The Principal Center

Articles Index

103 articles from principalcenter.com, organized by category.

Classroom Walkthroughs & Observations (20)

  • [[classroom-walkthrough-frequently-asked-questions-instructional-leaders|Classroom Walkthrough FAQ for Instructional Leaders]]
  • [[classroom-walkthrough-forms-for-data-collection-feedback-a-guide-for-school-district-leaders|Classroom Walkthrough Forms for Data Collection & Feedback: A Guide for School & District Leaders]]
  • [[confronting-the-brutal-facts-with-15-walkthrough-weeks|Confronting the Brutal Facts with 15-Walkthrough Weeks]]
  • [[evidence-driven-teacher-observation-how-to-take-low-inference-notes-aligned-with-evaluation-criteria|Evidence-Driven Teacher Observation: How To Take Low-Inference Notes Aligned with Evaluation Criteria]]
  • [[get-current-get-classrooms|Get Current and Get Into Classrooms]]
  • [[get-into-classrooms-500-times-this-year-500c|Get Into Classrooms 500 Times This Year]]
  • [[how-to-make-classroom-walkthrough-form-google-forms-email-observation-notes-feedback-teachers-autocrat|How To Make A Classroom Walkthrough Form in Google Forms & Email Your Observation Notes & Feedback to Teachers with AutoCrat]]
  • [[how-to-schedule-protect-time-for-classroom-walkthroughs|How To Schedule & Protect Time for Classroom Walkthroughs]]
  • [[how-to-schedule-time-to-get-into-classrooms|How To Schedule Time To Get Into Classrooms]]
  • [[how-to-start-visiting-classrooms-after-putting-it-off-for-too-long|How To Start Visiting Classrooms After Putting It Off For Too Long]]
  • [[low-walls-for-protecting-time-for-classroom-visits|Low Walls for Protecting Time for Classroom Visits]]
  • [[observability-bias-crisis-instructional-leadership|The Observability Bias: A Crisis in Instructional Leadership]]
  • [[success-stories-leaders-made-500-classroom-visits-year|Success Stories: Leaders Who Made 500 Classroom Visits This Year]]
  • [[the-everyclassroom-challenge|The #EveryClassroom Challenge]]
  • [[the-principals-guide-to-taking-notes-in-teacher-observations|The Principal's Guide to Taking Notes in Teacher Observations]]
  • [[this-barely-counts-as-instructional-leadership-when-to-use-a-walkthrough-checklist|"This Barely Counts as Instructional Leadership" — When To Use A Walkthrough Checklist]]
  • [[track-classroom-visits|How To Track Your Classroom Visits]]
  • [[video-enhanced-professional-development-is-it-worth-the-risk|Video Enhanced Professional Development — Is It Worth The Risk?]]
  • [[visibility-zoom-the-evidence-of-practice-grid|Visibility & Zoom: The Evidence of Practice Grid]]
  • [[visit-everyclassroom-first-week-school|Visit #EveryClassroom The First Week of School]]
  • [[why-instructional-leaders-belong-in-classrooms|Why Instructional Leaders Belong In Classrooms]]

Teacher Feedback & Conversations (4)

  • [[classroom-conversations-for-leading-learning|Classroom Conversations for Leading Learning]]
  • [[how-to-avoid-leading-questions-in-feedback-conversations|How To Avoid Leading Questions in Feedback Conversations]]
  • [[the-instructional-leaders-guide-to-handwritten-notes-for-teachers|The Instructional Leader's Guide to Handwritten Notes for Teachers]]
  • [[two-kinds-of-writing-critical-for-principal-success|Two Kinds of Writing Critical for Principal Success]]

Teacher Evaluation (8)

  • [[growth-or-dismissal-two-paths-evaluation|Growth or Dismissal? Choosing Your Evaluation Path for Each Teacher]]
  • [[how-instructional-leaders-change-teacher-practice|How Instructional Leaders Change Teacher Practice]]
  • [[the-anna-karenina-instructional-leadership-challenge|The #AnnaKarenina Challenge]]
  • [[the-challenge-of-calibrating-teacher-observations|The Challenge of "Calibrating" Teacher Observations]]
  • [[the-principals-guide-to-writing-high-quality-evidence-driven-teacher-evaluations-quickly|The Principal's Guide to Writing High-Quality, Evidence-Driven Teacher Evaluations Quickly]]
  • [[using-the-evaluation-process-to-help-teachers-grow-whos-in-the-drivers-seat|Using The Evaluation Process To Help Teachers Grow: Who's In The Driver's Seat?]]
  • [[what-is-progressive-discipline-an-overview-for-school-leaders|What Is Progressive Discipline? An Overview for School Leaders]]
  • [[xbw|Using The Evaluation Process to Help Teachers Grow (Part 2)]]

Instructional Frameworks & Vision (10)

