Imagine you are surrounded by professionals like yourself. You are finding ways to connect your learning with your professional and personal life. You are experiencing this synthesis of theory and applied research.

• An overview of the program
• The MA-CEL program commitment
• Mission of the MA-CEL

The Master of Arts - Collaborative Educational Leadership (MA-CEL) program:

• will happen in your region (close to home)
• meets five weekends a semester for four semesters, taking two years to complete (Saturday 8:00 - 4:30 and Sunday 8:00 - 3:30)
• does not require summer school
• takes place in a Learning Community environment where participants connect learning, accountability, and research
• will be applicable immediately in your classroom or work setting
• is meaningful, hands-on, and life enhancing for you, your colleagues, and your pre-K-16 students
• puts you in charge of designing and implementing your own professional development plan
• gives you the opportunity to work and learn with professionals and colleagues from your region
• is assessed through application of your growth and learning and the learning of your students (your work setting is your learning lab)
• helps you develop a portfolio based on your learning standards (focused by the National Board of Professional Teaching propositions), something you will continue to use after your program has been completed
• is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

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The commitment of the MA-CEL program is to support and act as your:

• forum for the renewal of your passion for learning that will lead to the creation of authentic learning and knowing by you and your pre-K-16 students
• focus on your practice and enrichment of pre-K-16 student participation in learning and enhanced achievement
• vehicle for becoming a collaborative instructional leader who prepares students for academic, economic, political, and social change
• catalyst for engaging in renewed curiosity and inquiry
• foundation for experiencing building your own learning Constructivism (Brooks and Brooks, 2000)
• gateway to reflective practice that brings about deeper understanding (Brooks, 1995) and applied learning
• stage for experiencing self- and peer-assessment (Paris & Ayers, 1994)
• connection to renewed understanding and use of the stages of child development
• guide to recognizing structures of cultural dominance and developing culturally responsive learning environments (Darder, 1991)
• arena for expanding celebrations of diversity
• support for understanding and using systems thinking and change
• entrance to National Board certification.

Mission of the MA-CEL [top]
The Master of Arts in Collaborative Educational Leadership increases instructional leadership capacity for student learning through the development of community processes, critical inquiry, reflective practice, continuous research, accountability, and applied learning.