Reshaping how literacy is taught

I had been working in a classroom for eight years when I enrolled in the Reading/Writing/Literacy program. Penn GSE gave me a year to reflect on my practice and a new lens to examine how I teach English. The innovative and responsive approaches inspired me. By the time I graduated, I felt renewed and ready for new challenges in my school.

I learned directly from some of the professors who are reshaping how we think about teaching literacy. Before coming to Penn GSE, I had read a bit of Dr. Ebony Elizabeth Thomas’ work on the importance of representative children’s literature. I had the chance to take three classes with Dr. Thomas in my one year at Penn, and she helped me rethink my approach.

Penn GSE also offered me a chance to explore new areas. A course in adolescent development gave me insights into brain development, psychology, and human development. Those lessons are very valuable for someone like me who works with teenagers and is always trying to understand and interpret behavior.

I didn’t only learn from professors and course material. My fellow students came from a diverse mix of race, gender, background, and professional experiences. There was always someone to offer a perspective I hadn’t previously considered.

After graduating, I became a literacy specialist. I’m using the skills I developed at Penn GSE to collaborate with my colleagues to deliver targeted literacy supports for students, while also constructing a vision for literacy across our school.