Empowering Teachers: Tackling the Global Learning Crisis From the Front Line

A Q&A with Heather Hiebsch

The United Nations estimates that “by 2030 approximately 300 million students will lack the basic numeracy and literacy skills necessary to succeed in life.” Even though many people and organizations believe that technology can address these issues, the research is clear – enhancing the quality of teachers has the greatest impact on student outcomes. High quality education requires great teachers.

Sally Gail Bloomberg: Thank you for speaking with me about how TeachUNITED is helping to address disparities in education. You have dedicated your career to enhancing education for children. What motivated you to co-found TeachUNITED in 2016 and what is your current vision for the organization?

Heather Hiebsch: Thank you for inviting me. Like many of your readers, I care about the climate, poverty, access to health care, gender equality, and many other issues called out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is why we must improve education. An educated society is the only way to solve these massively complex issues. In other words, by improving education for 1 million people, I see this as 1 million more opportunities to address all other global issues.

I have worked in education for 25 years and was especially inspired during my time as a public school principal. While following the research, I also saw firsthand what a difference a great teacher could make in turning a child’s life around. We also saw the power of educational technology (EdTech) to amplify whatever is happening in the classroom, both good and bad.

When I saw the shocking United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) statistic that 250 million children cannot read, write, or do basic math, I wondered how we might be able to leverage technology and great teaching to change that statistic. In 2016, I left my job and joined a nonprofit working on a solution for mobile edtech. However, it soon became clear that the biggest factor in student success – a great teacher – was being left out of most education interventions. That led us to sunset our original model and revise our approach by focusing on enhancing the quality of teaching in order to have the greatest impact on student outcomes. We launched TeachUNITED to reflect our new focus.

There is no doubt that kids (and teachers) are engaged by technology. But people show up for relationships, and people show up for results. And that comes from great teaching.

My vision is for all students to have great teachers who believe they can (and will) succeed. TeachUNITED is committed to providing teachers in rural and under-resourced communities with the support, skills, and strategies to create these transformational experiences in the classroom.

Heather: Our curriculum has four main pillars: Mindset, Engagement, Personalization, and Data. We apply these concepts in every classroom, at every grade level, and within all the countries where we have programs. Our program starts by working with the teachers within existing schools, helping administrators and teachers build their capacity to lead, replicating and sustaining the program long term. We model everything with our teachers; then we translate the strategies and apply them in the classroom with the students.

We start with mindset, asking the teacher questions to help them reflect on their perspectives about themselves and their student population. We help uncover unconscious fixed mindsets that may inhibit both teachers and students. That’s a radical shift in classroom culture, and it’s important that teachers see themselves as having the ability to make a difference and close learning gaps (i.e. collective teacher efficacy).

Then, we focus on engagement. Using an engagement scale, teachers reflect on their current state ranging from disconnected, to compliance, to authentic engagement and excitement. We want teachers to reconnect with their purpose and goals within the teaching profession so they can share that energy with the students.

From there we move into personalized learning. We practice strategies to address the common challenges: What does it mean to not just teach to the middle? What does it look like to challenge kids who need an accelerated schedule? What do specific interventions look like to help close gaps for other students? And most importantly, we meet the needs of each individual student in the reality of today’s classroom with limited resources, a tight schedule, and without creating more work for the teacher.

Finally, we help teachers embrace the power of data in the classroom – to truly know where their students are and what they need. Assessments can be quick, informal, and part of the daily lesson. Data is the underlying foundation of personalized classrooms. It is the evidence we need to ensure all students are growing (and helps overworked teachers know their time is spent where it’s most needed).

Our first year working with a school is the most intensive because we are working with lead teachers, modeling the strategies, and providing feedback. Teachers work online, in small groups, and one-on-one with their coach to master the skills that they apply in the classroom. In year two the lead teacher moves into a role where they coach other teachers. Our goal is to build a school system’s capacity, not dependency. By developing lead teachers into in-house coaches, school systems are left with the local expertise and resources needed to sustain the outcomes long-term.

