Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker

“Students are at the heart of all we do,” says Principal Anne-Marie Maw. “If you’re ever struggling with what to do, put the students at the heart of your decision, and it will always make the decision easier.” This week I’m sharing the beginning of a new series on lessons from principals across the globe, beginning with an interview with Anne-Marie Maw, principal of St. Agatha’s Primary School Clayfield. St. Agatha’s Primary School has 340 children from Prep through Year 6. Clayfield is in the north east suburbs of Brisbane which is the capital city of the state of Queensland in Australia. Prior to her appointment at Clayfield, she had been an Assistant Principal in several Catholic schools in Brisbane and Sydney for 18 years and then several years teaching in Sydney and country New South Wales. St. Agatha’s is Anne-Marie’s first principalship, and COVID hit when she was only a few months into this role. In today’s conversation, we discuss lessons she has learned from leading during a pandemic. Q & A with Anne-Marie Maw WDP: I really want to unpack your story of how you provided quality learning for your school community during the pandemic. Can you walk us through what that was like for your school community when the pandemic first began? Anne-Marie: For me the biggest focus was around being clear in our approach, providing certainty where we could and making difficult calls which became a whole lot easier when we kept student safety and learning at the heart of what we did.  Australia have had very low COVID numbers and Queensland have been among the strictest in border security in Australia. To give you some perspective, in Brisbane in January, we had a snap 3 day complete lockdown because one person had tested positive to the new strain of COVID as a community contact. This was the week before school started back for the school year which was a bit terrifying! In Brisbane, we were locked down for 5 weeks last year only which I know is merely a drop in the ocean compared to the States and Europe. My mantra during this time was ‘We will continue to provide excellent learning and teaching regardless of context’. This is something we did particularly well. The focus on excellent learning and teaching included a whole school approach to how we would distribute our learning to students, a role out of technology to ensure every student had access to a device prior to the shut down, skilling up teachers to be able to manage this swift change in content delivery and a provision of face to face learning with students at least 3 times a day every day we were in lockdown.  WDP: As pandemic conditions continued through the school year, how did your efforts change or enhance? Anne-Marie: We provided weekly video assemblies for 6 months as we still couldn’t gather as a school community once students were back on site. Being a Catholic School we also ensured religious celebrations such as school prayer and liturgical celebrations continued in a virtual space. We had to cancel our Year 6 senior trip to Canberra which was really heartbreaking for the kids but we decided to have a sleepover at school instead!  WDP: What have been some of the challenges you face in keeping parents informed and connected? Anne-Marie: As a big community person, I found it hard not having parents on site. I had just started to get to know our school communtiy and then with everything shutting down I couldn’t have people on school grounds. Some parents said that I was deliberately keeping parents off-site and using COVID as an excuse which really hurt as it was the opposite of what I wanted. I had to keep my line whilst being compassionate and understanding to the needs of a community I was only just getting to know. The new challange is now that our community, like many in Australia, feel the COVID fatigue and we are still needing to provide measures such as limited numbers at our swimming carnival, social distancing and sanitising measures. The argument remains with many in our community ‘Why is it that we can have 40,000 people watch a football game and only 100 people can attend a swimming carnival’. Trying to keep clear around policy whilst building community back has been difficult.  Let’s Wrap This Up Anne-Marie shares even more great takeaways in this conversation! Listen to the entire episode for lessons she has applied in self-care and from studying my newest book, Pause. Breathe. Flourish.: Living Your Best Life as an Educator. Now It’s Your Turn How are you keeping students at the center of every decision during and after leading in a pandemic? Thanks for doing what matters! If you’d like to connect with Annie-Marie Maw via LinkedIn. Or follow St. Agatha’s School Clayfield on Facebook. The post PMP238: Lessons from an Australian Primary School with Anne-Marie Maw appeared first on Principal Matters.

