This leadership course is designed for program leaders (directors/assistant directors) from center-based ECE programs and we encourage you to enroll with members of your teaching team (lead teachers, teachers, teaching assistants, etc). This course provides leaders with foundational knowledge about research-based practices for instructional leadership, organizational change, and program improvement.  The course introduces concrete job-embedded professional learning strategies for leaders to apply with their staff to improve teaching and learning in their programs.  The course orients leaders to an evidence-based framework for program quality, including using data to support intentional planning, establishing collaborative routines that promote a culture of continuous learning, and the role of instructional leaders in promoting high quality inclusive early childhood curriculum and supportive relationships with families.  Through hands-on activities coupled with reflective exercises, participants will identify a problem of practice related to quality teaching and learning at their program, develop an improvement plan, and take steps with their staff to put the plan into action. Note: this course meets live through zoom with some items to read or engage in on your own time between sessions, including virtual learning modules in the StrongStart platform. After you register you will receive a course schedule with more information about where and when to access those self-study materials.

Course Objectives

By fully participating in this course, you will be able to:

1. Evaluate and select appropriate early childhood curriculum based on a set of evidence-informed criteria and guidance, with a focus on promoting healthy development and joyful learning.
2. Develop skills for supporting educators’ use of high-quality inclusive curriculum, with a focus on effective instructional practices, including the principles of universal designs for learning.
3. Develop skills for supporting educators’ continuous use of data to inform instruction using continuous quality improvement tools and methods.
4. Describe strategies for promoting equity within the learning environment including welcoming and affirming the diverse cultures and perspectives of colleagues, children, and their families.
5. Identify the essential components of high-quality teaching and learning that lead to positive outcomes for children.
6. Increase knowledge of instructional leadership and reflective supervision skills that are competency-based, culturally responsive, and aligned to research-based methods.
7. Reflect on current systems, structures, and practices of instructional leadership and job embedded professional learning and identify the challenges and opportunities to strengthen them, particularly in diverse workplace contexts.
8. Analyze how instructional leaders use collaborative learning protocols to shape high quality teaching, learning, and family engagement.
9. Use continuous quality improvement methods to identify a quality improvement goal, make a collaborative plan with others, and test an improvement strategy related to teaching and learning at the program.