Primary Education

Teaching impeaching: History comes to life in school as teachers seize on this historic moment. Here’s what some are doing—and how

Advice on addressing impeachment in the classroom from Sigal Ben-Porath and Dean Pam Grossman of the Graduate School of Education was cited.

A young child with a backpack walks outside with three other students on their first day back at school.

Easing the transition from summer to school

Penn GSE’s Linda Leibowitz has a few suggestions for parents and caregivers who are keen to smooth their kids’ transition from summer back to school.

Child in a white shirt sleep on a paper-covered desk in a classroom, with three students in the background.

Children who nap midday are happier, excel academically, and have fewer behavioral problems

A Penn study of nearly 3,000 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in China revealed strong connections between 30 to 60 minutes of shuteye at least three days a week and positive outcomes in a handful of areas.

Number problem moves Morehouse professor: too few black math teachers

Richard Ingersoll of the Graduate School of Education and the School of Arts and Sciences spoke about an overrepresentation of women in the teaching profession, as well as high turnover rates for teachers of color. “It’s not about the person,” said Ingersoll. “It has to do with the schools.”

Ed-tech supporters promise innovations that can transform schools. Teachers not seeing impact

Barbara “Bobbi” Kurshan of the Graduate School of Education said K-12 schools often lack a crucial ingredient for innovation: “a culture of productive failure.”

Elementary school students with model brains

From Play-Doh to Slinkies, an engaging introduction to the basics of the brain

The Kids Judge! Neuroscience Fair brought West Philadelphia fourth graders and Penn neuroscience students together for a morning of hands-on fun.

What’s the best way to teach math?

Caroline Ebby of the Graduate School of Education said that in the U.S. many people learn math as a set of rules to follow but don’t fully understand the procedures used to solve equations.

The best books of 2018 for young readers

Penn GSE’s Ebony Elizabeth Thomas and her team share their book choices for elementary and middle grade kids, showcasing authors whose work explores issues like race, gender, ethnicity, and class thoughtfully and empathetically.

What the T.M. Landry Prep scandal reveals about race, stereotypes and inequality in American education

The School of Arts and Sciences’ Camille Zubrinksy Charles offered commentary on the Landry Prep scandal, saying that the administrators’ “slick sales pitch” relied on racial stereotypes to win over parents and the media.

Eva Maria Lewis stands in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Undergraduate leads NGO to change Chicago’s gun violence

Sophomore Eva Maria Lewis is tackling the root causes of Chicago’s gun violence crisis and working to create equitable communities.

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