If you’re new to teaching in Philadelphia this year, no need to worry if a student drops a casual “sawty” into conversation.
The students have you covered. (For the record, “sawty” is a word to express being wrong.)
For the first time, the Philadelphia district has presented its new teachers and counselors with a handbook written by high school students. It features sections on engaging students, equality versus equity, and the all-important “Philly Slang” component, a glossary of terms designed to ground school staff in the language their students actually use.
The handbook is the handiwork of Khalid Abogourin, Alfredo Praticò, and Horace Ryans III, three high school students interning in the district’s Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities this summer.
