The Master Teacher Blog

October is National Principals Month, a time each year to recognize principals' important role and contributions. Thank-you tokens are appreciated, but it is also important to reflect on the impact principals have on the schools they lead. Great schools cannot be sustained without the leadership of a great principal.  

The fact is that the principal’s words, actions, choices, and decisions matter—a lot. The daily lives of people in schools are shaped by the messages, actions, and expectations of those in this important leadership position. We might even compare a principal’s influence to creating the weather. Every interaction, comment, and reaction is mined for meaning and implication, and as we do with the weather, people respond to the professional environment in which they find themselves. 

No doubt, people notice and respond to the “weather” principals create.  

Principals’ influence can also create chain reactions—for good or bad. An offhand comment, an unfounded assumption, or a baseless criticism can derail not only one person’s day but also affect those with whom they work and share the experience. Soon, a small disturbance can become a full-fledged storm.  On the flip side, an encouraging word or compliment can calm the weather and change the trajectory of the gloomiest days.  

The impact of principal leadership extends to what happens to and within the organization, including events and circumstances principals may not have initiated and over which they have limited control. How they respond signals much about the “weather” people will experience, and that response can signal a sun-drenched day, a brief rain shower, or a full-fledged torrential downpour.   

Let’s explore some other ways in which the behavior and choices of principals can shape the figurative weather others may experience:  

It is also worth remembering that the weather principals create each day becomes the climate people experience over time. People anticipate and react based on what they have experienced. The more consistency, confidence, and competence principals build and project, the more stable the weather teachers and staff experience.  

Of course, much of what principals do happens away from the eyes of those who depend on their leadership. Yet, the difference it makes is no less important than the public and recognized work they do to shape, lead, and protect the organizations and people they lead.  

Please accept and join in our appreciation and admiration for the important and impactful work principals do to help everyone do their best work, protect their hopes, and serve their needs.

Any teacher knows the following to be true: Students ask a lot of questions and make seemingly endless requests. For the most part, our students' inquiries and appeals are just part of the daily give-and-take nature of teaching, and they help us to understand what students need, what they do not understand, and what they may be curious about. 

Nevertheless, there are times when what students seek and want to know can begin to leave us feeling frustrated. Admittedly, some of what students ask for may relate to information we have already shared or tasks that students can and should do for themselves. They may even feel petty or demanding. Yet, how we feel and are tempted to respond may be more revealing of our emotional state and mental well-being than indicative of the nature of the questions and requests themselves. 

When we find ourselves increasingly irritated and impatient with student questions, requests, and behavior, it can be a signal that we need to look inward at what may be happening within us. These experiences can offer valuable emotional data for us to examine, rather than being a source of guilt or self-criticism. For example, our irritation may indicate that we are exhausted, experiencing decision fatigue, need more sleep or a change in our diet, are overextended, or are responding to other unmet needs. Obviously, we need to pay attention, find solutions, and otherwise address these needs, especially if they are intense or present for extended time. 

In the meantime, there are several strategies we can employ to help us avoid having our irritation and frustration get in the way of our relationship and effectiveness with students. Here are six options to consider as places to start: 

Moments of irritation can be valuable indicators of our emotional and physical needs. When we find ourselves falling into a pattern of irritation and frustration in response to students’ questions and requests, we need to consider whether there are areas where we need to give attention, seek support, or find renewal, rather than allowing our emotions to escalate.

It's often said that what matters more than what we say is how we say it. While this is certainly true in many circumstances, when we want to communicate in ways that influence understanding and behavior, our words themselves matter. After all, the words we choose can open possibilities or invite resistance, instill hope or foster despair, encourage cooperation or engender resistance, or instill confidence or sow seeds of doubt.  

Unfortunately, many common phrases can stand in the way of our efforts to build self-confidence in and connect with our students. They can unintentionally leave students feeling incapable and diminished. On the other hand, often even small shifts in the words we choose can reframe issues and offer possibilities. They can separate what students do from who they are. Small shifts in language can convey our belief in students and communicate our caring.  

One of the most common language shift suggestions is to replace “but” with “and.” While “but” suggests objection or complications, “and” offers a path forward. Rather than signaling immediate rejection or resistance, “and” proposes supplemental consideration. Let’s consider six other common words and phrases and how to adjust them to shift focus, create hope, and stimulate student effort.  

Rather than “You’re wrong,”  

try “Let’s look at it another way.” 

This shift removes potential guilt and shame and proposes another way to think about a task or problem. It also separates the student from the mistake and opens the door to learning from what has not worked.  

Rather than “You should already know this,”  

shift to “What do you remember?” 

This adjustment avoids what may seem obvious and demeaning and instead focuses on activating prior knowledge. Students may know more than they think and just need a nudge to make connections and access what they already know. Further, this frame avoids defaulting to blame when our goal is learning.  

