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

Cale Birk is a former teacher, high school principal, and District Head of Innovation from British Columbia, Canada. In 2015, one of his schools was named one of the first Model PLC Schools in Canada. Feeling like he was only scratching the surface with collaboration, Cale wrote the book PLC 2.0 – Collaborating for Observable Impact in Today’s Schools helping leaders and teachers go deep through The Observable Impact Model – used now by schools around the world. After working with schools and leaders at all levels of the system with OI over the last few years, Cale began work on his newest book, Navigating Leadership Drift with co-author, Dr. Michael McDowell. Navigating Leadership Drift is about giving leaders the tools to build leadership efficacy so we can hang on to the leaders in our school at every level.  Cale has been a keynote speaker, breakout speaker, and TED Talker around North America and the Pacific Rim, and he truly loves to equip leaders with tools they can actually use right away in their staff meetings, with their teams, and even with their students! Listen to the entire conversation for great takeaways. Here are some highlights: Cale’s Background From the joys of keynote speaking to giving TED Talks, Cale cherishes equipping leaders with tangible tools for immediate implementation. New Book Navigating Leadership Drift Inspired by witnessing a drained Midwest Superintendent, the book examines the overwhelming demands on leaders. Main message: Shift from mere action to observable impact. Finding humor, recognizing drifts, and tools to tackle them. It’s about leadership efficacy. Leading from the Middle Understanding the ‘Tragic Gap’: Navigating corrosive cynicism and irrelevant idealism. The difference between action and impact; why both don’t always align. The central role of a leader: Leading by focusing on CONVERSION. From current practices to knowledge. Turning knowledge to action. Reflecting on action to gauge its impact. The mantra: “What did we learn? What’s next?” Promoting Rigorous Learning The SET model: Clarity, Resilience, and Observability. The balance of giving students choice while ensuring alignment with standards. Supporting Teacher Teams The SET vision: Understand and assess the reality. Go beyond common assessments; look at teaching methodologies and tasks. Embrace reality as a learning tool, not a metric of inadequacy. Staying Motivated as a Leader Applying the Design, Implement, Observe, Document framework for continuous personal growth. Dopamine moments in learning and sharing those moments with the community. Wrap Up & Resources: Connect with Cale at https://www.birklearns.com/ Final Advice: Continually question – “What observable impact does this action have in the classroom?”. Dive deeper than mere data. Join the conversation using #chooseimpact. Stay tuned for more insightful conversations on leadership, education, and change. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share! Three Leadership Takeaways from Dr. Nick Davies Principal Matters is proud to include contributing posts from Dr. Nick Davies, an elementary associate principal for Vancouver Public Schools. He is a Principal Matters Associate and posts his own weekly podcast version of the following content at “Monday Mornings with Dr. Nick” which can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-davies-education/ On the Other Side of Discomfort is Joy  Dr. Colleen Kelley is a college professor in Arizona who is passionate about making Chemistry, specifically Organic Chemistry, accessible to all students. Dr. Kelley was the first member of her family to go to college, and she joined the Army to pay for it. More recently she has started making comic strips about Organic Chemistry geared towards kids aged 8-10. You can find more information about her work here. https://kidschemicalsolutions.com/  Dr. Kelley focuses on creating equitable outcomes for all students, particularly around getting underrepresented students into medical school.  No Course should be a gatekeeper  Because Dr. Kelley is focused on getting more underrepresented students into medical school, she has looked for bottlenecks in the educational system. That bottleneck is often Organic Chemistry, which has a failure rate of around 80%. That means that 80% cannot make it to medical school, and all too often underrepresented students are overrepresented in that 80%. She called this a civil rights issue. To her, she has decided she is done accepting the status quo. She knows that early intervention is needed, but there aren’t resources for this work. This is where her work with younger students comes in. She has been able to get elementary-aged students to learn about Organic Chemistry, and now she is “trying to be a loud old lady” (her words, not mine!) about sharing this information. Her advice to me was twofold: If you are looking to do something new in your classroom or school, don’t let fear be the reason not to try it! And, on the other side of discomfort is joy! What/where/who are the ‘gatekeepers’ in your system and how can they be addressed to increase access for all stakeholders? What I’m teaching isn’t all that important  It is, but it also isn’t! Dr. Kelley talked about how we only have a small window of time with our students. What are students going to take from your classroom or your school? Specifically for teachers, what do your grades tell the students? She tries to find more meaning to add to the grades so students get more out of them. She also understands that everyone has good and bad days, so how does that impact how students are assessed? Dr. Kelley said we need to be gracious with students’ personal choices, such as not choosing to do work or coming to class unprepared. If those things happen, have conversations about where students are and why.  Connect with People Authentically  Continuing on the idea of having conversations with students, Dr. Kelley talked about how connecting with students authentically has become much more important to her as she has moved through her career. This can be as simple as sharing what type of music you listen to or shows you like to watch. Let students get to know you as a human because the chatting and connection brings joy to all of us. This idea of connecting authentically extends beyond her classroom as well. She has been building a following around her comic books and has received attention from articles, podcasts, and media appearances. She has built the following one person at a time, and she continues to reach out to people individually to spread her message and get to know them. That is how the two of us got connected and I’m glad we met!  When I asked about book recommendations, Dr. Kelley gave me three to think about:  Stillness – Ryan Holliday  Deep Work – Cal Newport Outlive – Bill Gifford and Peter Attia  Thank you for your time and advice!  The post PMP366: Navigating Leadership Drift with Cale Birk appeared first on Principal Matters.

