As the year-end approaches, we’re sharing stories of the growth we observed in our partners — even as they grappled with intense day-to-day demands on their time and energy. This post is the second in a series of three stories.
UWCEL
Small Moments, Big Growth: A Year-End Reflection
May 18, 2021
This past year demanded growth, from technical skills to mindsets, from virtually everyone in education. As the year-end approaches, we’re sharing stories of the growth we observed in our partners. We’re particularly excited to spotlight the shifts and new choices that may appear small, but signaled breakthroughs.
What Centering Student Experience Looks like
Apr 8, 2021
What does centering students look like in action? What characteristics should a leader look for as evidence of equity and learning-centered practice? In this excerpt from a recent webinar, Jose Rivera, assistant superintendent of Grandview School District, Wash.,...
Getting Better to Lead for Equity, a Webinar
Feb 11, 2021
We don't yet know what far-reaching impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on students. What we do know is that classrooms need to be as equitable as possible — and support rigorous learning — now. But what does that look like, especially with ongoing and sometimes...
Listening to Center Student Experience
Jan 28, 2021
After embarking on creating a “framework” that centers the experience of students, the CEL team learned that the adults at school really need to listen hard. What does listening hard look like in action? Watch this video to learn more.
What the Four Dimensions of School Leadership Looks Like in Action
Dec 17, 2020
Brandon White is the chief academic officer at South Bend Community Schools in Indiana. When working with school leaders, his approach is that "we as educators must be involved in learning ourselves." Lisa Rooney, director of framework development and support, spoke...
When students feel happy and proud — the Student Experience Story Guide
Dec 3, 2020
“My favorite day of school was when it was my birthday because everybody said hello to me, and I wish that happened every day.”— a Seattle-area student, when asked to reflect on their best school experiences For years, CEL has had frameworks around practice,...
Watch now: How we lead for equity
Oct 22, 2020
"We don’t believe that equity lives in a dimension on its own. As an effective leader, you don’t just lead for equity when you craft a vision and mission — it affects everything you do." - Michele Mason You believe in equity-driven leadership. But how do you turn...
The Pandemic Revealed Inequities — and New Ways to Address Them
Aug 18, 2020
In a “normal” school year on a “normal” school day, Stacy Thomas, the executive director of teaching and learning for Blaine School District, bounces between each of the district’s schools, which are housed on one campus. Blaine is a district in rural Washington near...
The Importance of Relationships During Distance Learning
Jun 15, 2020
As schools began to transition to a new system of distance and remote learning, the initial focus was naturally on the nuts and bolts: How will we ensure students have access to the technology they need? What video platforms and tools should we use? What’s the right...
Bringing Teams Together to Get Better – No Matter What
May 26, 2020
The COVID-19 crisis has illustrated just how vital a focus on the student experience and open lines of communication are — so student learning can continue, even with the disruptions. And that starts with our leaders at the top — leaders like Jeff Pelzel, the...
How Coaches are Improving Teaching in a Virtual Environment
May 18, 2020
The transition to distance learning has been unquestionably daunting for students, parents and educators. One side effect of the transition from chalkboards to Zoom or Teams screens has been a feeling of isolation for teachers, who are trying to navigate new...
What matters most to students and teachers for learning right now
May 4, 2020
In recent months, educators have had the daunting job of asking and answering, "What does teaching mean now?" They've had to make many impactful decisions and make them quickly — all while working together and teaching remotely. Jody DeGroot, assistant principal at...
What’s Next: Schooling or Learning?
Mar 31, 2020
By GREG SOMMERS Our current wave of school closures is yielding an unprecedented shift to online and distance learning. Some are meeting this shift with a surge of enthusiasm for innovation. Others are approaching it more cautiously. I wonder — for my own children and...
Principal as the Turning Point: EduTalks 2020
Mar 20, 2020
While the impact teachers make on learning is well-understood, there’s less appreciation for how principals can foster learning environments that empower students. In this six-minute video, Joanna Michelson, director of teacher leadership and learning at the UW...
CEL’s Summer Reading List
Aug 20, 2019
In preparation for this new 2019-2020 school year, University of Washington Center for Educational Leader (CEL) experts kept up with their summer reading and shared six educational book recommendations. With a focus on equity, courageous leadership and...
How to reset your school leadership teams and teacher professional learning with an Instructional Leadership Academy
May 20, 2019
by ANNEKE MARKHOLT We know that classrooms that are truly transformative for students require adults to work and learn differently than they typically do. We also know that the old methods of in-service professional development have failed to create lasting changes in...
Apply by June 30, 2019 for the AASA National Principal Supervisor Academy
Apr 1, 2019
For the 2019-2020 school year, AASA, the school superintendents association, has again partnered with the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership to bring CEL's Principal Supervisor Professional Development Program to all central office leaders who...
Introducing the Leadership Guide for K-12 Teacher Professional Learning
Mar 4, 2019
As we at the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership continue to visit classrooms this year and celebrate the gains we are seeing, we encourage educators to also celebrate and then think about their next steps for improving outcomes for students....