Rather than “You’re not listening,”  

try “I need to be sure that I have your attention.” 

The initial statement focuses on what the student should do without presenting a reason or rationale. The language shift presents a purpose for listening and suggests that something important is about to follow. It also focuses on the student’s behavior without suggesting a label.   

Rather than “I already explained that,”  

offer, “Let me explain it another way.” 

This adjustment sidesteps assigning blame and recognizes that regardless of the cause, what was explained was not understood. Further, repeating what was not understood has a limited chance of changing the outcome.  

Rather than “Everyone else can do this,”  

try “Let’s figure out what will help you do this.” 

Making an unfavorable comparison to other students is rarely an effective way to motivate students who may be struggling or lacking confidence. This shift takes the focus off other students and conveys confidence that the student can be successful. It also implies that we will be there to help the student find a path to success. 

Rather than “You can’t,”  

shift to “What you can do is…” 

Telling students what they cannot do is sometimes unavoidable. However, if we can shift attention to what students can do, we sidestep what might be a restriction and present an alternative that holds possibility. When what we offer accomplishes what the student initially desired, but in a different way, we can avoid resistance and maybe even enhance the student’s experience.   

Obviously, there are times when what we must say to students will be uncomfortable and restricting, especially when we need to enforce boundaries and reinforce expectations. Nevertheless, when what we say conveys our confidence and caring and builds connections with students, everyone wins.

Other than our students themselves, time is the most important resource in any classroom. How time is spent is a key predictor of whether and how much learning will occur. The more time we spend managing behavior, the less time remains for teaching and learning.  

Of course, there is no magic wand that transforms distracted and disengaged students into fully committed and persistent learners. Some classes and students present more behavioral challenges than others, especially when one considers different learner populations and their unique needs. However, there are several strategies we can tap to shift the learning environment and create conditions under which students are more likely to choose acceptable and productive behavior.  

This crucial shift involves reducing our reliance on compliance to shape and manage student behavior and increasing our influence on student choices and actions. Compliance can make a difference when we are present or when consequences are imminent, whereas influence changes how students think, feel, and decide, regardless of our presence. Here are eight high-leverage practices that we can adopt to reduce our reliance on compliance and increase our access to influence. 

We can start by building credibility and demonstrating predictability. The trust and credibility we have with students form the foundation for much of what happens in the classroom. Students want to know that we will keep our promises, demonstrate expertise related to our instruction, and be consistent in what we expect and accept. They also want to feel our interest in their success and to be assured that we will be there to help them if they struggle. Students want to know that they can depend on us to be emotionally stable, consistently present, and focused on nurturing their learning.  

We build on this foundation by connecting our expectations to the purposes they serve. When students understand the reasoning behind our expectations, they are more likely to accept and try to meet them. We may need to take additional time early in the year to discuss expectations, the roles they play, and what meeting them looks and feels like. Of course, we also need to reinforce expectations when students forget and fall short. Expectations connected to clear purposes invite students to cooperate rather than resist.  

We can reduce distractions and off-task behavior by designing, teaching, and reinforcing routines that provide clarity and certainty in classroom life—as much as possible, anyway. Clear procedures, dependable schedules, and consistent transitions make acceptable behaviors easy for students to practice. Consistent storage and easy access to tools, materials, and other resources can reduce student frustration and confusion. Similarly, having consistent structures for student discussions, collaboration, and group work can reduce off-task and unproductive behavior.  

We lessen resistance by offering opportunities for autonomy and ownership. Students are more likely to accept and support what they choose and create. We might start by having students participate in establishing classroom rules and norms. Where practical, we might give students choices about learning tasks, strategies, and demonstrations of learning. Students can also play meaningful roles in setting learning goals and monitoring progress. Additionally, we might engage students in discussions and reflection regarding their experiences in the classroom and how they might be improved. 

We can engender additional cooperation by prioritizing questions over commands. Rather than telling students to “get to work,” we might ask them what their first step will be. When students are off task, we might ask what they think they should be doing rather than immediately directing them to the intended task. By framing guiding questions rather than issuing commands, we invite students to think, self-evaluate, and modify their behavior rather than resist a directive. These types of questions also preserve students’ dignity and promote responsibility.  

We further enhance the learning environment by focusing more on progress than on problems. There is an adage that where we give our attention is where we will spend our time and energy. Confirmation bias shows that when we spend most of our time looking for problems, we will find said problems—and we might even create more of them. On the other hand, when we focus on where we see progress, even in small increments, we are likely to see more of it. Students respond to what they see in our behavior. If we expect, notice, and celebrate progress, they are likely to respond by trying to produce more of it.  

