The Modern Principal Podcast

The Elusive Unicorn of Work/Life Balance

Ever feel like work is taking over every facet of your life? Or you are moody, cranky and just a wreck at home and at school? We hear that! And we've been there. Work and life balance is a challenge for those of us in education and educational leadership. Work/life balance isn't something you achieve and can check off your list. It's something you are constantly having to monitor and make adjustments depending on the season of your life. Join Karen and Christy this week as they share some stories from personal experience as well as tips they've picked up along the way from other scholars in the field of time management.

The School of the Future: Don't Wait - Create!

What's working, what isn't and what could be...in relation to facility design?? Not the most riveting concept that's ever been podcasted on before, but Karen and Christy think creating a school to meet the needs of the future is something we all should be dreaming about in education.

 

In this podcast, we stick with our scholar meets soul approach -- exploring what research says our spaces and places should be to support our students and what we know our schools need NOW to enhance the work we do. Join in the conversation and let your mind dream of what could be with the schools of the future. 

Cha-cha-cha Changes: Experiencing Curveballs in your Career

Be prepared for a different kind of podcast today. With some unexpected news for Christy this month, we decided to dedicate a special episode to when unexpected change occurs in your career. After four years at one elementary school, Christy is moving to another within her district. In this Q & A session, Karen and Christy uncover initial reactions and start to brainstorm plans to move forward. We discuss the importance of vulnerability and honesty in your professional journey. If you've ever experienced unexpected change in your work, this episode of the pod is for you!

The Principal, The Coach, and Me...the AP. Where do I fit in?

Stepping outside the classroom into a leadership role can feel lonely and at times, isolating.  It becomes even more of a challenge when a few members of the 'lead team' have a closer personal relationship and you get left out of conversations.  In this week's episode, Karen and Christy tackle a scenario shared by an assistant principal who is struggling to stay connected to the administrative goals of her team when the principal and the instructional coach inadvertently have conversations without her present.  

 

Using our patented 'scholar, system and soul' approach, we take on this situation from two different angles--what are some habits of practice the head principal can do to foster a collegial relationship with the entire team and, as the assistant principal, what are some key moves she can make now to create criteria for effective teamwork?  Join us for this frank discussion about the tricky balance of friendship in your working relationships.

Crisis Communication

In this episode of The Modern Principal Podcast, Karen and Christy share what they've learned about navigating communication in the Covid pandemic to other crises. Whether they are big and long-lasting, or small and quick, every crisis requires communication, and TMP helps you find proactive ways to prevent mistakes and also how to be more responsive in the reactive moments you can't prepare for. They'll cover defining crises, training your staff, and how to ensure you're providing communication, even when it doesn't seem like there is anything to share. 

Building Leadership Teams: From Existing to Effective

Building leadership teams is an essential component to a principal's effectiveness, but how do you ensure the team is the most effective it can be? Karen and Christy reflect on their own lessons learned in teamwork, as well as, use the expertise from researcher, Bill McKeever (Nine Lessons of Successful School Leadership Teams), to uncover the best wisdom in developing the leadership team's success. They'll cover the people to include on the team, the types of tasks with which to engage, and tips for the principal in managing a team of leaders. 

Surprises, Celebrations, & Support: The Stuff That Keeps Staff Happy

This is one of the most commonly-asked questions we get at The Modern Principal, "How do you celebrate and support your staff, especially now in a pandemic?" For sure, teachers need morale boosters and a positive work environment, but even more than that, teachers need their leaders to advocate for, support, listen to, and trust them. On this episode of The Modern Principal Podcast, Christy and Karen discuss the morale boosters - sharing some of our favorites - that keep the good vibes flowing. We also share the ways school leaders can empower and support teachers and what research says is the best way to retain your quality staff. Join us! Subscribe and rate!

Tackling Tough Teammates

Christy and Karen tackle another scenario this week that appears to be about troubles with collaboration. As they dig deeper, however, it's revealed that one individual is hindering the forward progress and impact of the team. Using our systems, scholar, and soul approach, The Modern Principal creates a plan to address the root of the issue, not just the surface behaviors (but we address those, too!). Take a listen as we dive into differentiated supervision, direct conversations, and helping all teachers unlock their potential for their students. 

When Visitors are Impolite to Staff

Karen and Christy tackle a scenario sent from a listener - what happens when visitors are consistently impolite to to staff members? Using scholar, system, and soul, The Modern Principal deep dives the research and our experience to share proactive and reactive strategies to invest in our families for long-term relationships. 

New Admin, Staff Revolts

Karen and Christy of The Modern Principal reflect on a scenario submitted by a listener: A new admin team takes over after the previous principal had been in the building for 15 years and had much different expectations. The staff is rejecting lesson plan requirements, questioning new philosophies of student abilities, and generally has low morale. Listen for how to use scholar, systems, and soul to help problem-solve this complex and real-life scenario.