Graduate School of Education

Handmade drawing of the U.S. Capitol building.

How teachers can talk about violence at the Capitol

Sigal Ben-Porath outlines a strategy for discussing the historic events with students according to grade and knowledge levels, focusing on the facts of what happened and why it matters.

From Penn GSE ・

Howard Stevenson listens as a colleague talks to him.

Howard Stevenson on creating change through racial literacy

In the wake of the series of police killings of Black people that sparked historic protests and heightened national conversation about race, and amid persistent structures of systemic racism, how can people of color promote their own emotional well-being and healing? How can leaders and organizations create lasting change to advance anti-racism and social justice?

From Penn GSE ・

Stack of YA books chosen by the Penn GSE team for its best books of 2020 list.

The best books for young readers of 2020

The sixth annual list of books, chosen by Penn GSE’s Humanizing Stories team, highlights stories of love, joy, loss, strength, and resilience.

From Penn GSE ・

Smiling person holding an apple, standing in front of a red screen.

A role model for the changing face of science

Jennifer Stimpson, a chemist, teacher, and recent alumna of the Graduate School of Education’s mid-career program, was named an IF/THEN ambassador. The initiative aims to empower women in STEM to inspire the next generation of learners.

Michele W. Berger ・

Two handmade signs in a window that read VOTE NOVEMBER 3 and PLAN YOUR VOTE.

Talking to your kids about the election

Penn GSE’s Caroline Watts offers advice on how to realistically support children during uncertainty. “Don't try to pretend there isn’t uncertainty in the country,” she says. “Be reassuring. No matter what is happening in the outside world, you will take care of the family.”

From Penn GSE ・



In the News


Philadelphia Inquirer

This Penn student writes YA novels with her sister. Their new book is ‘close to perfection,’ Kirkus says

Graduate School of Education doctoral student Maritza Moulite and her sister, a doctoral student at Howard University, have written a new young-adult novel about racial injustice.

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WHYY (Philadelphia)

Early data shows hopeful signs for pandemic learning in Philly, but huge questions remain

Michael Gottfried of the Graduate School of Education said it’s difficult to quantify how school is going for students amid the pandemic. “We’re sort of building the plane as we fly it,” he said. “Everything’s up in the air now. Everything’s been disrupted just from the measurement side.”

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The Washington Post

GOP’s post-election tactics are causing more concern about suppressing the Black vote, even after it happened

Ebony Thomas of the Graduate School of Education said that Michigan Republicans’ effort to disqualify the votes of Black voters is part of a long history of disenfranchisement. “One of the reasons Detroit is so negatively stigmatized and why the city of Detroit is always used as a boogeyman by the far right and by white supremacists is because it was a city that wasn’t just majority Black but under Black political control.”

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Education Week

What principals have learned from COVID-19’s ‘stress test’

The Consortium for Policy Research in Education, housed in the Graduate School of Education, has published five briefs about how U.S. school districts and principals have dealt with the pandemic. “The principals are doing all these amazing things, which are serving urgent needs of kids and families. That’s not taken into account in what we think of as a good school. There is an imbalance between our metrics for assessing quality and the actual role of schools in society,” said Jonathan Supovitz.

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The Washington Post

Two key questions teachers should ask students after the election

Sigal Ben-Porath of the Graduate School of Education wrote about how teachers can address questions that arise after the polls close and votes are counted. “Emotionally charged moments can be at the foundation of powerful learning experiences,” she said. “Teachers can use these moments to help their students develop their voices and direct them toward possible action, regardless of the students’ political views.”

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