5 Simple Lessons From a 10-year-old
Tobias, a 10 year-old Oklahoma boy, wrote a letter to a local TV station because he had a dream for his 11 year old brother who has Cerebral Palsy. He asked if they could spread the word that he wanted…
Category Education
Read More5 Simple Lessons From a 10-year-old
Interview with James Johnston
The following is a Q & A between James Johnston and me. James Johnston is the Principal of Alice Ott Middle School and the 2013 Oregon Middle School Principal of the Year. My goal in posting interviews with successful leaders…
A Lesson From A Cross-Walk Guard
This year, my two youngest children started walking to and from school. On the first day, they were excited to tell us about their favorite crossing guard: Mr. Charlie, a grandfatherly man who stops each child to introduce himself. He…
Interview with Sandra Clement
The following is a Q & A between Sandra Clement and me. Dr. Sandra Clement is the 2013 Texas Middle School Principal of the Year. I am thrilled she agreed to share her insights on school leadership with us. My…
Planting, Growing, and Flourishing
I heard a great interview with motivational speaker/author Jon Gordon recently where he was asked: What should you do if you find yourself unmotivated to face a day’s work? He responded by saying: You should plant yourself right where you…
Interview with James Holifield
The following is a Q & A exchange between James Holifield and me. James “Jim” Holifield is the principal at New Prairie Middle School in New Carlisle, Indiana. As the Indiana Middle School Principal of the Year, he represented his…
Using “KRA’s” To Increase Effectiveness
Whether for you are leading a team of individuals, or you are a team member who wants to more effective, it is important for everyone to know his or her role. Sometimes our greatest loss of time happens when we…
7 ‘First Days Of School’ Questions
One of my favorite books to recommend to new teachers is Harry Wong’s First Days of School. In it, he outlines the essentials for establishing, organizing, and implementing good routines and procedures for students. I call it “teaching with both…
4 Ways to Learn From Other People’s Expertise
A few months ago I was planning to attend a principal’s meeting near the state capital. Since I was going alone, I asked a principal friend from a neighboring district if we could ride together. Little did I know how…
10 Lessons on Leadership from Seabiscuit
I recently finished listening to the unabridged audio-version of Laura Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit. A biography about a famous racehorse, the story also centers on the lives of three men whom Seabiscuit involves in a network of drama, suspense, defeat, and triumph.…
And Then I Met A Teacher
He met a teacher, and it changed everything. Jim Wingo was fresh out of high school when he started working at the local butcher shop. But his high school agriculture teacher, John Krivokapish, had other plans for him. When he…
8 Ways to Discipline with Dignity
School discipline is often a hotly debated topic of discussion. If viewed simply as punishment, it is often ineffective in changing behavior. But if viewed as a way to measure, check, and coach, the results are often more positive. Toward…
10 Tips On Interviewing For An Education Position
We just finished filling a tenth teaching position at my school for next year. As hard as it is to work through the hiring process, nothing is more important to the success of school than finding quality educators. Although I…
Interview with Ruby Payne
The following is a Q & A between Ruby Payne and me. Ruby Payne is the best-selling author of A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Her book and other resources have significantly affected the way teachers reach at-risk students. Her work…
7 Ways to Show Appreciation for Teachers
A friend once told me, “One good deed is worth more than a thousand good intentions.” Sometimes I am guilty of good intentions without good actions. But when it comes to appreciating others, my good intentions won’t ever let others…
Interview with Tim Elmore
The following is a Q & A exchange between Dr. Tim Elmore and me. I had the privilege of connecting with Tim when a mutual friend introduced us after seeing I had recommended his book, Generation iY, and I am…
Tips for Dealing with Difficult People
If you are like me, you want school leadership to be about inspiring or encouraging others to reach shared goals. So often, motivational leadership also requires managing complicated situations or people. Over the years, I have begun to learn practical…
Interview with Jon Gordon
The following is a Q & A exchange between Jon Gordon and me. The first time I heard Jon Gordon speak was at a principal’s conference in Oklahoma City. A year later, he came and addressed our school district’s opening…
Interview with Mona Smith
The following is a Q & A exchange between Mona Smith and me. Mona Smith is the 2013 Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year. When I first met her, I was struck by her insight into school improvement and her…
Interview with Mark Scharenbroich
The following is a Q & A exchange between Mark Scharenbroich and me. Mark Scharenbroich is a fabulous resource of ideas for educators, leaders, and anyone interested in personal growth. I first heard Mark speak when he was a keynote…
3 Tips for Making Each Day Count
Recently I heard a great interview with Robert D. Smith, author of 20,000 Days and Counting. He explained the epiphany he had at 55 years of age when he calculated his years and realized he had lived 20,000 days. In…
Motivation by Wonder and Purpose
A good friend and fellow principal, Lydia Wilson, from Bixby Central Elementary, wrote me recently after reading my last blog post. Her response is a good reminder of the deep satisfaction that comes when we have the right motives for…
Staying Focused During Difficult Times
The other day, I had someone tell me, “I would never want your job.” On the one hand, that may be true. Sometimes the negatives can be overwhelming. When it comes to the part of my job involving student discipline,…
4 Caution Lights On Your Leadership Journey
Zig Ziglar’s “wheel of life” is often referred to by leadership coaches, like Chris Locurto, because it represents a good visual of the competing interests in each of our lives. The thought goes, when the areas of life are held…
Tips on Better Managing Requests
My first year as a school administrator, I was convinced I would not repeat some of the frustrating habits of my former leaders. Specifically, I wanted to be a leader who consistently followed through on requests from teachers. What I…
Welcome to Principal Matters
Thanks for taking time to visit Principal Matters, where you can find resources, insights, and inspiration for school leadership! William D. Parker Bio Will is currently the principal of Skiatook High School, near Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A. He grew up a…