  • [[differentiated-instructional-leadership-developing-teacher-practice-through-autonomy|Differentiated Instructional Leadership: Developing Teacher Practice Through Autonomy]]
  • [[gap-vision-reality|Why There's A Gap Between Your Vision and Reality]]
  • [[how-instructional-leaders-can-develop-shared-expectations-in-3-steps|How Instructional Leaders Can Develop Shared Expectations, In 3 Steps]]
  • [[how-to-make-your-vision-specific-actionable|How To Make Your Vision Specific & Actionable]]
  • [[instructional-leadership-without-micromanaging|Instructional Leadership Without Micromanaging]]
  • [[instructional-purpose-the-right-practice-for-the-right-circumstances|Instructional Purpose: The Right Practice for the Right Circumstances]]
  • [[instructional-vision-what-practice-is-like|Instructional Vision: What Practice Is Like, Not What It Looks Like]]
  • [[observing-with-instructional-purpose-in-mind|Observing With Instructional Purpose In Mind]]
  • [[rubrics-as-growth-pathways-for-instructional-practice|Rubrics as Growth Pathways for Instructional Practice]]
  • [[the-iceberg-seeing-beneath-the-surface-of-teacher-practice|The Iceberg: Seeing Beneath the Surface of Teacher Practice]]
  • [[tier-3-instructional-leadership-building-systems-for-learning|Tier 3 Instructional Leadership: Building Systems for Learning]]
  • [[two-steps-turning-vision-into-instructional-framework|Two Steps for Turning Your Vision Into an Instructional Framework]]

School Improvement & Leadership (14)

  • [[a-school-with-no-principal-but-plenty-of-leadership|A School With No Principal (But Plenty of Leadership)]]
  • [[bubble-kid-logic-vs-equity-ethical-principles-for-resource-allocation|Bubble Kid Logic vs. Equity — Ethical Principles for Resource Allocation]]
  • [[build-capacity-instructional-leadership-organization|How To Build Capacity for Instructional Leadership In Your Organization]]
  • [[focus-leadership-for-strategic-simplicity|Focus: Leadership for Strategic Simplicity]]
  • [[first-order-work|First-Order vs. Meta-Work: It's Time To Scale Back To Keep Teachers From Quitting]]
  • [[how-to-build-capacity-for-instructional-leadership-in-your-organization|How To Build Capacity for Instructional Leadership In Your Organization]]
  • [[instructional-leadership-undermining-teaching-profession|Is Instructional Leadership Undermining the Teaching Profession?]]
  • [[jeff-bezos-on-handstands-and-high-standards|Jeff Bezos on Handstands and High Standards]]
  • [[lean-change-the-educational-leaders-guide-to-sustainable-improvement|Lean Change: The Educational Leader's Guide To Sustainable Improvement]]
  • [[my-top-10-recommended-books-for-school-leaders|My Top 10 Recommended Books for School Leaders]]
  • [[the-evidence-driven-leadership-manifesto|The Evidence-Driven Leadership Manifesto]]
  • [[the-high-performance-triangle|The High Performance Triangle]]
  • [[why-assessment-literacy-matters|Why Assessment Literacy Matters]]
  • [[lecturing-from-the-back-of-the-room-the-data-conspiracy|Lecturing from the Back of the Room: The Data Conspiracy]]

School Policies & Culture (6)

  • [[alternatives-to-collecting-lesson-plans-a-guide-for-school-administrators|Alternatives To Collecting Lesson Plans: A Guide for School Administrators]]
  • [[how-to-deal-with-a-boss-who-yells-at-you|How To Deal With A Boss Who Yells At You]]
  • [[rethinking-suspension-a-guide-for-equity-minded-instructional-leaders|Rethinking Suspension: A Guide for Equity-Minded Instructional Leaders]]
  • [[the-principals-guide-to-teacher-motivation-beyond-jeans-passes-other-extrinsic-rewards|The Principal's Guide to Teacher Motivation: Beyond Jeans Passes & Other Extrinsic Rewards]]
  • [[whole-staff-gift-ideas-for-school-leaders|Whole-Staff Gift Ideas for School Leaders]]
  • [[mental-health-days-for-educators|Mental Health Days For Educators]]

Productivity & Time Management (12)

