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Secondary Education

How project-based learning can prepare students for the 21st century
A group of educators in training work on a project building a tower of wooden sticks on a table.

Students in a project-based learning certificate program class collaborate to find a solution to a problem. (Image: Courtesy of Penn GSE)

How project-based learning can prepare students for the 21st century

Penn GSE dean Pam Grossman and peers argue in a new book that project-based learning, a method of instruction that identifies a project or problem that students work on, should be at the center of American public education.

From Penn GSE

How to get even better at supporting your LGBTQ+ students
Many rainbow-colored umbrellas hanging from overhead strung lighting.

How to get even better at supporting your LGBTQ+ students

Teachers, school counselors, and administrators owe it to their LGBTQ+ students, along with the rest of the student body, to provide an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable.

From Penn GSE

Pivoting to middle school teacher from bank teller to stay ahead of disruption

Pivoting to middle school teacher from bank teller to stay ahead of disruption

Dean Pam Grossman of the Graduate School of Education 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.

‘Is inclusion even possible?’

‘Is inclusion even possible?’

Dean John L. Jackson Jr. of the Annenberg School for Communication participated in a conversation about how colleges can be more inclusive and equitable. “Difficult as it is, as challenging as it always has been, this is something we have to imagine,” he said. “The alternative is far too dark.”

The best books for young readers of 2020
Stack of YA books chosen by the Penn GSE team for its best books of 2020 list.

The best books for young readers of 2020

The sixth annual list of books, chosen by Penn GSE’s Humanizing Stories team, highlights stories of love, joy, loss, strength, and resilience.

From Penn GSE

What principals have learned from COVID-19’s ‘stress test’

What principals have learned from COVID-19’s ‘stress test’

The Consortium for Policy Research in Education, housed in the Graduate School of Education, has published five briefs about how U.S. school districts and principals have dealt with the pandemic. “The principals are doing all these amazing things, which are serving urgent needs of kids and families. That’s not taken into account in what we think of as a good school. There is an imbalance between our metrics for assessing quality and the actual role of schools in society,” said Jonathan Supovitz.

A role model for the changing face of science
Smiling person holding an apple, standing in front of a red screen. Jennifer Stimpson, a chemist, teacher, and recent alumna of the Graduate School of Education’s mid-career program, was named an IF/THEN ambassador by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. (Image: Courtesy IF/THEN)

A role model for the changing face of science

Jennifer Stimpson, a chemist, teacher, and recent alumna of the Graduate School of Education’s mid-career program, was named an IF/THEN ambassador. The initiative aims to empower women in STEM to inspire the next generation of learners.

Michele W. Berger

Talking to your kids about the election
Two handmade signs in a window that read VOTE NOVEMBER 3 and PLAN YOUR VOTE.

Talking to your kids about the election

Penn GSE’s Caroline Watts offers advice on how to realistically support children during uncertainty. “Don't try to pretend there isn’t uncertainty in the country,” she says. “Be reassuring. No matter what is happening in the outside world, you will take care of the family.”

From Penn GSE