Over my years working with instructional coaches and principals in school districts across the country, I have learned that the role of the instructional coach changes from district to district and even from school to school. I’ve observed coaches address practices...
Educational Leadership
Growing instructional leadership and sharpening the equity lens
Nov 28, 2023
Leaders at the Medford School District have been working with CEL to improve their instructional leadership and sharpen their equity lens since 2022. Through the Instructional Leadership Academy (ILA), leaders are learning more about gathering non-judgmental classroom observation data, understanding the current state of teaching and learning, and giving strengths-based, actionable feedback to teachers.
Looking Forward with Hope for 2023
Jan 3, 2023
This past year was one of unprecedented challenges both inside and out of the classroom. Solving the problems in front of us today demands more than a simple New Year’s resolution; it requires us to reimagine our challenges and commit to new ways of moving forward.
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...
Celebrating Growth and Courage
Jun 3, 2021
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.
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 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...
How the Four Dimensions of School Leadership Creates Focus in a Pandemic
Dec 10, 2020
Lindsey Samec is an elementary school principal at Mounds View Public Schools in Minnesota. Like so many other school leaders across the country, she's had a lot to think about and manage this past year for her students to be able to learn and grow. Michele Mason,...
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 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...
How Principals Learn
Mar 16, 2020
I wanted to share with you that the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) recently released a study that the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership (CEL) was part of. Principals are vitally important for achieving educational equity, and there are...
A Decade of Rigorous Teaching, Leading and Learning
Jan 7, 2020
On behalf of our team at the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership, I am writing to wish a happy and peaceful new year to all of CEL’s partners, peers and supporters. I write this year with hope and optimism for what the coming decade will hold...
Recent Posts
Creating Conditions for Effective Instructional Coaching
Nov 28, 2023
Over my years working with instructional coaches and principals in school districts across the country, I have learned that the role of the instructional coach changes from district to district and even from school to school. I’ve observed coaches address practices...
Growing instructional leadership and sharpening the equity lens
Nov 28, 2023
Leaders at the Medford School District have been working with CEL to improve their instructional leadership and sharpen their equity lens since 2022. Through the Instructional Leadership Academy (ILA), leaders are learning more about gathering non-judgmental classroom observation data, understanding the current state of teaching and learning, and giving strengths-based, actionable feedback to teachers.
Building a vision for student learning
Sep 12, 2023
CEL’s yearlong, contextualized Leading for Teacher Learning helps leaders assess their current state of teacher learning and better understand what teachers need in order to improve students’ experiences. Throughout the leaders’ learning with CEL, we explore the...
Creating leadership practices elevating student experience
Jun 8, 2023
As the educational landscape continues to change and move forward, school leaders must prioritize student experiences and acknowledge the invaluable insights students bring.
The Power of Centering Student Voices
Jun 6, 2023
As the academic year draws to a close, the arrival of summer offers us the opportunity to breathe and reflect. It has been a year filled with unprecedented hardships for school communities nationwide, leaving educators, administrators, and leaders feeling drained and...