Hope to see you at AASA’s 2019 National Conference on Education
Feb 4, 2019
The Center for Educational Leadership's executive director, Max Silverman, will take part in two panel discussions at the AASA 2019 National Conference on Education in Los Angeles. Silverman will engage in a facilitated dialogue about leadership strategies for closing...
Introducing the CEL District Leader Fellows
Jan 29, 2019
by ANNEKE MARKHOLT We are excited to announce the first cohort of CEL District Leader Fellows. The CEL District Leader Fellowship is a yearlong professional development and work opportunity for district leaders who possess professional expertise that will serve the...
What successful principals do to support teaching practice [Podcast interview]
Nov 28, 2018
In a new podcast episode from Principal Center Radio, Justin Baeder interviews the Center for Educational Leadership's Anneke Markholt and Joanna Michelson about their new book, Leading for Professional Learning: What Successful Principals Do To Support Teaching...
We hope to see you at the Learning Forward 2018 Annual Conference
Nov 26, 2018
Faculty from the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership will lead three sessions at the Learning Forward 2018 Annual Conference in Dallas. These sessions are ideal for anyone involved with designing or leading professional learning. The Principal's...
New book: Leading for Professional Learning – What Successful Principals Do To Support Teaching Practice
Oct 3, 2018
We are thrilled to announce the release of a new book from Anneke Markholt, Joanna Michelson and Stephen Fink of the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership. Leading for Professional Learning offers field-tested guidance to help school leaders more...
Instructional leadership teams to the rescue: Developing a shared vision is key to success
Sep 26, 2018
by SANDY AUSTIN How can a principal keep from feeling overwhelmed trying to improve teaching and learning? Form an instructional leadership team of teacher leaders to identify teaching and learning challenges in the building. Such a team builds its own instructional...
Max Silverman named executive director of UW Center for Educational Leadership
Jun 28, 2018
Max Silverman, a nationally recognized leader with expertise in improving instructional leadership systems focused on equitable outcomes for students, has been named executive director of the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership. Silverman, who...
A retrospective interview with Stephen Fink on teaching, leadership, and lessons for eliminating the achievement gap
Jun 18, 2018
by STEPHEN FINK On June 30, 2018, Dr. Stephen Fink, executive director of the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership (CEL), transitions leadership of the Center to Max Silverman, currently the organization’s deputy director. In this interview, Dr....
Eliminating the achievement gap: systems and structures from the ground up
Mar 28, 2018
by PATTY MAXFIELD Do we really believe all students can achieve to high levels of success? Are we willing to confront issues of inequity and bias? How far are we willing to go to ensure every voice is heard? In the Newhall School District, we have answers in the...
Power up your planning: A well-defined theory of action leads to systemwide change
Mar 19, 2018
by SHARON WILLIAMS Despite the overall strong performance of Oregon's West-Linn Wilsonville School District in 2011, everyone knew that the work of closing achievement gaps was not complete. For Superintendent Bill Rhoades and his leadership team, the path forward...
Five priorities for the changing role of principal supervisor
Mar 15, 2018
by JUNE RIMMER We just returned from leading a really rich learning session with the first cohort of the AASA National Principal Supervisor Academy. We have the honor of providing the professional learning for this academy as well as for principal supervisors in...
Hope to see you at our sessions at the AASA National Conference on Education
Feb 12, 2018
We have three great sessions on Thursday and Friday for superintendents and principal supervisors at the AASA National Conference on Education in Nashville. Check them out! Thought leader session: AASA National Principal Supervisor Academy Thursday, February 15th,...
Applications due April 13, 2018 for AASA National Principal Supervisor Academy
Feb 9, 2018
For the 2018-2019 school year, AASA, the school superintendents association, has again partnered with the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership to bring CEL's Principal Supervisor Professional Development Program to all central office leaders who...
Principals: Our advice and resources for establishing instructional leadership teams
Jan 12, 2018
by SANDY AUSTIN It’s a new year and you have made a resolution to create plans and work with teachers to improve teaching and learning. That excitement quickly turns to focused determination as you remember all of your other responsibilities as a school principal. You...
CEL’s most-read blog post in 2017
Jan 4, 2018
CEL's timeless article, "How to help teachers find an area of focus," topped the most-read list in 2017. Helping teachers determine the right instructional practice goals, linked to student learning, is often a top priority for school leaders. How can school and...
CEL Executive Director Stephen Fink announces his farewell
Jan 2, 2018
by STEPHEN FINK Dear Colleagues: With 2017 drawn to a close, I hope you can pause for a moment and celebrate a year filled with inspiration, growth and success in your practice. The New Year brings a time of transition here at the Center for Educational Leadership. I...
Want to become an expert school leader? Ask more questions.
