Creating a Theory of Action

Develop a rationale behind your strategies and articulate your thinking by generating an evidence-based story that explains the specific changes you intend to make to improve teaching and learning.

School leaders must have a clear idea of what good instruction looks like. In order to have a lasting impact, instructional leaders must also know why they make certain instructional decisions over others.

The Creating a Theory of Action Tool, which draws on CEL’s 4 Dimensions of School Leadership™ and 5 Dimensions of Teaching and Learning™ frameworks, helps educators develop a rationale behind the strategies they choose and articulate the thinking behind their decisions.

1. Develop a well-elaborated conception of the problem or situation for students, teachers and leaders that motivates their actions in the first place
2. Make your leadership the core of the theory of action
3. Create an evidence-based rationale for all parts of the theory
4. Identify the supports needed to make the identified changes in principal practice