Today, corps members are working in 26 regions to ensure their students have the educational opportunities they deserve.

Early childhood education

Students can fall behind academically even before kindergarten, and once they do, it’s exceedingly hard for them to catch up. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Because we have seen the positive impact of addressing the achievement gap during a child’s critical early years, Teach For America is increasing the number of pre-kindergarten (pre-K) teachers we place across the country. Corps members who teach pre-K, also known as early childhood education, typically work with three- or four-year-olds in low-income communities to provide a first line of defense against the achievement gap.

 Closing the achievement gap where it starts
 Succeeding in early childhood education
 Corps members: in their own words

Closing the achievement gap where it starts

85-90 percent of brain development happens before the age of five.2

The vocabulary of three-year-old children predicts their later school achievement levels in reading and spelling.3

 

Research shows that the achievement gap starts early. Differences in scores on developmental measures between students in low-income areas and their peers in high-income areas start to emerge as early as two years of age.1 Additionally, students in low-income communities start school exposed to about one third of the number of words to which four-year-olds from higher-income communities are exposed.

But research also shows that students from low-income communities who attend high-quality early education programs are better prepared for kindergarten, have higher scores on reading and math assessments, better social skills, and fewer referrals to special education programs than peers who do not attend such programs.4 The Milwaukee Project found that the average IQ of students in a group who enrolled in early childhood education was 27 points higher than students who did not participate. Similarly, the Perry Preschool Project found that pre-K programs can lead to higher academic performance, lower crime rates, and higher future earnings. These results, among other evidence, led President Obama to pledge $10 billion for early childhood education, thereby punctuating the need to place quality teachers in pre-K classrooms.

Succeeding in early childhood education

We partner with the University of Virginia to provide early childhood education corps members access to myteachingpartner.net, an online professional development resource with high-quality, evidence-based pre-K teaching tools.

 

Corps members teaching early childhood education receive the same training as other corps members as well as specialized training to meet the needs of pre-K students. The curriculum is designed to help you drive measurable results in:

  • Academic kindergarten readiness, including cognitive, language, and communication development
  • Social/emotional and physical development
  • Using developmentally appropriate practices in the early childhood setting

Specialized training starts at the summer institute, including learning teams for pre-K teachers and early childhood-specific training in year-long planning and goal-setting. Like all corps members, pre-K teachers continue to develop their skills through ongoing professional support and a growing wealth of resources on TFANet, our online resource hub. Depending on your regional placement, you may also:

  • Teach pre-K at the summer institute
  • Receive specialized institute curriculum and literacy sessions
  • Be supported by a corps member advisor who also taught pre-K
  • Extend your knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices through optional master’s programs at local partner universities

Learn about a day in the life of an early childhood education corps member http://www.teachforamerica.org/assets/images/content_linkArrow.gif

Corps members: in their own words

  • Jennie Carr
    (Houston Corps '08)

    		•

  • Amy Ludwig
    (Mid-Atlantic Corps '08)

    		•  

    Jennie Carr

    Jennie Carr
    • Corps: Houston Corps '08
    • Alma Mater: Missouri State University, Art History

    "I am a teacher for the most pivotal years in my students' lives. Considering that research indicates that over 85 percent of the brain is developed by the age of five, I knew that the next one-two years would be critical to setting my students' academic careers on the right path.

    I have the unique opportunity to shape both my students' and their families' attitudes towards education. I want each and every one of my students to understand that no matter what they experienced in the past or might experience in the future they could succeed with hard work. The importance of investment is paramount in my pre-K classroom. Everyday I ask my students, "Why do we come to school?", and everyday they answer, "To learn!" Building their brainpower is the driving force that pushes them to engage in circle time, focus on their individual center tasks, and tell their parents that they couldn't miss school or their brains wouldn't grow.

    Most of my students began the year with virtually no foundational knowledge of literacy or mathematics skills. By the end of the year, their average mastery of all math skills was above 85 percent and their average literacy mastery was 90 percent. Over 80 percent of students could count to 30 and 88 percent could identify all letters in the alphabet. Knowing that my students went from having no knowledge of what school was to being completely ready for success in kindergarten and throughout their lives is one of the proudest accomplishments of my life. "
    Next: Amy Ludwig (Mid-Atlantic Corps '08) »

    Amy Ludwig

    Amy Ludwig
    • Corps: Mid-Atlantic Corps '08
    • Alma Mater: Cornell University, Italian Studies

    "The need for quality pre-K programs in our nation is an issue that is grossly underappreciated. Unfortunately, many people view early childhood education programs as nothing more than glorified daycares and underestimate the impact that schooling can have on a child at this early age. According to a recent study by the Chicago Child-Parent Centers, students who have attended a pre-K program are 29 percent more likely to graduate from high school; 44 percent less likely to repeat a grade; 41 percent less likely to require special education services; and in general tend to score higher on standardized tests than their peers who did not attend pre-K. These statistics prove that students who start school ahead, stay ahead. We need to give students in low-income communities a fighting chance and provide them with the quality pre-K programs they need to succeed.

    My role as a pre-K teacher in Camden, New Jersey is to provide a safe and stimulating environment for my students to explore and grow throughout their first year in school. Along with teaching basic math and literacy skills, one of my biggest goals is to instill in my students a love of learning and a sense of possibility. I want my kids to come to school every day excited about learning and motivated to do their best.

    When students are invested in their own learning, the results speak for themselves. At the end of last year, every four-year-old student in my class could recognize and name all 26 letters of the alphabet, and had mastered a minimum of 70 percent of letter sounds. My three-year-olds knew all the letters in their name along with many of their classmates' names, and could count individual objects up to 15. Each child made significant progress in their writing skills and some students were even writing simple sentences by June. I am confident in my students and have no doubt that with the tools they learned in my classroom they will go on to succeed in school and in life. With quality education at the pre-K level, we truly have the chance to stop the achievement gap before it becomes persistent. "
    Next: Jennie Carr (Houston Corps '08) »

    1. McCall, R.B. (1979). The development of intellectual functioning in infancy and the prediction of later IQ.
    2. The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (2009).
    3. Walker, T.B. (1994). Avance Parent-Child Education Program.
    4. Shonkoff, J.P. (2000). From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development.