Penn Conference Supports Educators in Troubled Times October 3, 2023 – Posted in: Uncategorized

On Saturday, Oct. 14, The Philadelphia Writing Project (PhilWP), the Teachers Institute of Philadelphia (TIP), the Penn Museum, and the Penn GSE Mid-Career Doctoral and the Reading/Writing/Literacy Programs convened Creating Brave Spaces in Schools and Communities: A Celebration of Writing and Literacy. The event took place 8:15am-4pm at the Penn Museum, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia PA 19104.

Throughout the day, teachers, administrators and scholars shared curriculum ideas and practices intended to promote truth-telling and preserve classrooms as spaces that support students. This year’s conference theme, Creating Brave Spaces in Schools and Communities, highlighted what it takes to create authentic, safe and nurturing spaces in classrooms, schools and communities. The keynote speaker, University of Illinois Chicago Associate Professor Gholdy Muhammad, is known for her scholarship on culturally and historically responsive curricula. Muhammad’s opening address inspired participants to think broadly about how identity and history affect students’ educational outlook.

Matt Kay, an English Teacher at the School District of Philadelphia’s Science Leadership Academy, led a featured session on the subject of “Developing Your Talking Game.” The session was intended to help participants improve communication in the classroom.

Throughout the day, participants attended panel presentations and workshops by teachers, scholars, administrators and community members on topics including classroom dialogue, the arts, the nation’s racial history, LGBTQIA+-inclusive teaching, and disability justice. Attendees had nearly 30 events to choose from, addressing education for all grade levels.

To view the conference program, visit https://brave.philwp.org/.