30 Under 30: Innovative Educators

We've all heard the saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." But these educators aren't waiting for anyone. They're already reforming, improving, and innovating the state of education in the United States, and they're all 30 years old or younger. Whether they're inventing educational software, declaring war on childhood obesity in physical education classes, or teaching elementary school children the nuances of the Internet, these forward-thinking educators are changing the world we live in — one student at a time. 

Name: Maureen Yusuf-Morales
Age: 29
Location: New York
Organization: Breakthrough New York
Position: Senior Program Director

Breakthrough New York uses a “students teaching students” model that works. Maureen Yusuf-Morales makes sure of it as Senior Program Director of the organization, a college access program that supports under-served students in grades 6 through 12 on their pathways to college. With other Breakthrough leaders, Yusuf-Morales is developing a comprehensive crash course in the best practices of teaching based on the way the brain works for their intern teachers. Because intern teachers are often close in age to their students and faced the same challenges growing up in the same neighborhood, they become more than teachers; they become role-models. Yusuf-Morales can proudly say that she’s not only sending under-served high-achieving kids to college, she is also inspiring bright intern teachers to pursue careers in education.  

What challenges do you face trying to break the mold?
“Some of the challenges I have faced in my work are stereotypes and misconceptions about what good teaching is. Some of these misunderstandings include focusing more on the content of a lesson without concretely prioritizing and explicitly teaching an academic skill, not challenging students for fear of “boredom,” and assuming that students understand without properly assessing student achievement. Breaking the mold often means teaching my intern teachers to teach differently than they themselves were taught for over 12 years.”

What sets your teaching style apart from others in your community?
“My teaching and teacher training practices revolve solely around the way the brain retains, stores, and deepens information. I think practices like this are key to helping all educators understand that excellent teaching is measurable, achievable, teachable, and not dependent on who one’s students are or where they come from.”

Do you have any success stories you can share with us?
“Over the past six years, I have helped send 91 percent of Breakthrough students to four-year colleges and 70 percent of intern teachers that I trained have entered careers in education.”

In your opinion, what’s the biggest flaw with the American education system today?
“The biggest flaw is blaming our students’ demographic and social factors as the core determinant for student achievement instead of properly correlating poor teacher training and lack of support with low student achievement.”

On the other hand, what has the American education system gotten right?
“There are always pockets of exceptional schools, teachers, administrators, and students in under-served communities. Studying these schools, their leaders and practices has become an increasing trend and one that I believe will lead to effective replication if assessed well.”

Name: Robert Pronovost
Age: 27
Location: East Palo Alto, California
School: Belle Haven Community School
Position: 2^nd Grade Teacher

Despite a myriad of challenges, including time, money, and the ever-evolving tech world, Robert Pronovost is insistent on using technology to teach and connect his 2^nd graders with others across the country and the world. In fact, he’s so determined to teach his students with the latest tools and gadgets, that he admits to frequently spending much of his personal time experimenting and tinkering with new pieces. But as long as he’s able to help his students connect with the broader world, he believes it’s all worth it.

When and why did you become an educator? 
“After working for a few summers with St. HOPE Public Schools and seeing the disparities in the levels of education between those with access and those without, I knew I wanted to help give all students access to the same education. I went into the Stanford Teacher Education Program immediately after finishing my undergraduate studies and have been teaching ever since.” 

What are your goals for your work? 
“My goal is always to provide my students with the best education possible, including giving them access to the same technology that their peers in more affluent communities are learning to use so effectively.”

What challenges do you face trying to break the mold? 
“The biggest challenge is time. I spend many weeknights and weekends trying to plan and set up what we will use in class. Then I try to evaluate how effective the method of instruction was, while still staying in the loop with my PLN (Personal Learning Network) on the latest tools and ideas out there.”

How are you measuring your success?
“While my students' educational success is important, I also base my success on how much my students grow as citizens of the world. It is important that my students can read and solve math problems, but also that they are interested in other parts of the world and are attempting to solve larger problems or at least communicate with those who are different than they are.”    

What is your favorite part of being an educator? 
“My favorite part of being an educator is when I see my students sharing their learning with others or taking on their own learning outside of the classroom. I am constantly learning new things that make me excited and challenged, and it makes me excited to see my students doing those things themselves.”  

How can Splashlife readers help to improve the state of our education system today? 
“Anyone can help immediately by going to DonorsChoose.org and supporting a project that they feel passionate about. It could be supporting a local teacher, an innovative teacher, or any other teacher whose project speaks to you. Contributions range from a few dollars to a few thousand dollars, so really anyone can have an immediate impact on the education of our students.”