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

Dr. Christopher Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years.  He has just finished his 14th year as a building administrator.  True to his “why” of improving the educational experience for as many people as possible, he is currently the Principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Whitman, Massachusetts.Chris is passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process.  Chris is a teacher-centered Principal and his beliefs around the importance of a positive work environment, continuous growth, and a healthy family work life integration can be seen in the presentations/workshops he has given at the State and National level and his participation in the Better Leaders Better Schools Mastermind group. He is the host of the podcast SEEtoLead, http://drcsjones.blog, a blogger, active on Twitter, and vlogs on a weekly basis as a way to reflect on his progress, share his story, and get others to think about different perspectives.  His overarching goal is to positively model continuous improvement in all facets of life by being purposeful, acting with integrity, and building character. He is the author of the upcoming book, How Do You S.E.E. Your Staff?, releasing in 2022. In this episode, Chris answers the following questions: What is a “teacher-centered leader” and how/why did you believe this an important distinction?You write about the Cycle of Teacher-Centric Leading. What is that and how might it help other school leaders?Can you share some other practical examples of supporting, engaging, or empowering teachers?Right now leaders are feeling especially overwhelmed. What advice would you give fellow leaders as they continue supporting, engaging and empowering in the days ahead? Chris also shares practical strategies for supporting teaching and student learning, including technology hacks for frequent, informal feedback like Voxer, Screencastify, and Loom; having multiple points of contact, identifying skill and will, helping teachers leverage their stories, and more!  Links Chris mentions: Voxer: Walkie Talkie App for Team Communicationhttps://www.voxer.com Screencastify | Simple Video Creation Softwarehttps://www.screencastify.com Loom: Async Video Messaging for Work | Loomhttps://www.loom.com You can stay connected to Dr. Chris Jones at his website http://drcsjones.blog or via Twitter @drcsjones.  The post PMP279: Support, Empower, Engage with Chris Jones appeared first on Principal Matters.

In a recent article Jen Schwanke published with ASCD, First Engage Teachers: A Principal’s Role in Cultivating Staff Motivation, Jen makes the following assertion: “When principals foster a staff’s collective belief in themselves, their staff will incorporate that positive esteem toward their own motivation and engagement to work with students.”   How does this looks when applied? Listen-in to this week’s episode as Jen explains with examples the following reminders for education leaders: 1) Listen. 2) Remove competition. 3) Present “expectations” with care. 4) Look inward. 5) Build teachers up. As an education leader, you are working hard to support students, teachers and communities. In this important work, your mindset, language and communication play an important role in encouraging teachers in their important work. Listen-in as Jen explains these five simple but powerful reminders. Thank you again for doing what matters! The post PMP278: Encouraging & Motivating Staff with Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters.

Last week a principal wrote to tell me he was short 25 teachers or staff as he ended his first week back in the new semester. Another principal wrote that he spent his first morning back from Christmas break finding coverage for 9 classes without teachers. Just today in my own community, one of our elementary schools closed for the remainder of the week as the district is missing 15% of its workforce due to outbreaks of COVID. Sadly, just when we thought we were returning to some sense of normalcy this school year, educators are again doing the hard work of rescheduling bus routes, rearranging classroom coverage, or pivoting to online learning. If no one has told you yet, thank you for the hard work you’ve already been doing in just the first few days of 2022. This week, however, I want to pull away from the present for a few minutes and share some perspective from history. My reading goals for 2022 include several historical pieces I have not read before. For instance, this month, I decided to read The Life of Martha Ballard, based on her diary, 1785-1812, by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. I enjoyed listening to it via an Audible version read by Susan Eriksen.  What sparked my interest in the book was recognizing that I have almost exclusively read male authors from the early American periods. Except for a few poems from Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley, and some letters of Abigail Adams, most of the primary documents I’ve read from that time period have been by from men. The story of Martha Ballard as a mid-wife, brought to life by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, shines a light on past experiences from two unique perspectives. First, Ballard’s diary gives us the account of a early American healer; second, her diary tells that story from the unique perspective of a daughter, mother and grandmother of late 18th century Maine.  