At TeachUNITED, we believe that behind every thriving student is a teacher who never gave up on them. Today, and every day, we celebrate the teachers who shape lives, open doors, and create opportunities that ripple across generations. Yet today, the world faces a silent crisis: a shortage of trained, supported teachers. Without urgent action, we risk losing an entire generation of students with the potential to become community leaders, innovators, and changemakers. And when we lose teachers, we don’t just lose lessons — we lose legacies.
The Challenge: A Global Learning Crisis Rooted in Teacher Support
Across the globe, students in rural and under-resourced schools face steep challenges. More than 55% of young people lack basic reading and math skills, and just 49% go on to graduate from secondary school. A key reason? Teachers are stretched thin, under-supported, and often lack access to the training and community they need to succeed. In low-resource schools, even qualified teachers rarely receive the professional development leveraged by the most successful educators. At TeachUNITED, we know that teacher quality is the single biggest driver of student success. Students with strong teachers stay in school longer, perform better academically, and earn more income over their lifetimes. One additional year of education can increase a student’s future income by 10% – a life-changing difference for families and communities.
The Solution: Investing in the People Who Shape Futures
Supporting teachers isn’t charity — it’s one of the most powerful investments we can make in a more just, prosperous world. TeachUNITED addresses the learning crisis by equipping teachers with high-impact training, individualized coaching, and an ongoing professional learning community. Our evidence-based model was built for scale — designed alongside local educators to fit each community’s unique needs and sustain impact long after formal programming ends. And the results speak for themselves:
- In Kenya, 70% of students at TU-supported schools meet global proficiency standards — 18% higher than their peers.
- In Mexico, students achieving “advanced” math scores jumped 7x after teachers participated in TU programs.
- In the United States, TU students grow 4x faster in English and 2x faster in math than state averages, with teacher retention rising by 12%.
Teacher Spotlight: Stories of Impact from Around the World
At the heart of every statistic is a teacher rewriting the future. Meet three remarkable educators whose dedication is transforming classrooms and communities:
Luis Gerardo – Mexico
With over 36 years of experience in education, Luis Gerardo brings a lifetime of commitment to student and teacher growth. As an elementary teacher and district supervisor in Mexico, Luis joined TeachUNITED’s Trainer Development journey seeking fresh strategies to support both educators and administrators. What he found was a transformative experience that reshaped his perspective on growth mindset, feedback, and communication. The program’s emphasis on practical tools and deep reflection helped Luis navigate challenging dynamics between schools and administrators. He recalls learning that “in every complaint, there’s a request” — a mindset shift that enabled him to mediate a tense school division conflict and foster better communication. Luis also brought TeachUNITED’s lessons back to his district: introducing data-driven instruction, encouraging metacognition, and empowering leaders to commit to shared goals. His experience underscores the lasting impact of professional development when it’s interactive, reflective, and deeply human.
“Before TU, I struggled to keep students motivated. Now, my classroom feels alive — students participate, collaborate, and think critically,” he shares.
Sayydat Ali Hamad – Tanzania
In the coastal town of Wete, Sayydat Ali Hamad is redefining what parent-teacher collaboration looks like. A secondary school teacher at Mtule Secondary in Zanzibar, Sayydat embraced TeachUNITED’s coaching program – part of a partnership with the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation and Zanzibar’s Ministry of Education – to integrate technology and family engagement into her classroom practice. With limited access to devices and study spaces, her students faced steep learning challenges. But Sayydat responded with creativity: she introduced Google Classroom not just for students, but for parents too. By collecting parent email addresses and involving families in the virtual classroom, Sayydat ensured accountability and strengthened the home-school connection. This approach, rooted in TeachUNITED’s Authentic Engagement training module, helped foster a more collaborative and inclusive learning environment. “The training gave me the confidence and tools I needed,” says James. “Now, I see my students improving week by week.” Sayydat’s innovation is a powerful example of how educators can adapt technology to local contexts and drive meaningful, community-wide impact.
Hannah Withee – New Hampshire
In a small, tight-knit community outside of Manchester, New Hampshire, the Henry W. Moore School is becoming a model for personalized learning — thanks in part to its partnership with TeachUNITED. Teacher, Hannah Withee, has seen school-wide transformation since joining TU’s whole-school coaching program. For Hannah, the experience came at a critical time. After a particularly difficult year, she questioned whether she could stay in the profession. But the coaching, collaborative learning, and supportive environment offered by TU helped her reconnect with her purpose.
“Oh my gosh, yes. Last year, I had a very challenging year, challenging class, challenging everything… I was like this literally changed everything for me, and it has rejuvenated me… When teachers think about professional development, sometimes it just feels like it’s another thing on our plates. This could not be further from the truth for TeachUNITED.”
Her journey is a reminder that when educators are supported holistically, the impact reaches beyond student outcomes — it shapes entire school cultures and keeps great teachers in the classroom.
How TeachUNITED Makes a Difference
While many organizations focus on short-term workshops or one-off training, TeachUNITED is different. Our model goes deeper and lasts longer.
- Sustained, Personalized Support: We work alongside teachers for 6+ months, providing individualized coaching that ensures new strategies are not just learned, but embedded into everyday classroom practice.
- Locally-Led, Community-Based: We build programs with local education leaders, adapting strategies to meet each community’s unique needs — ensuring ownership and sustainability long after our trainings.
- Data-Driven Programs: Every strategy we teach is backed by research and evaluated rigorously, ensuring teachers develop skills that have the greatest effect on student achievement.
- Proven Student Outcomes: Unlike many teacher training programs, we don’t just impact teachers — we track real gains in student performance. Our students close learning gaps by 2–3 years in just one school year.
At TeachUNITED, we’re not just helping teachers teach — we’re helping them transform futures. Every student who stays in school, who unlocks new skills, who dreams bigger because a teacher believed in them, is part of a powerful legacy.
Join Us in Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week!
This Teacher Appreciation Week, celebrate the teacher who made you who you are. Honor their impact by making a gift in their name — and help ensure every child, everywhere, has the great teacher they deserve. You won’t just be honoring a legacy — you’ll be empowering the future. Donate today!