Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker

This week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker discuss helping teachers avoid burnout. They start out the conversation by going over the differences between fatigue and burnout. Next, they spend some time talking about the benefits of proactively addressing burnout. Then, Will and Jen address the ways that school leaders can be proactive about teacher burnout. School leaders do have some responsibility to provide teachers with the tools they need to avoid burnout. Some ways that leaders can address the risk of burnout with teachers:  Auditing the invisible load Learning to protect focus over volume Normalizing boundaries  These three practices are a great way for leaders to open the discussion about burnout with their teachers and minimize the risk of teacher burnout down the line. The tools discussed in this week’s episode are also great ways for leaders to proactively address their own burnout. Will and Jen remind listeners that this job is a gift, but even gifts can be handled in a way that leads to burnout. Give yourself grace as you navigate the highly emotional and impactful work you do!  Now It’s Your Turn: Think about a time that you felt exhausted or lonely in your work. What did you do to resolve that?  Listen to the full conversation for more takeaways! If you would like to read Jen Schwanke’s full post about burnout, you can find it here. As always, thank you for doing what matters! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Helping Teachers Avoid Burnout appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before each week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: If we know best practices for strong student outcomes, why are so many schools not implementing them? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Mara Tieken: Mara Casey Tieken is a professor of education at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Her research focuses on educational equity for rural students and communities, including rural college access, rural school closure, and rural racial justice. She is the author of Educated Out: How Rural Students Navigate Elite Colleges—and What it Costs Them (University of Chicago Press, 2025), which was a 2025 American Educational Studies Association Critics’ Choice Book Award winner, and Why Rural Schools Matter (University of North Carolina Press, 2014). She is currently working on two projects: one focused on school closures in rural Black communities, and another studying rural-serving college access organizations. An award-winning teacher, Mara also designed and maintains a web-based toolkit for rural communities fighting school closure. She began her career in education as a third-grade teacher in rural Tennessee. “We give rural students an awful choice: college or community. We need to help them think about it as navigating different worlds rather than choosing one or the other.” Mara Tieken In this week’s episode, Dr. Jen Schwanke leads the conversation with author and researcher Dr. Mara Tieken to explore the unique challenges and strengths of rural education. Drawing from her experience teaching in rural Tennessee, Mara discusses the invisible barriers that rural students face when navigating higher education and the cultural cost of leaving home. The “College vs. Community” Paradox: Rural students often feel they must choose between pursuing a degree and maintaining their community identity. Educators must help students see college not as a replacement for their roots, but as a path to navigate multiple worlds. Recognizing Rural Assets: Rural students bring immense practical skills—like problem-solving, development of systems, and establishing routines—that are often undervalued in traditional academic settings. High school leaders can help students frame these life experiences as professional and intellectual strengths. The Myth of “Schooling” vs. “Schools”: There is a critical distinction between the business of education (test scores, mandates, data) and the sanctuary of a school (relationships, safety, and community). Successful principals “clear the clutter” so that the human element of the school remains intact. The True Cost of School Closures: Research shows that closing rural schools rarely saves the money promised by policymakers, yet it can flatten a community’s social and economic hub. Listening to student voices during these transitions is vital for mitigating trauma and preserving community hope. Normalizing Help-Seeking: Many first-generation rural students feel isolated in elite environments because they aren’t aware that certain resources (like emergency funds or tutoring) are meant for everyone. Administrators can bridge this gap by coaching students on how to advocate for themselves before they leave high school. Staying Connected: If you would like to learn more about Dr. Mara Tieken, you can visit her Linked In profile. The post Why Rural Schools Matter with Dr. Mara Tieken – PMP518 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Thinking about Wendell Berry’s Lessons for Schools When Andy Catlett, Wendell Berry’s character, a nine-year-old boy, visits his grandparents in 1943 over a Christmas vacation, he narrates the everyday happenings of a three-day journey. In one scene, he describes his Grandma’s button box. According to Andy, everyone had button boxes in every home he visited in those days — an assortment of glass, brass, or pearl buttons in different shapes and colors collected over the years from worn or discarded garments. These could be used to adorn new handmade clothes or to replace the lost buttons on other shirts or dresses. For Andy Catlett, playing in these boxes was like searching for hidden treasure. On this particular visit, however, Andy realized he no longer liked playing with buttons. In one sense, he was surprised at the realization. On the other hand, it was an acknowledgment that growing up means losing interest in some things and finding it in others. At