Throughout the book, several themes and lessons stand out. Here are seven I’d like to share: 1. Ballard’s unique lens as a woman highlights the life of women, not just men, as central to community life. As a midwife, Martha Ballard had a front row seat into community life, and her diary details the births, deaths, sicknesses and sometimes drama of most of the people in her community in the township of Hallowell on the Kennebec River, which is now a part of Augusta. She lost three of her nine children to a diphtheria epidemic. And her diary includes the common fate of so many other members of her community in a time before vaccinations and still believed in blood letting as a medical remedy. Martha’s stories, however, were also about weddings, church goings, family, gardening, quilting and many other pastimes that brought people together. Unlike other diaries from men during the time period, she includes the names of women in the community, with stories of their part managing homes and livelihoods of their own. 2. Women ‘healers’ had more access and credibility among medical practitioners in colonial Maine than women would even fifty years later. Surprisingly, local physicians included Martha Ballard and other midwives in autopocies and dissections of deseased patients. Just fifty years later, the historian Laurel Tatcher Ulrich, explains this practice was almost exclusively limited to men physicians. Although in early colonial times women were primary in birthing services, that practice became more controlled by men physicians over the next decades as well. Ballard delivered 816 babies and was present for more than 1,000 births in her 27 years of service. It wasn’t until the 1849, 37 years after Martha Ballard’s death that Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in American history to graduate from medical school. It wasnt’ until the 1870’s, fifty-eight years after Martha Ballard’s death, that it became more common for women to be allowed admission in medical schools. 3. In Ballard’s world, opportunities for livelihood were built on both reliability and community networks. Martha Ballard averaged more than 30 births a year in her practice, and as the community grew so did requests for her presence. At the same time, she was earning daily wages equivalent to what her husband earned as a surveyor. Together, they ran a profitable homestead with children and servants helping them manage family affairs while mother and father worked inside and outside the home. As they aged, however, Martha and her husband Ephraim, began to marry off their children, receive less work, and eventually, Ephraim was arrested for debts. He served time at the town’s debtor’s prison for more than a year. It was a noteworthy part of Martha’s diary that she suffered more during this time. Only after Ephraim’s release from prison were they able to once again establish services in their former occupations – but by this time she was in her late 70’s and he was in his late 80’s.  4. The ‘good ole days’ of colonial America were also ‘bad’ ones, including rape, murder and insurrection. The Ballard diary shows the realities of life for Martha and her neighbors. Although it contains quaint scenes like quilting gatherings and barn raising, it also chronicles horrible misdeeds including the alleged rape of a minister’s wife, the mass murder of six members in a neigbhoring family by a deranged husband and father, and an attempted insurrection from settlers against the town’s authorities. In addition, Martha’s own family suffered difficulties with a son who was often arrested or involved in lawsuits. For as many happy moments that Martha experienced, she seemed to also live through an equal amount of difficulty and community trauma. 5. Just like today, local factions and politics influenced change as well as divided communities. Disagreements over theology split the town’s church into two separate congregations. Years later, the township saw even more division among its religious observers with Congregationalists, Methodists, and Univeralists congregating around separate beliefs. These divisions touched Martha’s life directly as she was friends and midwife to people from all these walks of life. She even served as a witness in court in the accused rape of her minister’s wife. In addition to religious disputes, neighbors often sued one another over property disputes. And as settlers expanded into the territory, violence erupted between neighbors. Bands of settlers began dressing in animal skins, disguising themselves while driving off surveyors, shooting at interlopers and in some cases killing them. Although much of Ballard’s diary includes daily chores, births and items purchased, the history she experienced was not always tranquil or peaceful. 6. Ballard’s story inspired future generations of women in medicine, specifically Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, and future granddaughter of Ballard’s sister. The fact that Ballard’s diary survived is surprising. For years it was handed down within the family. Her grandaughter, Martha Hobart inherited it in 1884, after Martha had completed medical school. Later Clara Barton, Martha’s granddaughter, founded the America Red Cross in 1881. The family donated the diary to the Maine State Library in 1930. It was thirty years later before it was copied and published. