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CEO and founder of ‘Students First’, Michelle Rhee living ‘Beyond the Dream’
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Today's -- really focus on Michelle reed who gained national attention as the chancellor public school was the nation's capital.
Since leaving that post she has been in the forefront of efforts to reform public education.
Through changing policy and teacher tenure and using standardized test scores and evaluating school performance.
-- believes that great teachers -- great schools.
Can lead to great futures for America's children.
This is the country of equal opportunity this is the country where if you work hard and you do the right thing.
You're supposed to be able to -- the American entry.
But it is not a reality for our children who grow up in poverty today because they attend.
Failing schools when they don't gain the skills and knowledge that they need to see that success in the long run we owe them so much more.
Michelle -- the CEO and founder students first is an educator who believes that children regardless of their background or circumstances.
Can achieve any goal if they receive a great education through great teachers who put their students first.
For eighteen years Michelle has been involved in helping children become their -- Right out of college she became a teacher with Teach for America at a school -- one of the poorest communities in Baltimore.
The achievement levels were low due -- violence poor nutrition and other obstacles.
But Michelle and other teachers worked hard to -- the kids do better.
What we found was that when we put the extra time and with these kids and we worked with them before school after school on weekends -- them two hours of homework a night.
That they were able to achieve at the highest levels and so what that convinced me up.
Is that if we really wanted to fix public education in this country and we have to create the right environments for kids.
Baltimore Michelle says proved to be a life changing experience.
She eventually took -- the difficult task of becoming the chancellor of the troubled public schools in Washington.
When I was the chancellor and Washington DC I made the commitment.
And that I was gonna run district as a mom.
And as a mom who.
Put her kids in the DC public schools people thought I was crazy to -- and I -- not -- -- -- this district could put my own children and it.
And it was interesting because it really did -- impact how and why -- made decisions.
But Michelle's efforts to turn DC public schools around was met with a great deal of praise.
And criticism due to her aggressive efforts to -- teachers who performed poorly.
Michelle strongly believes that a bad teacher places -- child's future in jeopardy champ.
After resigning from DC public school she embarked on developing student's -- The idea behind students first is.
That we have that -- -- millions of people across this country together who.
Understand the public education system is broken they want to be a part of fixing it they know that children deserve more and -- willing to do something about it.
While students first has its critics and supporters.
-- claims -- organization.
Focuses on giving children the opportunity to reach their dreams through good teaching and schools.
-- -- it is about kids.
If you set high expectations for them.
And if you've been at it if you surround them with would love with high expectations.
With them right environment.
Those children -- single one of them despite any obstacle they might come from at home they will rise to -- there that those expectations.
Until our obligations to try to create the best schools.
Enough for the entire world and we can do it.
And she's very comment about that Michelle -- talk about we -- our children so much more to help them live their lives.
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