ABOUT US
The Philadelphia Education Fund
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For the past decade, the Philadelphia Education Fund has been incubating emerging networkings, and helping grow exsisting networks, both internal to the Ed Fund --Philadelphia Teacher Residency, Math+Science Coalition, Early Warning System, Philadelphia Postsecondary Success Program-- and external --Philadelphia Teacher Convenings, Teachers Lead Philly, Reflective Teachers Network, PAMath Teachers Circle.
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The School District of Philadelphia's current Action Plan describes networks as "meaningful opportunities for teacher collaboration" and encourages partners to identify, scale, and explore opportunities for teacher collaboration in service of making Philadelphia a premiere place to work.
The Philadelphia Education Fund & Teacher Networks
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What is a Teacher Network?
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Teacher networks are "groups of teachers, organized both formally and informally inside and outside the school building/ day, for purposes related to teacher learning, support, or school improvement."
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Teacher networks may be formal, informal, in-school, out-of-school, or online.
What Do Teacher Networks Do?
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Teacher networks in Philadelphia fulfill many functions, such as:
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Content and pedagogy
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​Professional development
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Community engagement
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Policy/ advocacy
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Why are Teacher Networks Important?
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Empower teachers to collaborate, lead, and take ownership of their professional learning to improve practice and impact student outcomes
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Build sustainable social capital in schools, creating stronger school cultures prepared to take on the challenges of today's classrooms
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Amplify teacher voice and leadership, improving job satisfaction and teacher retention
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Enable educators to inform policies which directly impact teachers and students
How Does the Ed Fund Support Teacher Networks?
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Provide resources, facilities, technical assistance
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Partner with networks and schools to build their capacity and help them achieve their goals
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Convene teacher leaders and networks to share best practices
