Special Topic: COVID-19

Between closed schools, online learning, and a disrupted college admissions process, the COVID-19 pandemic is reshaping education in real-time. Penn GSE’s experts are sharing expertise and creating solutions for educators, learners, parents, and families while examining the global ramifications for policy and practice.

Media Inquiries

Kat Stein
Executive Director of Penn GSE Communications
(215) 898-9642
katstein@upenn.edu 

Matthew Vlahos
Senior Associate Director of Penn GSE Communications
(215) 898-3269
vlahos@upenn.edu

An illustration showing hands on a gear, symbolizing teamwork.

Learning every day to respond to COVID-19

Jonathan Supovotiz and John D'Auria have ideas to help leaders collaborate within their districts, schools, and teams to address questions of equity, access, technology, pedagogy, and social-emotional support.

Planning for Uncertainty Guide Cover

Planning for Uncertainty: An Educator’s Guide to Navigating the COVID-19 Era

The Planning for Uncertainty Guide advocates for approaching educational challenges and the problem-solving they require through an Uncertainty Mindset. It guides educators through developing actionable strategies in the face of pervasive uncertainty, both independently and alongside colleagues. Learn more and download the guide at the Project for Mental Health and Optimal Development.

Kindergarten classroom

Special Issue: Perspectives on Urban Education

Penn GSE’s Perspectives on Urban Education provides an interactive forum to investigate critical issues in urban education. The special Fall 2020 issue, New Tools for a New House: Transformations for Justice and Peace in and beyond COVID-19, addresses the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice, and features voices of students, teachers, educational leaders, counselors, parents, and researchers.

More Penn GSE COVID-19 Coverage

Katharine O. Strunk, Penn GSE
Penn GSE News
 | 
September 8, 2023

Amid the aftermath of pandemic-induced disruptions, college students are grappling with significant challenges in mastering basic math skills, a consequence of the shift to remote schooling. These setbacks have left a particularly pronounced impact on vulnerable student groups, says Dean Strunk.

Penn GSE News
 | 
June 9, 2022

#PennGSEExperts Pam Grossman and Richard M. Ingersoll were interviewed for a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article about the looming crisis. Between 30 and 50 percent of new teachers now leave the profession after their first five years.

Penn GSE News
 | 
May 27, 2022
Photograph of mural depicting a group of students above the following quote: "Celebrate the highs. Hold on during the lows. They all have purpose."

A new mural at a Philadelphia-area high school is more than a colorful work of art. It’s the product of a hands-on learning experience that helped unite a local school community while promoting mental health. Penn GSE’s Consortium for Mental Health and Optimal Development was instrumental in designing the project and bringing partners together.

Caroline L. Watts, Penn GSE
Penn GSE News
 | 
May 4, 2022

Already reeling from the ongoing disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, local classrooms have been beset by gun violence and its troubling effects on mental health.

Ryan S. Baker, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
March 2, 2022
, Penn Today

Six takeaways from two years of online learning

Ryan Baker shares some best practices and which practices to avoid after two years of virtual learning. Virtual learning should focus on ensuring that students experience as little disruption to their education as possible. The key to that is creating a discourse around the use of technology.

Richard M. Ingersoll, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
February 2, 2022
, U.S. News and World Report

As COVID thins school staffing, who’s teaching kids?

Richard Ingersoll expressed concern about lowering the bar for teachers. “Remote sometimes might be much more preferable to getting some substitute in there who’s basically babysitting,” he said.

Penn GSE News
 | 
January 11, 2022
Caroline Watts speaks at a panel event about mental health in student populations.

Speaking to an audience of Penn GSE alumni and friends, three mental health professionals shared ways in which they’re responding to students’ mental health during transitional times.

Penn GSE News
 | 
October 28, 2021
Sharon Wolf

In a new study, Penn GSE’s Sharon Wolf documents in detail how inequalities impacted learning in Ghana during the pandemic and shares how that could inform any nation’s approach to instruction this fall.

