Ep #127: Possibility

Possibility

We are into the month of June, and because of the uncertain and challenging times we’re facing in our schools right now, I want this month to be all about what is possible. So many school leaders are dreading what the return to campus learning will look like, but I want you to look at this as a time of opportunity and innovation.

Throughout history, society has faced problems, and somebody has stepped up and devised a solution in the face of the seemingly unsolvable. Everything that we value, whether it’s something we use physically or a teaching method, was originally just an idea that didn’t exist outside of the innovator’s mind. So, I’m posing today that now is the time to use your thoughts wisely and make the impossible possible.

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Ep #126: Saying Goodbye to the End of the Year

Saying Goodbye to the End of the Year

I’ve been hearing from a lot of my clients and my friends in the industry lately about the immense sense of sadness that they won’t be able to see out the school year, see their students move on, and generally say goodbye to another chapter in the normal way. This unusual time has brought up a lot of emotions, but this is a crushing one that so many teachers and school leaders are dealing with.

For a lot of people, this situation is manifesting itself as grief, saying goodbye to the end of the year before they were ready. And what’s worse, because we didn’t get a chance to prepare, allowing ourselves to experience these emotions is extremely difficult, and instead, we find ourselves resisting, which only makes things worse in the long run.

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Ep #125: Staffing from a Distance

Staffing from a Distance

Now that all of my clients have settled into running their schools from home, more and more decisions are having to be made away from campus. And as a lot of my clients are new school leaders or are aiming to become a principal in the near future, they’re dealing with a lot of these decisions for the first time, and the distance isn’t making things any easier.

I want to share with all you listeners what I’ve been coaching my clients through the past few weeks. I’ve had clients interviewing for their first principal position, giving interviews to candidates for teaching jobs, helping new staff settle into their jobs, and even having to fire people. I’ve been coaching on all these things for years, but social distancing has brought a whole new dimension to all of this.

 

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Ep #124: Balancing Home and Working from Home

Balancing Home and Working from Home

As a principal, balancing work and home life has always been incredibly tricky. But now that we have found ourselves working from home, this balancing act has become pretty much impossible. Even when we get some sense that we’re moving in the right direction, something always seems to come up and we feel misaligned.

This is even worse when your own kids are involved. You’re trying to engage your students in learning, and you have your own children in the background who have their own needs, and feeling like you’re taking care of both of these areas is a tall order. So, what can we do about this?

 

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Ep #123: The Myth of “Behind”

The Myth of “Behind”

As I’m sure you’re aware, there are many discussions surrounding education at the moment. Everything is changing, so I’m going to use the podcast this month to walk through some of the issues that are coming up in the media and the conversations on social media and offer some more positive and productive ways to approach leading our schools now and into the future.

I was reading one article this week and the theme running throughout it was that, because of the circumstances born out of this pandemic, our schools and students are behind. This is a word that the educational world has always used to describe underperforming schools or kids who are struggling, but does the notion of being behind really help anyone?

 

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Ep #122: (Part Two) Moving Forward: Goals

(Part Two) Moving Forward: Goals

With all the stress and uncertainty around the coronavirus and its impact on our work in the field of education, as well as life in general, it’s incredibly important that we do everything we can to keep moving forward and avoiding the misery that, if left unchecked, we could find ourselves in.

It can seem like planning heavily for the future right now doesn’t make much sense, but honestly, how you think about the future will shape the experience you have in the present. And if you can expand how you think about the future, your capacity to have a positive experience in this moment will expand in ways you couldn’t imagine.

 

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Ep #121: (Part One) Moving Forward

(Part One) Moving Forward

Throughout the month of April, I’ve been discussing the coronavirus and its impact on your role as a school leader. Now that the dust is settling and we’re all getting used to what’s going on, I want to start discussing how we can begin moving forward in a way that serves our schools and us as leaders.

It can seem like the realization that we have a total lack of control at the moment is a thought that we are thinking. However, it is actually a circumstance: a true fact that is indisputable. And the sooner we can accept this, we can adapt to our new situation and really start to make the difference we really want to make for our school community.

 

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Ep #120: The 50:50 Balance of School Leadership

The 50:50 Balance of School Leadership

Welcome to the latest episode of this month’s series on empowered school leadership during a crisis. As a school leader, whether you’re brand new or a veteran, you’re likely experiencing a lot of uncertainty around your job. Whether it’s figuring out how to set up Zoom, getting meal services to kids, or how to set up homework and interacting with your staff and boss, everyone is having a different experience.

The truth is that we’ve all always had problems. You had issues in the past that felt like the biggest hurdles to move past, and this will be the case in the future too, once the pandemic is over. There is always a 50:50 balance that exists between the positive and the negative, and my goal is to help you see how embracing the 50% that might not be ideal right now can allow you to enjoy the 50% that is good.

 

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Ep #119: Your Role as a Leader During Crisis

Your Role as a Leader During Crisis

Our schools are going through a period of real chaos right now. Even though we’re in the midst of a crisis, kids still need to learn, your job goes on, and your staff and the parents of your students are still looking to you for direction. And all of this is going on in a very uncertain atmosphere.

As a leader, people are going to look to you for answers. And the truth is, this is the first time you’ve dealt with this too, so you’re not always going to be able to help ease their nerves in that moment. And the sooner you can be comfortable with that, the more you will be able to serve in the ways that you actually are capable of.

 

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Ep #118: Coaching Yourself Through Crisis

Coaching Yourself Through Crisis

We are certainly going through some testing times at the moment and the coronavirus has had a profound impact on our schools and all of our school leaders. So, I’m going to deviate from my original episode schedule to bring you some help with navigating this unchartered territory we find ourselves in.

I truly believe that the situation that we’re going through is the absolute best opportunity to put into practice and perfect the work of self-coaching. Managing our thoughts and emotions and coaching ourselves is the best strategy for any challenge you face as a principal, and dealing with the Coronavirus is no different. Our thoughts determine the actions and results we yield, and we can’t afford to get caught up in problematic thoughts right now.

 

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