Lisa Parry is a veteran English teacher (1994-present) and K-12 principal (2018-present) who is proud to lead a 2021 National Blue Ribbon Elementary School and a 2020 ESEA Distinguished Elementary School. In 2022, her  colleagues recognized her as South Dakota Region 1 Principal of the Year. Some of the most gratifying work she has done has been serving as a co-developer and facilitator of the South Dakota Department of Education’s Good to Great Teacher Mentoring Program. Speaking and writing about ‘Likable Leadership,’ ‘Master Mindsets,’ and ‘Meaningful Messaging’ is important to her.  She has presented at the National Blue Ribbon School Conference, and she will be sharing her message there again this fall and at the Making Schools Work Conference this summer. Lisa earned an M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership from South Dakota State University and a B.S.Ed. in English Education from the University of South Dakota.   You can learn more about her and her presentations at her website www.principalparry.com Fill in the gaps on the intro and tell listeners something they may surprised to know about you? I lead a PK-12 school of approximately 300 students, and I still teach one course each year. My AP Lang & Comp; Comp seniors keep me grounded in the experiences of a classroom teacher which is critically important to my success in so many ways! Tell us about Arlington School District you lead as principal and AP Comp. teacher. We are a rural district in South Dakota, and we serve 300ish students who all learn and grow together under one roof. We are proud of our academic and extracurricular programs and strive every year to go from great to even better! Why do you focus on likable leadership? We are in the customer service business: teachers need to lead their classrooms with warmth and competence and principals need to lead their schools with warmth and competence. We are losing too many students and teachers to competitors. A few quotes come to mind when I consider this question:  Maya Angelou — “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”  TikTok post –“Have you tried being nice?” Ultimately, I find great joy in pursuing and securing mutually-beneficial outcomes, and when I am able to accomplish that, the individual on the other side of the negotiation generally has a positive feeling about me. That matters in leadership—and especially in roles that involve the most vulnerable populations (the young and the old). Marigolds – Jen Gonzalez & Cult of Pedagogy Can you tell us about your super power of managing difficult conversations and conflict? What lessons may help others who struggle with that skill set? The key to success in managing difficult conversations and conflict is operating from a perspective of curiosity, not condemnation or contempt. When we “seek first to understand,” we allow another to feel heard and valued. This perception is everything! So often, people need someone to listen to their perspective, to acknowledge the difficulty of their situation, and to provide them guidance about next steps. I generally feel equipped to provide that to my stakeholders. Remember, it is always personal. Last year you spoke at the National Blue Ribbon Schools conference, and this year you will be there again. You will also speak at the Making Schools Work conference in July of 2023. What are some takeaways you are sharing with leaders and educators there? Despite our seemingly unique experiences—many leaders are from very large urban schools which, on the surface, are nothing like the schools I serve—we enjoy so many commonalities! The best of us are all in this world for one reason—to help kids succeed. We all shed tears when we lose one, and we all feel our hearts leap with joy when we see one transition to the next phase of making their dreams come true. To quote Angelou again, “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” Amen, Maya! You are going into your 30th year. What advice do you have for others to help them sustain for the long term (or the short term)? You have to see the good all around you—trust me, if you look for it, you will find it. (And if you look for the rotten, you will see plenty of that, too.) Every experience—both good and bad—has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Don’t ever come to believe that because today was bad, tomorrow will be bad as well. Each day is an opportunity to start anew. We have to believe that for ourselves, for our students, and for our teachers. We must strive to make new mistakes. What ways has Principal Matters been helpful in your leadership? I am the only principal in my district, so I do not have someone near me with whom I can collaborate. The reality of my isolation is sometimes lonely and frustrating, and if I don’t look for and learn from podcasts like Principal Matters, I only have the voices in my own head telling what to do and what to avoid. I have trusted Principal Matters to guide me in my first five years of leadership, and I have never been led astray. What are some parting words of wisdom and how listeners can stay connected with you? We are having a Waterloo moment of sorts in ed. And we principals have some–not all–power to change that.  HOW CAN I HELP!  REASONABLE DEMANDS! Stay connected with Lisa at www.principalparry.com Principal Parry’s Pithy Proverbs Lisa Parry is a K-12 Principal in Arlington, South Dakota, and a professional development speaker and consultant. As a Principal Matters Associate, she also regularly contributes to our newsletter subscribers. You can follow her work at: https://principalparry.com/ Enjoy this thoughtful post from Lisa: How I communicate with someone in pain: A little was hurt on our playground yesterday. She came to the office for first aid & TLC. Not me: Stop crying & relax. Me: That must hurt. I can understand why you are crying. Not me: You are a big girl. Be brave. Me: It is scary to fall & get hurt. Not me: I know you want your mom, but you’re fine. Me: Yes, let’s call Mom so you can talk to her. Not me: If you were careful, you wouldn’t get hurt. Me: Accidents can happen, even when we are careful. And this narrative is not just applicable to littles. Bigs need compassion, too. I’ve lived 51 years, & no one has ever made me feel better by minimizing my pain. By dismissing my experience. By questioning my response to being hurt. And in 30 years as an educator, I have never soothed anyone by being salty. The post PMP365: Likable Leadership with Lisa Parry appeared first on Principal Matters.