Caroline L. Watts, Penn GSE
Awards & Honors
 | 
September 15, 2021
Caroline Watts has been awarded a $14,500 grant from the Neubauer Family Foundation built research capacity through partnership with the OSCE.
Michael A. Gottfried, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
September 13, 2021
, Politico Nightly

Fall Back

Michael Gottfried said COVID-19-related school absences may disrupt all students’ learning. “Part of me is just like let’s just go back to Zoom for everyone,” he said. “I want to be in person more than anyone else. That is, the last thing I want to do is sit on Zoom and teach. So I feel for these kids. But what kind of learning is it going to be without a real fallback plan in place?”

Caroline L. Watts, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
August 31, 2021
, Penn Today

Understanding the pandemic classroom

Caroline Watts discusses educators’ experiences during the early days of the pandemic, lessons learned and how the classroom might be different in the coming months.

Richard M. Ingersoll, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
August 25, 2021
, MarketPlace

Teachers are leaving the profession due to COVID-19 stresses

Richard Ingersoll comments on teachers leaving the profession if the economy continues to improve and they continue to feel stress. “Typically we find that employees across the economy tend to quit less during economic downtimes,” he said. “There’s a lot of indications that in fact, during the pandemic, teacher turnover and teacher retirements may have even gone down.”

A. Brooks Bowden, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
August 14, 2021
, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Thousands of kindergartners didn’t show up for school last year. Here’s what that means for the school year to come.

Brooks Bowden comments on the amount of work that needs to be done before and after school reopen for the fall. “We’ve all got a lot of work to do,” she said. Bowden thinks “educator coaches, tutoring services, and supports for families can go a long way.”

Richard M. Ingersoll, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
July 13, 2021
, KJZZ

COVID-19 pandemic hasn't led to massive teacher exodus, but concerns remain

"There might be a whole lot of pent up frustration and the retiring, quitting can go up dramatically starting this summer." — Richard Ingersoll

Circle-shaped headshots of three Penn GSE alumni appear against a white background with the headline “Preparing Future.
Penn GSE News
 | 
July 1, 2021

By teaching, implementing curricula, creating experiences outside of the classroom, and engaging undergraduates in community service, these alumni are preparing the next generation for U.S. civic life.

Penn GSE News
 | 
July 1, 2021
A silhouette of a student’s head in a graduation cap is filled with various images of the Penn GSE building, Penn campus views, students, and faculty.

Seeing hope amidst current challenges, Penn GSE professors, scholars, and graduates are examining the changing landscape of higher education and envisioning opportunities to advance educational opportunity and racial justice.

Richard M. Ingersoll, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
June 18, 2021
, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

New survey: 1 in 4 U.S. teachers may quit

Richard Ingersoll said that it will take year or two to determine if the pandemic drove teachers to quit the profession. “Everything I have seen on this is anecdotal, or conjecture, or for specific school districts,” he said.

Annie McKee, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 27, 2021
, AARP

5 strategies to cope with your return to the office

Annie McKee offered tips for adjusting to the return to in-person work, such as reconnecting with coworkers. “We've all changed as a result of the pandemic,” she said. “Get to know people again and give yourself the permission to … care about each other.”

Penn GSE News
 | 
May 26, 2021
Penn GSE Dean Pam Grossman, who recently co-authored a new report from the Learning Policy Institute, pictured in February 2020.

Penn GSE’s dean and peers from the Learning Policy Institute advocate for accelerating systems change in the wake of the pandemic.

In the Media
 | 
May 18, 2021
, Penn Today

Inaugural Projects for Progress recipients announced

Caroline Watts, Diane Waff, Zachary Herrmann, Marsha Richardson, and Regina Bynum were selected to implement their initiative “Bridging Gaps and Building Capacity: Student and Educator Supports for School Reopening in Learning Network 2.” The initative will provide evidence-based programming and professional development at one to two summer learning sites in West Philadelphia, followed by network-wide professional learning supports throughout the 2021-22 academic year.

