September 12, 2017
Why Penn GSE

I spent my first year after undergrad in an elementary school as a full-time literacy intervention tutor and the next two years at the literacy nonprofit that implemented the program. I knew that I was interested in staying in the education field, but I was not 100% sure what specific role I wanted in my career.

I was extremely fortunate to work closely with many former and current educators at the nonprofit, and through long conversations, some soul searching and lots of internet research, I decided I wanted to pursue an elementary teaching career. My year in a school as a literacy intervention tutor paired with feedback from my friends and coworkers that teach or taught in elementary school made it apparent that experience and practice directly in the classroom was an essential piece in preparation for my future classroom.

After researching programs, University of Pennsylvania’s Urban Teacher Apprenticeship Program (formerly Teacher Education Program (TEP)) seemed like a great fit. Why?

  1. The emphasis on social justice and inquiry-based practices in the classroom told me that the program focuses on helping prospective teachers learn how to teach holistically, inclusively and fully understand our role and responsibilities within the classroom and school communities.
  2. It only takes 10-months to complete a M.S.Ed. in Elementary Education Degree!
  3. The high-level of experiential learning. With two separate, distinct student teaching placement sites in 10-months in addition to a summer enrichment placement, I knew that I would get the most experience in the classroom possible.