In today’s episode, Will Parker shares poignant takeaways from a summer hiking trip with his son, Jack, applying those insights to the realm of school leadership. The discussion centers on the importance of being present, connecting with students, and celebrating even the small moments. Afterward, Will and co-host Jen Schwanke talk about applying those lessons to leadership, including these tips: Walk the Land: The idea that you must be deeply involved in your environment to understand it. Look Down: Pay attention to the details and small moments that may otherwise go unnoticed. Observe the Patterns: Recognize behavioral and emotional trends among students and staff. Jen’s Perspectives Emotional Pulse: What are the ‘feels’ in the school? What emotions seem consistent? Observing Loneliness: Are you attentive to students who may be sitting alone or hiding away in common areas? Jen’s Tip A simple smile, a shoulder squeeze, or a high-five can go a long way. Hallway Exploration: Do you immerse yourself in crowded hallways during passing periods to discover what’s happening? Jen’s Insights Use this time for informal positive feedback for teachers and to uplift the school atmosphere. Listening In: Do you ever pause outside classrooms to appreciate good instruction or enjoy musical performances? Jen’s Experience She used to record sounds from different school environments, like recess or the library, and play them back later to uplift her spirits. Final Thoughts These small, often overlooked moments are the building blocks for lasting memories and could serve to ground you throughout the school year. These are also the moments where you can discover or rediscover the best-kept secrets about your school community. We hope you’ll listen to the entire episode, and we hope this discussion encourages you to be more present and intentional in your role as a school leader, helping you connect with your school community in meaningful ways.  Below is a longer post where Will adds the descriptions and longer version of the story he tells Jen in today’s episode. Thank you again for doing what matters! Not Missing Out on Your Best Kept Secrets By William D. Parker, August 18, 2023 This past summer, my son Jack and I headed out to the Panhandle of Oklahoma for some dad-and-son time. For the past couple of years, Jack has been interested in seeing the Black Mesa area where Oklahoma has its highest point of 4,731 feet above sea level. For those familiar with the prairie, you will not be surprised to know that the drive across Oklahoma’s most western lands includes a lot of open sky and open lands. From the highway, you can sometimes see thirty or forty miles in either direction, wide expanses of grass bordered by barbed wire fences.  Further west, however, you discover some hidden gems: the Alabaster caverns near Woodward; the Gloss Mountains with gypsum that reflects like glass off red buttes; and then the surprise of the Black Mesa Prairie Reserve. With more than 1,700 acres, you can enjoy a 4-mile hike to Oklahoma’s highest point. If you walk another 1,200 feet to the western edge of the summit, you’re met by a panoramic view of a long, green valley.  Jack and I sat on long slabs of black rock and ate lunch. The view below stretched for miles – a sea of green dotted by bushes, cedars, and ribboned with dusty field roads. Boundaries were lined with long barbed wire fences. Herds of cattle grazed from such a far distance, they looked like ants crawling on a green canvas. The sky above was brilliant blue, and the wind was gusting so furiously that we had to sit on our hats. Eventually, we found some small spaces in the craggy rocks to lay down for a few minutes to escape the wind and savor an after-lunch rest before the hike back.  As we encountered surprises with each step of our adventure, I was reminded how often our assumptions were proven wrong. How many times do we have pre-conceived ideas of what a new situation may have in store? Perhaps we set our expectations too high, or perhaps they are not high enough.  A few months ago, I was listening to Rick Steve’s travel podcast with guest Robert Reid, who writes about his love for the flatlands. One of his tips encouraged travelers to stop judging landscapes by drive-bys and fly-overs. His suggestions: walk the land, look down, and observe the intricate patterns around you that require careful observation. I’m not sure what time of the year you are in, but for educators, I’m writing these thoughts at the beginning of a new school year for students in the U.S. Most of us have assumptions about the school year that are well founded. We know the average school year will consist of approximately 190 days of staff and student presence in our buildings. We know the seasons will mark start and end times for each term. We know that spring will bring announcements of retirements, resignations, and job postings. We anticipate in advance our need to reserve space and invitations for end-of-the-school-year ceremonies. How might we keep a traveler’s perspective as we walk this year’s journey? Walk the Land This may seem obvious, but I like to remind educators, especially leaders, to step away from their own space and walk your school. Poking your head into classrooms, checking on early-morning programs or practices, giving hello’s to bus drivers or cafeteria workers — these small moments tell you a lot about the emotions of the day.  When you listen in to conversations or take a few minutes to read the lesson objectives listed on a classroom wall, you are beginning to see the world of your school from the perspective of students again. The familiar suddenly becomes charged with new expectations and awareness.  My admin team and I used to share a common commitment to walk the school between every passing period. Often, we would stop by each other’s offices to say, “Let’s walk together,” as a way to stay accountable to see every student, every teacher, every day. Look Down Students notice the small things. They know what their teachers are wearing. They can tell you brands of shoes, backpacks, earbuds, and phones with just a glance. As educators, we justifiably fixate on learning outcomes, lesson plans, and student behavior. Just as important, however, are the human interactions we have with the people right in front of us.  By ‘looking down’ you are allowing yourself to be in the moment. One habit I practice is not allowing my phone to distract me from people. When you are constantly reading texts or emails, it is easy to be absorbed in those messages. As a result, when someone asks me a question, I make a commitment to put my technology aside and purposely give them 60 seconds of undivided attention.  Yes, educators need to keep a bird’s eye view of what happening, plan ahead, and think big-picture. At the same time, we also need to be physically and emotionally present for the people we are serving. Don’t allow your strategic thinking to cloud opportunities to capture the learning moments right in front of you. Observe the Patterns When I shared with my son Jack the idea of observing the patterns you see when walking trails, I noticed he seemed more quiet and absorbed on our outings. But then, he surprised me by drawing my attention to four different species of cacti he had been observing as we walked.  