Penn GSE News
 | 
May 17, 2021
Faculty appear in clasrooms in five tiled images. A lavender bar across the bottom reads, “Professional Counseling Master’s Program.”

Penn GSE students preparing for counseling careers have strived to deliver mental health services to vulnerable populations via virtual internships while studying remotely themselves.

Ryan S. Baker, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
April 23, 2021
, Philadelphia Inquirer

Temple’s business school sees virtual reality as future of online learning

Ryan Baker is quoted on how the pandemic has necessitated innovation in remote learning, noting that, “There’s been a move to using high-quality interactive online learning environments.”

Penn GSE News
 | 
April 5, 2021
Easing back into the classroom

“It feels like it hasn’t quite let up. Neither has the request for support,” Penn GSE counseling lecturer Ariane Thomas told WHYY.

Pam Grossman, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
March 11, 2021
, Education Week

Want to improve learning outcomes? Give students more time

Pam Grossman proposes rethinking schooling to give students more time to learn. “Let’s use the pandemic to rethink how we expand and enrich learning time for children, especially those most impacted by COVID-19-related disruption.”

Penn GSE News
 | 
February 18, 2021
2020 McGraw Prize in Education winners, from left, Estela Mara Bensimon, Michelene (Micki) Chi, and Joseph S. Krajcik .

Nominations for the 2021 McGraw Prizes in Education are open through April 15.

Yasmin B. Kafai, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
February 5, 2021
, Utah State University News

Virtual Virus Helps Students Cope with COVID-19

Yasmin Kafai and professors across several departments at Utah State University have partnered to create an imaginary virus, allowing students to virtually explore many aspects of living in a pandemic. Children can play in this risk-free environment with more control than they often have in the real world.

Penn GSE News
 | 
December 22, 2020
A collage of images, including a portrait of Michael Gottfried, a student at a laptop, a vote sign, and Jasmine Blanks Jones sitting with a child.

COVID-19 dominated the year but didn’t define it. Here are some ways members of Penn GSE’s community made a difference in 2020.

Michael A. Gottfried, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
December 10, 2020
, WHYY (Philadelphia)

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

Michael Gottfried 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.”

Penn GSE News
 | 
December 10, 2020
Half of a bright blue sphere representing Earth is illuminated, and surrounding the sphere are digital icons including a phone symbol, wi-fi symbol, dollar sign, and camera icon.

Amid a global pandemic and perhaps the largest civil rights movement in U.S. history, Penn GSE is embracing the shift to virtual education, providing resources to educators and leaders in the field at large, and addressing issues of race, equity, and access throughout the School’s work.

Peter Eckel, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
December 2, 2020
, University World News

Research universities must act as engines of optimism

Peter Eckel and Aida Sagintayeva virtually brought together higher ed leaders from across 15 time zones to talk about a way forward.

Sharon Wolf, Penn GSE
Awards & Honors
 | 
November 15, 2020
The research focuses on increasing parental engagement in child remote learning, during and in the aftermath of the pandemic, with a particular focus on promoting gender parity in education.
Penn GSE News
 | 
October 22, 2020
The headline “Celebrating Virtually” and red and blue pennants appear above screenshots of two event videos. The screenshot on the left says. “Join us for a virtual Alumni Weekend Saturday May 16. 2020.” The screenshot on the right shows Dean Grossman smiling above the words “Dean Pam Grossman of the Graduate School of Education.”

Penn Alumni Weekend and Penn GSE Commencement went virtual for 2020, keeping the University and School communities connected from afar amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Penn GSE News
 | 
October 22, 2020
Seven colorful thought bubbles, each with a silhouette of a person within it, are connected by a web. Within and outside of the silhouettes are symbols including computers, gears, targets, globes, a brain, and an eye. A headline reads, “Building a Community of Leaders: Penn GSE’s Chief Learning Officer Program Goes Virtual.”

