From filling minds with endless amounts of knowledge to helping students feel comfortable in the classroom, a teacher’s impact is endless. Here are five women who are working to make change with the way they are teaching.

Rosalind Koop

Over the last year, I’ve had the pleasure of following the work of Rosalind Koop. In school, it is extremely important for young girls to have safe spaces. Koop creates just that with a class she teaches called Real Girls Stand Strong. In this class, young girls are able to build their self-esteem and develop their voice.

Hanan Al Hroub

In an area filled with violence, it is often difficult to remain optimistic. It is even more difficult to encourage those around you. Hanan Al Hroub encourages her students to work through the moments of violence everyday. She implements a “No to Violence” campaign in her classroom and reminds students that it is possible to tackle these difficult situations with grace and courage.

Judy Linville

Judy Linville is a personal mentor of mine. When I was in middle school, I had the honor of working with her. I was going through an extremely rough time and she invested in me. She was the sponsor of the anti-bullying organization and even though I did not know much about leadership, she gave me a leadership position. Her work is so amazing that she received a Walter Kase Teacher Excellence Award.

Linda Cliatt-Wayman

The love in Linda Cliatt-Wayman’s heart sets her a part. In her TED talk, she discusses how she pours into her students everyday. More powerful, though, is how she ends her announcements to her students every morning.  She ends by saying: “Remember, if no one told you they loved you today, remember I do and I always will.” Her kind heart and powerful approach has inspired her students in many ways.

Millicent Hill

After retiring from her job at the Los Angeles Unified School District, Millicent Hill knew she still needed to work to make change. In a region where 5o percent of students live below the poverty line, Hill works to provide a safe space for them in her own home. She serves over 3,000 students and provides them with the comforts they deserve.

All five of these educators have inspired me, and many others. I know how important it can be to have people who believe in you and invest in you. Educators like these give me hope for the future and remind me that we all need to invest in our youth however we can.

Image courtesy of Getty Images.

By Sanah Jivani on October 17, 2016
Sanah is a honors college student at the University of Texas at San Antonio who is double majoring in Sociology and Communications. She is the founder of a non-profit organization called The Love Your Natural Self Foundation, which works to help individuals build confidence. Her biggest dream is to make a difference in the world through her organization and her writing.