February 18, 2020

What I Wish I Knew

Posted by Nikki Hunter '20

Money is stressful, but don’t let the stress take precedence over the pursuit of your degree. I have personally used these tips to help relieve some of my own finance-induced anxiety. Your time at GSE will go by fast. Keeping money under control, whether through these tips, a budget, or other strategies, will allow you the flexibility to take full advantage of your program and the many resources the university offers.
Reflections
January 16, 2020

A Day in the Life

Posted by Kate Conroy '20

Seeing other Masters students in my cohort after school is great because we get to share stories from the day and give each other feedback on problems we’re having in our classroom. It’s so important to have other teachers in your life. We will never be able to come up with all the solutions we need on our own, and often, the thing we really need the most is someone else’s perspective
Reflections
April 22, 2019

A Day in My Life

Posted by Charlotte Triebl, '19

What your day in the Urban Teaching Apprentiship Program looks like changes quite a bit throughout the year but for the second half of your program you will be teaching full day in the classroom. I follow a pretty regular schedule with the only thing differing from day to day is if I have class in the evening. Below is my regular schedule on a day where I will teach full day and then have a...

Coursework Reflections
March 1, 2019

Top Tips for Surviving and Thriving at Penn

Posted by Aimée Perera, '19

As we know the pressures of grad school are immense, and sometimes it can feel like we are sinking. So here are a few top tips that I have picked up during my time here at Penn for not just surviving, but also thriving at Penn.

Survive:

 1. Stay full and caffeinated

Make use of the many free food opportunities...

Reflections
February 25, 2019

Penn Letter to Self

Posted by Michelle Desjardins

Below is a letter to the eager, enthusiastic, and ambitious person I was before I started the UTAP program at Penn GSE. 

            You have so many questions. You are wondering if this school, city, and step is the right choice. You want to jump in now and you spend your hours in June dreaming of what your life as a graduate student will be like (you should...

Reflections
February 25, 2019

Mid- Year Reflection in my first year in TESOL

Posted by Ruoxi Long, '20

I took three courses in the fall semester. Since instructors had always prepared rigorous learning materials and made classes engaging and interesting, I did not feel stressed. Instead, I was excited to join every class to acquire new knowledge and skills. My time was quite flexible. I joined the archery club; I became an ambassador in GSE and Weingarten center; I could continue learning...

Coursework Reflections
February 21, 2019

Top Tips for Surviving and Thriving at Penn

Posted by Megan Dolan, '19

If we are being entirely honest here, graduate school is really hard. The hours are long and in my program, we are constantly balancing student teaching and Penn coursework. While professors strive to make assignments that will overlap with our student teaching commitments, there is no doubt that this program is a ton of work. However, as I pass the midpoint of my program, I want to share some...

Coursework Reflections
February 21, 2019

A day in the Life at Penn

Posted by Visha Patel, '19

Being a full-time graduate student at the Graduate School of Education while having a part time job can make your day pretty packed. Although it sounds like it would be repetitive, a day in a life at Penn actually can vary from time to time if you take the time to change it up a bit. My perfect day (and a day that happens more than you think) would be a combination of class, work, professional...

Coursework Reflections
February 9, 2019

A Day in My Life

Posted by Mengxi Jiang, '20

I am taking three classes this semester and working two part jobs that add up to 20 hours per week in total. It may seem very busy with jobs and school life but it is definitely manageable and I truly enjoy my current schedule. I am going to describe a typical Tuesday which is the busiest day for me of the week to show you a clearer image of what is like to be a graduate student at Penn.

...
Coursework Reflections
January 18, 2019

Midpoint of the semester- Do I give up?

Posted by Brittany Wu, '19

Midpoint of the semester: Do I give up? Absolutely not! Coming from a quarter-system undergraduate program, the midway point of the semester can feel like it’s time to give up. However, I see the glass as half-full, with the excitement of what I’ve accomplished so far and how close I am to finishing the semester! Here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned to help me finish the semester strong...

Coursework Reflections