Aug 30, 2016
by SHEEBA JACOB Why should you be stuck without a bed if I’ve got an extra air mattress? Today, the answer to this question is worth $30 billion. The meteoric rise of home-sharing site AirBnB is driven by many factors, but it started with the founders Joe Gebbia and...
Revised 5D+™ Rubric for Instructional Growth and Teacher Evaluation now available
May 2, 2016
Strong instructional practitioners are constantly reflecting on their practice, grounding their practice in research, and working to improve and streamline their practice to be more effective in their impact on student learning. Following this spirit of instructional...
Get specific in improving instructional practice with the new 4D™ Instructional Leadership Growth Continuum
Apr 4, 2016
By JUNE RIMMER Over the years, I have worked with a lot of principals and their supervisors with the goal of improving the principals' instructional leadership practice. There is one issue that comes up often: Supervisors are not specific enough in telling principals...
Developing Principals as Equity-centered Instructional Leaders
Feb 23, 2016
Over the past several years, we have become more keenly aware of the pervasive nature of opportunity and achievement gaps in many of the schools serving our most vulnerable students. These differences in opportunities, supports and outcomes represent some students’...
How to Create a Results-Focused Learning Environment
Jan 19, 2016
BY SHARON WILLIAMS Getting everybody in the school community to focus on results for students is hard — but it’s one of the most powerful ways for principals to improve instruction. "One of the responsibilities of school leadership teams with the strongest correlation...
What Great Sports Coaches Can Teach Us About Effective Targeted Feedback
Sep 8, 2015
by SHEEBA JACOB This summer, I enjoyed watching the U.S. women’s soccer team play their way to World Cup victory and Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic win the Wimbledon tennis finals. Watching these great achievements, I couldn’t help thinking: What kinds of coaches...
What is Targeted Feedback and When Do I Use It?
Jun 18, 2015
by SHEEBA JACOB Over the past decade, there has been a significant transformation in the way principals interact with teachers. Principals are no longer just managers, they are also instructional leaders. More and more, they visit classrooms throughout the...
4 Steps of Inquiry That Help Principals Improve Instruction
Apr 1, 2015
by SANDY AUSTIN When I ask principals what prevents them from focusing on instructional quality in their school, the number one answer I get is: time. It’s true, time is always a concern for principals, but it is not the only one. I have found that even when...
Teaching Not Telling Helps Principals Improve Their Instructional Leadership
Oct 9, 2014
James Shaw (left), principal at A.B. Hill Elementary School and Angela Whitelaw during one of their instructional coaching sessions. In surveys, Shelby County principals say their new coaches have helped them strengthen their skills as instructional leaders by...
Reciprocal Accountability: How Effective Instructional Leaders Improve Teaching and Learning
Jan 21, 2014
by STEPHEN FINK So much has been written about school leadership, what can possibly be new? Truthfully there is little “new” in the school leadership concept of reciprocal accountability. However, reciprocal accountability is largely absent in the daily practice of...
Building Leadership Capacity
May 25, 2011
By DICK FLANARY, Senior Director of Leadership Programs and Services at the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Accountability is the mantra for today’s schools. Expectations for schools are ever increasing, and sanctions for poor performance include...
Principal Accountability Begins with Developing Expertise
May 24, 2011
by STEPHEN FINK Two foundational ideas guide our work at the Center for Educational Leadership. First, we believe that quality teaching matters: if students are not learning, they are not being afforded powerful learning opportunities. Second, quality instructional...
Developing Our Stamina for Learning
Nov 9, 2009
by STEPHEN FINK One big piece of my learning over the years has been that working with adult learners is really no different than working with young learners. I used to believe that adults who worked hard to earn degrees and credentials for their chosen profession...
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Closing the Distance Between Students and School System Leadership
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Students know an equity champion when they see one. In recent CEL equity leadership focus groups, our CEL team asked students to describe their “hero principal.” Students shared attributes of a hero principal like “a history of fighting for social justice” with the...
A Throughline of Caring
Jan 11, 2022
I spent much of 2021 engaging deeply with leaders across the country about the transformational power that school leaders hold for leading equitable school communities. What I learned is that, when positioned properly and truly empowered to lead, principals are the...
Humanizing School and District Leadership Through Student Experience
Nov 18, 2021
What would happen if school and district leaders used students’ experiences and perspectives as the basis for their leadership? In CEL’s partnerships with school systems, we ask leaders to focus on the experiences of students furthest from justice in their schools and...
Instructional Leadership Teams: 3 Tips to Get Clear for Students’ Sake
Oct 27, 2021
Instructional leadership teams (ILTs) can play a key role in creating more equitable schools that give all students the opportunity to thrive. But in our work with schools around the country, we often see a missed opportunity for teams to build clear, shared purpose...
Looking Back to Lean Forward: CEL’s 20-Year Journey
Sep 30, 2021
Dear partners and colleagues, In 2003, I was a second-year principal. At the time, my school was best known for its low standardized test scores and discipline rates. I thought that my general leadership ability was sufficient to lead a dramatic school turnaround....