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s publication in 1991, won a Putlizer Prize for bringing to life the stories almost lost to modern readers. The diaries provide a glimpse into the work and medicinal practices of a pioneer healer. 7. Many ‘great’ people have not been (and will not be) recognized or celebrated in this life, but it does not subtract from the importance of their influence. The story of Martha Ballard is a great reminder that every day ‘normal’ people are serving the needs of others. If she had not left her diary behind, much less would be known about the practices of midwives from the colonial period. More importantly, little would have been known about the lives of women in general from the first-person accounts of a woman whose lives touched so many others in her community. As Thatcher wraps up her summary of Martha Ballard’s life, she reminds readers that history is full of people known for their wars on others. Much less is known about those who practices of healing and peace blessed their neighbors and communities.  Applications for Leaders So what does this have to do with leadership? One important truth about leadership is that no one is really leading unless someone is following them. When you think about a life like Martha Ballard’s, it is easy to see her influence that came from her skills as a midwife and her reputation as a respected healer. At the same time, her life was filled with the drama, tragedy and conflicts of family and community life where the decisions of others often negatively affected her life as well.  Through it all, however, Martha Ballard is an example of a life well lived. A woman who lived out what it means to serve others, to restrain from harsh judgements of her neighbors, and to move forward each day in what ways she could do to serve.  Now It’s Your Turn People may or may not look back on your own service someday with perspective. Most of us will never be known outside the circle of our influence. And sometimes that service may be unnoticed or misunderstood. It is safe to say that if you’re waiting for recognition or gratitude, it will come in small tokens. For the most part, great leaders serve regardless of the feedback. It is the task before them that provides the opportunity to help.  As you continue serving others, remember that the small acts of giving, caring, instructing, and supporting others may not be written in a history book. But you are still leaving behind a legacy in the important ways you are touching the lives of those right in front of you. Just this afternoon, I was on a phone call with a principal who shared hard he and his team are working to respond to the difficulties his students have faced in the disruptions from the past two years. It is not easy. Even in the craziness of managing school during a pandemic, keep in mind that your unseen actions, sacrifices, and communications still matter. As a fellow educator and a parent, I see and appreciate what you’re doing. Please don’t let the loud voices of the few outweigh the sensibility of the quieter members of your community. Right now hundreds of others in your school community are quietly recognizing the difference you’re making. Someday, history may or may not reveal your untold stories. Whether anyone ever knows or not, what you’re doing still matters. The post PMP277: Lessons in Leadership from a Colonial Midwife appeared first on Principal Matters.

This morning I read a gripping opinion post in Education Week by Lisa Mead, a principal in upstate New York, whose piece titled A Principal’s Assessment: ‘We’re Not OK’. She shared what I’ve heard from many principals this past year: 2021 was in many ways harder than 2020. Among the many important ideas she shared, she included the following: “We are not only in a COVID pandemic, but we are also struggling to survive in an emotionally devoid epidemic. Grace and forgiveness are scarce. The stresses and mental health of students, teachers, and leaders are high. We can’t rely on routine as there isn’t much of one left, and our hopes about finally returning to a typical school year this year have evaporated.” With this sobering truth in mind, I’ve been amazed at the obstacles school leaders have faced this past year. In addition, I’ve been encouraged by the innovation, determination, and commitment among education leaders to continue serving students, teachers and communities – no matter what. Somehow you keep serving while inspiring others to do the same. At the same time, school leaders are tired, and it’s OK to say ‘We’re Not Ok.” I’ll never forget in 2012 when I attended my first national principal meeting. As a part of being recognized as Oklahoma’s Assistant Principal of the Year, I met principals from across the states who shared stories from their schools.  I remember looking around the room and thinking, ‘Wow, this is a room full of people who also represent unsung heroes in schools across the nation I’ve never met. People who hear heartbreaking and heartwarming stories of students and families. How can I better connect with their stories?‘ It was then the idea for starting a blog for school leaders began to germinate in my thoughts. My blogging journey began in February 2013, and later in December 2015, I transitioned that work to a podcast as well. This February will mark the 8th anniversary of the Principal Matters blog and this past month marked the 6th anniversary of the podcast.   