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Danforth Educational Leadership Program

Director: Kathy Kimball, 206-221-3452
kkimball@u.washington.edu

University of Washington
College of Education
Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Box 353600
Seattle, WA 98195-3600
Fax: 206-616-6762

For information contact:

Brieanne Hull
206-221-3468
bmc83@u.washington.edu

Program Components

Program Overview | Assumptions | Components | Curriculum | Internship

Summer Institutes - A residential institute, held on UW campus during the first summer of the program, focuses on building a cohort and making the transition for teaching to administration. The institute develops skills in communications and human relations and encourages reflection on educational and leadership issues. The program ends in June with a short summer session.

Instructional Modules - Instruction about topics essential for the preparation of educational leaders is organized in modules. The students meet with faculty on Thursday afternoons and attend ten all-day Saturday sessions scheduled September through May. Some instructional modules are presented in one quarter, while other modules stretch throughout the academic year.

Reflective Seminars - A weekly reflective seminar provides practice in leadership skills and connects the internship experience with the University of Washington instructional modules. The seminar is a forum to discuss critical issues and a practice laboratory to develop skills in communication and human relations.

Cohort Structure - A cohort structure provides a support base for professional growth and learning. Diversity in the cohort is sought and valued.

Formative Program Evaluation - Program features such as curriculum and instructional delivery are regularly evaluated, monitored, and improved. Students, faculty, and mentor principals collaborate to review data and make program improvements.

Internships with Mentor Principals - A minimum half-time internship experience (average of 20 hours/week) is required of all participants during the academic year. Mentor principals are carefully selected to work with students in the program.