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A Blog for School Leaders
Of Principal Concern
Of Principal Concern is a blog for exploring ideas and issues of importance to school leaders. It's more about practical ideas that principals can use tomorrow than it is about theories, but we'll get into hot issues fro m time to time too. We hope you'll use some of the ideas offered in our blog entries, and we hope you'll take time to comment and share ideas of your own, too, as we explore topics Of Principal Concern.
Explore our monthly archive of entries from...
November 2009
Cuts, Cuts, Everywhere: Even Principals Get the Ax
Just when we thought that budget cuts could not cut deeper, our hurting economy is forcing schools and districts to dig deeper for line items to chop. Some of the cuts we have read about recently make sense in trying times, but others verge on the absurd. (11/03/2009)
October 2009
Students’ Hard Work Educates Community About Recycling
Begun by Purdy (Missouri) High School students, the Purdy Recycling Project has become a community-wide program that is turning a profit, raising scholarship money for students, and serving as a model for similar programs in other communities. (10/27/2009)
Using Music to Teach Content Gets Rave Reviews from Students
Today, more than ever, wise teachers recognize the power that music possesses to teach new and difficult concepts. Take Alex Kajitani, for example. He is California’s Teacher of the Year for 2009, but he is probably best known as the Rappin’ Mathematician. (10/20/2009)
Heimlich Training for Staff Can Be a Life-Saver
The family of a boy who choked to death in an Indiana elementary school’s cafeteria was recently awarded $5 million in a lawsuit against the district. That award has spurred many schools to focus attention on training staff in the Heimlich maneuver. (10/13/2009)
Bits and Pieces #1
My files are full of ideas to share, so from time to time I will clean out my files by sharing a few “bits and pieces” --- things of interest, things to think about, or things to share with your staff or students. (10/06/2009)
September 2009
New Study Identifies Self-Control as One Key to Student Success
Teaching kids the skills of self-control used to be a parent's job, but most educators realize they play an important role in developing this skill. You can play a role too, with these valuable resources for your teachers and your students' parents. (09/29/2009)
'Tips for Teachers' Cards: Free for the Asking
Four "Tips for Teachers" cards serve as handy references for helping kids who deal with ADHD, thoughts of suicide, bullying, or abuse. Order a set of the complimentary cards to give to your teachers during American Education Week. (09/24/2009)
The Flu in School: Tools You Can Use
The news is full of dire predictions about the current flu season. But with a little prevention education you can help fend off its impact in your school. Included: A Sneezing 101 video, handwashing stickers, flu flyers to send home, more. (09/16/2009)
Video PD Spurs Engagement Through Humor
When administrators of the Mesquite (Texas) Independent School District wanted to drive home goals related to raising test scores and doing more classroom walkthroughs, one tool they used was humorous video parodies of popular TV commercials. (09/08/2009)
May 2009
‘Dictionary Project’ Will Soon Give Away Its 10 Millionth Dictionary
More than 9.9 million children have received dictionaries thanks to the generosity of sponsors who have participated in The Dictionary Project. Last year, about 2.5 million dictionaries were handed out. Have they handed out dictionaries in your school? (05/15/2009)
Cool School Tool: Stop the “Summer Slide” With the Scholastic Summer Challenge
The “summer slide” and research about summer reading losses are two of the reasons that Scholastic has create the Scholastic Summer Challenge. As always, Scholastic has created tons of fun for kids as well as great resources for parents and teachers. (05/08/2009)
April 2009
Kids Get Off Their Butts, Join the “Movement”
Most educators know that physical activity helps improve a kid’s ability to focus and learn. That connection between movement and learning has been getting a lot of press lately -- from studies to standing desks and stability balls. Gum chewing too. (04/21/2009)
How Did Your Students Recognize Earth Day?
Kids are celebrating Earth Day at two appropriately named schools. Read about a catalog canceling program at The Park School and a "See Ya" Styrofoam effort at The Garden School. What green activities did your students participate in on this Earth Day? (04/21/2009)
Every-Day Practice Pays: The Proof Is in the Test Scores
I've always been a firm believer that skills reinforced regularly are skills that stick. I was reminded of this today as I read about teachers in North Carolina who created "Hammer the Grammar," a school-wide effort to take the pain out of grammar instruction. (04/16/2009)
A Tough Act to Follow: Colin Powell Addresses NAESP Convention
Few people could follow an opening act like Sheldon Dudley's. The third grader from Louisiana opened a general session of the 2009 NAESP convention. He brought down the house with his inspiring rendition of our national anthem. Then it was up to Colin Powell... (04/08/2009)
March 2009
Thirty Poets in Thirty Days
As the “principal poet” in your school, take a look at Thirty Poets/Thirty Days, a free online event in April that spotlights never-before-seen poems from Jack Prelutsky, Jon Scieszka, Jane Yolen, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Kenn Nesbitt, and 27 others. (03/31/2009)
What Are You Doing to Motivate Your Test Takers?
Will your students be duct-taping you to the wall if they improve their scores on state tests this year? Principal stunts have always been great motivators for kids, but if you’re not really a “stunt person,” there are plenty of other ways...
(03/26/2009)
Cool School Tool #2: Geocaching Is “Caching On” in Schools
Are your students engaged in geocaching? Geocaching, a kind of high-tech treasure hunt, is “caching on” in schools around the country. Many schools, after-school programs, and community groups are using geocaching to engage students. Here are just a few... (03/18/2009)
In Face of Budget Cuts, Principals Get Creative
The economy is on edge, and schools are not immune to the current downturn. That fact has spurred some principals to take matters into their own hands -- like the Arizona principal who took her school’s need for supplies public by posting this telling message on her school’s marquee... (03/12/2009)
Offering Green for Grade$
Chicago's Green for Grade$ program joins a growing number of programs that reward student grades, like the Capital Gains program in Washington, D.C. But what if your district or community is too cash-strapped to offer a program that pays performance incentives to kids? (03/06/2009)
February 2009
Who Said Rewards Don’t Work?
Certainly I’d like to think that making Honor Roll is reward enough and that ca$h supplements aren’t necessary. And perhaps giving gift certificates to the Golden Arches doesn’t send the best message to your Citizen of the Month. But the fact is that rewards... (02/28/2009)
Cool School Tool #1: Build Your Wild Self
From time to time, I will share in this blog a “cool tool for schools.” This might be a tool you will want to use, or share with your staff, or pass along in a parent newsletter. The tools presented here will be simple or fun or both. This one fits the... (02/25/2009)
So Michael Phelps Took a Few Hits on a Bong...
But What If That Had Been a School Principal?
What if a photo surfaced in your town or one nearby that showed a school principal smoking marijuana? School principals may not earn gold medals for their accomplishments -- and they certainly don’t find their mugs on cereal boxes as much as they might...
(02/17/2009)
Meet Our Blogger
Gary Hopkins is our blogger -- our "principal contributor," if you will. Since 1997, Hopkins has been editor in chief of EducationWorld.com. He has created numerous practical features for school leaders, including Education World’s popular Principal Files series and Newsletters ’R Us, a collection of free copy-and-paste features for principals to use in their staff and parent newsletters. Prior to joining EducationWorld, Hopkins was a managing editor of Weekly Reader, the children’s classroom newspaper, and a third-grade classroom teacher. If that isn't enough "school stuff" for you, at one time he even lived in an old school! A native New Englander, and a graduate of the University of Southern Maine, his outside interests include collecting autographs and cheering on the Boston Red Sox.
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