In our school journeys, you will find that the more you study the small moments, the more clearly you recognize the patterns of learning and behavior. For instance, educators may notice that conflicts among students and even teachers seem to increase after mid-day, especially after lunchtime.  In Dan Pink’s book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, he explains this phenomenon as the “trough” time of each day – afternoons are often the most difficult because of strains on concentration, decision-making, and low energy. Just recognizing this pattern may help you step into your afternoons with awareness or perhaps a stronger commitment to patience and grace.  Let’s Wrap This Up Another surprise from my hike with Jack was the sound of incessantly singing crickets and songbirds. Imagine the chorus of nighttime insects transported into a daytime setting of prairie grasses with birds flitting from cactus to cedar branches, and grasshoppers leaping across your pathway of flowing grasses and yuka plants. At one point, we paused to watch the wind whip across the grasses – the stems appearing like golden threads, the heads like small wheat shimmering in the sunlight, yellow dots of light on each stem and head creating millions of dancing, rhythmic surges of undulating waves.  Moments like these might go unnoticed if we had not taken time to simply walk the land, look down, and observe the patterns. The same goes for our schools. How are we taking time to anticipate the unexplored, unexpected, and often ignored parts of our school experiences?  When you are watching a room full of students in a common area or before school begins? How are you searching for someone who sits alone or tries to hide away?  Are you stepping into the middle of a hallway jammed with bodies during a passing period just to see what you may discover?  Are you pausing outside another classroom to catch the voices of good instruction or be swept away by the chorus of singing voices or band instruments?  These are the small moments of a school day that build memories and may keep you grounded throughout the journey of a school year. These are the moments that may help you discover (or rediscover) your best-kept secrets. Now It’s Your Turn What is one action you can take today to commit to being in the moment? See what would happen if you give 60 seconds of undivided attention to those asking for your feedback. Make a short list of what you observe the next time you walk through your school, and then share those observations with someone else. Three Leadership Takeaways from Dr. Nick Davies Principal Matters is proud to include contributing posts from Dr. Nick Davies, an elementary associate principal for Vancouver Public Schools. He is a Principal Matters Associate and posts his own weekly podcast version of the following content at “Monday Mornings with Dr. Nick” which can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-davies-education/ Be a Dream Maker for Kids Dr. Cynthia Clauson has held just about every role there is in education, including being a superintendent while in her 30s! She is known as an excellent mentor, which is how we were connected. I met with Ted Howard previously, who connected the two of us. Dr. Clauson had some great perspectives and reflections across her varied career in education. We had a long conversation that covered a lot of ground, but here are the three main takeaways from that conversation.  Your Family Cannot Be Second Fiddle  Throughout the conversation, Dr. Clauson kept coming back to her family. It was clear how important that part of her life was to her. As she has progressed in her career, she talked about how she has improved with supporting families so they can better support their kids. This is the same for her own family. She took her first superintendent job when she was 34 in Washington State. The stress and challenges for her young family were a lot. She talked about having the courage to notice those challenges, which led her to step down from the superintendency. Your job needs to be a happy place for your family, and the focus cannot be solely on what you provide to the district you are working in. There needs to be some give and take. She said that as a leader, you will always be limited by the imbalances in your own life, so you need to be aware of what your imbalances are.  Listen and Learn Dr. Clauson spent a lot of time talking about the need to be constantly learning, which involves intentionally listening to the people around you. She specifically brought up listening to your community as a school leader and learning what their needs are. What can you do to make things better for them? What are the things that you are not going to be able to help with? As you listen as a leader, then you also need to be the lead learner wherever you are. If you have identified concerns in your community but you aren’t able to help them with that problem, then who do you need to bring in so you can eventually help? Dr. Clauson told me that she used Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to help her constantly learn and grow as a leader. Lastly, because she is proactive (one of the 7 Habits), Dr. Clauson looks for processes that are needed before a crisis ever comes up. This means that she looks for people who have done similar things and then partners with and learns from them.  Be a Dream Maker for Kids  I loved this phrase by Dr. Clauson. I asked her what still drives her after a long career and education and she told me ‘Be a dream maker for kids!’ This is a challenge for all of us in schools, and we cannot go it alone. It takes a village as the saying goes. Dr. Clauson said we need to focus on helping students find their passion, talent, and interest. All of our students have gifts, so maximizing their gifts should be a priority of ours. How can we find opportunities in our own schools and communities that will make this a reality? From a superintendent’s perspective, she talked about how putting money towards programs that let students demonstrate their gifts is one of the best ways to demonstrate your commitment to that cause. I asked Dr. Clauson for a book recommendation, and she loves to read. She told me to read about resilience, mindset, and staying balanced, and then gave me some titles of books that were already on her desk. Here are a couple of them: Powerless to Powerful by Suzann Girtz, Joanie Eppinga, and Charles Salina The Governance Core by Davis Campbell and Michael Fullen  The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams Dr. Clauson’s book, Revealing Resilient Leadership, is coming out any day now! Thank you, Dr. Clauson, for your time and advice!  