TIP Fellows Charlena Watson, Jaimie Piotrowicz, and Amanda Shear were presenters at the Teacher Resource Forum, a day-long conference that feautres Philadelphia educators committed to improving classroom outcomes and fostering pedagogical innovation. Charlena, in her presentation entitled "Coach, Not Tell," examined the different ways teachers can help families promote literacy development outside the classroom. Jaimie, in "Cross-Cuurricular Connections with Real News," focused on how to best implement current events into lesson plans and engage students in local, national, and global affairs. Amanda's talk, "Music is the Movement of Civil Rights," drew on her experiences as a TIP Fellow under the tutelage of Dr. Guthrie Ramsey,  Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor of Music at the University of Pennsylvania. Her presentation explored the use of culturally sustaining pedagogy in developing curricula. Congratulations to all our Fellows! 

On October 7^th, members of the Philadelphia community convened for a full-day conference on promoting new approaches to supporting writing and literacy for young people. The Celebration of Writing and Literacy entailed youth programming, keynote addresses from members of the Maryland Writing Project, and workshops and roundtables on the development of literary skills. The event’s resounding success was evident in the passion and creativity with which participants confronted the challenges posed both inside the classroom and beyond. The Teacher’s Institute of Philadelphia would like to thank the Philadelphia Writing Project, our partner organizations, and all the educators and students that made the Celebration of Writing and Literacy an unforgettable experience.

The Teachers Institute of Philadelphia (TIP) is pleased to invite you to our annual Spring Gathering, which will be held on May 30, 2017, 4:30-6:00 PM in the Golkin Room of Houston Hall at the University of Pennsylvania. At the Spring Gathering, the TIP community will reflect on a successful year of teaching, learning, and leading. Four Fellows will speak to their experiences in Spring 2017 seminars: “A Survey of Contemplative Practices across the World’s Religions” led by Dr. Deven Patel; “Is There Any Life in the Worlds Beyond Our Own?” led by Dr. Masao Sako; “That’s My Song!: Musical Genre as Social Contract” led by Dr. Guthrie Ramsey; and “What is the Earth Made of?” led by Dr. Reto Gieré. We will also hear remarks on the growth of TIP by Director Edward Epstein. To RSVP to the Spring Gathering, please send TIP an email, at sas-tip@sas.upenn.edu. We hope to see you there!