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MARIA LUISA GARCIA UNDERWOOD
Instructional Specialist
ABOUT MARIA
María Luisa García Underwood has over 30 years of education experience, having worked as a teacher, instructional coach, staff developer, and program/district administrator. María previously worked in the New York City Department of Education Central Offices, and as Director of the Multicultural Education Center, María oversaw the development and oversight of diversity education. She currently works with K-12 educators on literacy, second language acquisition, student engagement, rigorous instruction, and standards alignment.

María's motivation for coaching stems from her desire to enhance teachers' pedagogical competencies. She has designed a culturally responsive curriculum that enables K-12 teachers to integrate anti-racist pedagogy and social justice principles into literacy instruction. María's dedication to professional growth is clear in her role as a Head Start program reviewer across the US, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. She has presented at national conferences for the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), ASCD, and NABE. María has contributed to recent papers in the Chief Learning Officer and Urban Perspectives journals, and  NCTE/Routledge Publishing will publish Practicing Civic Futures Through Teacher/Adult Learning in late 2024, and she is preparing a chapter for inclusion.
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The Center for Professional Education of Teachers (CPET) at Teachers College, Columbia University is committed to making excellent and equitable education accessible worldwide. ​CPET unites theory and practice to promote transformational change. We design innovative projects, cultivate sustainable partnerships, and conduct research through direct and online services to youth and educators. Grounded in adult learning theories, our six core principles structure our customized approach and expand the capacities of educators around the world.