As co-host and Principal Jen Schwanke explains, the system we live in requires us to make some of the biggest decisions of life with our gut feelings. Photo by kenteegardin – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License  https://www.flickr.com/photos/26373139@N08 The good news is that you do not have to rely on gut feeling to find the right fit in leadership. What are steps you can take to be more intentional?  In this week’s episode, we explore several suggestions to keep in mind when interviewing or considering new positions in education: Visit before saying yes.Ask hard questions.Picture yourself and/or your family for the next ten years.Replace the ‘gut feeling’ with positives and negatives when making a final decision.Be clear on weaknesses and potential pitfalls.Remember fit does not mean perfection. When Is It Time to Stop? A podcast listener recently wrote in and said, “I think my follow up question for a future podcast is when is it time to just stop interviewing and find peace in your current reality?” To answer this question, we consider the following: Jen shares a heart warming story about a friend who chose to stay in teaching as his best fit.Remember there is a point to just have peace, not “move up” the proverbial career ladder.Look at the money, time, and commitment – weigh all those options before deciding.As yourself what else is there in your professional life you could enjoy without a move. Don’t limit yourself to titles Finally, we talk about the importance of not getting caught up in what organizational charts dictate as “up and down”. Perhaps you may also want to flex your leadership muscles in ways that don’t fit the title of principal. You may want to consider: Adjunct professorCoachingBloggingPodcastingPresenting at workshopsMentoring Let’s Wrap This Up As you consider next steps in your own professional practice, you may be satisfied with your current fit. If so, congratulations! If not, think about how to explore the next options with forethought, well-versed, and prepared. If you’re in the process of looking and want even more feedback on how to prepare for interviewing, check out other resources. Email us your questions. Or reach out to Jen or me if you’re interested in consulting or coaching options for preparing for the next step! The post PMP237: Tips for Finding the Right Fit in Your Leadership appeared first on Principal Matters.

Spring time brings new opportunities. For some educators, it is a time of year when you may start feeling a little restless. Photo by Ravi Roshan – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@ravi_roshan_inc?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit Perhaps you will be considering new candidates for openings at your school. Or maybe you will be looking at new possibilities for your own leadership journey. In a previous podcast episode, Jen Schwanke and I led a discussion on spring hiring, and we had questions and feedback from several listeners. This week, we wanted to circle back with a follow-up conversation, including responses to the following: Feedback from a Listener One listener wrote in with this great reflection: “I really thought that the Principalship would be my last stop before retirement, but I am getting restless. I am not sure if it is because the Principal role has turned out not to be the ‘dream job’ that I thought it would be. It is difficult to tell during this pandemic. This is my third year as the Principal of my building and 8th year in the same building. I loved every day as Assistant Principal, but I am just not feeling that same joy now.” “Listening to you and Jen has really made me focus my search and consider where I can add value in my current school district or surrounding districts. It made me laugh when Jen told her story about applying for the HR position. I feel the same way about interviewing, and I almost submitted my name for an HR administrator vacancy. I realized after listening to you that HR would not be a good fit for me.” What do you do when you feel restless in your work?  Here are several ideas Jen and I discuss (listen to the full episode for more context): As you think about the new semester, you may be looking at opportunities for movement or change. As you do, be careful not to search for ‘joy’ when searching for a job. Joy is not sustainable all the time in any work. First, you have to look for the right fit in your work and life – find the consistent behaviors that help you flourish. Then make that fit in whatever setting you find yourself. In addition, look to see ‘where the hole is’ and fill it. Are you bored? Are restless because you don’t feel supported or respected? Are you feeling disconnected from colleagues? Look at the root causes to see if those issues can be pro-actively addressed before making a big move. Especially during a pandemic, be careful not to overreact the temporary pressures that have been a part of this difficult school year. Another component to keep in mind is that your teachers are feeling this way too. Most educators share something in common right now: there is just not as much joy without assemblies, parties, and moments to meet without masks. But keep in mind, you have also made school work with new lessons learned. That’s a different kind of joy – realizing the lessons learned through difficult times. Finally, ask yourself what self-care practices do you employ when you feel you are at your best. Focus on the practices that work for you when things are not so crazy, and give yourself permission to re-engage with those actions now. You may be surprised that some of the ups and downs you experience are significantly influenced by those daily practices and routines. Let’s Wrap This Up If you are searching for a new position in the months ahead, you may also benefit from listening to Principal Matters Episode 232: Looking for a New Education Position, where Jen and I unpack more practical steps to keep in mind in your search for the right fit. Now It’s Your Turn What questions do you have about your own search or next move? Reach back by email with questions at will@williamdparker.com. What is one step you can take today to ‘fill the missing hole’ in your own self-care that may help you finish out the semester with more inspiration and joy? The post PMP236: What to do When You Feel Restless in Leadership appeared first on Principal Matters.

