The dean of Penn's Graduate School of Education spoke with Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. at a fireside chat on Nov. 16 to celebrate the launch of the school's new strategic vision.
The GSE’s new strategy, “Together for Good," focuses on new approaches to pedagogy and educational development. GSE Dean Katharine Strunk presented the plan in conversation with Watlington at the event, which was titled "Partnering for Progress" and attended primarily by alumni, faculty, and current students from the graduate school.
The new plan intends to align with the goals set forth in the University's "In Principle and Practice" strategic framework, which was established in November 2023. The plan emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration, tackling global challenges in areas like climate, health, data, and democracy, while also expanding access, affordability, and community engagement.
GSE's strategy is organized around four key pillars: preparing a diverse, highly skilled education workforce; fostering community partnerships; driving innovation for the public good; and elevating the role of education in sustaining democracy.
“This plan is bold, but bold is precisely what we need to overcome the challenges ahead,” Strunk said. “We started with the deeply held belief that education is a public good — the foundation of a just and thriving society. This vision will require extensive collaboration across the school, the university, and sectors around the world.”
A central goal of the new strategic framework focuses on elevating and and affirming education’s role within democratic society. GSE faculty are leading research on how teachers can foster productive conversations across differences in their classrooms.
“We envision a future in which educational equity is a reality and democracy is reinforced and strengthened by educational systems that prepare students to be informed, engaged and compassionate citizens ready to confront the world's most challenging problems,” Strunk said.
At the event, GSE associate professor Abby Reisman noted the importance of “discourse” and conversation in the current moment. She commented on the “impoverished models” under which classroom discourse currently takes place and the lack of advancement in addressing those weaknesses. According to Reisman, without adequate support, teachers may avoid facilitating challenging conversations, as research indicates that the easiest response is often to shut down student discourse.
Strunk highlighted the “crisis” in education caused by a nationwide shortage — particularly in the STEM and special education fields — of teachers and educational leaders, describing it as an “existential” challenge. She cited the decrease in experience for educators in the past twenty years, leading to a lack of “high quality teachers in the classroom.” As a consequence, she said, students are not being set up for success.
Watlington echoed Strunk’s concerns about educational personnel shortages and shared his experience with tackling the problem of teacher vacancies. He noted that The School District of Philadelphia began the past school year with 450 vacancies, 97% of which were filled by the tenth day of the academic year. Watlington highlighted how critical it is for districts like Philadelphia — where hypersegregation often concentrates poor children in specific schools — to retain well-prepared educators who can make an immediate impact.
“It’s not just about filling all vacancies — it’s about putting highly qualified, well-supported teachers in every classroom,” Watlington said. “The answer is not to do the Robin Hood approach. We're not going to snatch the teachers here and put them there. Instead, we're working with our union partners to significantly increase the incentives that we provide for hiring purposes.”
Community engagement, particularly in Philadelphia, is not new to the GSE’s work. GSE Director of School and Community Engagement Caroline Watts said at the event that this commitment remains central in the new strategy, which seeks to strengthen partnerships with local schools and organizations.
One aspect of GSE’s partnership with the School District of Philadelphia is the placement of student teachers, counselors, and reading specialists across the region. Strunk explained that Penn provides training to educators, while the City receives “extra personnel and resources.”
Strunk emphasized that the new framework will encourage innovation “to improve the public good and the world around us” rather than adopting “the newest or coolest” technologies for their own sake.
Watlington also addressed how technological advancements in artificial intelligence can enhance both student learning and educator practice. He expressed his gratitude for Penn’s guidance in navigating the “benefits of generative AI” and “not just simply [banning] things or [running] away from it.”
Throughout the event, Strunk emphasized that success will depend on collective action within the University community and through partnerships with the broader Philadelphia community.
“In 10 years, my hope is that we have changed the world. We have the potential at GSE to do great things. It's time for real change, and I think that GSE is poised to do it,” Strunk said.
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