Each year, I like to take time to review the year past and set goals for the New Year.  2021 in Review for Principal Matters, LLC. Here are several milestones we reached in 2021: Podcast Guests This year I interviewed 28 guests. Jen Schwanke, co-hosted 12 episodes throughout the year. The other 27 guests included: Samantha Bartrom TJ Warren Emily Paschall Toirdealbhach Ó Lionáird Ann-Marie Maw Andrew O’Farrell Jessica Wee Britainy Harris Paul Wendler Loredana Borello Seán Óg Ó Duinnín Kimberly Miles Sam Fuller Eric Hoops Cynthia Winchester Joy Kelly Marita Diffenbaugh Erin Igoe Latrese D. Younger Trevor Goertzen Eric Sheniger Daniel Bauer Enid Lee Janelle McLauhglin Chris Zervas DJ Klein Brad Gustafson PLEASE SCROLL TO THE END OF THIS POST FOR LINKS TO ALL 2021 EPISODES BY THESE GREAT GUESTS! Website/Podcast Stats As of the end of December 2021, the Principal Matters Website has had 400,300 visits.  The Principal Matters podcast episodes have been downloaded 636,006 times. Together that is more than 1 million times content has been accessed to help education leaders! Events for 2021 This was the biggest year yet for invitations to present on content from my books with 4 in-person keynote events and 25 virtual presentations. These included the following: January 31, 2021, MASSP AP & Dean Summit, Pause. Breathe. Flourish. Michigan Virtual Keynote. February 18, 2021, National SAM Innovation Webinar, Louisville, Kentucky, Virtual Presentation. January – April 2021, Ongoing Virtual Education Leadership Series with Ohio School Sponsorship, Columbus, Ohio. January – June 2021, Principal Matters Mastermind Meetings with Yolanda Dawson, Erin Igoe, Samantha Bartrom and Jeff Springer June 11, 2021, Educator Self-Care, End of School Year Training, Archdiocese of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky June 16, 2021, Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, Summer Conference, Breezy Point Resort, Minnesota, Keynote on Pause. Breathe. Flourish. June 17, 2021, Texas Association of Secondary School Principals, Summer Conference, Virtual Presentation of Pause. Breathe. Flourish. August 12, 2021, Welcome Back Teachers, Archdiocese of Louisville, Pause. Breathe. Flourish. Keynote, Louisville, Kentucky August – December 2021, Ongoing Virtual Education Leadership Series with Ohio School Sponsorship, Columbus, Ohio August – November 2021, Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Assistant & Aspiring Principal Academy, Virtual Presentations September & November 2021, Principal Matters Hats of Leadership with Archdiocese of Louisville Principals, Virtual Sessions November 8, 2021, Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals with CLAS, Pause. Breathe. Flourish. Keynote, Clear Brook Conference Center, Mobile Alabama Executive Coaching In addition, I enjoyed offering weekly executive coaching sessions throughout the summer and fall semester, with five different school or district leaders. Books Update I try to keep a running tally on book sales.  To date, Principal Matters: The Courage, Action, Motivation for School Leaders has sold 1,596 copies. Messaging Matters: How School Leaders Can Motivate Students, Inspire Teachers and Reach Communities has sold 1,806 copies. Pause. Breathe. Flourish.: Living Your Best Life as an Educator has sold 1,107 copies. I’m extremely grateful for every guest, listener, reader, mastermind member as well as those I’ve been able to connect with through my presentations, coaching and trainings. Your constant feedback, ideas, challenges and questions keep me motivated in finding and sharing solutions for school leaders. Setting Goals for 2022 One tool I use for self-reflection is a free online assessment, called Life Score, a product from Michael Hyatt you can find here: https://assessments.michaelhyatt.com/lifescore/ The Life Score Assessment allows you to reflect on ten areas, including: Intellectual Emotional Physical Marital Parental Social Vocational Avocational Financial Spiritual You can select all or some of the options, depending on which areas you care to analyze. Each area includes both positive and negative statements, and you choose where you may fall on the spectrum using a 1-7 rating.  For instance, to assess your Intellectual Growth, you choose between the following statements: EXAMPLE: I am more or less content with what I know. I don’t really read or listen to podcasts and can’t recall the last time I attended a conference. I don’t budget for ongoing education or training. OR I’m a voracious learner – always consuming books, podcasts and other content. I love taking courses and attending conferences. I budget for education and consider it an investment in my growth and success. I gave myself a score of 6. After completing ten areas of self-reflection, you receive a pie graph and a domain chart for feedback on your results.  Michael Hyatt also sells a Full Focus Planner, which I purchased couple of years ago. I use it as a template for my own personal goal setting.  