The post PMP364: Not Missing Out on Your Best Kept Secrets with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week Will Parker and Jen Schwanke respond to a listener question submitted several months ago but still relevant today for leaders: “I’ve been a loyal listener of the Principal Matters podcast and value the insights from both William and Jen. As a new principal of a small school with 125 students and 9 teachers, I’m facing a challenge. The staff has developed a ‘silo mentality’ since the pandemic, and it’s been hard to break. Any tips for authentically fostering stronger relationships among staff and creating a unified team culture?” Key Discussion Points Jen’s Strategies 1. Team Consultation: Don’t tackle it alone. Assemble a group of teacher leaders and collaborate. Identify the Objective: Identify the root causes of the ‘silo mentality.’ Ask Direct Questions: Ask staff if they’re overwhelmed, disconnected, or unfamiliar with colleagues, and how this can be addressed. 2. Social Gatherings: Host casual outings, like a gathering at your home or a park. Set an Agenda: A brief meeting, followed by food and socializing. Incentivize: Give back time by canceling a less-urgent staff meeting. 3. Community Building in Meetings:  Sharing Segment: Don’t be the only one talking at your meetings. Start meetings with someone talking about a colleague. Focus Areas: Share school, home, extracurriculars, or even quirky facts. 4. Leverage Positive Gossip:  End-of-Meeting Highlights: Share positive news or achievements about staff members.  Criteria: Only share information with consent and highlight overlooked successes. 5. Invite Student Involvement:  Cross-Teacher Projects: Encourage project-based learning initiatives across different teachers or teams. Showcase Events: Create daytime events to show off collaborative projects. Will’s Ideas 1. Intentional Time: Equate the time spent together with the strength of relationships. Scheduled Gatherings: Plan specific times for team activities that are already built into the schedule. Communication: Openly share your heart and vision for a cohesive team. 2. Event-Based Engagement:  Pre-Event Activities: Tailgate parties or staff dinners are a great way to include staff in the life of the school while building cohesion. Sitting Arrangements: Designate areas for staff to sit together at games. Strategize space for them to enjoy time together. Time Bonuses: Sending staff home early when possible, especially those caring for pets, aging parents, or young children. 3. Ask Your Staff to Set Norms:  Valued Practices: Encourage staff to set the commitments everyone can adopt for team meetings and stick to them. 4. Tradition and Culture:    Traveling Trophies: Employ fun recognitions where teachers and staff recognize each other. 5. Student Participation:   Meeting Features: Bring students into staff meetings for updates or talent showcases. Friendly Competition: Introduce “Houses” or teams among staff for fun contests. Let’s wrap this up We know this time of year can be overwhelming. Engaging your team, however, cannot be a second priority over “just doing school.” The cohesiveness of our teams will reflect in the energy and engagement teachers bring to student learning.  Listen to the entire episode for even more takeaways. We hope our strategies help you in fostering stronger, more authentic relationships within your school community. What other ideas or suggestions would you add to the list? Thank you again for doing what matters! Principal Parry’s Pithy Proverbs Lisa Parry is a K-12 Principal in Arlington, South Dakota, and a professional development speaker and consultant. As a Principal Matters Associate, she also regularly contributes to our newsletter subscribers. You can follow her work at: https://principalparry.com/ Enjoy this thoughtful post from Lisa: What makes a Monday easier? A sublime Sunday. Today that meant a 🧡 pumpkin patch. 🧡 cool breeze. 🧡 sunny sky. 🧡 delighted granddaughter. I’m ready for the week. 🎃 The post PMP363: Building Stronger, Authentic Relationships with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

Dr. Don Parker is a leading voice in professional development and educational transformation. Since beginning his educational journey in 1997, Dr. Parker has served in diverse roles, from teaching in Chicago’s inner-city schools to mentoring future educators as an Adjunct Professor at National-Louis University. As a former principal at both Posen School and Lincoln Avenue School, he made significant strides in areas like parent engagement, staff collaboration, and most importantly, student achievement. Known across the U.S. for his insights, Dr. Parker has presented at state and national conferences. His breadth of experience has allowed him to integrate evidence-based techniques to positively influence student behavior and learning outcomes. His book, ‘Building Bridges: Engaging Students Through the Power of Relationships’, underscores his philosophy on educational success. His newest book is Be the Driving Force: Leading Your School on the Road to Equity, from Solution Tree Press. Here’s a brief summary of this week’s episode: Dr. Don Parker was a previous guest on episode 189 in April 2020, and again for episodes 198 and 199 on Equity in Education with Marlena Gross Taylor and William Stubbs. We’ve also shared time together at state and national conferences. In this episode, he talks about his new book, Be the Driving Force: Leading Your School on the Road to Equity, you can find here. During this interview, Don first shares why he believes: “Principals either drive school equity or tap the brakes on it.” He talks about the power of what educators bring to student learning in the attitudes, beliefs and actions we each embrace about student potential. His quotes include: “It starts at the top. Belief drives attitude and action. Leaders must know you are the key to the motivation, environment, and potential for student and staff success.” In his own leadership, Don shares how he led a school that was initially plagued with racial inequality and staff division. He taught his teachers the principle of what he calls the Q-Tip: Quit Taking it Personal, when it comes to the ways students or parents respond to learning. He also teaches how our policies must reflect our beliefs and why restorative practices only work when educators connect relationships to outcomes. Finally, he shares a powerful and personal story about his daughter, Rhonda Rene, who suffers from FOXP1 syndrome, and how Don has learned as a father and a leader that change first begins with us.  Listen to the entire recording for amazing takeaways and stories!You can connect with Don’s new book to find out more about the importance of leaders being the driving force behind the principles, vision, climate, equity, policies, procedures, communication, and responsive learning necessary for stronger student outcomes. Find Dr. Don Parker and his resources at https://drdonparker.com/about/ The post PMP362: Be The Driving Force with Dr. Don Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week Jen Schwanke turns the tables on Will Parker to place him in the hot seat as an example of reflective coaching. A few weeks ago, in episode 355, Will placed Jen in the hot seat of a conversation using questions from The Coaching Habit, by Michael Bungay Stanier.  