Over the past few weeks, several Penn GSE faculty have joined Goutham Yegappan on his Re-Educated podcast to explore fundamental issues in education, including literacy, meaning-making in classrooms, the forces that shape schools, and the politics of language. The series invites educators, researchers, and thinkers to reflect on what education is and what it could be.
Professor Gerald Campano appeared on episode 197, “Literacy Beyond the Classroom.” An erexpert in literacy education, he discussed how literacy must be understood not as an isolated skill but as a set of practices deeply embedded in students’ social worlds. He emphasized how educators can honor learners’ diverse cultural and linguistic resources and create classroom environments where literacy connects to real-world inquiry and community knowledge.
In episode 195, “Meaning Is Made, Not Given,” Professor of Practice Anne Pomerantz unpacked how meaning is constructed within classroom interactions. Drawing on her extensive research in classroom discourse, Pomerantz explored how teachers and students make sense of texts and ideas together, how questions can open or constrain learning, and why attending to the subtleties of communication matters for equitable teaching and learning.
Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership Andrea M. Kane joined the podcast for episode 193, “The Ecosystem of Education: Inside the System That Shapes Schools.” Kane, the former superintendent of Schools for Queen Anne’s County Public Schools ion Maryland, discussed how schools are influenced not just by curriculum and instruction but by broader systems, including policy, community contexts, and institutional structures. Her conversation highlighted the importance of examining the interconnected forces that shape educational outcomes and the implications for practice and reform.
In episode 191, “Language Is Never Neutral,” Professor Betsy Rymes explored how language intersects with power, identity, and schooling. Rymes, whose work focuses on language learning and classroom discourse, offered insights into how language policies and norms influence who gets heard and how students experience school. Her episode provided a nuanced look at language as a social and political phenomenon in educational settings.
Together, these conversations reflect the breadth of scholarship at Penn GSE and the School’s ongoing engagement with urgent questions in education. From literacy and language to systems change and classroom meaning-making, Penn GSE faculty continue to contribute research-driven perspectives to national and global conversations about teaching and learning.
Media Inquiries
Penn GSE Communications is here to help reporters connect with the education experts they need.
