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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’s Abby Reisman and Sigal Ben-Porath penned a piece for the Washington Post denouncing legislative efforts to limit classroom discussions on race, gender, and sexual orientation.

Jonathan Zimmerman said that bills banning the teaching of so-called “critical race theory” in schools could create more problems for conservatives than they solve. “I understand the danger of indoctrination in our schools, about race and everything else,” he said. “But the solution to that problem is to present multiple perspectives in our classrooms, not to bar certain perspectives from them.”

Following the formalization of a five-year, $4.1 million deal between Penn and Henry C. Lea Elementary School,  many throughout the city are wondering how the extra support will transform the school over the coming years.

The University and its Graduate School of Education will contribute more than $4 million to the West Philadelphia K-8 school throughout the next five years.

Now more than ever, it is imperative that the stories we tell, read, and write are reflective of the histories and experiences of the many different communities that make up our world — communities which are often missing from bookshelves in schools and libraries.

One of many virtual offerings of Penn GSE’s Center for Professional Learning, the Strategic Leadership Certificate program is helping educators strengthen their effectiveness and deepen their impact.

Rabani Garg and Sibylla Shekerdjiska-Benatova discuss what goes into the creation of the Best Books for Young Readers list — and what it means to them.

As 2022 gets rolling, let's take one last look back at our top stories of 2021.

Jonathan Zimmerman posed tough questions about who will instruct students about the January 6, 2021, insurrection. Most of our history teachers, he says, are not adequately educated for that task.

St. Mark’s School, Kent School, John Burroughs School, and Marin Academy will join 17 host partner schools working directly with Penn GSE to provide intensive teaching fellowships to aspiring early career teachers.

Penn GSE exceeded the largest fundraising goal in its history, dramatically increasing support for priorities across the School.

A transformational new scholarship at Penn GSE will provide significant funding to diversify the nation’s pipeline of teachers and educational leaders and propel work that benefits marginalized populations.

The online master’s program will explore inequity, social justice, and education policy at a pace designed to accommodate the busy schedules of full-time educators.

As a complex era fuels urgent questions about the state of American democracy, faculty and students at Penn GSE are examining key issues of freedom, voice, and dialogue while helping foster respectful discussion within the classroom and beyond.

Jonathan Zimmerman asked, “Can we be honest about critical race theory (CRT)?” He argues the topic has become highly politicized. To confront biases, one must share different versions of America with students and allow them to use critical thinking skills to confront conflicting truths and weigh opposing arguments.

Recent graduates of Penn GSE’s three teacher education master’s programs are implementing what they’ve learned, showing a deep commitment to their students’ futures as they teach mathematics, English, and science.

The first Penn Integrates Knowledge professor to hold an appointment at Penn GSE, Dr. Roberto Gonzales discusses the journey that led to his research on immigrant populations and envisions next steps in his new role.

The Penn GSE community mourns the loss of longtime staff member Betty Deane, who served an extraordinary tenure of more than five decades at the School.

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.

In an op-ed in EdWeek, Penn GSE’s Dean Pam Grossman, Zachary Herrmann, and Sarah Schneider Kavanagh write that incorporating project-based learning is just like running: start a little at a time.

Penn GSE Dean Pam Grossman spoke with historian and best-selling author Jill Lepore at the School’s annual Steven S. Goldberg and Jolley Bruce Christman Lecture in Education Law

Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher dicusses her Teaching Beyond September 11th curriculum with the FreshEd Podcast.

An inaugural Penn Projects for Progress program led by a Penn GSE team focused on reconnecting West Philadelphia students to school and one another, rather than academic remediation. 

Commenting on a new 6abc investigation, Penn GSE’s Bob Jarvis offers some suggestions for addressing inequities.

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?”

Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher's “Teaching Beyond September 11” curriculum has sparked conversation of the importance of learning about 9/11 in school. Many states, including Colorado, do not have a school curriculum that teaches about the “increasingly distant historic event.” There is hope that students “would understand everything that happened that went into that event taking place and they would work to make sure that event never takes place again.”

Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher spoke about “history from the last 20 years that is completely neglected.” The “Teaching Beyond September 11” curriculum “is really speaking to that gap and helping young people understand just how the world has changed as a consequence of that awful day,” she said.

Brooks Bowden cautions that while the effect sizes in the ARC Core research study were large compared to studies of older students, there are few similar studies of kindergarteners to provide a basis for comparison.

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 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.”

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.”

In new research published in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Michael Gottfried (Penn GSE), J. Jacob Kirksey (Texas Tech) and Tina L. Fletcher (Penn) examine the impact of having a same-race teacher on attendance.

Project-based learning could change the game for students this fall. Sarah Schneider Kavanagh and Zachary Herrmann have some thoughts on what school leaders need to do to support it.

A new report from Ryan Baker and the Penn Center for Learning Analytics examines the emerging field of learning engineering and recommends top opportunities where researchers and practitioners should focus their energies.

To help children prepare to start school, Katie Barghaus and Casey Henderson from the Penn Child Research Center’s Conquering Kindergarten initiative offer some tips.

Ryan Baker spoke about his new report identifying areas of improvement for ed tech developers. “The number of educators who are fully satisfied with technology solutions is pretty low. They are looking for better ways to save time and effort for auto grading and looking for richer activities,” he said.

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’s Dr. Charlotte Jacobs talks about her approach to research, the intersection of research and practice, and how she’s aiming to increase access to her work.

Learning technologies are often dropped into classrooms without the crucial context on how to use them that is needed, says Penn GSE’s Ryan Baker.

Three distinguished Penn GSE alumni shared their perspectives on finding strength in the face of adversity, supporting mental health, and rallying to improve social justice.

Penn GSE’s Caroline Watts shares what educators can do to take care of themselves with less time to recharge this summer.

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

Dean Pam Grossman said technology has yet to significantly disrupt education or replace the need for teachers. “Teaching and learning are fundamentally relational processes, and without the relationship, it’s hard to engage learners, particularly those that aren’t motivated,” she said.

The largest fundraising effort in Penn GSE’s history is helping the School realize its five priorities and provide learners with the foundation for lifelong opportunity.

Go vote for teams led by Caroline Ebby and Yasmin Kafai in the Public Choice competition.

‘To have young people who are taking center stage in the realms that other young people are really sort of using to explore their identity is crucial,’ Ed Brockenbrough recently told USA Today.

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.”

Techniques and games from theater can be fun tools for building classroom engagement and tackling content in new ways.