Throughout a successful transition to remote learning, Penn GSE’s Chief Learning Officer program has focused on building community among leaders of workplace learning.

Headshots of four alumni, two women and two men, appear on a dark yellow background with the headline “Adapting in Times of Crisis: Penn GSE Alumni Shape Education’s Future.
Penn GSE News
 | 
October 22, 2020

The role of educators and leaders worldwide is more important than ever in today’s landscape. Four Penn GSE alumni share the challenges they have faced as while charting a promising path forward.

A boy at play.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
October 15, 2020
Michael Nakkula and Andy Danilchick have suggestions for how parents can navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 era.
A teacher in front of a classroom
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
October 13, 2020
In their new guide, Michael Nakkula and Andy Danilchick show educators how to cultivate an "uncertainty mindset".
A girl looks up from reading a picture book.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
September 30, 2020
These will help parents build these literacy skills with their children and have fun in the process.
Richard M. Ingersoll, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
September 29, 2020
, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Will teacher concerns over COVID cause more of them to flee classroom?

Richard Ingersoll said it’s too early to know if the pandemic will worsen teacher shortages. “Traditionally, employees in general across industries and occupations quit at higher rates in good economic times and at lower rates in bad economic times," he said. "The reason is simple—even if someone dislikes their job, they are loath to quit if there is financial uncertainty, or if there are not other jobs available.” 

An illustration showing hands on a gear, symbolizing teamwork.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
September 24, 2020
Jonathan Supovotiz and John D'Auria have ideas to help leaders collaborate within their districts, schools, and teams to address questions of equity, access, technology, pedagogy, and social-emotional support.
Richard M. Ingersoll, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
September 14, 2020
, Laredo Morning Times

Despite COVID concerns, economics still driving teacher retirement decisions

“Even if you don’t like your job, if there aren’t other options out there, you’re going to be loath to leave. There aren’t a lot of options out there,” said Richard Ingersoll.

Howard C. Stevenson, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
September 4, 2020
, “Radio Times” WHYY

How are teens and young adults coping?

Howard Stevenson and Frances Jensen spoke about how young people view the threat of COVID-19 and the effects of police violence on their mental health.  

Steve Piltch, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
August 16, 2020
, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Many private schools are planning to open in person as public schools are stuck online

Steve Piltch said private school enrollment has declined during the last decade. “Whatever the classes were there to begin with, they were smaller than most of the public schools are,” he said. 

Sharon M. Ravitch, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
August 12, 2020
, Harvard Business Review Online

Why Teaching Through Crisis Requires a Radical New Mindset

“The more we consider this new reality and the new rules it brings into our curriculum and pedagogy, the more grounded, humanizing, and transformational our teaching and courses will become,” Ravitch said.

An illustration from The Decameron, showing people sitting in a circle telling a story.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
August 12, 2020
Abby Reisman says historical inquiry gives students a space to think deeply about the past and consider how it connects to and shapes the present.
Jonathan Zimmerman, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
July 27, 2020
, Newsday

Wanted: A Civilian Coronavirus Corps

Jonathan Zimmerman advocated for a program that would enlist college students and other young adults to support school-aged children with online learning and extracurricular activities in exchange for a small stipend during the pandemic.  

Ryan S. Baker, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
July 22, 2020
, EdSurge

Report: One of the biggest obstacles too remote learning? Finding a quiet place to work

Ryan Baker led a team that analyzed the results of a survey about the challenges of remote learning. “School districts’ IT were never prepared for this to happen,” Baker said. 

Penn GSE News
 | 
July 21, 2020
Catalyst @ Penn GSE Executive Director Michael Golden, left, and John Gamba, Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Director of Innovative Programs at Catalyst.

