Educational organizations based in Armenia Yerevan