Elise Haadsma

TED-Ed’s mission is to amplify the ideas and lessons of educators and students around the world.

We do this by working closely with dedicated groups of educators, and the reach and impact of TED-Ed for learners everywhere is all thanks to them. We are so appreciative of their insights, feedback, hopes, and commitment.

Learn more about these amazing groups of educators:

TED-Ed Innovative Educators

TED-Ed Innovative Educators meet up at the ISTE Conference in Chicago.

The TED-Ed Innovative Educators (TIEs) are ambassadors and advocates of TED-Ed’s mission to amplify student and teacher voices. There are currently 104 distinguished educators in this program who were chosen— through an application and interview process— because of their work to improve creativity and innovation in education systems around the world. TIEs use TED-Ed Lessons, the TED-Ed Student Talks program, and TED Masterclass to support students and educators sharing their ideas in over 25 countries. The TIEs are an integral and beloved part of the TED-Ed family, who support and collaborate with the TED-Ed team on news initiatives.

Educators who write scripts for TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed has the privilege of working with expert educators in various fields who contribute their knowledge, passion, and creativity to author TED-Ed Animations. Many come from teaching settings ranging from middle school classrooms to universities to hospitals and beyond. They volunteer their time to collaborate with the TED-Ed production team and animation studios to craft engaging narratives designed to spark the curiosity of learners all over the world. Their deep knowledge of the subject matter, experience working with students, and collaboration with our team of fact-checkers ensures that our content and visuals are factually accurate. We are so grateful to work with these teachers, professors, researchers, authors, and artists; their love of learning and enthusiasm for their subject matter is a daily dose of inspiration.

TED-Ed Student Talk Leaders

Alicia Lane leads Dollar Store STEM activities at TED HQ. Photo: Dian Lofton/TED

Within the TED-Ed Student Talk program, there are thousands of educators who guide students through the process of discovering, developing and sharing their ideas in the form of TED-style Talks. This vibrant community of educators have one passion in common: student voice. They not only help students develop their ideas and confidence, but ensure that students know their ideas matter greatly. These educators have created a community that is truly global by bringing the TED-Ed student Talk program to their schools, educational programs, and community centers in over 140 countries. We celebrate their commitment to their students every day.

TED Masterclass participants and Learning Leaders

Stephanie Ng speaks with Tonya Breland, Christina McCabe, and David Aderhold at the TED Masterclass Showcase. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED

There are thousands of educators in both K-12 and University settings who are participating in TED Masterclass, a course designed to help educators identify and develop their big ideas in education. As they participate in the 11 lesson course, this group of educators are developing their best ideas, lessons, and experiences into TED-style Talks. By participating, they are ensuring that educators are sharing and learning from each other, and that they can continue to improve education systems collectively. These educators are also supported by an amazing group of committed Learning Leaders, who identify ideas at their organizations and celebrate them. You can see examples of celebrated educator ideas on the TED-Ed Educator Talks channel, and can learn more about TED Masterclass here.