Lessons on what education might look like in the fall, the value in remote networking, and why conferences might look different in the future.

Penn GSE News
 | 
July 17, 2020
A boardroom with two empty large leather chairs in front of bookcases.

Peter Eckel, an expert on higher education management governance, warns that due to the pandemic, higher education may face a shortage of leadership.

Penn GSE News
 | 
July 16, 2020
Penn GSE's Howard Stevenson

Howard Stevenson is an expert on racial literacy. Here’s what people have asked him this summer.

Press Releases
 | 
June 25, 2020
Higher education experts call on state governors to form taskforces to reorient higher education coming out of the current crisis
Penn GSE News
 | 
June 25, 2020
Scott Pattison, left, and Joni Finney.

Principles to guide state policymakers through higher education’s trying summer and beyond.

Karen Weaver, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
June 20, 2020
, LA Times

Mid-major conferences brace for inevitable cuts in sports budgets because of pandemic

Karen Weaver discussed how enrollment totals may impact sports budgets for colleges and universities.

Karen Weaver, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
June 11, 2020
, KWY News Radio

Big questions about COVID-19 and athletics before college sports come back

Karen Weaver discussed the college sports landscape and the big questions universities and athletics programs are tackling during the coronavirus pandemic.

Penn GSE News
 | 
June 8, 2020
Marsha Richardson, right, leads a discussion at Penn GSE in 2019.

Leading an EDTECH WEEK Masterclass, Marsha Richardson said educators need to take care of their own wellness needs, as well as those of their students.

Howard C. Stevenson, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
June 4, 2020
, USA Today

Kids need to talk about George Floyd, protests and racism. With coronavirus school closures, it's hard to do.

Howard Stevenson said, "Teachers can be incredibly powerful in teaching young people to engage in these conversations rather than avoid them."

Sharon Wolf, Penn GSE
Awards & Honors
 | 
June 1, 2020
Sharon Wolf received a $300k grant from the World Bank Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund to support learning and gender parity in Ghana.
Penn GSE News
 | 
May 28, 2020
Pennsylvania mail-in ballots for the 2020 primary election.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shifted Rand Quinn’s class online this spring, his students decided their main project should change too.

Caroline L. Watts, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 24, 2020
, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Why many Philly students aren’t logging on for school, and what that could mean for September

Caroline Watts commented on the six weeks it took for the Philadelphia school district to distribute laptops to its students after Gov. Wolf ordered schools to close. “The greater the lag in the time off, the harder it is to engage students,” said Watts. 

Karen Weaver, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 22, 2020
, Twin Cities Pioneer Press

Cut sports? Trim coaches’ pay? A look at Gophers’ financial solutions amid coronavirus

Karen Weaver said she has seen some ideas to address the crisis, but real strategies are still lacking.

Penn GSE News
 | 
May 21, 2020
Howard Stevenson

Howard Stevenson on what COVID-19 has revealed about race and health.

Ryan S. Baker, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 20, 2020
, USA Today Online

Online programs used for coronavirus-era school promise results. The claims are misleading

Ryan Baker said “A lot of these companies, it’s a matter of life or death if they get some evidence up on their page. No one is trying to be deceitful. (They’re) all kind of out of their depth and all trying to do it cheaply and quickly.”

Press Releases
 | 
May 20, 2020
With pandemic budget cuts looming, Laura Perna says policymakers should prioritize low-income college students. "If they are forced off the path now, they are the least likely to make it back on."
Karen Weaver, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 17, 2020
, PennLive Sports Insider

Can college athletes really play in the fall without a vaccine? One big 10 coaching vet thinks it’s crazy talk

Karen Weaver is interviewed about the issues surrounding college athletics returning in the fall in the face of coronavirus pandemic.

Karen Weaver, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 14, 2020
, Full Court Press

Overtime: College athletic programs will have to operate differently due to COVID-19

Karen Weaver talks about the importance of college sports on campuses and the impact on college athletics from the pandemic.