Andrew O’Farrell has been the Principal of Beach Street Middle School in West Islip, New York since 2009. Prior to becoming a principal, Andrew was an assistant principal of Lindenhurst Middle School.  Andrew began his journey in education as a Social Studies teacher and then became the Dean of Students at Dyker Heights Intermediate School I.S. 201 in Brooklyn NY.  Andrew has been married to his wife Kathy for 20 years and they have three High School/College aged daughters. During September 2020, his school successfully managed re-entry for students. In this week’s podcast episode, he shares lessons he has learned through a school year like no other, including: Collaboration from district, community, teachers, and students that set the tone for planning and re-opening Supports and strategic protocols that provided guidance for hybrid learning that soon led to full in-person instruction How students have adjusted, remained flexible and showed amazing resilience throughout the school year Lessons learned about the power of listening and relationships In addition, Andrew tells a heart-warming story of student success, and he shares how being a part of a Principal Matters Mastermind has enhanced his own leadership journey. Listen-in for even more takeaways! You can connect with Andrew O’Farrell at his school’s website http://www.wi.k12.ny.us/schools/beach_street or via Twitter @aofarrella. The post PMP235: Leading Re-Entry in a Pandemic with Andrew O’Farrell appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week, I had the privilege to interview TJ Warren, Director of Programs for Stand in the Gap Ministries. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Stand in the Gap is an organization committed to impacting the lives of orphans, widows and prisoners in partnership with generous donations from individuals, churches and businesses as well as various foundations. Specifically, he has been directly involved with assisting youth from difficult backgrounds and those who have aged out of foster care. Listen to the entire podcast episode to hear more about TJ’s background and something surprising to know about him. Here is a short summary of our conversation: Working with Students from Trauma WDP: What are some important ideas for educators to keep in mind when working with youth from traumatic backgrounds or those without essential resources? TJ Warren: First, it is important to learn to identify trauma-behavior. When you see behavior that is out-of-norm, remember there is usually a story behind that behavior. Behavior that is outside cultural norms should be a red-flag that it may be coming from trauma. We must have restorative responses, not punitive ones, if we are going to create safe environments where students can actually learn. This begins by knowing your students and understanding where they come from. As adults, we need to work from a relational perspective, not a transactional perspective. Respect is not something we demand from students. Instead our attitudes toward children must be that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect just as we hope they will treat us likewise. But we adults must initiate a posture of dignity and respect if we hope to see the same cultivated in children. WDP: One of my classroom practices was to tell students every day, “I’m glad you’re here.” At the secondary level, eventually students would ask me why I said that phrase every day. When they did, I would remind them what an honor it was that they chose to step into class each day. Years later, I remember a former student visiting me to tell me how that phrase, “I’m glad you’re here,” was one that brought him a lot of encouragement while he was living in a very insecure home environment. TJ Warren: Yes, the power of repetitive routines creates a biological response in the attitudes and expectations of students. It’s paramount. In essence, we are re-teaching students to feel safe – especially the ones who come from really hard places. Routine reduces the tendency of hyper-vigilance. When students are focused on survival, not learning, those repetitive routines provide them with a way to anticipate a safe learning environment. They begin re-orienting to those routines and expectations before they even come into your classroom. WDP: Can you help us understand the perspective of a young adult who is transitioning out of foster care? TJ Warren: Think about the routines that give you peace of mind in your life and home. Now apply that to young adults who are unraveling because they are losing those places of safety. First, expect some unraveling. Second, if you have access to organizations like ours, connect students with transition organizations at least six months before they age out. Organizations like ours will connect students with a team of mentors to help them safely transition. WDP: The success of students happen when they are able to transition from school into those next areas of growth or support in life. Wraparound services like yours help students make that transition. TJ Warren: Yes, through LifeLaunch, we solely focus on surrounding young adults with supportive mentors and connect them with other services that help with that transition. In Oklahoma, we operate LifeLaunch throughout the state. Anyone can access