Fall Conference

Co-sponsored by the Progressive Education Network of New York (PENNY) and the Art of Teaching Program at Sarah Lawrence College

Fall Conference 2025 

Saturday, November 15, 2025

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

City As School High School, 

16 Clarkson Street, New York, New York

Morning nosh & lunch provided

Suggested donation: $20-40/person

Get introduced or reconnected to descriptive processes that allow us to look deeply at the words and work of children and youth in order to strengthen our capacity to teach and learn alongside them.

Many educators work in contexts where we face pressure to view our students through a deficit lens. This is often amplified when families’ race, language, immigration status, educational attainment, etc. are offered as a justification for why learners struggle in our schools.

Engage in reflective recollections, close reading, and descriptive reviews of children and their work to create a counter-narrative, one in which the strengths of youth, families, and teachers are made visible, which supports us in building authentic, mutual relationships.

Highlights from Fall Conference 2024

"The replenishment I got from engaging and revisiting this work."

"I loved hearing a descriptive review from a parent and a descriptive review in Spanish."

"Having a chance to stop and reflect and talk about our work was invaluable"

"Slowing down to look closely."

"I loved both sessions I attended. I loved learning about the Descriptive Inquiry to drill deeply for understanding. I appreciated learning from others in my group."

"I appreciated the space to think deeply about my daughter and 'other people's kids' in ways that counter the narratives that persist in education."

"Being able to connect with leaders from many different backgrounds where we all shared the same values."

"Having another high school science teacher present helped me reconsider some content I’d like to revisit."