PMP:059 How Does Scarcity Affect Your Mindset?
: Play in new window | DownloadThe other morning, on my drive to school with my daughter, I was listening to a story on NPR called The Scarcity Trap: Why We Keep Digging When We’re Stuck in a Hole by…
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PMP 056: Reaching Generation iY and iGen Students
: Play in new window | DownloadA few years ago, I was talking to a senior student, Jesse, who was publishing his first book. He shared with me that he had a great opportunity to speak at a gathering of…
PMP 055: Spring Semester & Beta-Testing
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I was boy, my parents would often stop by a decrepit farmhouse where they had first lived after being married. My great-grandfather had built it in the early 1900’s with a big front…
PMP 054: 7 Tips on Rest & Rejuvenation
: Play in new window | DownloadDuring my first two years in school admin, I barely slept, rarely exercised, and seldom had time for my family. I’ll never forget the night I was up late after my wife and I…
PMP 053: 3 Tips for Responding Under Pressure
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I was in high school and college, my brothers and I worked part-time diving for mussel shells in the Kentucky Lake area. We would sell them by the pound at local markets, and…
PMP 052: Starting a Movement of Kindness
: Play in new window | DownloadAlthough I grew up in West Tennessee, I was born in San Diego, California when my dad was stationed there in the Navy. Some of my earliest toddler memories include playing on the beach…
PMP 051: The Shocking Truth About Your Decision-Making
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I was going to graduate school for my Master’s Degree in Education Leadership, I decided to conduct my own informal research. Over a number of weeks, I talked to current and retired principals…
PMP 050: The 5 Marks of a Learning Culture
: Play in new window | DownloadAfter living in Oklahoma for more than twenty years, I’ve become keenly aware that our state’s economy is intricately related to oil and gas.In addition to our rich Native American heritage, almost every major…
PMP 048: Looking at 2017–Let’s Stay Connected!
: Play in new window | DownloadOne of my first superintendents had been an elementary teacher. Sometimes she would begin our leadership meetings by bringing a shopping bag full of hands-on materials (paper, scissors, glue, popsicle sticks) as demonstrations for…
PMP 047: Interview with Adam Beauchamp, Oklahoma Digital Principal
: Play in new window | DownloadThis is a dual-post including a podcast interview with Principal Adam Beauchamp who shares the digital tools his school is using for enhancing communication. I’m also including a companion blog post below of an…
PMP 046: 5 Tips for Responding to Resistance
: Play in new window | DownloadOne of my favorite college education professors would often start class with a provoking question. As we would grapple with how to answer and/or support our positions, he would stand there with his large…
PMP: Encore 04 Thankfulness (And the Bacon Story)
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week’s podcast episode is an encore recording of one of my favorite growing-up stories. As you listen, I hope you take time to remember your own good memories. As we approach Thanksgiving, I…
PMP:044 How Challenges Help You Grow
: Play in new window | DownloadI remember my first year of teaching when I walked into a boy’s bathroom that was reeking of smoke. A couple of boys were standing at the urinals when one of them dropped a…
PMP:043 Lessons from a Comet Landing (What Can We Accomplish Together?)
: Play in new window | DownloadThe European Space Agency’s historical comet landing of the spacecraft Rosetta in 2014 was an amazing feat I share about in this week’s podcast. First of all, imagine organizing a team of scientists and…
PMP:041 What Makes a Productive Team?
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I was boy, my dad bought a long, green Pontiac station wagon. Long before the creation of the mini-van, it was the car of choice for a large family. We spent countless of…
PMP:040 How Do You Positively Respond to Apathy?