For instance, in the area of Intellectual Growth, I set a monthly reading list, choosing a different title of classical literature I have yet to read but want to add to my learning. Years ago I read the book The Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer. Bauer includes lists of recommended books by historical periods and genre. I subsequently found a great blog post at the website: https://www.tlinwright.com/well-educated-mind-reading-list/ From the list, my personal reading choices for 2022 include: (January) Laurel Thatcher Ulrich – A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on her Diary, 1785-1812 (1990) (February) Harriet Jacobs – Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written By Herself (1861) (March) Carl Sandburg Poems (1878-1967) (April) Frederich Nietzsche – Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is (1908) (May) George Bernard Shaw – Saint Joan (1924) (June) Richard Wright – Native Son (1940) (July) Saul Bellow – Seize the Day (1956) (August) James D. Watson – The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of DNA (1968) (September) Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn – The Gulag Archipelago (1973) (October) Toni Morrison – Song of Solomon (1977) (November) Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein – All The President’s Men (1987) (December) Elie Wiesel – All Rivers Run to the Sea: A Memoir (1995) Over Christmas break, I downloaded the audio version of A Midwife’s Tale and am already half finished with it. It’s been an amazing read/listen! Reviewing the 10 Life Goals Domains has allowed me to set SMART goals for each area as I step into 2022. I highly recommend taking time to reflect on your past year and set goals for the coming months. Even if you only reach half your goals, you’ve hit a higher target than you may reach otherwise. 2021 Podcast Episodes In case you missed (or want to revisit) any content from the past year, below is a list of episodes from the past year: PMP275: 6 Literacy Levers, Part 2 with Brad Gustafson PMP274: 6 Literacy Levers with Brad Gustafson PMPEncore197: 10 Tips for New Assistant Principals PMP273: How to Manage When Someone is ‘Stirring the Pot PMP272: Thankfulness & Answers about Emotional and Behavior Supports for Students PMP271: Answering Questions on School Discipline with Jen Schwanke PMP270: Gaining Buy-In & Building Leadership Teams with Jen Schwanke PMP269: Leadership at Every Level with Janelle McLaughlin PMP268: Equity, Equality and Systems with Enid Lee PMP267: Answering Questions on Grief and Behavior with Jen Schwanke PMP266: Principal Questions on Curriculum and Goals with Jen Schwanke PMP265: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader with Daniel Bauer, Part 2 PMP264: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader with Daniel Bauer PMP263: Cycles of Self-Reflection in Leadership PMP262: Revisiting the Hats You Wear in School Leadership PMP261: Your Friendships, Legacy, Laughter and Well-Being PMP260: Reflecting on Your Influence – Keynote Series #2 PMP259: 10 Areas of Self-Care in the School Year Ahead PMP258: Bridging Academic and Social Gaps with Trevor Goertzen PMP257: Leading with SOUL for the New School Year PMP 256: Disruptive Thinking with Eric Sheninger PMP255: Reconstructing Place and Space, Part 2 with Jen Schwanke PMP254: Reconstructing Place and Space with Jen Schwanke PMP253: 10 Lessons from a First Year Assistant Principal with D.J. Klein PMP252: Bomb-Proof Constructive Feedback with Chris Zervas PMP251: You Can Do Hard Things, featuring Samantha Bartrom PMP250: Principal Reboot, Part 2 with Jen Schwanke and Mastermind Members PMPEncore028: Four Reasons Your Vacation Matters PMP249: Principal Reboot with Jen Schwanke and Mastermind Members PMP248: Inspiring and Leading Learning with Latrese D. Younger PMP247: Leading Through ‘Unfinished Learning’ with Kimberly Miles PMP246: Challenges and Solutions Leading Post-Pandemic PMP245: Handling Schools with Care with Joy Kelly PMP244: Being a Hope Giver with Marita Diffenbaugh PMP243: Grace in the Journey with Jessica Wee PMP242: Leading from Xi’an International School with Brittainy Harris and Paul Wendler PMP241: Lessons from an All Girls School with Loredana Borello PMP240: Self-Care Lessons with Seán Óg Ó Duinnín PMP239: The Principal Experience Here & Abroad with Toirdealbhach Ó Lionáird PMP238: Lessons from an Australian Primary School with Anne-Marie Maw PMP237: Tips for Finding the Right Fit in Your Leadership PMP236: What to do When You Feel Restless in Leadership PMP235: Leading Re-Entry in a Pandemic with Andrew O’Farrell PMP234: Connecting Students to Caring Adults with TJ Warren PMP233: Multiplying Excellence in Your School with Emily Paschall PMP232: Looking for a New Education Position PMP231: Keeping Your Promises on Your Anti-Racism Journey PMP230: Managing Decision-Fatigue with Jen Schwanke PMP229: Facing Your Giants with Samantha Bartrom PMP228: Strategic Leadership During Times of Uncertainty PMP227: Me, Myself and Bob. 7 Lessons from the Rise and Fall of VeggieTales Let’s Wrap This Up Looking back is helpful when looking forward. If you haven’t had time to reflect on past successes/challenges, let me encourage you to consider doing so. If you’d like more feedback on setting goals or if you’re interested in some executive coaching to help you think through your own professional growth, please reach out anytime.  Now It’s Your Turn What goals are you setting for the New Year? I’d honored to hear more about them. I’m looking forward to growing together with you in the year ahead. Thank you again for doing what matters! The post PMP276: 2021 Year in Review & 2022 Goal Setting appeared first on Principal Matters.

