Purpose-driven Instructional Leadership

EDU T392 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

What is good teaching? How do we ensure all students receive good teaching – particularly those students who have historically been denied access to a quality education in US schools? In this course, we begin by asking what all K-12 students need to learn and what teaching will lead to that outcome. After establishing our vision for excellent teaching, we look at the current reality: what does learning and teaching typically look like in US schools today? Finally, we explore what instructional leaders can do to move from our current state to our vision of quality. As a course for practitioners seeking instructional leadership roles, this course focuses on school-level outcomes and strategies, specifically those designed to ensure all students thrive. Examples of class activities include: reflection to build self-awareness, regular analysis of teaching (through video), extensive small group work to align on quality teaching, and use of a case study to apply learning over several classes. Students are required to work with a group of peers to observe in at least one K-12 classroom during the semester and must have flexibility to do this within their schedules.

The course is open to students in all programs. If demand exceeds course capacity, priority will be given to students with teaching experience. For students in the Teaching and Leading pathway of the Teaching and Teacher Leadership (TTL) program, this course counts toward the TTL Program Core Experience requirement.