  • [[0-emails-how-to-empty-your-inbox-every-day|0 Emails: How to Empty Your Inbox Every Day]]
  • [[4-ways-to-decide-what-not-to-delegate|4 Ways To Decide What Not To Delegate]]
  • [[balancing-stress-equation|Balancing the Stress Equation]]
  • [[do-you-need-a-workflow-for-that|Do You Need A Workflow For That?]]
  • [[ending-the-when-can-you-meet-back-and-forth-with-self-service-calendar-booking-tools|Ending the "When Can You Meet?" Back-and-Forth with Self-Service Calendar Booking Tools]]
  • [[how-habits-work|How Habits Work]]
  • [[how-to-clear-your-desk-and-keep-it-clean-a-guide-for-principals|How To Clear Your Desk And Keep It Clean — A Guide For Principals]]
  • [[instructional-leaders-can-create-healthy-work-life-boundaries|How Instructional Leaders Can Create Healthy Work-Life Boundaries]]
  • [[should-you-use-a-to-do-list|Should You Use A To-Do List?]]
  • [[the-48-hour-email-brevity-challenge|The 48-Hour Brevity Challenge]]
  • [[why-educators-need-a-hard-stop-to-the-work-day-parkinsons-law|Why Educators Need A "Hard Stop" To The Work Day — Parkinson's Law]]
  • [[why-we-require-you-to-open-or-click-our-emails|Thanks! You're Confirmed — Here's Why We Require You To Click Our Emails]]

Principal Wellbeing & Stress (3)

  • [[price-excellence-managing-stress-leadership|The Price of Excellence: Managing the Stress of Leadership]]
  • [[the-price-of-excellence-managing-the-stress-of-leadership|The Price of Excellence: Managing the Stress of Leadership (duplicate)]]
  • [[staying-in-the-game-preventing-principal-burnout|Staying In The Game: Preventing Principal Burnout]]

Job Search & Career (11)

  • [[how-to-be-taken-seriously-as-a-new-leader|How To Be Taken Seriously As A New Leader]]
  • [[how-to-get-your-resume-ready-for-admin-hiring-season|How To Get Your Resume Ready for Admin Hiring Season]]
  • [[how-to-hire-teachers-remotely-with-virtual-interviews|How To Hire Teachers Remotely with Virtual Interviews]]
  • [[how-to-organize-your-experience-on-your-resume-so-you-get-in-the-yes-pile|How To Organize Your Experience On Your Resume So You Get In The "YES" Pile]]
  • [[how-to-respond-when-someone-asks-you-for-a-reference-or-recommendation-letter|How To Respond When Someone Asks You For A Reference or Recommendation Letter]]
  • [[how-to-write-a-crushing-cover-letter|How to Write a Crushing Cover Letter For Principal/AP Jobs]]
  • [[no-one-wants-see-stupid-portfolio|Why No One Wants To See Your Stupid Portfolio]]
  • [[recommendation-letters-for-school-administrators-a-guide-for-candidates-their-references|Recommendation Letters for School Administrators: A Guide for Candidates & Their References]]
  • [[what-to-do-in-an-interview-when-you-dont-have-a-good-answer|What To Do In An Interview When You Don't Have A Good Answer]]
  • [[why-the-admin-job-search-is-won-in-advance|Why The Admin Job Search Is Won In Advance]]
  • [[winning-the-three-tournaments-of-the-school-administrator-job-search|Winning The Three Tournaments of the School Administrator Job Search]]

Students & Teaching (3)

  • [[setting-students-up-for-success-an-interview-with-mitch-weathers|Setting Students Up For Success — An Interview with Mitch Weathers]]
  • [[standing-desks-students-k-12-great-health-learning|Standing Desks for Students in K-12: Great For Health and Learning]]
  • [[struggling-to-connect-with-students-let-them-get-to-know-you|Struggling To Connect With Students? Let Them Get To Know You]]

Outdated / Do Not Import

  • [[how-to-convert-anything-youve-written-into-a-re-usable-template-with-repertoire|How To Convert Anything You've Written Into A Re-Usable Template with Repertoire]] (old Repertoire version)
  • [[new-in-repertoire-rapid-notetaking-features|New in Repertoire: Rapid Notetaking Features]] (old Repertoire version)
  • [[new-in-repertoire-keep-evaluation-criteria-in-view-with-pinned-snippets|New in Repertoire: Keep Evaluation Criteria In View with Pinned Snippets]] (old Repertoire version)
  • [[document-quick-no-feedback-visits-repertoire|How To Document Quick "No Feedback" Visits in Repertoire]] (old Repertoire version)
  • [[how-to-write-with-chatgpt-but-still-sound-like-yourself|How To Write With ChatGPT But Still Sound Like Yourself]] (Repertoire-specific)
  • [[brockton-special-school-committee-meeting-2024-01-31|Brockton Special School Committee Meeting 2024-01-31]] (one-off event)
  • [[educators-need-a-break-from-being-on-the-front-lines|Educators Need A Break from Being On The Front Lines]] (COVID-era)
  • [[why-twitter-doesnt-reach-families|Why Twitter Doesn't Reach Families]] (outdated platform)
  • [[darin-thompson-the-four-cornerstones-of-effective-schools-how-to-build-lasting-success|Darin Thompson — The Four Cornerstones of Effective Schools]] (PCR episode, not article)