Bloomberg: Please introduce us to your learners, teachers, and coaches. Who are they and where are they located?

Hiebsch: In support of TeachUNITED’s commitment to quality education, we focus primarily on rural, remote, and traditionally underserved communities. In 2023, we served more than 479,000 students in seven countries in Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda), more than 577,000 students across six countries in Latin America (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru), and more than 151,000 students in the United States (in rural parts of Colorado, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Wyoming). We focus on schools where teachers’ access to ongoing professional opportunities is limited because of geographic isolation or insufficient financial resources.

Our students are in grades 1 through 12, and our teachers range from those new to the field of teaching to people who have been teaching for their entire careers. Our programs are available in English, Spanish, Swahili, and Mayan.

All but one of our coaches are former teachers, and approximately half are TeachUNITED alumni.

Bloomberg: How does TeachUNITED evaluate its impact? To what extent are these measures the same or different in the various countries that you serve?

Hiebsch: We have similar measures in all the countries we serve because we are focused on academic outcomes for foundational skills for graduation, like literacy and numeracy. Collecting data about student performance and teacher engagement is baked into our approach. Our teachers incorporate data on a daily basis rather than wait for the national exams. That way, lessons can be adjusted based on students’ needs. As some people say, we’d rather take a temperature than conduct an autopsy.

Regarding impact, one thing we see a lot in our work is that people get really excited about program reach numbers. But reach is not always synonymous with impact; therefore, we measure both. We are thrilled to report that we have reached more than 1.5 million students and 40,000 teachers in 14 different countries. This number includes the teachers we have trained directly as well as the teachers trained by our certified NGO and government partners. These numbers reflect the local ownership and scalability of the program.

When we dig into the impact, I am particularly proud to share some specific positive outcomes experienced by our students and teachers. In 2023, our participants regularly outperformed controls. Specifically, in Africa, while TeachUNITED primary schools improved their graduation rates by 10%, control schools actually dropped 10%. Secondary schools also excelled, improving their pass rates 92% more than control schools.

In Latin America, young learners continue to build strong foundations, as TeachUNITED early primary students grew 57% more in reading fluency than their peers at comparison schools.

And in the U.S., students of TeachUNITED teachers outperformed their peers across the board on state standardized tests. TeachUNITED schools had 93% more growth in math and 22% more growth in literacy than comparison schools.

In addition to looking at student success measures, we also have teacher-specific measures that we track. For example, we evaluate teacher retention in all the regions and countries we serve; this ties back to UN Sustainable Development Goal #4 and the sub-goals. In the US, TeachUNITED schools reported a 12% improvement in teacher retention (as self-reported by participants at the beginning vs. the end of the program).

Prior to TeachUNITED, Heather was a founding school principal and launched a nationally recognized pioneering K-12 hybrid school. She is a Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur and Cordes Fellow. Heather has been a featured keynote speaker at Digital Learning’s Inaugural Conference, a finalist for the Global MindED Inclusive Leader Award, and published as a case study education leader by the Christensen Institute, Evergreen Education, Project Tomorrow, EdWeek, and Forbes.

Meet Changemaking TU Africa Regional Director, Angela Kithao

What made you decide to work in education?

My journey into education is driven by a personal story of transformation and empowerment. Growing up in a family of six on less than $1 a day, quality education seemed out of reach, a struggle millions of children are facing in Africa. But thanks to Plan International’s support, I accessed quality secondary education, transforming my life, that of my siblings, my parents, and my community. Now, I am passionate about providing similar opportunities to the millions of marginalized children in Africa, especially girls. Quality education has the power to uplift individuals, families, and communities, and I am dedicated to closing the gap in access to quality education through different interventions, especially by supporting teachers.

What have you enjoyed most about working at TeachUNITED so far?

In just two months at TeachUNITED, I have been moved by the impact of our work in the previous years. The Africa Impact Report and the Monduli Impact Study show remarkable education outcomes for rural school children in Africa. The prospect of continuing to transform education outcomes for millions of African children in rural schools is what drives me every day as I know this will transform their lives forever.

