Niloy Gangopadhyay, is a passionate educator, and leader who for over 20 years has been addressing inequities in public education as a systems, school, and nonprofit leader. He began his career as a 2002 Teach For America corps member in San Jose, California, and now serves as TFA’s Vice President for the 35th Anniversary Summit. Previously, he led state-level initiatives for at-risk students at the Texas Education Agency and co-founded Success Preparatory Academy, a K-8 charter school in New Orleans.
His upbringing rooted in his parents' immigrant values of education and service—shaped Niloy’s commitment to becoming a leader in public service.
Sports taught Niloy the importance of teamwork, culture, and data-driven decision-making. Our education system expects first-year teachers to perform at the same level as seasoned educators, and feedback compared to other professions is minimal. Feedback is essential to help teachers grow and improve, and Niloy shares how a strong culture in schools is directly connected with student success.
How to redesign feedback systems in education to better support teachers? Technology, such as AI and video analysis, to provide asynchronous feedback and help educators reflect on their practice might be the key. Niloy is passionate about the importance of ensuring people feel appreciated, supported, and valued (ASV) in their work, and how understanding what motivates individuals can unlock their potential. Let’s connect with our team members on much deeper levels to discover the hidden powers.
Show notes timestamps:☃️ The impact of trauma and the feeling of not having a home: holidays are challenging for educators.
01:56 🇮🇳 Niloy immigrant parents who placed a premium on education.
04:51👨🏽🏫 He knew he wanted to work in public service early on: gaining experience with Teach For America.
07:08🏫 Moving to New Orleans: facing the initial challenges of taking over a failing school.
12:27😍 His parents were very focused on community service and education.
21:15🏈 Sports teams and leadership are similar: starting quarterback and first-grade teacher.
27:51👂🏽 Coaching and feedback are critical in life, sports, and education.
30:24📈 The importance of using exemplars to showcase the impact of coaching and feedback on teacher growth.
40:11🆒 The positive impact technology can have on culture, organizational success, and individual growth in education.
48:03🌸 Teach For America’s Summit: a well of inspiration for K-12 education.
49:21💎 Niloy’s Ronderings: Making sure people are appreciated, supported, and valued to unlock the potential of individuals by understanding and addressing their unique challenges.
55:21 Links:
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com
Episode 55
