Today we’d like to introduce you to Bibi Yasmin Katsev
Hi Bibi Yasmin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I became inspired to work in education by watching my mother. Growing up, my mother was a classroom teacher, which gave me great empathy for educators and their dedication to their craft. I also had a front-row seat to the challenges educators faced – which ultimately propelled me into the work I do.
During my college studies, I recognized that I wanted to be a champion and advocate for education. Education had become part of my identity, and I wanted other children in this country to have the opportunities I was afforded. This led me to Austin, where I not only pursued my master’s degree in Education Policy but also my love for the Texas Legislature and its education heroes.
When the opportunity came forward with Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth, it was an excellent opportunity to champion students in our hardest-to-serve communities. TFA Dallas-Fort Worth puts over 160 teachers into the classroom within the metroplex, all working to support our mission of “one day.” “One Day,” all students in our nation will receive a high-quality education.
It is crucial to support all children and their educational needs. As a mother, I want the best opportunities—not just for my children but also for their future and our community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The most challenging part of this journey is that success takes time. Turning a struggling school into a good one requires a systemic, long-term commitment from every educator, parent, and community member. It needs the entire community’s support, and mainly, it needs time. Time is difficult to process and understand, but it is something students need to have.
My biggest struggle is knowing to be patient with results. Moving the needle on progress regarding student accountability data is hard work and takes time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Teach For America – Dallas – Fort Worth?
Teach for America (TFA) is a national organization that recruits and trains teachers to commit to teaching in partnership school districts for a minimum of two years. TFA aims to transform education and expand opportunities for all children by finding, developing, and supporting equity-oriented leaders.
Today, TFA DFW is a force of over 1,600 alums, and we have over 160 currently in our program, impacting more than 90,000 students in pursuit of profound systemic change. This summer, we welcomed 100 new teachers into the metroplex as part of our program, and we are excited about the work they will embark on this school year. – This group is one of our largest corps since before the pandemic. These new educators are joining over 330 alum teachers, 125 school leaders, 3 DISD school board members, and 90 leaders in school system roles and more – all of which have TFA experience and support our mission to end educational inequity. All in service of pursuing our ambitious 2030 goal of increasing the number of students meeting college and career readiness milestones to thrive in the 21st century by investing strategically in specific communities and focusing all of our coaching and development in these areas. This goal is ambitious, but with your support, we can make it a reality.
Learn more by visiting our website (https://www.teachforamerica.org/dallas-fort-worth) or following us on Instagram. If you are interested in joining us in the classroom, we have upcoming application deadlines and would love to have you apply. If you are a community member, we’d love to have you support us in bringing the best leaders to DFW classrooms who will grow into leaders in every sector of our region. We need champions from across North Texas who are interested in financially supporting our work, sponsoring a classroom, supporting the career development of our network, or providing supplies needed to lead a classroom.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
One of the most impactful qualities is my ability to strategize in solving problems. I enjoy myself most when I find solutions to complex issues and have strived in my career to find solutions – whether it was getting a bill passed that allowed for partnerships between districts and charters, expanding school options for rural communities, or strategizing the deployment of teachers into our neediest communities in the metroplex – I genuinely enjoy the challenge and the problem-solving opportunities. My grit and determination in solving these issues and problems for our communities have contributed to my career success.
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