Contact Us
For more information about this certificate program, contact us at ProfessionalLearning@gse.upenn.edu
Through a blend of live virtual sessions and asynchronous work, engage in reflection, discussions, and practical applications to refine your teaching methods and enhance student experiences.
This program offers a transformative professional development experience, empowering educators and instructional leaders to cultivate culturally responsive, equity-focused teaching aligned with Pennsylvania Department of Education standards. Through reflective learning and collaborative discussions, participants will develop actionable strategies to create inclusive, justice-centered classrooms that positively impact student learning and well-being.
Application Deadline
Program StartJanuary 27, 2025
Length & Time CommitmentJanuary - April
Certificate OfferedPenn GSE Certificate of Participation
Credits4 Continuing Education (CE) Credits
40 Pennsylvania ACT 48 Credits
Cost
Ideal Candidates
This program offers a comprehensive professional development experience for educators and instructional leaders aligned with Pennsylvania Department of Education standards for culturally-relevant and sustaining education (CR-SE) competencies. Participants will engage in a dynamic mix of live virtual sessions, asynchronous activities, and collaborative discussions, designed to deepen their understanding of equity literacies, culturally responsive education, and justice-centered practices. Throughout the program, participants will critically reflect on their identities and teaching practices, exploring how these intersect with systems of power, dominance, and oppression. By the end of the program, educators will not only refine their existing skills but also develop new strategies to foster inclusive, equitable, and justice-centered classrooms, ultimately enhancing their impact on student learning and well-being.
Learning Goals:
The program is structured around a three-part curriculum: Explore, Envision, and Enact. In the Explore phase, participants will engage asynchronously with curated resources and key frameworks. This phase lays the foundation for a deep understanding of justice-centered and culturally sustaining teaching
In the Envision phase, participants will attend live virtual workshops that build on the foundational knowledge gained during the Explore phase. These sessions will cover topics such as justice-centered frameworks, microaggressions, neuroplasticity, restorative justice, and culturally sustaining lesson planning. Led by experienced facilitators, practitioners, and scholars, the workshops are designed to be highly interactive, allowing participants to apply their learning through discussions, case studies, and collaborative activities. This phase is crucial for translating theory into practice, as participants work on developing tangible strategies that they can implement in their classrooms and schools.
The final phase, Enact, focuses on the practical application of the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program. Participants will create and begin to implement a personalized justice-centered and culturally sustaining teaching plan in their own educational settings. During this phase, they will also participate in small group sessions led by trained facilitators, where they can share their experiences, receive feedback, and refine their approaches. This hands-on experience, combined with peer support, ensures that participants leave the program with actionable strategies and a clear plan for continued growth in their teaching practices.
By participating in this program, educators will gain a deeper understanding of how to create equitable learning environments that are responsive to the diverse needs of their students. They will develop critical skills in reflecting on their own identities and positionalities, understanding how these influence their teaching, and actively working to counteract oppression and harm in their educational practices. Additionally, the program provides an opportunity to build a network of like-minded professionals, fostering a supportive community that can continue to collaborate and share best practices long after the program concludes.
Dates | Time Commitments | Session |
January 27 - February 10, 2025 | Asynchronous session; ~10 hours | Learners will begin to explore resources, materials, and videos to help deepen their understanding of justice-centered and culturally sustaining practices. |
Part II: Envision (February) | ||
February 11, 2025 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. (ET) | Workshop #1: Introduction to Justice-Centered reflective Practice for Educators - Sonia Rosen and Michael Kokozos |
February 18, 2025 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. (ET) | Workshop #2: Racial Literacy: Stress, Microaggressions, & Neuroplasticity - Charlotte Jacobs |
February 25, 2025 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. (ET) | Workshop #3: Restorative Justice and Culturally Sustaining Case Study - Nicole Carl and Charmaine Giles |
March 4, 2025 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. (ET) | Workshop #4: Culturally Sustaining Lesson Plans and Video Enactment - Nicole Carl |
Part III - Enact | ||
March-April
| 3 one hour live virtual sessions. Exact time and dates will be determined once educator teams are formed | Learners will implement their equity-centered and culturally responsive projects in their classrooms and schools. During the live virtual sessions, learners will connect, collaborate, reflect, and learn from each other's experiences.
|
What are the benefits of obtaining Continuing Education (CE) credits?
CE credits are issued on an official University of Pennsylvania transcript. Having an official record of your participation in this program can add credibility to the work that you invest in completing it. In some school districts, CE credits can be used to help educators advance along their pay scale.
What style of grading does this program follow?
Programs that offer CE credits award "Pass/Fail" grading.
Can I add CE credits after I get started in the program?
You must decide before you start the program if you will be participating as a learner who is completing the program for CE credentialing. You will not be able to opt in after the program starts.
Can I receive partial credit or opt out of receiving CE credits after I start the program?
No, this program can not offer partial credit if a learner can not complete the program. However, a learner can unenroll from the program by the drop deadline and will be responsible for 100% of the program fee.
Why might you not want CE credits?
If you choose to receive CE credits but do not successfully complete this program, you risk receiving an F on your permanent Penn transcript.
Can participating educators receive Pennsylvania Act 48 credits if they don't register for CE credits?
Yes! All Pennsylvania educators are eligible to receive the total amount of ACT 48 credits regardless of their preference for CE credits.
Please read the policy below carefully to understand the important consequences that choosing to receive CE credits may have for your University of Pennsylvania transcript.
As a participant in this Penn GSE Certificate program, you are eligible to receive Continuing Education (CE) credits for successful completion of the program requirements. Whether or not you choose to receive CE credits for your participation in this program, all program expectations and requirements are the same.
If you choose to receive CE credits, this course will appear on your permanent Penn transcript.
If you decide to unenroll from this program, you will have until the Add/Drop Deadline to do so without consequence for your transcript. This course will no longer appear on your Penn transcript.
If you decide to unenroll from this program after the Add/Drop Deadline, then this course will appear on your Penn transcript. Courses dropped after the Add/Drop Deadline requires instructor approval, and a 'W' will appear on your transcript in place of a grade.
If you decide to unenroll from this program after the Withdrawal Deadline, then this course will appear on your Penn transcript, and you may earn an F.
If you choose to receive CE credits for your participation in this program but do not successfully complete it, then you may earn an F on your Penn transcript.
Please indicate whether or not you would like to receive CE credits for your participation in this program on your application.