Women In Education

Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day – a day to celebrate the achievements of women all over the world. The world of education is just one place brimming with impactful, inspiring, and driven women who have challenged the status quo. Here are some of their amazing stories:

Margaret Bancroft (1854-1912)

“Special children must have special schools with well-trained teachers who use materials adapted to those children’s capabilities.” Margaret Bancroft was a pioneer in special education. At the age of 29, she opened the first private boarding school in New Jersey for children with disabilities. She believed that with individualized attention, children with special needs could learn skills and gain a degree of independence. Bancroft’s ideas laid the foundation for what would become the field of Special Education.

Maria Montessori (1870-1952)

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, “The Children are now working as if I did not exist.’” Maria Montessori was an Italian educator and the originator of the educational system that bears her name. She pioneered the concept of child-centered education with the Montessori system which is based on belief in the creative potential of children, their drive to learn, and the right of each child to be treated as an individual. Using hands-on learning methods and encouraging self-directed activities, Montessori was able to form a unique instructional approach that provided successful results even in students that were considered, “unteachable.” To this day, the Montessori Method is implemented in schools all over the world.

Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955)

“The whole world opened to me when I learned to read.” As the daughter of parents who were formerly enslaved, Bethune had limited access to formal education until around the age of 10 when she was able to enroll at a one-room schoolhouse. There she learned to read, and because she was the only child in her family able to attend school, would return home each day and share what she had learned with her siblings. Bethune became a teacher, eventually opening her own school in 1904. She served as an important advisor to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and went on to become a champion of Black women’s education, founding what is known today as the Bethune-Cookman University to help women of color receive access to quality education. She believed that education was the key to equality, and we couldn’t agree more!

Patsy Mink (1927-2002)

“We have to build things that we want to see accomplished, in life and in our country, based on our own personal experiences ... to make sure that others ... do not have to suffer the same discrimination.” As the first Asian-American woman to serve in Congress, Mink fought for gender and racial equality, affordable childcare, bilingual education, and became a supporter of Title IX which states that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” In addition to this enormous feat, she additionally wrote the Early Childhood Education Act, and the Women's Educational Equity Act, and Mink was the first Asian-American to run for the office of U.S. President.

Marian Wright Edelman (1939 – present)

“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” Marian Wright Edelman got her start as a civil rights activist, transitioning her focus to become a children’s rights activist. With this shift, she founded the Children's Defense Fund. By founding the Children’s Defense Fund, she was integral in creating a strong and effective voice for all children who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. While she advocated for all children, she also paid particular attention to children of color, those with disabilities, or those who came from under resourced communities. While at the helm of the organization, she persuaded Congress to overhaul the foster care system, support adoption, make meaningful improvements to child care, and instill protections for children who are disabled, homeless, neglected or abused. 

Dolly Parton (1946 – present)

“The seeds of dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” Country music singer/songwriter Dolly Parton is a certified book worm. She grew up in a small town in rural Tennessee, where many people in her community, including her father, never had the opportunity to learn to read or write. Driven to share the joy of reading with children all over the world, Dolly created The Imagination Library, which delivers age-appropriate books to children that foster a "love of reading and learning; regard for diversity of people, their roles, culture and environment; promotion of self-esteem and confidence, appreciation of art and aesthetics."

Michelle Obama (1964 – present)

“The ability to read, write, and analyze; the confidence to stand up and demand justice and equality; the qualifications and connections to get your foot in that door and take your seat at that table – all of that starts with education.” First Lady Obama launched Let Girls Learn, a U.S. government initiative aimed at helping adolescent girls attain a quality education that empowers them to reach their full potential. Globally, 62 million girls are not in school, even though education leads to girls earning higher salaries, marrying later, and having healthier families. Research shows that educating girls leads to economic and social development resulting in more stability in countries around the globe. Obama took it upon herself to not only become a voice for the increase in education of girls around the world, but worked nationally to empower them to become leaders and grow into their full potential. 

Malala Yousafzai (1997 – present)

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” Growing up in Pakistan, Malala’s father wanted her to have every opportunity a boy would have, so he ran and taught in an all-girls school in their village. When she was 10, the Taliban took control, enforcing bans on everything from owning a television to girls going to school.  In 2012, Malala spoke out publicly on behalf of girls and their right to learn, making her a target for the extremist group. On her way home from school, a gunman boarded her school bus and shot her. She awoke 10 days later in Birmingham, England.  She knew she had a choice: either live a quiet life or dedicate her time and energy to fight for girls’ education around the globe. Fortunately for everyone, she chose the latter. In 2014, at the age of seventeen, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest person to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her amazing work in bringing attention to these issues. In 2020, she graduated from Oxford University, and continues to fight to ensure that every girl receives 12 years of free, safe, and quality education with her organization the Malala Fund.