S11/E4: School-wide systems of improvement for more equitable instruction with Sarah Ottow

S11/E4: School-wide systems of improvement for more equitable instruction with Sarah Ottow

Author: Ellevation Education September 26, 2023 Duration: 50:48

What role do identity and ‘social location’ play for educators  and how can we be more intentional about updating the education systems we work in? How can we implement a school wide system of support for educators and a culture that encourages collaboration and empathy? What is some advice or a good starting point for educators who feel overwhelmed at the idea of add-on work to successfully support language learners in their classes?


We discuss these questions and more with Sarah Ottow, a longtime educator with over twenty years of experience in teaching, training, and coaching for English language learner success. She returned to Highest Aspirations to talk with us about creating school-wide systems of improvement for more equitable instruction for ALL students. As the founder of Confianza and author of  The Language Lens for Content Classrooms: A Guide for K-12 Educators of English and Academic Language Learners, she has many strategies to share that will help you efficiently apply language instruction in ways that will help all students, including multilingual learners.


You can download the full episode transcript here.

Visit our blog to find episode takeaways and resources as well as additional EL education content.


At the heart of Highest Aspirations are the voices and stories of English Language Learners, a dynamic and fast-growing part of the student population. Created by Ellevation Education, this podcast moves beyond theory to explore the real-world experiences shaping classrooms today. Each episode connects you directly with educators who are in the trenches, students navigating dual languages, and researchers translating data into practical strategies. You’ll also hear from families and community advocates, whose perspectives are crucial yet often overlooked. These conversations collectively tackle a central question: how do we build systems that genuinely allow every student to thrive? Rather than offering simple answers, the series delves into the complexities of policy, instructional practice, and cultural belonging. It’s a space where the vibrant ELL community gathers to discuss both challenges and breakthroughs. Tuning in provides a nuanced look at the evolving landscape of education, emphasizing actionable insights and shared humanity. The Highest Aspirations podcast ultimately serves as a thoughtful forum for anyone invested in creating more equitable and effective learning environments for all.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Highest Aspirations
Podcast Episodes
S13/E8: Personalizing professional learning with Rocío Figueroa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:09
In this episode of Highest Aspirations, Sandra sits down with Rocío Figueroa, Senior Instructional Content Manager at Ellevation, to explore how personalized professional development can transform teaching and learning f…