Now, it’s Jen’s turn to ask Will the Bungay’s coaching questions: The Kickstart Question: What’s on your mind? The Awe Question: And what else? The Focus Question: What’s the real challenge here for you? The Foundation Question: What do you want? The Lazy Question: How can I help? The Strategic Question: If you’re saying yes to this, what are you saying no to? The Learning Question: What was most useful to you? Here are some of Will’s responses: Will has been struggling with running a new business, especially in the area of technology support. Specifically, he has a website update where the podcast RSS feed needs to be transferred to a new website host that uses a different feed. The risk is: if the transition is not done correctly, setting up a new feed could result in losing subscribers to various podcast apps that have relied on the old feed for the past 5 years.  Jen asks Will, ‘What do you want?” This question prompts him to reflect on the purpose of his work: supporting and equipping education leaders with content, resources and reflection on their own work. He wants to make sure that any solution keeps this priority front and center. When asked what he is willing to say ‘no’ to in order to say ‘yes’ to finding a solution, Will admits he has only relied on one other person for technical support, and he needs to reach out for targeted support. This won’t happen unless he schedules time in his schedule for these solutions just as he schedules time for other tasks. In fact, one area he may need to say ‘no’ to for a while is more podcast recordings as he already has recordings banked through the end of the year. When asked, “What has been the most helpful for you?” Will admits the concentrated reflection time helped him have an ‘aha’ moment – he must prioritize time to work on the solution by reaching out for more help, scheduling time for addressing the problem, and realizing that time invested now results in better outcomes and results later. What are the benefits of reflective sessions like this for leaders? Often we don’t have time or opportunity for someone to help us focus or reflect on the challenges we are facing with guided questions. How may reflecting help you better focus on solutions in your own work? If you’d like an opportunity to reflect with Jen or Will, or if you have ongoing questions in your practice as an education leader, please reach out at will@williamdparker.com. Thank you again for doing what matters! Principal Parry’s Pithy Proverbs Lisa Parry is a K-12 Principal in Arlington, South Dakota, and a professional development speaker and consultant. As a Principal Matters Associate, she also regularly contributes to our newsletter subscribers. You can follow her work at: principalparry.com. Enjoy this thoughtful post from Lisa: 7 Reasons to Stop Forcing Apologies These coerced, hollow statements often: 1️⃣ ignore the root issues behind a behavior. 2️⃣ breed resentment & lead to grudges. 3️⃣ result in stunted personal growth. 4️⃣ do little to repair a relationship. 5️⃣ dismiss context & perspective. 6️⃣ reek of insincerity. 7️⃣ lead to escalation. Instead of making apologizing an obligation, frame it as an invitation. Something to be done in one’s own time & on one’s own terms. Because if it is anything other, what is the point? The only answers: control & shame. And if our goal is to help another grow, this practice is, at best, ineffective…and at worst, destructive. The post PMP361: Coaching Questions for Leaders with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

In today’s episode, Will is joined by Cheryl Step, an authority on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and the profound influence they can have throughout a person’s life. Cheryl Step has extensive knowledge regarding the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences. She has experience training and coaching others about the impact of trauma and a framework of strategies that build a foundation to respond to and empower people; this helps create an environment of collective well-being. She also consults with leadership to use these strategies and build trauma-informed schools and agencies. Cheryl brings real-world experience and stories to her training from her 17 years of experience working in Oklahoma public schools as a counselor.  She is certified in Traumatic Stress Studies by The Trauma Center and The Trauma Research Foundation and in ARC Trauma Treatment for Children and Adolescents.  She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Nationally Board-Certified Counselor and School Counselor.  She has established her own training and consulting company, Creating Resilience.          Cheryl delves deep into her vast knowledge pool to share: The effect of trauma on learning and how a structured framework can pave the way to empower individuals. The importance of fostering an environment that promotes collective well-being. Insights from her training and consulting company, Creating Resilience. Key Takeaways: Introduction & Connection: Cheryl’s association with Oklahoma State University’s Center for Family Resilience and collaborations with experts like Dr. Brooke Tuttle provide deeper insights into trauma-informed care. Check out previous episodes for more:    PMP343 with Dr. Brooke Tuttle    PMP137 with Dr. Barb Sorrels Cheryl’s Journey: From training horses and riders to becoming an experienced educator and counselor, Cheryl’s path is both unique and inspiring. While training a psychologist, Cheryl was encouraged by him to pursue a career in counseling, launching her transition from horse trainer to where she is today. Working at TraumaSmart in Kansas City for two years was what really helped Cheryl start doing the work that she does today. The Importance of a Safe Environment: Discover the crucial role attachment, regulation, and competency play in learning. Cheryl draws an analogy to different parts of a car, highlighting the importance of the prefrontal cortex in the learning process and why educators need to create regulated, connected environments conducive to learning. Insightful Discussions: Cheryl and Will dive deep into:  Practical strategies schools can implement for fostering responsible behaviors. Tips and techniques for leaders to integrate trauma-informed strategies into staff management and their personal self-care routines. Resource Highlight: Explore the “Collective Well-Being Tree” on Creating Resilience. For more, you can connect directly with Cheryl Step and delve deeper into her impactful work through her website: Creating Resilience. Listen to the full episode to gain invaluable insights, stories, and strategies to bolster resilience in both learning and leadership environments. Don’t miss out, and thank you for doing what matters! The post PMP360: Creating Resilience in Learning and Leadership with Cheryl Step appeared first on Principal Matters.

