Teacher Institute of Philadelphia Launches Spring 2026 Seminar Program February 10, 2026

Photo (L-R): Seminar leaders Kathy Brown, Robin Kolodny, Xiaojiang Li, Dominic Sisti

On Wednesday, On Wednesday, January 21, a new cohort of Philadelphia public school teachers began their journey toward professional advancement. The teachers (called fellows) have begun semester-long seminars in which they will acquire cutting-edge knowledge from Penn and Temple professors. They will use this knowledge to develop curriculum units, which they will implement in their classrooms to enhance student learning. Successful completion of this program will earn the fellows 30 Act 48 credits and a $1,500 stipend. The Spring 2026 seminars are:

Slavery and Freedom in Philadelphia, led by Kathleen M. Brown, Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania. The seminar will examine Philadelphia’s history with regard to the slave trade, showing how the city, and the state in which it was located, were both quick to abolish slavery but slow to challenge the larger racist currents of the time.

What Government Does, led by Robin Kolodny, Professor of Political Science, Temple University. This course will focus on how government functions on the local and state level. It will show how the collective actions it undertakes are necessary to fill citizens’ everyday needs, such as drinking water and waste management.

Mapping Climate Change in the City, led by Xiaojiang Li, Assistant Professor of Urban Spatial Analytics, University of Pennsylvania. The seminar will instruct teachers in the use of digital mapping tools and AI to tell stories about climate change and its effect on the local environment.

Bioethics: Concepts, Cases, and Controversies, led by Dominic Sisti, Associate Professor, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania. Fellows will examine landmark cases that have shaped the field of bioethics, in areas such as human participation in research, animal rights and welfare, end-of-life care, and euthanasia.

TIP launched the spring 2026 seminar program with an orientation reception on Penn’s campus. Guest speakers who welcomed the fellows to the program included Dr. Jermaine Dawson, School District Deputy Superintendent of Academic Services, and Laura Perna, Penn Vice Provost for Faculty. The reception provided the seminar leaders an opportunity to meet with their fellows for the first time and provide an overview of course content.