the same time, Andy was realizing his interests were shifting to more adventuresome objects like rifles or mule teams. Even as he thought of this moment from childhood, the grief in his voice is evident as he says, “Maybe it was because I was now traveling away from home…by myself, but I knew suddenly and finally that my time of playing with buttons was past, just as one summer evening a year or two later, when I had found a perfect slingshot fork in the top of a tree, it came to me that I was no longer interested in slingshots, and I climbed down and left the perfect fork uncut” (Berry 457). In addition to Andy’s realization that button boxes and slingshots had lost their interest for him, he also realizes that small farming practices are going out of style as well, and this sad reality brings more serious consequences for entire communities. In fact, it is this loss that shows up most as one of the major themes for most of Wendell Berry’s characters. Almost all of Berry’s books contain themes that run up against the losses of treasures we so easily discard in the name of progress or modernization. From his nonfiction work, The Unsettling of America, to his poems of protest against practices like strip-mining, Berry’s works create a masterpiece of classics that help us relate to the everyday lives of his characters while yearning to redeem or repair the damage being done to their places and lives. Some of these losses, Berry acknowledges, are a natural part of living. Others, however, he shows, have been thrust upon us by outside forces bent on taking rather than giving. In his novel about Hannah Coulter, the grandmotherly narrator is able to show her patriotism while also pointedly convincing you of her hatred of war and violence. Jayber Crow, the town barber, in the book he narrates, helps readers grieve the loss of forests and natural field boundaries that protect farms from erosion and land devastation. As a Kentucky farmer, Berry lived near the very Kentucky River he describes in his fictional town of Port William. He also practiced what he preached. The Berry Foundation, established by his family, has helped small farmers reclaim more than 2,000 acres of Kentucky farmland to reestablish regenerative farming practices that are not dependent on industrialized farming methods. What do Wendell Berry’s stories have to do with school leadership? Growing a community of learners can very easily be compared to the growth of a healthy garden or farm. Both require healthy soil as the culture for healthy growth. Both require a commitment to long-term investment of careful husbandry versus quick fixes or trendy applications. Both require an investment in the people involved in the work as much as the work itself. As I’ve said in other posts, strong schools (or any community, for that matter) require commitments to three areas: strong shared beliefs, committed people of strong character, and sustainable, effective systems. Strong beliefs include the shared values that every child can learn and include an unbending commitment to doing whatever it takes to hold them to high expectations while providing high supports. Committed people have the hearts, not just the heads, for good teaching and learning. Character is more important than competency, and competency goes much further when carried by people with character. And without strong, sustainable systems or structures in place, you cannot achieve outcomes. You can attract good people with the right beliefs, and you can have the right collective outcomes in mind, but if the structures are weak, many of those same people will grow frustrated in the work and likely go somewhere else. It is the responsibility of leaders to set the tone for beliefs, to invest in supporting people, and to create the structures for sustainable outcomes. This school year, you will be venturing into the hard work of growing a healthy learning environment. Wendell Berry’s books remind me of the wonders and joys of being a child. They also remind me to honor the legacies of brave everyday men and women who are often our best examples of human flourishing. He calls his readers to think deeply about our relationships not just to people but also to places. He inspires us to improve or redeem the places and times we live in now, not just yearn for the past or look to the future. Wendell Berry’s ability to take simple, everyday occurrences and turn them into moments of reflection is a gift that keeps giving over and over again in his books and poems. These sentiments may be best captured in one of his most famous poems, “The Peace of Wild Things,” where he says: When despair for the world grows in meand I wake in the night at the least soundin fear of what my life and my children’s lives might be,I go and lie down where the wood drakerests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.I come into the peace of wild thingswho do not tax their lives with forethoughtof grief. I come into the presence of still water.And I feel above me the day-blind starswaiting with their light. For a timeI rest in the grace of the world, and am free. From The Selected Poems of Wendell Berry (Counterpoint, 1999) Now It’s Your Turn This school year, what commitments can you make to the beliefs, people, and systems that produce healthy learning outcomes? How can you stay timely in your understanding of your students and your practices while also holding to the timeless principles that have always made learning possible and will keep on working long after we’re gone? Other Source Cited:Berry, Wendell. Port William Novels & Stories: The Civil War to World War II. Edited by Jack Shoemaker, Library of America, 2018. Listen to Will & Jen discuss this tribute: The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – A Tribute to Wendell Berry appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What is a story with a student, teacher or community member that reminded you why you are an educator? Listen in to hear their response! They also invite listeners