-
5 Factors Principals Should Consider When Hiring Teachers
The process of hiring new teachers is one of the most crucial tasks that school principals undertake. As educational leaders, principals bear the responsibility of selecting candidates who not only possess the right qualifications, but also embody the values and principles that align with the school’s mission. Here are 5 essential factors that…
-
The Power of Flexibility: Why Student Data Dashboards Should Be Customizable
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the importance of data-driven decision-making cannot be overstated. Student data dashboards serve as invaluable tools for educators, administrators, and even students themselves. However, not all dashboards are created equal. The key to unlocking the full potential of these tools lies in their flexibility, adaptability, and customization. It…
-
Leadership Unboxed: A Slice of Wisdom from Pizza Toppings
In the delectable world of pizza, where flavors mingle and textures dance, lies a surprising reservoir of wisdom on leadership styles. As we savor each bite of our favorite pies, we can discern more than just the perfect blend of ingredients – we can uncover valuable insights into the art of school leadership.…
-
5 Elements Of Mastery Learning
Mastery learning is a transformative educational approach that places emphasis on ensuring that every student attains a deep and thorough understanding of core concepts before progressing to more advanced material. Embracing mastery learning involves a shift from traditional, time-bound models of instruction to a more personalized and flexible methodology. In this approach, the…
-
5 Ways Principals Can Reduce Conflicts Between Teachers
Decreasing conflicts between teachers is essential for maintaining a positive and productive school environment. Principals can play a crucial role in fostering a collaborative and harmonious atmosphere among the staff. Here are five ways principals can reduce conflicts between teachers.
-
Got Data, Now What?
Using data to make informed decisions both in the classroom and in the front office is nothing new. Students have been taking standardized assessments for decades. Schools have also tracked attendance, disciplinary incidents, and formative assessments for years. The issue for most schools is not a lack of data, but having too much…
-
10 Ways To Rethink Seating Arrangements
Different classroom seating arrangements are important because they provide educators with versatile tools to tailor the learning environment to various teaching objectives and student needs. These arrangements influence student engagement, interaction, and learning experiences. By offering a range of seating options, teachers in all levels can create dynamic spaces that accommodate different learning…
-
5 Ways To Support Substitute Teachers
A recent National Center of Education Statistics representative survey of schools across the country also found that 72 percent of public schools had higher teacher absenteeism rates than before the pandemic. Substitute teachers will continue to be needed in schools across the country. Supporting substitute teachers is crucial for maintaining a positive and…
-
6 Leadership Styles From The Cast of Friends
The TV show “Friends” features six main characters, each with their unique personalities and leadership traits. Running from 1994-2004, many current school leaders came of age while “Friends” dominated TV. Here are some notable leadership traits associated with the main characters: Monica Geller: Monica is known for her organizational skills, attention to detail,…
-
5 Things Principals Should Avoid At The Beginning of the Year
At the beginning of the school year, principals play a crucial role in setting the tone and establishing a positive working and learning environment for students, teachers, and staff. For principals who are new to their school, these first impressions are critical. While there is much to do before the students arrive, there…
-
5 Leadership Styles From The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls impart valuable leadership lessons through their dynamic and diverse personalities. Firstly, they teach us the importance of effective communication and the power of assertiveness. Secondly, they emphasize the significance of embracing change and being adaptable. Thirdly, they highlight the value of compassion and empathy. Lastly, they emphasize the wisdom that…
-
5 Ways Schools Can Prevent Vaping
The dangers of vaping in children are a growing concern due to the potential health risks associated with e-cigarette use. The Food and Drug Administration reported in December of 2022 that 14.1% of high school students and 3.3% of middle school students use e-cigarettes regularly. There are many obvious dangers for individuals who…
-
This Testing Season, Let’s Plan for Success
Every educator wants to see their students succeed – both in school and beyond. We do our best to help them grow while fostering a mindset of curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. However, at some point every student must be assessed on what they’ve learned, and this can lead to problems. After a…
-
Transforming Education with ChatGPT 5 Ways Schools Can Benefit
As a large language model, ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the way schools approach education. From personalized learning to assistive technology, here are five ways ChatGPT can be used in schools: 2. Homework Help: ChatGPT can be used as a virtual tutor, providing students with homework help and study support. Students can…
-
Beyond Tests: 5 Alternative Assessment Strategies
We know assessments — both formative and summative — are critical components of teaching and learning, but so often they become straight-up burdens. At best, they can be boring and uninformative. At worst, they can take on a life of their own, and overtake what we know is most important in the learning…
