11/15
Primary Education
Penn GSE dean on meeting and making the moment
Katharine Strunk, dean of the Graduate School of Education, began her tenure in July 2023. This week, she announced the School’s strategic vision, Together for Good.
Update on Penn’s $100M pledge to Philadelphia public schools
Significant progress has been made in the four years since Penn pledged $100 million to the School District of Philadelphia to remediate environmental hazards, including asbestos and lead, in hundreds of school buildings.
With pandemic stimulus funds sunsetting, Penn GSE expert offers investment ideas
If school districts have remaining pandemic aid, Penn GSE’s Brooks Bowden says they could invest in data analytics capabilities on information to guide decisions on programs, staff, tutoring services, or technology to meet students’ needs.
Celebrating Penn GSE’s pilot elementary math tutoring elective
The academically based community service elective is supported by Penn’s Netter Center, with the aim to redefine traditional tutoring by designing its curriculum and approach.
Positioned for Success
The program, launched by recent College of Arts and Sciences grads Taussia Boadi and Cheryl Nnadi, was a 2023 Projects for Progress winner and provides academic support to middle school students affected by gun violence.
A shared passion for community engagement
The Graduate School of Education helps students put their knowledge into practice through community engagement. Three soon-to-be graduates speak with Penn Today about how their service enabled them to deepen their connection with West Philadelphia.
Investing in future teachers and educational leaders
The Empowerment Through Education Scholarship Program at Penn’s Graduate School of Education is helping to prepare and retain teachers and educational leaders.
How to explain war to children: Tips from Penn GSE
Marsha Richardson, director of Penn GSE’s School and Mental Health Counseling Program, says navigating disturbing current events is challenging, but can be done in thoughtful and supportive ways.
How to encourage student attendance
From Penn GSE’s Educator’s Playbook, Michael Gottfried highlights approaches that schools and teachers can take to address absenteeism by identifying root causes and creating a supportive environment for all students.
The PZ project: Children’s and young adult literature on the rise
From picture books to 'The Poet X,' Penn Libraries are expanding and diversifying their holdings of books for young readers.
In the News
Sandra Day O’Connor and the promise of civic education
Jonathan Zimmerman of the Graduate School of Education writes that teaching schoolchildren about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship might be the only way to heal our polarized society.
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Schools in poorer neighborhoods struggle to keep teachers. How offering them more money and power might help
Richard Ingersoll of the Graduate School of Education says that giving educators more authority at their workplace makes them feel like respected professionals.
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Lego, martial arts and dance classes: How one school tackled school absenteeism
A 2022 Penn study found a return of three dollars for every dollar invested in City Connects, a pilot project that links students with support for basic needs and enrichment activities.
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How gross inequalities in institutional wealth distort the higher education ecosystem and shortchange the vast majority of middle- and lower-income undergraduates
Penn is noted for its pledge to contribute $100 million over 10 years to renovate decrepit Philadelphia schools, potentially assisting a more diverse student body.
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New Mexico can turn the tide by increasing classroom time
A study co-authored by economists at Penn found that a longer school year showed an “extremely robust” association with higher student achievement.
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Africana studies can save education—and the world
Ismael Jimenez of the Graduate School of Education writes that "Africana studies is an interdisciplinary field concerned with the study of Black people and history, but it also represents a foundational building block of a more just world."
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