our website for current trauma-informed research and mentor training. Now It’s Your Turn You can listen to even more great takeaways by listening to the podcast episode! Even as you lead during difficult conditions, what ways can you help connect students in need with mentors or community organizations that may provide them support? You can find out more about resources for assisting young adults transitioning from foster care at https://www.standinthegap.org. Or reach out to TJ Warren by email at tj@sitgm.org. The post PMP234: Connecting Students to Caring Adults with TJ Warren appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week I have the privilege of interviewing Emily Paschall about her new book, Eyes on Culture: Multiply Excellence in Your School. As you know, culture drives the outcomes of your school, and Emily unpacks ways to not only live your own excellence, but to multiply excellence in others. In her book, you will learn: How to use your lived experiences to help someone elseHow to unlock the key to connecting with all kids, even those who seem unreachableHow to build partnerships with families so that they desire to work with youHow to make difficult conversations not so difficultHow to help every student, parent, and colleague achieve excellence…and more! Meet Emily Paschall Emily A. Paschall has served as a teacher, district coach, school administrator, professional learning trainer, and motivational speaker. Currently, she serves as assistant principal at Cedar Hill Elementary in Ardmore, Alabama.A fellow ConnectEdd author, her passions lie in teaching, learning, and serving others. She leads a nation wide group of administrators through supportive social media sites with shared ideas, information, and motivation. She is best known for founding the ElemAPNetwork where she offers various opportunities for administrators to experience a live exchange of best practices and fresh ideas.  Her work is recognized around the world from educators who desire to learn how to create a climate and culture that promotes excellence. Emily’s innovative methods for driving student engagement, promoting academic rigor, and stimulating excitement about school has created a ripple effect in others across the country. Multiplying Your Excellence Listen to the entire episode for even more takeaways! The following is a short summary of the conversation: WDP: Emily, welcome to Principal Matters podcast. Can you fill in the gaps on that intro and tell listeners something they may be surprised to know about you? Emily: I almost didn’t become a teacher. But Mr. Wade, one of my education professors in college was so inspiring, he had me hooked on the decision to become an educator.  WDP: Let’s talk about your new book. What is the overall message you want educators to know in ‘Eyes on Culture: Multiply Excellence in Your School’’? Emily: I have always worked in high poverty schools. I didn’t grow up in that type of environment. I quickly realized that in order to reach my kids, I had to get in the trenches and learn their experiences. As a teacher, math specialist, and administrator, I realized we have to do whatever it takes. Relationships are the foundation of everything we do, but it is not just about relationships. The two most important qualities are compassion and grit. We are rooted in relationships, but we must also be committed to helping them reach learning goals.  WDP: Why is ‘being a champion’ for students so important for education leaders? Emily: Some kids do have a champion, but many don’t have anyone rooting for them at home. How are we going to motivate them to become better? Kids must know we believe in them. One of my favorite ways to champion for kids is by riding the bus with them. With 600 kids in my building, I have to be very intentional about knowing them. Every Friday, I ride a different bus – it’s a great way to know students and bus drivers.  One student, Michael, for instance, was a student who I was only having negative interactions with at school. One Friday morning, I rode Michael’s bus. He was the first rider that morning, and we he saw me, he was stunned. I noticed he lived in a difficult home environment, his shirt was inside out, no one was waiting with him when he got on the bus. I realized I was probably the first person he would talk to that morning.  I invited him to sit by me, and before long he said, “Ms. Paschall. Do you see that red bike over there? That’s mine.” From that moment on, Michael and I had a new connection and I was able help him in ways I never had before. This was a turnaround moment for his learning and entire his school experience. WDP: You also talk about celebrating student success. Why is that important to you – especially as educators manage during a pandemic? Emily: If we celebrate the positives with our students, they are more likely to want to come to school. When I first became an administrator, I realized kids were only coming to my office for negative reasons. So we began recognizing students through positive phone calls home. As a school, we developed a Cub Award. Momentum is the greatest of change agents. By recognizing the positive things kids are doing, we call parents on speaker phone to celebrate what they are doing. For so many parents, it’s a great learning