What would happen if you asked your team, ‘What question would you predict I’m going to ask in a meeting?’ Brad Gustafson poses this scenario in Part 2 of our conversation about literacy. Educators know literacy is essential to student learning. Brad reminds principals what role school leaders play in helping grow a culture of reading. And he shares how these concepts have helped him navigate and grow a culture of reading. Listen-in as we discuss rethinking leadership perspectives on literacy, helpful tips and questions principals should be using, and helpful feedback on Brad’s own struggles and successes as a lead learner for his school. Brad Gustafson is an award-winning principal, best-selling author, speaker, and avid reader. He understands the critical role leaders play in creating the conditions where everyone in a school can be successful. Brad’s newest book The 6 Literacy Levers, is a practitioner-friendly guide to leading a culture of reading–from anywhere in your school or organization. He also wrote Reclaiming Our Callingand Renegade Leadership. All of Brad’s books are built on the belief that everything we do starts with relationships and connectedness. Brad co-hosts a weekly web series called Read This Now where he talks about literacy and shares book recommendations with fellow literacy leaders. He has served on the Scholastic Principal Advisory Board and been a national advisor with Future Ready Schools for several years. ​Brad was also named Minnesota’s Principal of the Year in 2016. His school has been recognized at the local, state, and national level. From classrooms to the boardroom (and everywhere in between), Brad is helping educators own their influence. Discover ways to rethink literacy with Brad’s six levers: The Compass The Invitation The Walking Stick The Utility Knife The Catapult The Collage Now It’s Your Turn What ways are you helping shape the kinds of questions teachers are asking about student learning? Thanks again for doing what matters! The post PMP275: 6 Literacy Levers, Part 2 with Brad Gustafson appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week we share the first of a two-part series with Dr. Brad Gustafson. Listen-in as we discuss rethinking leadership perspectives on literacy, helpful tips and questions principals should be using, and helpful feedback on Brad’s own struggles and successes as a lead learner for his school. Brad Gustafson is an award-winning principal, best-selling author, speaker, and avid reader. He understands the critical role leaders play in creating the conditions where everyone in a school can be successful. Brad’s newest book The 6 Literacy Levers, is a practitioner-friendly guide to leading a culture of reading–from anywhere in your school or organization. He also wrote Reclaiming Our Calling and Renegade Leadership. All of Brad’s books are built on the belief that everything we do starts with relationships and connectedness. Brad co-hosts a weekly web series called Read This Now where he talks about literacy and shares book recommendations with fellow literacy leaders. He has served on the Scholastic Principal Advisory Board and been a national advisor with Future Ready Schools for several years. ​Brad was also named Minnesota’s Principal of the Year in 2016. His school has been recognized at the local, state, and national level. From classrooms to the boardroom (and everywhere in between), Brad is helping educators own their influence. Discover ways to rethink literacy with Brad’s six levers: The Compass The Invitation The Walking Stick The Utility Knife The Catapult The Collage The walking stick questions include: Is authentic learning happening? Are we serving each and every reader?  Now It’s Your Turn What ideas or questions would you include for ensuring all students are being served through literacy efforts? You can find all Brad’s resources at: https://www.bradgustafson.com/ The post PMP274: 6 Literacy Levers with Brad Gustafson appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week I’m sharing one of the most popular episodes from the Principal Matters archives. If you know a new or aspiring assistant principal, please pass this along. These tips are also good reminders for anyone leading others. – Thank you for doing what matters! ~ Will Here’s a recap… June 4, 2020: A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by a listener, D.J. Klein, from Jackson, Mississippi. He had just accepted his first position as an Assistant Principal and emailed me the following (that I’m sharing with permission): May 20, 2020: Good evening Mr. Parker, I hope all is well. I started listening to your podcast about a year ago and just wanted to say thank you for all of your hard work and insight. I wanted to reach out to you to ask your advice. I am about to start my first full time administrative role as an assistant principal at a local high school. I was wondering if you have any resources or tips for my first year? I have started Jen Schwanke’s book “You’re the Principal [Now What?]