Educating and Empowering Mongolia's Future Leaders

Teach For Mongolia’s fifth cohort began their Fellowship journey with an intensive focus on developing the leadership, teaching skills, and shared purpose needed to serve rural school communities. Following the selection process, 13 new Fellows joined the Summer Institute on June 22. The Summer Institute is designed to provide 256 hours of learning across seven modules, preparing participants for their two-year commitment through leadership development, teaching practice, and individualized support.

The journey began with relationship-building and foundational learning, including an immersive retreat in Terelj National Park on June 24–26. Fellows explored their personal values, motivations, and responsibilities while connecting with TFM’s mission and the realities of educational inequity in Mongolia. A visit from Teach For All founder Wendy Kopp provided an opportunity for new and current Fellows to discuss their aspirations and experiences within Mongolia’s education system. Current Fellows and alumni also shared practical insights, strengthening connections and peer learning across cohorts.

Training continued at the National University of Mongolia, where Fellows developed skills in lesson planning, teaching methodologies, assessment, classroom management, and understanding students’ psychological and emotional needs. Sessions emphasized creating safe, inclusive, and engaging classrooms, connecting lessons with students’ interests and everyday experiences, and integrating digital tools into teaching. Fellows observed an experienced teacher, independently designed lessons, and collaborated to plan and deliver lessons together. Giving and receiving feedback became an important part of strengthening their teaching practice. Throughout the curriculum, updated Fellow and Student Outcomes connected classroom learning with TFM’s three leadership dimensions: Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading Change.

Alongside formal training, TFM provided coaching conversations and well-being support to help Fellows navigate both personal and professional challenges. Each participant received at least three individual coaching sessions during the documented training period. A newly introduced Fellow Development Tracker enabled weekly reflection on progress, challenges, and well-being, helping the team identify concerns and provide timely support. Mid-summer institute feedback from all 13 Fellows showed strong engagement, with overall satisfaction of 9.08 out of 10 and a likelihood of recommending the program of 9.38 out of 10. Their feedback also highlighted the need for additional practical teaching experience, informing adjustments to the remaining training.

Preparations for rural placements included individual conversations about Fellows’ preferences and needs, alongside engagement with 31 rural schools to understand teacher requirements. The August–October implementation plan focused on completing training, finalizing placements, and supporting Fellows’ transition into schools through onboarding, community orientation, continued coaching, and professional development. These later milestones remain to be confirmed in the updated program record.