Tell me about a TeachUNITED teacher that left an impression on you.

On March 21st, 2024, I visited Kilimatembo Secondary School in Tanzania, Karatu, where I spoke with two teachers and the headteacher about their experience with the TU program. Teacher Eziekiel, who teaches English, emphasized a shift in mindset: “We used to see teachers as everything, but now we realize students are valuable resources in the learning process. Improved teamwork among teachers and students has made everyone’s job easier, including the headteacher and education officers. Teachers are now confident in students’ capabilities.“

Angela and her team visit a school in Karatu, Tanzania

Who was your favorite school teacher growing up and why?

My favorite teacher, Mr. Ntongai, was my primary school music teacher. Despite being blind, he mastered numerous musical instruments and infused his lessons with energy, humor, and excitement. His positivity and engagement inspired me, teaching me that the only limit is oneself and that I could achieve anything I set my mind to.

Have you read anything recently that inspires your work?

The Smart Buys Education Report (2023) from GEEAP offers a roadmap for enhancing learning outcomes in low and middle-income countries. It’s inspiring to see that supporting teachers with structured pedagogy ranks among the top education investments. We’re excited to now be creating a collection of lesson plans to maximize teacher uptake of new strategies and fully align our model with all four of the best practices from this report!

What hobbies do you enjoy? What do you do in your free time?

During my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with friends or family.

Do you watch or play any sports?

Netball has been my passion since my primary school days, and it’s followed me all the way through university. My love for the game doesn’t stop there! I have even had the opportunity to referee netball while working at a teachers’ training college. Whether I am on the court playing or officiating from the sidelines, the excitement keeps me hooked!

What’s your favorite food and why?

My favorite food is fried indigenous chicken. There’s something irresistible about it if it is cooked right!

Angela previously worked for the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Educate!, Kenya Girl Guides Association, Education Development Trust and International Child Resource Institute. She has provided overall leadership in designing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating education programs for children and youth to address barriers in education quality, policy, access to education, reduce gender inequalities and to empower them maximize their potential.

Angela has a Master of Arts in Education, Gender and International Development from the University College of London (UCL), Institute of Education (IOE) as well as a Master of Education (Curriculum Studies) from Nairobi University Kenya. She also has a Bachelor of Education from Moi University Kenya.

Angela started her career as a classroom teacher and as an instructor of student teachers. Just like Nelson Mandela, Angela believes that education is the most powerful weapon that can be used to transform the world.

He describes the impact he has seen on his students at NuVision High School, in Kabuga-Kigali: “My students used to not talk in class and such a behavior embarrassed me. I searched for ways to engage them but did so in vain. With TeachUNITED, I learned to practice planning and reflection to help me experiment with new ways to increase participation. It’s always a blessing to be a teacher and a learner at the same time. Whatever I learned with TeachUNITED, I tried with my students. What made a total change was the use of ‘Hot Seat’ in my classes. They loved it.”

One of his students explains the activity’s value, “Hot Seat is when a student comes to the front, sits on a chair, and other students ask them questions they have to answer. That helps us a lot with answering and revising. Because when we’re answering, we are understanding even more.”

Ernest shares the effect of Hot Seat, one of many teaching strategies within the TU training: “I started seeing them colliding to come in front to be asked anything on the topics we learned. I discovered a lot of talents in my students, and I could not believe my ears and eyes. 

I saw a female student who is good at asking questions and another who is extremely good at answering with humility, respect, and encouragement, to name a few examples.”

His desire to continually improve his skills and those of his students is contagious. A student shares, “Teacher Ernest is the best teacher. He always tries his best to help us. He tells us revision points to help us pass exams. He challenges us with questions. He tells us the truth about what we must change and improve.” 

Beyond boosting student engagement, motivation, and confidence, these new teaching skills and activities have had a quantifiable impact on learner outcomes. Ernest’s students’ physics scores have increased by 63%!

As you may expect, Ernest does not take credit for the praises of his students, eager to pass them right back to the TeachUNITED team. “I think this should come to you, not to me. Thank you very much for your positive impact on education worldwide.”