…,” and it has been great so far. Thank you in advance! When I reached back to D.J. to share ideas, I asked him if I could record our conversation to share with other potentially new administrators. For the next 35 minutes, we talked through several ideas that may be helpful for you or someone you know who is stepping into his or her first year as an assistant principal: Book recommendations First I shared a few book suggestions. Although I haven’t read the newest book by Principal Kafele, I’m hearing great things about it. The Assistant Principal 50: Critical Questions for Meaningful Leadership and Professional Growth by Baruti K. Kafele is a popular read among many new assistant principals I follow online. And based on the feedback I’m hearing, you should also check out his free weekly virtual meetings discussing the book. I also sent D.J. a complimentary copy of my book, Principal Matters (Updated & Expanded): The Motivation, Action, Courage and Teamwork Needed for School Leaders 2nd Edition by William D. Parker, with new school leaders. Although I cannot give it away to everyone, I like sharing it with many of the principals I coach. I began this book as I was finishing my ninth year as an assistant principal and was stepping into my first year as a high school principal. It’s a practical reflection on the meaning behind leadership plus practical how-to lessons. In addition, here are two non-education reads that may help you re-think approaches to organizational leadership: Good to Great : Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t  by James C. Collins is a study of the common traits among highly successful leaders – what they focused to lead successful organization and what they did not allow to distract them. EntreLeadership: A Step-by-Step Guide for Leading Your Business to Success by Dave Ramsey is another book I found helpful. This book looks at how to organize a team of professionals in reaching shared goals. The applications to school leadership helped me develop my first “KRA’s”, or Key Results Areas, with my teams. 10 Tips for Your First Year as an Assistant Principal Finally, I shared with D.J. ten ideas to keep in mind the first year as an Assistant Principal. I unpack them in this podcast episode with follow-up to several questions for D.J. afterwards, but here’s the short summary: Discover the vision and values of your head principal and consider how you can support him or her.Figure out the administrative structural divisions and expectations. In other words, know your job description.Be friendly and introduce yourself to everyone: Everyone means teachers, parents, community groups, custodians, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, counselors, nurses, upper admin, and of course, students.Listen a lot. Speak little at first (except to be friendly and courteous). This way you learn to know the lay of the land.Expect the best but guard your trust until you know who is trustworthy.Understand and follow your school policies. Your student handbook should reflect district policies. Be familiar with both, and make your handbook your new Bible.Follow those policies and procedures consistently, fairly, and firmly. Until you’ve learned the full context of your climate and culture, it’s best to avoid gray areas. If unsure, ask a trusted, experienced admin.Schedule the entire year in advance with priority tasks. Whether you chunk your calendar with observations/evaluation meetings, team meetings, or student activities, plan ahead. This way what is important remains a priority around which you can manage your other urgent to-do’s.Commit to personal self-care habits now and continue them even when you’re so overwhelmed you don’t think you have time to exercise, eat or sleep.Give yourself lots of grace! This first year is the hardest as every “first-year” is. Ask yourself what you’ve done during other new seasons to find your groove, and take similar steps in this one. Take one step at a time, don’t expect to finish your race in a sprint. It is a marathon. Let’s Wrap This Up In our conversation, D.J. mentions when I was named Oklahoma’s Assistant Principal of the year in 2012. As grateful as I was to receive the state award from the National Association of Secondary Principals, I was also aware of something more important: Enjoying your work as an assistant principal only happens when you take time to appreciate others, relish the small moments, and recognize the importance of the journey and people that will shape you along the way. As hard as any new position may be, let me encourage you to make the most of small moments and celebrate wins as they come. Learn from times you make mistakes. And keep growing – just like you did before you stepped into this new position. That cycle of reflection, growth, and application is what helped you grow to this point, and it will help you grow into any position ahead. And one more thing: Pass those