Laura W. Perna, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 14, 2020
, The New York Times

Campus life in the fall? A test with no clear answer

Laura Perna said of colleges’ approaches to the fall 2020 semester, “I think we are going to see a lot of variation.” 

Penn GSE News
 | 
May 11, 2020
Penn GSE director of Career and Professional Development Amy Benedict, left, meets with a student in 2019 to discuss career planning

Penn GSE’s Amy Benedict on the art of virtual networking, lessons learned from the Great Recession, and charting a path to a dream job.

Sharon M. Ravitch, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 11, 2020
, Elevate with Spark! podcast

Living and Teaching in Flux: A Conversation with Sharon Ravitch

Sharon Ravitch joins host Rob van Nood of Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Oregon to discuss the current crisis as an opportunity to rebuild learning experiences based on a world in flux and from ideas and visions that put students at the center. "As educators, we have to find active ways to nourish ourselves, connect with each other, and really think about this moment," said Ravitch.

Peter Eckel, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 8, 2020
, Philadelphia Magazine Online

Philly Colleges Planning for In-Person Classes This Fall: What We Know

Peter Eckel said, “Part of the challenge is the complexity of the issues that university boards are facing. There is also a degree of unpredictability regarding short-term challenges, like enrollment and finances, endowments and financial resources, but also safety and security in the future. We don’t know if there’s going to be a new normal, a next normal, or return to normal.”

Robert M. Zemsky, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 8, 2020
, Inside Higher Education

Public and private measures of colleges' financial strength spark more discussion Inside Higher Ed

Robert Zemsky said, in the face of the pandemic, colleges with 1,500 or fewer students are facing the question of how much they can shrink and continue to function.

Penn GSE News
 | 
May 7, 2020
Students walk across a college campus in the fall.

Penn AHEAD brought together administrators from across the country to discuss how pandemic has affected their schools, and how they are evaluating their future.

Ryan S. Baker, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 4, 2020
, Vox

Paranoia about cheating is making online education terrible for everyone

Ryan Baker discussed adaptive learning, which can use algorithms to adapt lessons to individual students, as well as other computer-based learning tools. 

Penn GSE News
 | 
May 4, 2020
From left, CNN’s Erica Hill, Penn GSE graduate Sundai Riggins, and CNN’s Sanjay Gupta, appear on ABCs of COVID-19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents. (CNN)

Sundai Riggins, a Penn GSE graduate and principal in Washington, DC, appeared on a CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall to talk about how the pandemic is affecting kids and parents.

Robert M. Zemsky, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
May 1, 2020
, The Washington Post Online

College students want answers about fall, but schools may not have them for months

Robert Zemsky said, “It’s revenue pressure, and the sense that ‘if we’re the one that doesn’t open, we lose our share of the market permanently.’”

Penn GSE News
 | 
April 30, 2020
Jasmine Blanks Jones works with a student artist at B4 Youth Theater.

When Ebola hit Liberia, Penn GSE student Jasmine Blanks Jones’ youth theater company took on conspiracy theories and a lack of trust in the government. If that sounds familiar, she has ideas for improving messaging during the pandemic.

Karen Weaver, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
April 30, 2020
, The Athletic

With football in flux, how Michigan could weather a financial downturn

Karen Weaver discussed some issues that colleges athletics programs are facing during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Robert M. Zemsky, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
April 30, 2020
, The Wall Street Journal

Coronavirus pushes colleges to the breaking point, forcing ‘hard choices’ about education

In his book The College Stress Test, Robert Zemsky predicted that 10% of private, liberal arts colleges in the U.S. were likely to close within the next five years. Now, with the pandemic’s damaging effects on school finances, his prediction has changed to 200 schools in the next year alone. 