experience for them as well. It’s a wonderful way to connect with students and parents. I love to video those moments to share on social media because it’s so heartfelt to see students share with parents something great they have been doing. WDP: How have you been able to held onto culture even during a pandemic? Emily: When you’re faced with tough circumstances, it doesn’t make or break your culture, it reveals your culture. Last March when we had to shut down, we had to decide how we could stay connected to relationships with our students. I have always been a fan of home visits. Our teachers decided to do home visits – from the porch or yard – and our teachers did more than 1,000 home visits from March to May – reading them books or bringing them surprises. When we started back in the fall, we were so discouraged about not having parent nights. So, we decided to home visits again to meet them. The majority of staff met their kids this way. They knew our kids circumstances and knew all their parents before school ever began. December was the hardest month this year because of quarantines. We didn’t want to close, but it has been very hard as we’ve tried to cover staff. I’m so proud of our school, though, that we had the highest percentage of our students back in our building this year. More than 90% of our students have been able to return to in-person learning. Let’s Wrap This Up Emily’s book is packed full of ideas like the ones she has shared in the interview and more! One of the lessons Emily conveys in her book is that one of the most powerful things you can do is carry the banner for your school. It is easy to go silent when you’re discouraged. But that is one of them most dangerous things you can do right now when students need to know we want them in our buildings. Are you portraying your school in a way that makes people want to be a part of it? Now It’s Your Turn It is a responsibility and a privilege to tell the story of your school. How are you capturing the moments of excellence happening with your students and teachers – even during a pandemic? How can you share those ideas out and ‘carry the banner’ for your school? Connect with Emily To book future speaking engagements, contact her at EmilyAPaschall@gmail com. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Instagram and Voxer via @EmilyAPaschall. The post PMP233: Multiplying Excellence in Your School with Emily Paschall appeared first on Principal Matters.

Winter is a time of year for frigid temperatures across much of the U.S. It is also a time of year when principals look ahead. Photo by mostafa meraji – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@mostafa_meraji?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit Many education leaders may also be considering new positions as they think about the final semester and plan for next school year. This week, Jen Schwanke, Principal of Indian Run Elementary in Dublin, Ohio, joins me again as we talk about important ideas to keep in mind if you are considering that next step in your own education career. Here are some questions we discuss: How are you adding value in your position, and what value could you bring to a new one?How do you not take it personally when a school or district is not looking for the particular value you bring?How do you keep in perspective when you really want a position but don’t get the offer? (Will and Jen both share vulnerable moments when they did not receive offers or opportunities they really wanted.) Tips for Your Own Search Listen to the entire episode for more conversations about the following: Understanding how adding value is the most important part of job seekingLetting your resume reflect your valueKnowing if you found a good fitThinking about your digital environment when interviewing virtuallyNot pursuing something that isn’t right for youAccepting if the interview doesn’t feel right, the job won’t feel rightConsidering the reasons WHY you’re looking for a new position Understanding if you DON’T get the offer, it’s not personalLeaving others with ways they can make their school better – with or without you Let’s Wrap This Up Jen wraps up this conversation with a story about a friend of hers who realized why it is important it is to ‘be yourself’ and to accept ‘who you are’ even when you’re not chosen over someone else. Listen to the entire episode for more takeaways and stories! You can check out previous Principal Matters episodes on tips for interviewing for education positions or questions principals may face in interviews at the following links: 10 Tips for Seeking Education Openings 30 Questions for Principal Interviews Now It’s Your Turn Whether or not you’re offered a position, ask yourself: What value can I provide in an interview or interaction with a prospective opportunity? At the end of the day, if you can keep that your focus, then the goal is no longer about you, it’s about helping others – which is what others need most from your leadership. Book Recommendation If you want a deep dive into your own gifts and how they match best with the work you love, I recommend a book that helped me in that journey: 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller.  The post PMP232: Looking for a New Education Position appeared first on Principal Matters.