to reflect on this question as they finish their work week. Meet Chien Nee: Chien “Ray” Nee, is a transformational education leader with more than two decades of experience. He currently serves as a Performance Specialist in Maryland’s second-largest school district, where he supports, monitors, and evaluates instruction across 104 elementary schools, impacting more than 50,000 students. Chien’s work is grounded in a belief in thinking bigger. Before moving into district leadership, he served as principal of a K–8 charter school, where he led the school to its first four-star rating on the Maryland State Report Card, a distinction it maintained throughout his tenure. He also served as an assistant principal and resident principal in Baltimore City Public Schools. A graduate of the New Leaders program, Chien believes teachers are the engine of school success. His leadership focuses on instructional rigor, intentional coaching, strong relationships, and celebrating great teaching, with a commitment to the daily habits that drive lasting student achievement. A Consistent Mission with a Broader Lens: Chien emphasizes that while his role has evolved from classroom teacher to school leader to district-level support, his core mission remains the same: creating meaningful academic impact for students. What has changed is his vantage point. He now sees how individual teacher effectiveness scales into system-wide success, reinforcing the importance of every educator’s role. The Core of Student Achievement: At the heart of Chien’s message are three essential elements that drive student success: engagement, relationships, and relevance. When teachers actively engage students, build strong relationships, and make learning meaningful, classrooms become places where students want to be. These elements not only improve learning outcomes but also influence key indicators like attendance and overall student motivation. Supporting Leaders and Schools: Chien describes his work as deeply collaborative, supporting district leaders, principal supervisors, and school principals. His favorite part of the role is being on-site in schools, working directly with leadership teams that include principals, assistant principals, and teacher leaders. Through job-embedded professional development, he helps teams strengthen their instructional practices while honoring the unique ecosystem of each school. Building Trust Through Relationships: A key part of Chien’s leadership approach is building trust through authentic relationships. He explains that effective coaching begins with being a reliable and consistent thought partner. Because leaders’ time is limited, every interaction must be meaningful and valuable. Trust is built over time through consistency, responsiveness, and a genuine commitment to supporting others. Balancing Expectations and Support: When it comes to holding leaders accountable while supporting their growth, Chien offers a practical framework built on three guiding questions: What do they already know? What are they currently wrestling with? What will be immediately useful? These questions ensure that coaching is personalized, timely, and actionable, helping leaders grow in ways that directly impact their work. Creating Healthy School Systems: Chien also shares insight into building healthy systems within schools. He encourages leaders to prioritize visibility and connection, making time for brief but meaningful interactions with teachers throughout the day. Small actions—like visiting classrooms or leaving positive feedback—can shape a school’s culture and climate. He challenges leaders to increase their presence intentionally, knowing that these moments build trust and reinforce support. Consistency Over Intensity: One of the most powerful ideas from the conversation is the importance of consistency over intensity. Sustainable impact comes from daily habits and intentional actions repeated over time, not from occasional bursts of effort. By consistently showing up, engaging with teachers, and supporting leaders, school leaders can create lasting and meaningful change. Bloom Where You Are Planted: As the episode closes, Chien leaves listeners with a simple but powerful message: “bloom where you are planted.” He reminds educators that while the work is challenging, focusing on doing the best with what is in front of you will lead to meaningful impact. Staying Connected: If you would like to learn more about Chien’s work, visit his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiennee/ The post Teachers Are The Engine of School Success with Chien Nee – PMP 517 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Happy Monday, Principal Matters Listeners! This week, Jen Schwanke and I are talking about a term called “proflection”. Coined by Jen, the term “proflection” means “proactive reflection”. Typically, reflection is a passive process, but proflection is intentionally taking charge of what you intend with your work and what you think about your work. In practice, this looks like reflecting before an event, during the event, and after the event to figure out what you want the event to look like, how the event is going, and what you could have done differently. Jen says that there are four steps to proflection: Plan Pause (Perhaps) Pivot Plan Again This cycle will provide you with the ability to improve your practice as a leader through proflection. Listen in to hear all our takeaways.  Now It’s Your Turn: Reflecting is good, but what are you going to do with those reflections to improve your work or your school? Take some time this week to proactively reflect while you work.  Here is the link to purchase Jen’s audio book! Use code PRINCIPAL30 for a 30% discount! https://www.echopointbooks.com/cart/add/?id=45972673560749&quantity=1 Bulk pricing is available too! Contact [email protected] for special bulk pricing to gift this resource to your entire team! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Proflection appeared first on Principal Matters.