: Play in new window | DownloadLast week when I was hosting a webinar for school leaders, an overwhelming number of responses were made about the challenges of overcoming apathy. How does a leader initiate positive changes when others resist,…
Brunch & Learn Webinars
As a practicing principal, I need to be practicing. And as much as I enjoy writing, speaking or presenting about school leadership, my primary responsibility as a school leader is serving my school. So this past summer, I was thrilled when…
PMP:038 Celebrating Good Deeds with a Class Cup
: Play in new window | DownloadI know a lot of schools have creative ways to celebrate the positive behaviors they want students showing on a daily basis. This school year, our student council and their sponsor, Ms. Franklin, launched…
PMP:037 Are You Growing? Learning to Celebrate the Small Wins
: Play in new window | DownloadLast week I left school early so that I could watch our cross-country teams run at a local race. It was one of those days where the sun and clouds kept alternating in the…
PMP:036 Four Suggestions on Providing Meaningful Feedback from Observations and Evaluations
: Play in new window | DownloadI have a lot of friends who are good golfers. I am not one of them. But I recognize a good golfer when I see one. He or she is usually the one who…
PMP:035 Are You Growing? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself
: Play in new window | DownloadI remember when my daughter began taking clarinet lessons from a private tutor in junior high. When I picked her up from her first session, she said, “I have been playing for three years,…
PMP:034 Six Ways to Avoid Making Wrong Calls
: Play in new window | DownloadI once knew a teaching couple who told me a funny story. They lived right across the street from a man who never seemed to go to work. During their breaks from school, the…
PMP:033 What Motivates Your Learning? A Better Alternative…
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I was a junior high student, I remember feeling pretty clueless about what to expect in high school. Sometimes my teachers would tell me to expect to be treated like a number. At…
Twitter Chat: Questions for 8/18 #atplc
I’m so excited to host my first Solution Tree #atplc Chat via Twitter on Thursday 8/18 at 9 pm EST/ 8 pm CST. Topic: Avoiding Education Malpractice: Let’s Talk About Our Strategies! Here are six questions for the chat:
PMP:032 Olympic Lessons in Collaboration for Educators
: Play in new window | DownloadLast Saturday my children were watching the Olympics throughout the day. I was walking through the living room when I glanced up at the screen and saw men’s cycling. After six and half hours…
PMP:031 Creating a Sense of Ownership for Students
: Play in new window | DownloadToday’s episode is in response to a listener question, “How can we create a sense of ownership for students into today’s education system?” Although answering this question could be very long, let me ask…
Newsletter Samples for Improving Your Communication
Yesterday, a principal who heard me speak at the USA Conference in Wichita, Kansas, emailed me. She asked asked if I had samples of some the newsletters I share with my parents, students, or teachers. As you’re starting out another…
PMP:030 Three Simple Ways to Respond to Negativity
: Play in new window | DownloadIn PMP Episode 30, I continue responding to listener and reader questions. This week’s question was: What’s one of the biggest leadership challenges you face right now? One principal wrote back, “How can I…
One Caring Adult Can Make a Difference
Earlier this school year, I had a long conversation with a student who had been abandoned. He was fourteen years old. His biological mother was not in his life. A guardian had adopted him, but when she had difficulty with…
PMP:029 How Can I Have a Bigger Leadership Role as an Assistant?
: Play in new window | DownloadToday’s podcast episode is the first in a series responding to listener and reader questions. One assistant principal wrote me to ask, “How can I have a bigger leadership role as an assistant?” This…
Are We Committing Educational Malpractice?