When I was a little boy, I remember sitting in a small theater with my family where we watched the 1977 release of the first Star Wars movie. Photo by Tobias Cornille – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@tobiasc?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit It was a pivotal moment. The visual effects and music were like nothing I had ever seen or heard. The characters were funny and endearing. Afterwards, I pretended to be Luke Skywalker with my friends who used tree limbs or broom sticks for light sabers. I was eight years old at the time. Although the movie became iconic in its stamp on American cinema, I did not realize until much later that something was missing. A few weeks ago, my 15-year-old son, Jack watched the movie with me via Disney Plus. When it ended, what was missing dawned on me, and I asked him, “I’m curious. Did you notice how many characters in that movie were black?” He thought about it for a moment.  “Well, I don’t know what color all the aliens and droids were, but all the main characters – including the Empire and Resistance actors – they were white.” I can guarantee that question never crossed my mind when I was eight years old, but I would bet it came across the mind of lots of African American girls and boys in 1977. White School Leaders During Black History Month This month marks the beginning of Black History Month. During the protests and marches that spread across our nation and the world, I was challenged, like many other educators to reexamine my own understanding of racism.  Frankly, I made a lot of promises to myself to go deeper, to learn more about my neighbors and to find better ways for educators to meet the needs of all members in their school communities. Keeping this promise has meant reading new (and old) books, having difficult conversations, and learning to look at life from the perspective of others – including re-examining some of my favorite old movies. A Discussion on Race with Jen Schwanke Recently, I sat down with Jen Schwanke, Principal of Dublin Elementary School in Dublin, Ohio, for this week’s podcast episode. We talked about the momentous summer of 2020. We talked about our struggle as white educators to become better listeners. And we discussed several ways education leaders can keep their promises about anti-racism. Here are some of the takeaways from the episode: Increase Your Reading Over the summer, Jen and I read or reviewed several books we would recommend for other educators, including: Open Wide The Freedom Gates: A Memoir by Dorothy Height Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You by Sonja Cherry-Paul (Adapter), Jason Reynolds  (Author), Ibram X. Kendi (Author), Rachelle Baker (Illustrator) Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson  Getting Around Brown: Desegregation, Development, and the Columbus Public Schools (Urban Life and Urban Landscape) by Gregory S. Jacobs  The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism Paperback by Jemar Tisby  Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life, 2nd Edition with an Update a Decade by Annette Lareau Look Locally This summer Jen enrolled in a class at a local university on equity and social justice. Reading books and talking about racism in her own town in Ohio have brought those lessons closer to home. My family and I have participated in tours of North Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the Tulsa Race Massacres took place during May 31, 1921. At Jen’s school, teachers have established an Equity and Inclusion Committee at the building level. They provide resources for learning and encourage an atmosphere where others can discuss what they are learning and raise awareness. Think about how you can unpack the stories of racism where you live and ask others for their stories. As you attend school board meetings or city council meetings, listen and observe how your own community is responding to the needs of minority or marginalized community members. Take Advantage of Current Events February is Black History Month. This important celebration recognizes African Americans and their central role in U.S. history.Talk about the struggle of meaningfully honoring Black History Month – moments in history that should be celebrated year-round, but ones that still deserve special recognition in February. In addition, think about the responsibility education leaders share in ensuring accurate history is a part of our shared history.Black History month should not just include notable figures like Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King, Jr, although each is very important. We should also highlight contemporary heroes. With the election of Vice President Kamala Harris, for instance, we must allow our students to recognize the historic moment – a moment where millions of our students are seeing themselves for the first time in the person elected to one of the highest offices in the land.A quick search History.com will show you that “the event grew out of ‘Negro History Week,’ the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history…Every year there is a specific theme. The Black History Month 2021 theme, ‘Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity’ explores the African diaspora (the dispersion of any people from their original homeland), and the spread of Black families across the United States.”  Let’s Wrap This Up My son and I have continued watching the Star Wars movies together. Recently, we finished the Empire Strikes Back, originally released in 1980. I won’t make you guess how many African American actors we saw. I’ll just say: Billy Dee Williams. Remember him? Lando Calrissian. Just him. Not surprisingly, we have come a long way in the past decades of representing the diversity of our nation in media productions. But not surprisingly, we still have a long way to go in keeping the promises we have all made to do better. Now It’s Your Turn What promises did you make this summer about better understanding racism and its influence in your school community? In what ways are you creating a safe environment for students to talk about issues that most concern them? What other books or resources would you recommend during Black History Month? Listen to the entire podcast episode for more takeaways. The post PMP231: Keeping Your Promises on Your Anti-Racism Journey appeared first on Principal Matters.

