The recipe for student success is simple.
Just add opportunity.
Teach Forward Foundation is opening doors for students who have historically been left out.
About
At Teach Forward Foundation, we measure success one student at a time.
Many of our public schools employ an ineffective “factory model” educational method, failing to recognize each student’s unique strengths and deficits, and graduating students unequipped for the 21st century workplace.
Teach Forward Foundation allocates resources tailored to individual students’ needs, then delivers those resources in intensive, 1-on-1 sessions that dramatically accelerate student progress. We empower students to form and articulate their own opinions, learn from failure, and gain confidence as they become capable and active citizens in an increasingly complex world.
How does it work?
We provide individual subject tutoring, standardized test prep, and college counseling through educational partners with decades of experience. Our partner tutors and counselors implement individualized curricula designed to maximally benefit students.
One such partner is Vault Prep, whose unique focus on critical literacy and advanced reading comprehension yields score improvements 2-3x the industry average. Long a social benefit organization, Vault Prep reduces its normal fees by 40% for TFF students, ensuring maximum bang for every donor buck.
Our students are changing the future at...
"I'm a stronger student because of the guidance I got through TFF."
From Jenna
Dear TFF,
The Teach Forward Foundation has had a profound effect on me. I have improved my ACT score dramatically, but that's not the most important part of the experience. Early on, my tutor said that what was more important was that I be ready for college. I can't count the times we read articles together and stopped to “identify the ambiguity". I'll admit I wondered back then if it was really worth it. However, now when I don't understand something, I pause and get answers. And I laugh a little because it works!
In March I was admitted to the University of Pennsylvania with very generous financial aid. I'm thrilled for this new journey (and yes, a little nervous). My hard work and ability to advocate for myself are two ways I know I’m ready.
I worked hard during high school, I know I deserve it. But I also know that I'm a stronger student because of the guidance I got through TFF. And my tutor said that if I wanted to express my gratitude, I should do so to the people who made it possible.
And so I thank you. There are real kids out here who need this help. I'm one of the lucky ones who received it.
With gratitude,
Jenna
"The world may not be easy but people like you make it doable."
From Adrian
Dear TFF,
I am writing to you for one reason only— to say thank you. For the last year, I have been tutored (although that's really only part of the story) by a Teach Forward Foundation volunteer. The goal was to raise my ACT score (which went up a lot!) but ended up growing into something much more. The skills I took away will be with me a long time.
We are taught to stop reading for a moment when we don't understand something. And we’re constantly reminded that this is nothing to be embarrassed about. “Fail quickly!”, I can almost hear my tutor say. Although it was hard to see it at the time, it completely changed the way I go about reading. I stop myself now and make myself understand before I keep going.
My parents taught me to say thank you when people show kindness to me. And so I say it to you. The world may not be easy but people like you make it doable.
Yours truly,
Adrian
Letter from the Founder
As a college counselor and former admissions officer, I've seen how education can transform lives. A college degree can open doors to brighter, fulfilling futures. Too often, students of lesser means are shut out. They may not even know that college is an option. They might lack the support necessary to put themselves forward. Too many don't have the necessary confidence to navigate the journey alone.
Teach Forward Foundation was created to address this inequity. While we recognize the enormity of the problem, we concentrate our efforts on our local student population, one student at a time.
I've witnessed how one teacher can completely alter a student's trajectory. With proper guidance and care, young people often show almost instantaneous progress. They surprise themselves as they surmount problems that previously held them back. Their confidence grows and their dreams flourish. They are devoid of complacency and entitlement. They make us proud.
We're young but we've already seen results and they are breathtaking. The one-on-one critical literacy-based teaching methods employed by our educational partners do something truly important—they get students ready to succeed in college and beyond.
I do this work because every student with whom we work leaves me feeling a bit more hopeful for the future. It's their world now and, together, we can give them a fighting chance.
Brock Walsh
Executive Director, Teach Forward Foundation