One day I was visiting my family medical doctor, when a nurse asked me to follow her to another room. She asked if I would unbutton my shirt so that she connect me to some small leads and do an…
PMP: Encore 03 Purpose-Driven Leadership
: Play in new window | DownloadIn this encore episode of Principal Matters Podcast, I talk about the reason behind why some people find meaning in their work. Research confirms that when you understand the meaning behind your work, you…
Caught in the Middle: Policy, Principals and Practice
Jack is a middle school student who is found in possession of something dangerous at school. His assistant principal guides his parents and Jack through disciplinary actions based on school policy, which may include temporary or long-term removal from the…
NASSP Advocacy Conference Update
On June 21-22, 2016, the National Association of Secondary Principals hosted its Advocacy Conference for members in Washington, D.C. Principals and school leaders from across America received updates and heard presentations from experts in advocacy, leadership, and federal policies that…
PMP: Encore 01 Three C’s For a Great School Year
: Play in new window | DownloadThe weeks of summer are a good time to revisit some original Principal Matters content. This week is an encore episode of the very first episode of Principal Matters Podcast. Listen in for reminders…
Guest Post: Michael Allison on Advocacy
This is a guest post by Michael Allison, President of the National Association of Secondary Principals. Michael is also principal of Hopewell High School, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. On June 20-22, 2016, NASSP hosted an advocacy conference for state leaders to discuss…
PMP:027 10 Tips for Education Interviews
: Play in new window | DownloadWhether you are conducting an interview or being interviewed, I have found some common expectations anyone should have when walking into an education interview. This week’s podcast covers 10 tips anyone can use when…
Cultivating a Culture of Growth
When I was a boy, one day my dad walked me to the back pasture of our farm. At the end of long rows of corn, he had set aside an area that he had tilled and planted with potato…
PMP:026 The 8 Hats of a School Leader
: Play in new window | DownloadThis past week I enjoyed speaking to principal organizations in Georgia and Kansas. We explored the various hats that school leaders wear in serving their schools. Today’s podcast is a fourteen-minute version of one…
PMP:025 8 Tips for Helping Your School Manage Grief
: Play in new window | DownloadOne of the most difficult parts of school leadership is knowing how to manage the loss of a student. As a high school teacher and administrator, I have experienced this many times over the…
5 Steps for Closing-Out School (And Preparing for Your Next Launch)
When non-education friends ask me about my summer, I often use the cruise ship analogy. In essence, we’ve just unloaded all the passengers, so we’ll spend the next two months stocking up, rehiring where needed, and preparing for the next…
PMP:024 Lessons from my Son’s Hospital Stay
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen bad things happen, it is sometimes hard to see the good in our difficulties. A couple of years ago, I posted about my son’s battle and recovery from an infectious disease known as…
5 Steps for using YouTube in Hiring
Spring time is not only busy as we finish out the school year, but also it is often a busy time for hiring new teachers or staff. Even with the pending cuts in state funding, we were excited to be…
PMP:023 Five Simple Ways to Support Others
: Play in new window | DownloadIn episode 23, I share a story from a local 10-year old boy who inspired others by his willingness to “be the legs” of his little brother in a 5K run. Listen in for…
PMP:022 Lessons in Leadership from a Cross-Walk Guard
: Play in new window | DownloadIn Episode 22, I share lessons in leadership I learned from a school crosswalk guard. I also tell a story of how a simple phrase can powerfully influence students, how attitude encourages others, and…
What Do You Do With All the Mandates?
When Education Week did a survey a few years ago, principals were asked about the biggest frustrations of their jobs. At the top of the list was the response: “Mandates without Money.” If you’ve been in education for a few…
PMP:021 10 Ways to Positively Communicate About Your School
: Play in new window | DownloadI once heard someone say, “Communication is 100% of what a principal does.” I couldn’t agree more. Of all the areas you manage as a school leader, the way you communicate is one of…
Teacher Appreciation Week: 5 Steps for Involving Your Community
A few days ago, one of our community business owners came by with a $50 restaurant gift certificate he wanted to donate for our Teacher Appreciation Week. When we thanked him for the gift, he said, “With the kind of…
PMP:020 Planting, Growing, and Flourishing
: Play in new window | DownloadIt’s easy to become distracted in school leadership, and often my biggest distraction is myself. That’s why it’s so important to keep your focus on serving others. When you do, you’ll find yourself celebrating…
Making the Courageous Choice
One day when I was a young teacher, I was shopping at a local grocery when I saw a very large man talking to a teenage girl down the aisle from where I was standing. I couldn’t hear what he…
PMP:019 Key Responsibility Areas for Your School Team
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I transitioned from teaching to school admin, I was surprised at the many moving parts outside the classroom that keep schools running smoothly. Even with all the ways I prepared, it still took…
Countdown End-of-School Year
My school is quickly approaching graduation. As we head into the last five weeks of school, I’m reminded that not all educators consider our North American summer the end of their school year. In Sydney, for instance, schools just ended…