What do you do when every decision is a new one? How do you keep perspective amidst decision-fatigue? Photo by Laura Chouette – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@laurachouette?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit This week, Jen Schwanke, Principal of Indian Run Elementary in Dublin, Ohio, joins me for a conversation about leading through a pandemic. Welcome back Jen! Jen Schwanke is the author two books on education leadership. She provides keynote presentations and trainings for school leaders across the nation. A frequent guest and co-host of Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast, her books and resources are available at her website: jenschwanke.com.  Questions & Answers with Jen Schwanke Listen to the entire episode for great takeaways and stories. Here is a summary of this week’s conversation: WDP: When you’ve done the work of school leadership for a while, you begin to enjoy planning ahead. What do principals do when they are always planning ahead? Jen Schwanke: This is not forever. Pandemics don’t last forever. We’ve had the hope for a long time that “this is almost over.” But the bigger lesson is that we are still building relationships and staying connected to families. We are also learning about what really matters in student learning. Maybe this is a year teachers are freed from some content that needed to be removed. I think we will have new tools after this that we never dreamed of. WDP: Even in my own family, my daughter who is a high school senior has been experiencing a virtual setting as an All-State band member. Is it ideal? No. But she’s still found joy and moments to learn that she wouldn’t have otherwise. Jen Schwanke: Think about what your daughter is learning. She’s learning to be flexible. Students are not getting hung up as adults are on what is being lost. They are resilient. We have a lot to learn from them. WDP: How are you helping your teachers during their own decision fatigue? Jen Schwanke: In some ways, things are easier, especially for teachers who have less classroom management issues. What’s harder is packing in content in a new ways and shorter time periods. Or their planning has doubled with synchronous and asynchronous learning. My role has been to keep giving the grace and the benefit of the doubt. One of my veteran teachers told me she couldn’t do remote learning. Now she has become one of the best teachers I have seen on teaching remotely. The decision for her was how deep would she be able to go, and she made the leap. I’m seeing teachers stronger through this experience, not weaker. WDP: Sometimes I think the dilemma we have is not recognizing all the new skills we have learned. Most of us did not know how to teach and communicate through virtual settings. Now we all have new skills. Jen Schwanke: Yes, technology has made this do-able. The funny thing is that we didn’t hesitate to take risks as young educators. As older educators, we have to keep that same mindset. When we do, it feels like we’re young again. WDP: What are doing to keep teachers encouraged? Jen Schwanke: I don’t have it all figured out. But I have found that surface-level appreciations don’t get you as far in this new situation. One-on-one, look-me-in-the-eye, asking about personal and life updates – those kinds of questions give teachers permission to share their stories with you. This pandemic has allowed us to take time to share stories and know our people better. WDP: How are you managing keeping up with what meaningful instruction is happening in your school? Jen Schwanke: I know some states and districts have exempted schools from evaluations. I want to do evaluations in this new setting. I feel almost a drive to document the amazing things I’m seeing teachers doing well this year. This year they have had to make a 180 in their approaches to communicating with students and teachers. I want to use my observations and evaluations as way to celebrate that success. Are some teachers struggling? Yes. But we also have a lot to gain from this experience to carry into future learning. WDP: What I love about that perspective is your decision to make the best of this experience. You also are making the decision to find the joy in this moment of difficulty. Jen Schwanke: I’m seeing teachers do amazing things. I’m looking forward to reminding them about that when someday we’re back in school full-time. I chaff against the notion that we are facing a learning gap we cannot overcome. I think teachers and students are more resilient than that. Let’s Wrap This Up Yes, it is challenging to lead during a pandemic. But there are also positive moments you can be capitalizing on during this season of learning.  Now It’s Your Turn In what ways can you take advantage of this unique time to take note of the new ways of learning your teachers and students have embraced? How can you use observations and evaluations as way to elevate those new lessons for future learning? What is one way you can remind your teachers that they are still making a difference, no matter what setting they find themselves in this year?  The post PMP230: Managing Decision-Fatigue with Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters.

