Support Teach For Bulgaria Teachers

Dear supporters,

In the last report, we shared with you that we will be bringing back the New Way To Teaching program. We are very pleased to say that for the past to months, the codeword, the action verb that has been on our minds has been “Recruitment”.

On the 5th of January, we opened the registration form and kicked off the recruitment campaign to find the next cohort of inspiring novice teachers who will work with the students that need them most. Over 220 people have already applied to join the program, but the campaign is still ongoing until the end of March.

To inspire new teachers to apply, we shared with them three stories of challenges, determination, and successes. Here they are:

Jaklin, who could have been a doctor, chose classroom life instead. She had reached the national level of the Chemistry Olympiad and entered Sofia University without needing to sit the entry exam. She could enroll in Medicine - there were no barriers in front of her. Except for one thing - this is not her path, but her parents' dream. Instead, Jaklin joined the program in 2011.

Mikaela, who 6 years ago was facing the question “what’s next?” With a university degree and internships in government institutions under her belt, she had the feeling that real change doesn’t happen where everyone expects it to. Without any teaching experience, she joined the program in 2020. The first months in the classroom hit her like a cold shower – difficult stories, exhaustion, thoughts of giving up. What kept her going was the support, the community, and the small victories that gradually turned into real change – for the students and for her.

Zlatina, who at 28 had achieved “success” - Editor-in-Chief of a glossy magazine, journalistic awards, travel, red carpets, and cocktails. From the outside, her life looked like a movie. But inside, something was missing. The turning point came from a meeting with mothers of children fighting leukemia. There, Zlati understood the painful truth: words can describe the world, but only actions can change it. This prompted her to make a decision that, for many, seemed like "professional suicide" - she changed the red carpet for the school hallway, the heels for sneakers, and replaced interviews with famous people with conversations with 6-year-old Misho from Gorna Malina, who has the answer to the question "What is the meaning of life?"

These stories were made possible thanks to the donors who recognised our mission and vision and supported us throughout the years, so thank you! Together, we will continue changing lives.

Gratefully,
The Teach For Bulgaria team

Links:

• Read Jaklin's Story
• Read Mikaela's Story
• Read Zlatina's Story

Dear supporters,

The previous reports from this year all follow the stories of some of the teachers that Teach For Bulgaria recruited, trained, and supported with our two-year fellowship program. This report will be a little different, as we have some exciting news - the New Way To Teaching program will be back in 2026!

While more information will be available soon via our website and social media channels, we want to take the opportunity in this report to remind you why TFB-trained teachers have the positive impact they do.

• Who are the TFB-trained teachers?

Each year, we welcome a new cohort of novice teachers who work in schools in underserved communities. Participants are selected based on their leadership potential and their attitude towards making a real difference in their students' lives. Each participant is at the start of their teaching journey, and the support they will receive throughout the two years is crucial in ensuring they remain an active agent of change in their classrooms even after they graduate from the program.

• What does the program look like?

It all starts with an intensive summer training, called the Summer Academy, that helps prepare the teachers for the school year ahead. The Summer Academy acts as a remedial school and supports students in catching up on school material in order to be better prepared for the new school year. At the same time, the teachers receive a hands-on learning opportunity and are supported by their dedicated mentors. Once the school year starts, the teachers complete a series of training modules and mentor support over the course of two years, while teaching in their school.

• What happens after graduation?

The program is designed with three key outcomes for the participants. Firstly, they achieve a consistently high quality of teaching and have a clear vision for their students' development. Secondly, they develop their leadership potential so they can play a key role in bringing systemic change for the success of every child. Thirdly, continue growing their impact on their students even after completing the program by joining the TFB alumni community.

Since 2010, with your continued support, we have already supported more than 550 inspiring individuals to become teachers, most of whom still teach to this day. We are very excited about New Way to Teaching's return and hope you will continue supporting our work!

Don't forget to follow TFB on social media to be among the first to be informed when we make the official announcement!

Gratefully,

The Teach For Bulgaria team

Links:

• Follow Teach For Bulgaria on Facebook
• Follow Teach For Bulgaria on LinkedIn
• 15 years of impact - Read the full report