Updates for Principal Matters Listeners New Website Hi, Friends. Will Parker here. I want to share a few updates before today’s show. First of all, Principal Matters has a new website. For 10 years, I have been using the same website, and this week we are excited to launch a new place where you can find all the previous podcasts and blog posts, links to my books, as well as offerings and services like the Principal Matters Grow Academy, Impact Masterminds, Executive Coaching, and Keynote opportunities.  Please take a moment to check it out. If you know someone who would benefit from subscribing to our weekly newsletter, they can use the subscribe link at williamdparker.com to sign up. Grow Academy Also, I want you to know we have opened a Principal Matters Grow Academy https://www.williamdparker.com/services/ for the new school year. The Grow Academy is a monthly virtual leadership meeting where I facilitate discussion on a different hat for school leaders including decision-making, organizational management, effective communication, and more. Our first meeting is September 13 and we will meet each 2nd Wednesday of the month through June 2023. This is a limited registration in order to maintain a small number for collaboration so reach out soon if you’re interested at will@williamdparker.com. Learn with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker at Ignite+ In addition, I want to encourage you to register for a virtual series that Jen Schwanke and I are providing for the National Association of Secondary School Principals this semester, called Ignite#. When you register, you will have direct access to four live virtual meetings that Jen and I will be facilitating on Whole School Wellness, on September 14, October 12, November 16, and December 14. We will be using content from both of our books to guide the conversation, including feedback from participants like you. You will also have access to other sessions led by great leaders like Robyn Jackson, Principal EL, and Jimmy Casas. Don’t miss out. Register today at https://nassp.org/igniteplus Virtual Training with Dr. Helen Kelly Next, I want to give a shout-out to a friend of mine, Dr. Helen Kelly. Dr. Kelly is an administrator from the UK who wrote the book School Leaders Matter, and she was a previous guest on PMP337 where she shared some powerful lessons on how to prevent burnout. Dr. Kelly is offering a virtual workshop on October 12, 2023, called Maximizing Your Work Recovery. You can find out more and register at https://drhelenkelly.com/workshops/05MYWR.php or go to the link on my website accompanying this post to find out more. Complimentary Reflection Session Finally, we want to hear from you. Recently, Jen Schwanke and I shared an episode of reflective questions. We had feedback from several listeners who wanted an opportunity to have a conversation where they could reflect with guided questions and coaching. As a result, I’ve made some new friendships and learned a lot from the experiences of other leaders. I want to extend this complimentary invitation to listeners if you are interested in connecting for a 30-minute touch-base where I can ask you questions to help you reflect on your own leadership. Email me at will@williamdparker.com with the subject line “Reflect” and I can reach back to schedule a time. If you are a regular listener, thank you, and please check out the new website at www.williamdparker.com, and tell us what you think. Wishing you a great week ahead, and thank you again for doing what matters! Now This Week’s Show-notes This week Jen Schwanke and Will Parker reflect on a question from an assistant principal. Join us as we dive into a thoughtful question from one of our listeners. Here’s the listener question: “… my principal retired and we have a new principal this year… I just wanted to pick your brain to get suggestions for building and maintaining trust with my new principal along with tips for being the best assistant principal I can be. I value your insight (and Jen’s) and wanted to reach out.” Jen Tips on Building & Maintaining Trust: Listen Actively: Understand the vision of your new principal. Seek to understand before seeking to be understood. Loyalty is Key: Be steadfast in your support and demonstrate reliability. Be Mindful of Perceptions: People form opinions based on what you say and do. Prepare for leading questions like, “So… what do you think?!” Rethink Phrases: Avoid: “This is how we’ve always done it.” Instead: “Let me tell you why it’s been done this way” or “Let me share staff/parent feelings on this.” Will’s Additional Insights for Assistant Principals: Discover Vision & Values: Align with the head principal’s vision and determine how best to support them. Know Your Role: Understand the administrative divisions and your specific job description. Introduce Yourself: Engage with everyone from teachers to students, ensuring a holistic connection. Master the Art of Listening: At first, prioritize listening over speaking to truly gauge the environment. Guard Trust: Trust is earned. Be cautious initially and determine who is truly trustworthy. School Policies are Crucial: Familiarize yourself with both district and school-specific policies. Consistency is Key: Especially when starting, adhere strictly to policies until you fully grasp the school’s culture. Plan Ahead: Schedule tasks for the entire year, ensuring important events remain a priority. Self-Care: Even amidst chaos, prioritize self-care. This is vital for long-term effectiveness. Grace Upon Grace: Recognize this is a learning curve. Pace yourself and remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Wrapping Up: For more in-depth advice, real-life stories, and additional insights, ensure you listen to the entire episode. A huge thank you to our community for such great questions. Your questions inspire our content. Remember, you can catch all episodes, valuable resources, and more at www.williamdparker.com. Subscribe and share with fellow educators and school leaders! The post PMP359: Building Trust & Thriving as an Assistant Principal with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

