AACTE/UPPI Podcast Highlights ‘A Sustainable Approach to Customizing Clinical Practice’
In the fifth episode of AACTE’s podcast covering the Wallace Foundation’s University Principal Preparation Initiative (UPPI), David Lorden and Alejandro Gonzalez Ojeda from San Diego State University share how to restructure principal preparation programs to meet the array of needs required by various districts. During the episode, titled “A Sustainable Approach to Customizing Clinical Practice,” Lorden and Gonzalez Ojeda share insights from their own UPPI experiences as faculty in diversifying the clinical experiences of candidates through collaborative redesign with the districts. Through these insights, they answer the following questions:
- How do you prepare a principal to lead anywhere?
- How can prep programs adapt to meet the various needs of districts?
- Why is customization critical for education leadership prep programs? Especially for equity?
- How can a university sustain customizing their learning experiences for candidates with different backgrounds and strengths?
Listen now to Episode 5: A Sustainable Approach to Customizing Clinical Practice
Featured Guests
David Lorden, Ed.D., began his career in education as a high school English teacher. He made the decision fairly soon to pursue school leadership, earning his Masters of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University (SDSU). After 5 years as an assistant principal and 9 years as a high school principal, he transitioned into district leadership where he served as the director of student support services. Lorden continued his leadership journey, as a San Diego Unified School District area superintendent, where he supervised 28 schools and provided principal coaching, supervision, and professional learning. Upon earning his Ed.D. at SDSU, he became a superintendent in a K-8 District in San Diego County, before moving to higher education as a team lead in the redesign of San Diego State University’s Preliminary Administrative Services Credential Program surfaced. In this role, Lorden works with local District partners and 12 California principal preparation programs to redesign their programs. He also teaches in the principal preparation program at SDSU.
Alejandro Gonzalez Ojeda Ed.D., is an assistant professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University, and an instructional technology leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College. Gonzalez Ojeda was born in Mexicali, a Mexican border town adjacent to California. As an immigrant and an English language learner, he encountered both positive and negative experiences throughout his education in the United States. These experiences have influenced his perspective on supporting inclusion and access for all students. He started his career in education as a school technologist in San Diego, and soon developed an appreciation for supporting learners and building the capacity of teachers through professional growth. Gonzalez Ojeda’s scope of research and publications span policy in education, instructional practices across gradespans and disciplines, and leadership preparation pipelines.
Tags: clinical preparation, media, principal preparation
