Minnesota Instructional Leadership Academy
Goal
We support leaders with professional learning so that they can ensure that every student, especially those who have been most marginalized, has a school experience that makes them happy and proud.
Who It’s For
The Minnesota Instructional Leadership Academy is for school leaders—including assistant principals—and those who support them. Our initial cohort will be hosted in the Twin Cities, so we are extending this invitation to metro-area school leaders. Districts should sign up as a team. At least 4 individuals should be a part of the team and each team should have a district sponsor that will also receive coaching support throughout the year.
What You’ll Gain
With a common language for good instructional practice, leaders can create responsive teacher learning opportunities across the system — and offer all of their students a chance to thrive.
- Students gain richer classroom experiences from teachers’ professional learning
- Teachers improve their teaching practice from focused learning
- Leaders develop skills for analyzing teaching and deepening public practice towards an instructional vision
How It Works
In the Minnesota Instructional Leadership Academy, you’ll be part of a collaborative learning community with a shared vision and language, working towards the same goals. You’ll develop practices in collecting qualitative data, giving targeted feedback and planning strategic teacher learning that can have an impact right away.
This year-long professional learning series includes 5 whole-group learning sessions, 5 sponsor-coaching sessions, 4 small-group learning experiences in schools, and 3 district or principal coaching support sessions. Learning is grounded in the evidence-based 4 Dimensions of School Leadership™ and 5 Dimensions of Teaching and Learning™ frameworks.
Through the Minnesota Instructional Leadership Academy, participants will develop skills to:
- Uncover inequities in student learning
- Discuss instruction using qualitative evidence
- Provide strengths-based feedback to support teacher growth
In a collaborative learning community, participants spend 4 days observing and analyzing teaching and learning. Observation experiences elevate student experiences, particularly those furthest from justice.
During whole-group learning sessions, which occur at the beginning, midpoint, and end of the year, participants focus on:
- Deepening their understanding of the connection between how students experience instruction and equity
- Examining how implicit bias and privilege influence leadership
- Providing more effective, targeted feedback to teachers
- Planning strategic teacher learning that can have an impact right away
Embedded learning occurs throughout the year and allows participants to apply new knowledge and skills in small group settings. Activities include:
- Conducting student learning walkthroughs
- Observing how students experience classroom instruction
- Collecting concrete, bias-free qualitative data
Logistics
- Cost is $3,000 per participant. This includes all learning materials, as well as lunch on full-group institute days.
- Participants will receive up to 50 PD Hours
- Please register by June 14
- Cohorts and session dates will be finalized by July 17th
- MILE Assessment August 21 - September 4
Questions?
Contact Katie Pekel (kpekel@umn.edu) or Deb Prenkert (dprenker@umn.edu).
Tentative Schedule, 2024-25
- Institute I: Aug 20 & 21
- MILE Assessment Window: 8/21 - 9/4 (virtual)
- Learning Walkthrough #1: Oct 1 or 2
- Learning Walkthrough #2: Nov 19 or 20
- Institute II: January 29
- Learning Walkthrough #3: Feb 11 or 12
- Learning Walkthrough #4: March 18 or 19
- Institute III: April 22 & 23
- Three on-site support sessions per district will be customized to meet the needs of the district and principals within the cohort. These sessions will be arranged with the coaching sponsor. The support sessions will occur sometime after the first institute and prior to the end of the school year.
- Sessions could include facilitation of learning walks within the district, PLC collaboration, or digging deeper into the MILE Assessment data.
Watch an Information Session
Facilitators
Katie Pekel
Executive Director of Educational Leadership, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Lisa Rooney
Director of Framework Development & Support, University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership (CEL)
Debra Prenkert
Senior Leader of Scholarly Practice, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities College of Education and Human Development
Quote from Tony Mosser
During my time with MILA, I was able to build the language, skills, and practices to provide impactful and timely feedback to my staff. Our learning walks provided a space to practice and build coaching capacity while exploring ways to connect these skills to authentic opportunities to impart change within my learning community.
Quote from Dr. Alison Gillespie
The Instructional Leadership Academy has ignited our confidence and built the collective expertise we needed to elevate instructional leadership across our district. The tangible tools and frameworks empowered us to make an immediate impact as we examined instructional growth and leadership development across our district. Learning in a cohort of our peers not only from our own district, but with colleagues from across MN provided invaluable learning as we partner together around educational excellence for MN students.