Courses
Leadership: Theory and Practice
This master’s-level course aims to develop insight into what constitutes an effective leader and the distinctions between management and leadership. Participants will explore the major aspects of leadership theory and leadership in organizations. Opportunities to read about and interact with exceptional leaders increase understanding of those personal qualities and the professional skill set required to mobilize people and move organizations through times of stability and change.
Cultural Foundations in Educational Leadership
This doctoral course provides students with the foundation through which a critical analysis of the relationship between self, culture, and school leadership can occur. Through this examination, students will study policy, individual and institutional beliefs, and instructional issues related to the education of a diverse student population. An equity-focused change process using data as a basis for school reform is another key element of this course.
Organizational Behavior in Education Contexts
This is a doctoral course that explores how organizations, particularly schools and school districts, are organized and how facets of that organization influence culture, operations, and outcomes. Students read from a range of texts to garner understanding of how one’s perspective of an organization influences assumptions about practice and purpose, actions and relationships of the people working in and with the organization, and the shape and scope of policies and practices that emanate from the organization and which, in turn, influence the workings of the organization.
Ethics and Equity – Oriented Leadership
This doctoral course aims to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of the foundations of ethical decision-making and engages students in the application of analysis of current and historical educational events from an ethical perspective. In particular, students will explore various foundational readings in ethics and moral philosophy, as well as modern writings that explicitly connect ethics to educational leadership. The course will also center equity and engage students with questions about how equity in various spaces, e.g., human resources, academic outcomes, student development, and resource allocation, intersects with broader issues of ethics.
Philosophy
“Teaching, for me, is fundamentally about creating multiple opportunities to learn, not just for students, but for all of us engaged in the educational enterprise. My teaching philosophy centers on the belief that our collective roles as educators shape the culture of educational institutions and that every relationship developed is a partnership aimed at enhancing learning experiences for K-12 students, particularly those who are historically underserved and underrepresented. My approach to teaching is therefore grounded in culturally responsive leadership, guiding students along a continuum from self-awareness to inquiry, advocacy, and action. I believe knowledge must be filtered through an ethical lens, and I challenge students to engage in genuine self-examination as they develop as educational leaders. This framework shapes how I design courses, facilitate discussions, and mentor students through their scholarly journeys. I emphasize that culturally responsive leaders must understand how educational systems both marginalize and privilege, and that our work must focus on shaping district and school cultures that affirm everyone’s humanbeingness.”
Dr. Miriam D. Ezzani 