The Principal Exchange Podcast

In this episode, Sarah and Andra continue The Five Fix series — and we're turning the questions around. Think about how many questions a principal answers in a day, from the minute you walk in until the minute you leave. Someone always needs a decision, an answer, or your opinion. But today, the questions are for you! We share five questions worth coming back to in the middle of a normal school day — not a reflection journal or another checklist, just questions that help you make better decisions. The reframe is that the questions we ask ourselves influence what we notice, what we prioritize, and how we respond — and being needed isn't the same as being effective. Some days you'll only have time for one of them, and that's fine! Because sometimes the best way to become a better leader is to start asking yourself better questions. This is Episode 2 of 5 in the Five Fix series. Next up: 5 Traits That Are Actually Leadership Strengths. Check out TPE Lead! If you haven't already, get signed up for TPE Live. Follow us: @theprincipalexchange Check out this week's partner, Snorkl and get started for free: Snorkl link

In this episode, Sarah and Andra kick off a brand-new series for November, The Five Fix Series—five quick, practical fixes for common school leadership challenges, in episodes short enough to actually fit into a busy principal's week. And this first one starts with a question schools don't ask often enough: we're really good at adding things—a new program, a new form, a new expectation, a new committee—but how often do we stop and ask what we should quit doing? We talk through five things we'd seriously consider removing, or at least doing differently: meetings that could have been an email, schoolwide solutions for individual problems, collecting things nobody ever uses, doing things just because we've always done them, and adding something new without deciding what comes off. The reframe running through all five is simple—every minute spent on something that isn't helping is a minute taken away from something that could. Quitting something doesn't mean lowering expectations. It means being more intentional about where we put our time and energy! This is Episode 1 of 5 in the Five Fix series. Next up: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Day! Check out TPE Lead! Get signed up for TPE Live! Follow us: @theprincipalexchange

In this episode, Andra sits down with Lisa Gray, a veteran teacher, to get a unique teacher's perspective on how to build a culture of creative teaching — and what it looks like when a teacher is actually given room to teach creatively. Lisa shares how she does it in her own classroom: the way she plans for curiosity over compliance, the resources she reaches for — including Twinkl — when she wants something engaging without spending her whole evening building it from scratch, and the small choices that turn a standard lesson into something kids remember. And they talk about the other half of it: what the admin provides. Because creative teaching doesn't happen on a teacher's grit alone — it happens when a leader protects the time, trusts the teacher's judgment, and celebrates the attempt, not just the polished result. Andra and Lisa get honest about what that support looks like in practice, and what happens when it's missing. If you've ever wished your building felt a little more alive — a little less worksheet, a little more wonder — this one's for you. Check out TPE Lead! Follow us: @theprincipalexchange Check out our episode sponsor: Twinkl Link to their website: https://www.twinkl.com/r/18p0e1 Link to the 7-day commitment-free Twinkl trial: https://www.twinkl.com/r/1dcpv1  

In this final episode of our five-belief series, Sarah and Andra explain why adults in a school are the key lever for student success. We discuss giving adults clarity on goals and roles, treating students as "our" students, the importance of fresh starts each day, building leaders through delegation, and checking the pulse of staff. This is Episode 5 of 5. If you haven't listened to the whole belief series, we'd encourage you to go back and start with Episode 55: What Do You Believe? Check out TPE Lead! Follow us: @theprincipalexchange Also, check out this episode's partner sponsor, Kids Discover www.kidsdiscover.com Make sure you're following us: @theprincipalexchange

In Episode 4 of our Five Beliefs Series, Sarah and Andra talk about what they mean when they say: Behavior is a Symptom. We explain how we believe that every behavior communicates something, why we truly believe that all students want to be successful, and why expectations beat 'rules' every time! We also discuss designing consequences that teach, the power of relationships, and the importance of consistency across staff.  This is Episode 4 of 5. Next up: Adults are the Lever. Check out TPE Lead! Follow us: @theprincipalexchange Check out our episode sponsor: Twinkl Link to their website: https://www.twinkl.com/r/18p0e1 Link to the 7-day commitment-free Twinkl trial: https://www.twinkl.com/r/1dcpv1