I arrived in Philadelphia in 2002 to begin studying at St. Joseph's University. Almost eight years later, I have lived and taught across city. Three years ago I began my career in the School District of Philadelphia as a prep science teacher. While I had no idea when I was teaching Kindergarten as student-teacher this is where my vocation would take me, it has been a rewarding and inspiring ride. I have throughly enjoyed the privilege working with students in a inquiry-based, problem solving environment. Currently, I am working toward my Master's in Education degree with a Principal Certification. I am also a Star Discovery Educator within the Discovery Educator Network. My main interest in writing for The Notebook will be science instruction in the School District. I hope start and take part in lively conversations about what science instruction looks like in the District, and what it can look like in the future.
City Councilman Bill Green is co-organizer of an event Wednesday to bring together education entrepreneurs and spur innovation. From the lineage of the Sunday Soup movement, which has manifested in Philadelphia as PhilaSoup and Philly STAKE, comes Philly SEED (Supporting Entrepreneurship in Education). PhillyCore Leaders and the Spruce Foundation are also helping organize the event, which uses a crowd-funding model for prizes and crowd-sourcing model for ideas.
Samuel Reed and I are convening a conversation entitled "Teachers as innovators and social entrepreneurs" Sunday afternoon at EduCon 2.4.
EduCon is a conference that brings innovative educators from across the country to Philadelphia to learn from leaders at Science Leadership Academy, and from each other. Instead of conference sessions, attendees participate in engaging conversations. In addition to the two of us, our panel will include:
“We have made no decisions; there are no deals.”
With that statement, School Reform Commissioner Wendell Pritchett made clear what Saturday’s facilities master plan meeting was about: dialogue. It was evident in the tone of the meeting and the ease with which District leadership and the public spoke to each other that listening is indeed taking place.
Last month, the Pennsylvania Department of Education announced that 26 of the state's lowest performing schools will receive a share of $66 million in the second round of federal School Improvement Grants funding. Five Philadelphia District schools and two charters will receive grants this year.
Schools applied for the grants by describing plans to undertake one of four federally endorsed reform models. Due to the "transition" within the School District of Philadelphia, the state has "asked the district to revise its plans" for schools awarded grants this year and last, which may affect the funding needs of schools, according to an email from Department of Education spokesperson Tim Eller.
Sam Reed and Chris Lehmann have both done posts on the role of entrepreneurship in education recently. I really don’t like the word. Call me immature, but I haven’t been able to separate entrepreneur from money, specifically, scheming to take away somebody else’s. Oddly enough, while watching Jay-Z and Kanye West's new video for their song "Otis," something clicked for me.
The NEWSFLASH, a free e-bulletin, provides timely stories and updates in between print editions of the Notebook.
I've never been so moved by a post.
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