-
Teacher Walk-up Song List
Baseball players have walk up songs. Teachers, principals, and staff members should have one too! Recently I asked The Principal’s Desk Facebook Group members what would be their walk up song as they arrived on campus? Hundreds of educators replied. Here are some of their answers: Welcome To The Jungle – Guns and…
-
5 Educational Concepts To Eliminate in 2023
The start of a new school or calendar year gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on what is working and what needs to change. This is the 7th installment of 5 Educational Concepts We Need to Eliminate. The first installment was written back in 2017. This article series has been read…
-
5 Leadership Styles From Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso is arguably one of the best shows out there right now. The strength of the show is centered around the 5 main characters: Ted Lasso, Coach Beard, Roy Kent, Rebecca Welton, and Nathan Shelley. Each has their own individual leadership and communication style. Each character could be a study in leadership…
-
7 Ways to Kick-Start Student Engagement
We surveyed administrators in the fall of 2021 and again in 2022 to discover the top concerns on K-12 administrators minds. In 2021, the top 3 concerns were learning loss, mental health, and teacher morale. And in 2022, the top 3 concerns were student engagement, improving teaching and learning, and teacher morale. So,…
-
5 Ways to Get Started With Project-Based Learning
It’s time our schools function less as factories that churn out pupils laden with decontextualized content knowledge, and more as innovation zones that develop the next generation of problem solvers. What if schools were beacons of curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking? There’s never been a better time to create classrooms that matter, to…
-
5 Must Haves For Your School’s PLCs
Many schools claim to have productive and comprehensive Professional Learning Communities. However, most of these schools are only scratching the surface when it comes to true collaboration and creating a student-centered approach. There are several elements that must be in place for any PLC to be successful and purposeful. If these elements are…
-
Essential Topics at June 20-21 Online Education Conference
One glance at the flyer above, and you’ll find some must-have presentations! From literacy and numeracy to data-driven MTSS strategies, you’ll discover workshops that you’ll need in order to plan your PD for the 2022-23 academic year. Our speakers and facilitators are preparing to engage you in meaningful conversations so you can immediately…
-
Opening Speaker: Sara Truebridge
It is with great enthusiasm that Dr. Sara Truebridge will be kicking off our June 20-21 Online Conference. Sara is an researcher in resilience and growth mindsets. She will be speaking about what protective factors build successful students despite experiencing any setbacks. Learning through a pandemic has been trauma-inducing for some students (and…
-
Find Your Heart: 3 Ways to Reclaim Your Love for Education
If you feel like this year has been more stressful, more overwhelming, and more difficult to find the joy in education than ever before, you’re not alone. With pandemic protocols, political unrest, and increasing workloads and responsibilities ravishing our schools, the heart of education can at times feel lost. It doesn’t have to be…
-
Teachers on the Brink: 4 Ways of Protecting Teacher Morale and Mental Health
This goes without saying, yet it’s too important not to mention: Educators had a positively traumatic end to the 2019-20 school year, found themselves in a constant state of adaptation in the 2020-21 school year, and entered 2021-22 with a false sense of optimism, almost willing it to be a normal school year.…
-
Toxic Positivity is Hurting Education
One of the most interesting and polarizing concepts in education that has popped up in recent years is the notion of “toxic positivity”. Healthline.com reports that with toxic positivity, negative emotions are seen as inherently bad. Instead, positivity and happiness are compulsively pushed, and authentic human emotional experiences are denied, minimized, or invalidated.…
-
Filling in the Gaps: Collecting and Analyzing the Right Student Data
We were all hoping to wake up one morning and things would be back to normal. Normal work, normal play, normal school, normal lives. We need to face the facts. We just aren’t there yet. As we look at the 2021-22 school year, we must do so with honesty, realism, and eyes wide…
-
5 Ways Schools Should Change After COVID-19
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. In the days that followed, schools shut their doors to in-person learning, forcing educators around the world to rethink how to deliver meaningful and engaging instruction remotely. Many educational organizations were not prepared for such a shift as teachers and students…
-
5 Educational Concepts to Eliminate in 2024
As we say goodbye to 2023 and welcome in 2024, I am excited to share The Principal’s Desk final blog of the year: 5 educational concepts to leave behind, expel from school, terminate from existence, and to move away from in 2024! This is the 8th installment of this long running and popular…
Welcome to The Principal’s Desk blog! Through this blog, I aim to share my expertise, insights, and experiences as a teacher, principal, professor of education, author, and thought partner. Join me on this journey as we explore the world of educational leadership, instruction, culture, technology and more!
Find us on:
Join the fun!
Stay updated with our latest recipes and other news by joining our newsletter.
The Principal's Desk 