Need Purpose Accomplishments Funding Sources Contact Information

The Grand Conversation website was created to support and share the work of the "Participating in the Grand Conversation" Institute as part of the Students at the Center Initiative in Philadelphia. This institute is offered by the Philadelphia Writing Project and the Philadelphia Education Fund.

The Need

For success in the 21st century, students need to solve complex problems, be critical thinkers, synthesize information, and work collaboratively. To help students gain these skills, teachers, administrators, and parents need ongoing opportunities to collaboratively develop and practice new instructional methods.

The Purpose

Students at the Center (SATC) responds to the professional development needs of teachers and administrators in the Gratz and King Clusters, helping them create student-centered classrooms where students learn by doing and build upon their prior knowledge. The Philadelphia Education Fund partners with Arcadia College, the Franklin Institute, and the Philadelphia Writing Project to offer multiple opportunities for teacher education through seminars, summer programs, institutes, three-week laboratory schools, administrator institutes, and mini-grants. By providing multiple programs through which teachers, administrators, and parents learn and practice new engaging instructional methods with their peers, SATC is continually advancing teacher excellence and quality classrooms. Recognizing that parents must be engaged in and supportive of the education of their children, SATC's Parent Partners joins parents and teachers to create a shared vision for what a student-centered classroom for the 21st century should be.

Accomplishments

• Since the 1996-97 school year, approximately 70 workshops, seminars, and institutes have been offered to parents, teachers, and administrators, including seven laboratory schools during summers.
• 1,018 teachers and administrators have participated in one or more of these sessions.
• To date, approximately 90 mini-grants have been distributed to teachers throughout the two participating clusters.
• 80 parents have been paired with teachers to work at least 60 hours in the classroom creating a student-centered environment.
• SATC has created ongoing partnerships between schools, community organizations, and universities.

Partners

Funding Source

Contact Information