Citizen of the Week

Thembi Palmer, Reader

The storyteller sings, dances, puppets and laughs with books to help children get excited about — and learn — reading

By Courtney DuChene

Literacy is Never Neutral

What Percival Everett’s National Book Award-winning James tells us about the crisis of literacy in Philadelphia.

By James Peterson
The Citizen Recommends

Evening Stories on WURD

Evening WURDs host and Citizen contributor James Peterson launches a short story club on his program this Thursday night. Everyone is invited

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy
Guest Commentary

Teach Reading the Right Way

Only 15 percent of Philadelphia students read at grade level. A new state law has recommended a better way to teach them — but, an education advocate says, more is needed

By Laura Boyce
The Citizen Recommends

Reading Promise Week

A weeklong celebration of literacy seeks to empower Philadephians of all ages to find strength, and joy, in literacy.

By Erinda Sheno

20+ Philly Education Organizations to Support

How to help students in Philadelphia? Give a hand to any of these initiatives, organizations that are already doing the good work to support students, educators and communities

By The Philadelphia Citizen Staff

Something All Pennsylvanians Can Agree On

What could get state senators to cross party lines? How about a crisis among children and adult Pennsylvanians who can’t read

By Beth Ann Rosica

Meet Philadelphia’s Cosmic Writers

This nonprofit brings out the creative writer in school-age students in Philly and beyond. In a city with an abysmal literacy rate, these efforts are paying off.

By Courtney DuChene
Ideas We Should Steal

Ban the Ban, Not the Book

Attention, Governor Shapiro and Pennsylvania state legislators: Illinois has banned book bans. NJ is thinking about it and PA should too.

By Elaine Maimon
Ideas We Should Steal

Information Literacy Education

New Jersey became the first state to require schools teach K-12 students how to tell fact from fiction — a critical skill in preserving democracy

By Courtney DuChene