Robert M. Zemsky, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
April 28, 2020
, ABC News Online

Coronavirus pandemic brings staggering losses to colleges and universities

Robert Zemsky, in his new book, The College Stress Test, estimates that 10 percent of the nation’s colleges – smaller schools with poor retention rates – were already at risk of closing. Now, he said, “we think another 10 percent is at risk because of the virus.”

Penn GSE News
 | 
April 22, 2020
Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher in a classroom.

In the debut of her Parent Scoop podcast, Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher discusses the most important things parents and kids can do while they are stuck at home.

Zachary Herrmann, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
April 22, 2020
, Edutopia

4 Guiding Questions for Effective Remote Collaboration

"Teamwork has traditionally played a critical role in schools, and while many of us find ourselves physically isolated, our collaborative work with one another may be more important now than ever," Zachary Herrmann writes.

Penn GSE News
 | 
April 16, 2020
Sharon Wolf talks with a student in her office.

‘This pandemic is going to have consequences for children,’ Wolf says.

A house with drawings of rainbows in the window.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
April 7, 2020
Advice on dealing with short tempers, screen time, and what to do when your child wants to get a dog during lockdown.
An illustration of key points in this article.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
April 7, 2020
College instructors have moved their courses online, but Penn GSE's Sharon Ravitch says they need to do more to meet their students' needs during this pandemic. Here, she gives ideas for instructors to consider.
Peter Eckel, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
April 2, 2020
, Inside Higher Education

Colleges Can Help Win the War Against COVID-19

Peter Eckel and Turab Rizvi write that higher education institutions are well positioned to lead efforts beyond campus borders by advancing experts and their expertise, sharing excess capacity, and supporting community needs.

Robert M. Zemsky, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
March 31, 2020
, The Chronicle of Higher Education

The bailout is just the start: Why higher ed needs to build a sustainable model

Robert Zemsky said that “dislodging events,” such as COVID-19, can force needed changes in education. 

Penn GSE News
 | 
March 31, 2020
A family crowds around a dining room table working on homework.

Give each other space. Create norms. And remember, you can play ping-pong on your dining room table.

A family schedule written on a chalkboard.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
March 31, 2020
Staying at home has broken routines for both children and parents. Planning your day, breaks and all, can help.
Karen Weaver, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
March 27, 2020
, The Philadelphia Inquirer

College sports will be hit hard, and will not be the same economically after the coronavirus

Karen Weaver talks through the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic on college athletics departments.

A student sits and works at a laptop computer.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
March 27, 2020
You have already built a classroom culture that can carry you and your students through the year, with a few adaptations.
Alan R. Ruby, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
March 25, 2020
, Education World Online

QS IGAUGE: COVID-19, second wind for higher education in India

Alan Ruby said, “There will be a deterrent effect, especially on international students. The choice of destination for study abroad is influenced by perceptions about personal safety. The virus, and the response to it, is a reminder that health services and hygiene standards are not what some students are familiar with.”

Jonathan Zimmerman, Penn GSE
In the Media
 | 
March 20, 2020
, Education Week Online

When Schools Shut Down, We All Lose

Jonathan Zimmerman writes, “Schools are always implicated in national crises, always,” pointing to schools’ role selling war bonds during World War I and cultivating victory gardens in World War II. “But in prior crises, they were engaged in the struggle, because it was a struggle against a human enemy rather than a biological one. This is a struggle against a biological one that requires schools not to step up, but to stand down.”

An instructor appears on a computer screen delivering an online college lesson.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
March 18, 2020
Set norms. Check emotional health. And remember that your students might already be pretty good at this.
Penn GSE News
 | 
March 6, 2020
A child sits at a computer working on an online learning exercise.

We asked online education expert Ryan Baker what school leaders and parents should be thinking about it. His advice: be flexible — and don’t discount library books.

An image of a COVID-19 virus.
The Educator's Playbook
 | 
March 4, 2020
Caroline Watts says parents can help kids feel stable, safe, and secure while also taking the outbreak very seriously.

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