Genius and Joy through Student-Driven Civic Action

Need in Deed's work with Philadelphia public school teachers and their students centers empathy, informed investigation, and civic action. Bolstered by these values and with the support of the My Voice framework and dedicated Need in Deed staff, educators are equipped to co-create authentic classroom communities with their students. In Need in Deed classrooms, students feel a sense of belonging, are supported in taking academic risks, and understand their agency as change makers. In this piece, Need in Deed staff and teachers give an overview of the My Voice framework and share stories from Need in Deed classrooms that highlight Dr. Gholdy Muhammad's five pursuits of culturally and historically responsive teaching - identity, skills, intellectualism, criticality, and joy.