In the book David and Goliath (Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants) by Malcolm Gladwell, the author presents two ideas in the introduction of his book. First, he says that much of what we consider valuable in our world arises out of ‘lop-sided’ conflicts – the act of facing overwhelming odds creates moments of greatness and beauty. Second, he says that we consistently get these conflicts wrong. We mis-read them. “Giants are not what we think they are” (page 6). This reminds me of the ‘Bull fight’ story from another book by Tim Elmore who says, “If those bulls knew that the little red cape was not their real enemy, and began to pursue the real enemy, that little matador wouldn’t have stood a chance” (Pivotal Praying, page 107). This week my guest Principal Samantha Batrom shares the lessons she has been learning while facing unexpected giants in her own school leadership journey. Meet Samantha Bartrom Samantha Bartrom is the Principal of Coastal Academy High School, a charter school, serving students in grades 9-12. Her school is located in San Diego, California. Prior to becoming a Principal, Samantha served as an Assistant Principal, Director of Student Leadership, Writing Specialist and 6th grade teacher. She also has experience supporting military families through previous work for the Department of Defense. Also known as the “Power Lifting Principal,” Samantha enjoys competing as a powerlifter.  Samantha is also a member of the Principal Matters Mastermind. WDP: Can you think of a time where you have faced an enormous ‘giant’ to later find out what you were facing was something much different or more meaningful? If so, can you share that story and lesson? Samantha: Let me take you on a walk down memory lane. A couple of summers ago, I just returned from a trip to Europe. My chief executive officer came to see me. He wanted to know about my trip. I told him about Postano, Italy. And then he asked me to prepare myself to channel those favorite memories into an unforeseen challenge. The summer renovations to my current building had not gone well, and we were not going to be able to begin school in my building. We were two and half weeks away from the start of school, and we needed a backup plan.  We had about 400 students who needed a home for school to begin. We ended up finding space at a nearby convention center in the San Diego area. QLM has large meeting rooms for conferences. I stood and looked at the enormous space with no walls, desks, white boards or technology. I was at a crossroads: delay the start of school, or make this work. I was able to gather other directors from our organization. This giant was too big to face alone. We stood in the space and imagined what could we accomplish. Two days before school began, we brought students to campus to meet. Imagine walking into a huge convention room that looks like a maze. We were able to turn that space into a school. Once we made it through that orientation day, I knew we could make it work for the start of school. WDP: What unexpected outcomes did you experience from conquering this ‘giant’ of moving your entire school? Samantha: Even though I thought finding space was my giant, I soon discovered the bigger challenge was finding a way to foster a love of learning in an environment where everyone could hear one another. Our students and teachers had to whisper to teach and learn. Very quickly, though, they learned to use ‘inside’ voices with one exception. Whenever students were giving presentations, their classmates always gave them a round of applause. Pretty soon, anytime a presentation was happening, the rest of the school heard and the entire school would applause. What began as an overwhelming challenge actually turned into a moment in our school history that students still talk about today. Even today, our seniors will brag about how much they had to overcome then – even as they struggle with the challenges of a pandemic today. WDP: What are some other ‘giants’ you feel like you are up against in your own leadership journey right now? Samantha: I think the greatest challenge lies around the uncertainty. We are coming up on a year since my school closed. Since then we have been able to serve students in small groups and virtually. Depending on our governor’s guidance, I never know from week to week what our reality is going to look like.  Back in March 2020, virtual learning was what I call Distance Learning 1.0. When August 2020 came, we were launching Distance Learning 2.0. We started with a schedule with students that was mostly virtual. By October, we were welcoming small groups back to the school through a hybrid schedule.  WDP: When you transitioned to having kids back in the building, how did you manage the anxiety of balancing safety and access? Samantha: Throughout distance learning, we maintained incredibly close contact with our teachers. By the time we were talking about bringing students back to campus, we had talked about every aspect as small groups and as a large team. There were no surprises. The question we keep asking: What’s at stake if we do or do not take this step to bring more students onto campus? Once we ensured we had systems that assured safety, we felt empowered to take the step.  As the day drew near, my assistant principal told me he felt like we were the Titantic – organizing the furniture before another tragedy. But once we decided to step forward even with the risks in mind, we welcomed students back. And having them back in the building with safe protocols, masks and social distancing – we ‘ripped off the bandaid’ and this completely changed the atmosphere and removed the fear. Let’s Wrap This Up As Samantha and I wrapped up this conversation, we also talked the steps she has taken to hear one-on-one feedback from teachers so that she knows how they are feeling and coping with the added burdens of teaching virtually and in hybrid settings. We also talked about how the Principal Matters Mastermind has helped her collaborate and share ideas with other leaders. As she explains, principals should not lead in isolation. Listen to the entire episode for even more takeaways! Now It’s Your Turn How are you staying connected to the parts of leadership that matter most to you – relationships? As you think about your teachers and staff, how can you reach out one-on-one to find out where each of them is emotionally? Perhaps you are facing decision fatigue. How can you be honest about your own struggles with your team while remaining patient with those whom you are serving? The post PMP229: Facing Your Giants with Samantha Bartrom appeared first on Principal Matters.