Hi, Friends. Will Parker here. I am sharing this bonus episode to inform Principal Matters listeners about some new updates. First of all, we have a new website. For 10 years, I have been using the same website, and this week we are excited to launch a new place where you can find all the previous podcasts and blog posts, links to my books, as well as offerings and services like the Principal Matters Grow Academy, Impact Masterminds, Executive Coaching, and Keynote opportunities.  Please take a moment to check it out. If you know someone who would benefit from subscribing to our weekly newsletter, they can use the subscribe button at williamdparker.com to sign up. Also, I want to encourage you to register for a virtual series that Jen Schwanke and I are providing for the National Association of Secondary School Principals this semester, called Ignite#. When you register, you will have direct access to four live virtual meetings that Jen and I will be facilitating on Whole School Wellness, on September 14, October 12, November 16, and December 14. We will be using content from both of our books to guide the conversation, including feedback from participants like you. You will also have access to other sessions led by great leaders like Robyn Jackson, Principal EL, and Jimmy Casas. Don’t miss out. Register today at https://nassp.org/igniteplus Next, I want to give a shout-out to a friend of mine, Dr. Helen Kelly. Dr. Kelly is an administrator from the UK who wrote the book School Leaders Matter, and she was a previous guest on PMP337 where she shared some powerful lessons on how to prevent burnout. Dr. Kelly is offering a virtual workshop on October 12, 2023, called Maximizing Your Work Recovery. You can find out more and register at https://drhelenkelly.com/workshops/05MYWR.php or go to the link on my website accompanying this post to find out more. Finally, we want to hear from you. Recently, Jen Schwanke and I shared an episode of reflective questions. We had feedback from several listeners who wanted an opportunity to have a conversation where they could reflect with guided questions and coaching. As a result, I’ve made some new friendships and learned a lot from the experiences of other leaders. I want to extend this complimentary invitation to listeners if you are interested in connecting for a 30-minute touch-base where I can ask you questions to help you reflect on your own leadership. Email me at will@williamdparker.com with the subject line “Reflect” and I can reach back to schedule a time. That’s it. If you are a regular listener, thank you, and expect to hear our next regularly scheduled episode in just a few days.  Please check out the new website at www.williamdparker.com, and tell us what you think. Wishing you a great week ahead, and thank you again for doing what matters! The post Bonus: Principal Matters Update from Will Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

Timothy Alexander, a faith-driven leader from Birmingham, Alabama, has become a symbol of resilience and inspiration. Ranked the #8 high school football player in the state during his time at Erwin High School, his life was dramatically altered by a car accident in 2006 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Despite the incident, Timothy pursued his education at Wallace State Community College and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), double majoring in Criminal Justice and Communication Management. His strong spirit allowed him to make history at UAB as the first paraplegic to receive a football scholarship. In addition to his academic achievements, Timothy led a movement that successfully reinstated UAB’s terminated Football, Bowling, and Rifle programs, raising over $40 million in support. He is also the recipient of the Student of Excellence Award for his outstanding academic and athletic performance. A pillar of his community, he is known for sharing his story with students and educators across the nation. Key Discussion Highlights: Your Connection with Schools: The essence of purpose aids students in self-identification. It’s the ‘who’ that holds prominence over the ‘what’. Guiding and inspiring them remains crucial, underscoring the significance of perspective and guidance. Telling the truth to the students helps them feel related to and disrupts their thinking in a positive way. No one truly gets them more than someone who has been in their shoes.  Expectations when Schools Engage You:  Authenticity, forging connections, resonating narratives, and constructive disruption of thought processes.  Encourage challenging traditional norms. Make students challenge the status quo  Insights from Student Feedback: The yearning for recognition stands out. Students feel seen when adults spend time to truly get to know them. Queries arise, questioning educators’ cognizance of students’ familial struggles. Principals ought to earmark time for student interactions. Take two minutes to connect with students. It can be transformational.   The need to momentarily veer from curricular mandates, investing in forging connections is highlighted. Value lies in conducting exit interviews with both outgoing seniors and incoming freshmen. Personal Habits for Aspiring Leaders: Slow down and listen to yourself. If you don’t listen to yourself, how will you be able to listen to anyone else? Emphasis on attentive listening, extending genuine concern for others.  Prioritizing self-care and showcasing vulnerability by sharing personal challenges. Reflecting on the philosophy of Pause, Breathe, Flourish: “To hasten, sometimes one must decelerate.” How leaders can practice holding others accountable while also maintaining trusting relationships: Remind them of what they signed up for. We say to students, “Oh well” because we don’t need it to be easy, we just need it to be possible. Remind students, “If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.”  Listening to whatever struggles students are having, and holding them accountable to work through them.  Have a story that connects with them. Academics first. Focus on the small things. Major in the minors. It goes back to perspective. Remind them in that moment of what they truly signed up for.  Hold yourself accountable.  Hang up your titles.  Avoid Stinkin Thinkin: the negative thoughts that hold you back.  Don’t be a Titanic story. You lose your people because you don’t have any relationships. How can listeners stay connected with you and find out more about inviting you to their school? Use this link to connect with Timothy Alexander or schedule a follow-up: https://www.inspiredbyta.com/will-parker Listen into the entire conversation for great takeaways! The post PMP358: Inspired to Be Faithful with Timothy Alexander appeared first on Principal Matters.