A group of ten children are standing together outside in the grass wearing casual clothes. A few of the children are jumping in the air with big smiles on their faces. The others are also smiling and looking happy. There is playground equipment, buildings, and mountains in the background A group of ten children are standing together outside in the grass wearing casual clothes. A few of the children are jumping in the air with big smiles on their faces. The others are also smiling and looking happy. There is playground equipment, buildings, and mountains in the background

Purpose

En español

Overview

Transformational teachers collectively explore the purpose of education with students, families, and community members. These teachers align their daily efforts to a locally rooted and globally informed vision of student leadership emerging from those conversations.

Teach For Nigeria teacher with her arms crossed and smiling with her classroom behind her

Discover

Check out this compilation of student, teacher, and family voices from around the world, all asking what is the purpose of education, and who decides and how?  And what student outcomes align with growing students as leaders of a better future?

Learn

Who decides why. Think of that as a statement, not a question. And that idea is the starting point for teachers in classrooms that grow student leadership. These teachers critically question education’s purpose as well as who has been and who should be at the center of determining that purpose. Transformational classrooms demonstrate perspectives, actions, and outcomes that align to a longer-term vision of student success that shares three characteristics:

The circle part of the TACL framework is in yellow while the rest is in grayscale. The text inside reads, "STUDENTS AS LEADERS OF A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND ALL OF US.” It then reads, "COLLECTIVELY CREATED co-constructed and evolved in genuine partnership among educators, students, families, and communities.” One column reads, "LOCALLY ROOTED grounded in the history, culture, and values of a particular community" and the other says, "GLOBALLY INFORMED reflecting global aspiration

“Our classrooms and the model of teaching have to change in a manner that children don’t just come to school to acquire knowledge, but rather come to school to try out the knowledge. Our schools must become hubs of solving community problems rather than just teaching about our problems.”

— Charles Obore, Teach For Uganda alumnus

Portrait shot of Charles Obore, a man wearing a suit and a beret with a feather in it and speaking into a microphone

“Our classrooms and the model of teaching have to change in a manner that children don’t just come to school to acquire knowledge, but rather come to school to try out the knowledge. Our schools must become hubs of solving community problems rather than just teaching about our problems.”

— Charles Obore, Teach For Uganda alumnus

Portrait shot of Charles Obore, a man wearing a suit and a beret with a feather in it and speaking into a microphone

Do

See how transformational practitioners and programs around the world are co-creating purpose and explore other recommended resources:

13 resource(s)
TACL
A Collective, Contextualized Vision (Teach For Nepal)
Video Learning About Learning Purpose Strategy
TACL
Voices that inform Purpose & Outcomes: Teaching As Collective Leadership
Video Purpose
TACL
Brittany Packnett: Inhumane acts dehumanise us all
Video Purpose
TACL
Agents of Change: Building a Vision for Mexico
Video Purpose Strategy Listen & Envision

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Our Glossary

In our attempt to capture the real spirit of the classrooms we have studied, we have sometimes intentionally used words and phrases in a slightly unusual way. 

We invite you to learn more about our language choices by exploring our Glossary.