lessons along to others because we are not alone in this important journey of education. Now It’s Your Turn Maybe you know someone who is taking their first position in school administration as an assistant principal or otherwise. Or maybe this will be your first year. If you could add to the list above, what other books or tip(s) would you provide? What questions do you still have? Reach back in the comments or email me at will@williamdparker.com. Think about another leader who may benefit from these takeaways, and share this post and episode with someone. Thanks again for doing what matters! The post PMPEncore197: 10 Tips for New Assistant Principals appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week William D. Parker and Jen Schwanke answer the question: What do you do about a teacher who likes to ‘stir the pot’ about other teachers? Feedback includes suggestions on: Having open, honest, clear communicationAddressing ‘stirring the pot’ for what it isDistinguishing between stirring and asking good questionsAddressing resistance, gossip, tattling, drama, insubordination or refusal to cooperateDeciding whether to fight back, sit in it, or let goReflecting on yourself — does this person disagree with me, or is it legitimately disruptive? Listen-in for more takeaways and ideas. What suggestions or advice would you add? Send your thoughts or questions to will@williamdparker.com. Planning Ahead for 2022-2023 More from Will… It may seem a strange time to be talking about next school year already, but I am already working on my calendar for the 2022-2023 school year. As Principal Matters listeners, I want to give you the heads up first as I only book a select number of days a year for virtual trainings and out-of-state travel. If you or your leadership team are interested in professional learning opportunities for the upcoming semester or next school year, now is the time to plan ahead! Principal Matters offerings include keynotes on any of my books, half-day, full-day and multiple day workshops on principal leadership development, Mastermind group offerings and executive coaching options. If you’d like to find out more, visit my website at williamdparker.com and click on the “Work with Will” tab. Or reach out to my by email at will@williamdparker.com. I’m glad to answer questions or set up a phone conference with you. If you’d like to find out more, please reach out soon as I consistently fill my calendar a year in advance. Thank you for learning together, and I hope you enjoy this week’s episode as Jen Schwanke and I answer the question from a principal about how to manage teachers who ‘stir the pot’ with others in the school! The post PMP273: How to Manage When Someone is ‘Stirring the Pot’ appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week Jen Schwanke joins Will Parker to discuss stories of gratitude from former teachers and educators in their lives. Will references this recent video from the singer Adele paying tribute to her teacher that will warm your heart: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hfb6CSDkWYQ Also, they address these questions from a principal: “How do I provide resources for kids with trauma and behavior issues? What if we don’t have a therapist or counselor? How do we still help students? Jen and Will cover several ideas, including: Partnering with local resourcesConsidering what may be “cut” in a proposal to bolster supportDeciding what is necessary to support students and identifying the root of the resistance Thinking outside the box about resources all students needFor those with counselors, supporting them in order to maximize their strengths Now It’s Your Turn What stories come to your mind of ways educators have inspired you in your own work? What suggestions would you add for education leaders who are wanting more supports for students? The post PMP272: Thankfulness & Answers about Emotional and Behavior Supports for Students appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answer the principal question: “How do you structure discipline so that punishments fit the crime?” We talk about how the word discipline, instead of punishment, carries an important distinction for how we approach consequences for students. In addition, we provide feedback on several areas, including: 1. Set high expectations. 2. Let the consequence fit the infraction. 3. Be consistent. 4. Be creative when necessary. 5. Be polite. 6. Be Specific and Document. 7. Serve and Teach. 8. Communicate Trust
. You can find a previous post Will shared with more feedback on how to Discipline with Dignity. Now It’s Your Turn Student discipline is both an art and science. What are some ways you have learned to discipline with dignity? What ideas would you add to this list? What are some new steps you can take to see the positive behaviors you would like to with your students? The post PMP271: Answering Questions on School Discipline with Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters.