Need in Deed offers a transformative approach to teaching and learning in Philadelphia’s public school classrooms grades 3-8.
Serving Teachers and Classroom Across the City at No- Cost to Teachers
Present in more than 100 classrooms across the city and serving 3,000 students in up to 60 schools annually, Need in Deed partners with classroom educators who want their students to experience learning that has meaning and purpose. Through a process that starts in September and culminates in June, students experience learning as connected to the world around them and themselves as effective actors in the world.
- Classroom teachers in the School District of Philadelphia voluntarily elect to affiliate with Need in Deed and we provide services and support at no-cost.
- Representatives of the city’s vast network of public agencies, nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, health institutions, as well as community members impacted by issues voluntarily serve as classroom partners.
Community Connection, Investigation and Action as a Tool for Learning
When students make connections between the world they see around them and the school curriculum, learning clicks. Need in Deed’s signature My Voice framework guides classrooms in a year-long process as students collectively identify a community issue or asset and engage in research to understand more about it and develop action steps in response.
Connecting the classroom with the community is a powerful way to engage students in learning while increasing their cognitive, social, and emotional skills. Students in Need in Deed classrooms don’t just learn skills—they use them. The community issues and assets they explore become the lens for reading, writing, math, and research—turning academic work into something real and meaningful.
Measuring Impact
We follow best practice by contracting with an external evaluator, a specialist in public health and youth development, to conduct ongoing multiple qualitative and quantitative assessments.
Teacher Partners
Need in Deed teachers believe in students’ potential and the importance of student voice. They are part of a vibrant network of educators who are transforming their classroom practice.
Community Partners
Need in Deed’s community partners bring the “real world” into the classroom. Every year, across the city, individuals from local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and higher education and health institutions step into Need in Deed classrooms.
Student Projects
Every year, students in Need in Deed classrooms tell us what community issues they care about and why. Whatever issue they choose, we support them in researching, designing and implementing a project that will help make a difference in their community. With their teacher as a guide, and in collaboration with community partners, their issue and project becomes a lens for learning. This gives context for key concepts and skills in math, reading, writing, science, and social studies, as well as social and emotional skills.
Juntos Podemos: Together We Can
Key School 6th graders share resources for new immigrants What did they care about? Meghan Agnew’s students at Key School were intrigued by the idea that they would be able to connect civic action to their classroom learning. As relatively new arrivals to the country, they are native speakers of other languages–mostly Spanish. When […]
Learn MoreAddressing Traffic Stop Safety
Add B. Anderson 8th graders create campaign: How to Stay Safe During a Traffic Stop What did they care about? The 8th grade students of Room 302 at Add B Anderson had Social Studies and English Language Arts with Don Malcolm. From exploring a range of social issues they quickly became focused on the […]
Learn MoreLearning and Action during COVID-19 and Online Learning
Ziegler Students Help Their Community Stay Safe from Covid-19 What did they care about? Ms. Robert’s students began the year learning online. In spite of the challenges of not being in the same room they were excited to collaborate and explore social issues together. As speakers of other languages, Ms. Robert’s students developed English […]
Learn MoreAnti-Gun Violence Advocacy Goes Online
What did they care about? The students in Ms. Seitz’s 6th grade class began the year building a sense of community in their classroom. They wrote poems about themselves and shared the history of their names. They even participated in a community peace rally. The school community faces a number of challenges and the students […]
Learn More8th Graders Focus on Healthy Relationships
McCall 8th graders help spread awareness about sexual assault What did they care about? Leslie Greenberg’s 8th graders began the year exploring a wide range of social issues and making persuasive presentations to their classmates to determine which issue would be the focus of their service-learning project. After powerful points were made, two topics emerged […]
Learn More5th graders advocate for Homeless Pets
Cayuga 5th graders host Pet Expo to educate their community What did they care about? Like many children, Pam Kieffer’s 5th graders were concerned about the fact that many dogs and cats were living in shelters or on the street. They wanted to know what they could to do to make sure the pets […]
Learn MoreCUSTOMIZED SERVICES
Our workshops, trainings, consultations, and technical support are highly interactive and tailored to each setting and need.
Joining the Teacher Network has helped me refresh my teaching and given me supports I appreciated and needed. As a veteran teacher, I appreciated the opportunity to meet like-minded colleagues throughout the city and to grow in my field.
Year 2 Need in Deed Teacher