We can make the environment even better when we commit to correcting with respect. It is inevitable that students will occasionally engage in unacceptable behavior. It is important that the behavior be addressed, but we need to be careful not to sacrifice our relationship with students in our correction. Our approach needs to communicate respect without accepting the behavior. Our consequences should be logical rather than punitive. We need to be brief, calm, and as private as possible. Our goal should be to restore learning, not embarrass, shame, or ostracize. In the process, we need to remain focused on the behavior as the problem, not the student. Misbehavior may be a decision, but it is not a character flaw. 

Finally, we can foster greater learning commitment by building student confidence through competence. Students find it difficult to commit to learning when they doubt they can succeed. We might start by scaffolding difficult work. As students make progress, we can celebrate, gradually remove scaffolding, and nurture independent learning. The more students experience success that they see as their own, the more confident they become, the more learning risks they are willing to take, and the longer they will persist when they struggle. 

We want to spend our time teaching, not managing behavior. Fortunately, we can shift the balance by intentionally building structures, creating focus, and nurturing relationships that reduce the temptations and opportunities for students to get off task, off track, and offline.  

The first week of school is an incredibly important time. What students learn, experience, and sense as the first week unfolds can set the stage for the year ahead. Meanwhile, we can feel the pressure of managing logistics, setting expectations, and getting started with learning. 

These are important elements to address, but there are other aspects of the beginning of a new year that also deserve our attention. How students feel about what lies ahead, whether they think they belong, and whether they believe they can succeed also matter. In fact, unless we address these issues with students early on, our students—and we—are likely to struggle to find a rhythm, pace, and path that will launch a successful year.  

As we plan the first week of school, we need to consider the messages students want and need to hear to help them start off on the right foot. Here are five assurances students want to hear and feel confident about before the end of the first week. 

You belong here. When students feel welcome, seen, valued, and respected, they are more likely to be open to forming relationships with us and with others in the class. We may not be able to create a community in the first week, but we can lay its foundation. For example, we might prioritize learning students’ names as quickly as possible. Having others know and use your name is a sign of acceptance, respect, and belonging. We might also design content-related activities to help students become acquainted with one another and interact. Our goal is for students to feel that our class is a safe, welcoming, and supportive place for their learning.  

You can succeed in this class. Beyond telling students that they can succeed in our class, we can give them opportunities to experience success. It may be solving an accessible problem. We may give students an engaging but achievable challenge to work on. We might even have students share personal experiences that are meaningful to them or share their expertise in an area where they excel. The key is to give students opportunities to experience success and feel assured that success is possible. The more we build a foundation of hope and confidence, the more likely students will be to engage with the challenges that lie ahead. 

I am here for you. Some students will come to our class with a history of success and expect to succeed, even without our assurance that we will be there to help and support their learning. However, more students will enter our class with questions about who we are, whether we can be trusted, and whether their learning is our priority. We may assume that students should know that we are committed to nurturing their learning. Of course, they should. Yet many students may not feel that all the teachers they have experienced have held their learning as most important. Stating our commitment and offering examples of how we will support their learning can make a big difference to these students.  

We will learn together. This message may be surprising to some students. They might assume that, as teachers, we already know all there is to know about teaching students. Our opportunity is to let students know that an important part of our work is getting to know them as people and as learners. We not only want to learn about how they learn, but we may also need to learn new approaches and strategies to help them learn. Meanwhile, we can assure students that they will play an important role in the process by giving their best effort, letting us know when they need help or support, and sharing what is working for them. In the end, finding success will require that we both learn. 

This is going to be a good year. The first week is a time to build excitement, anticipation, and curiosity about what lies ahead. We might discuss the interesting and useful things students will learn. We might preview some of the “headline” activities we have planned. We might also share some of our humor, interests, and experiences. Having students see us as humans who enjoy life, other people, and learning can provide a great jump start to the year.  

Students come into the beginning of a new year with excitement and curiosity, but they may also be anxious, uncertain, and hesitant about what lies ahead. The first week is our time to create a vibe of excitement, possibility, and opportunity.

Habits are often formed without a deliberate decision or intent. We might find ourselves engaging in certain behaviors under certain circumstances, such as when we are upset, disappointed, frustrated, or hurt. However, once the situation has passed or the circumstances have changed, we might continue the behavior. Our sour attitude persists, our perspective remains negative, or our blaming continues.  

We might enter a cycle of behavior that feels natural, even though it may not be helpful or healthy. It is possible that we do not even realize what we are doing or how our behavior affects others. If left unaddressed, these negative, often self-defeating behaviors become established habits that persist unless we recognize their impact and commit to change.  

In many life contexts, people can choose to overlook negative habits or physically remove themselves from dealing with them. However, when certain habits carry over into teaching and leadership roles, they can be especially destructive. Students and colleagues do not always have choices to remove themselves and avoid the impact of the behavior. In fact, some behaviors can get in the way of our instruction and even undermine our students’ learning. Consequently, we need to be vigilant to ensure our behavior is healthy, helpful, and positive. Here are five of the most common negative behaviors that can become destructive habits, along with strategies to counter them.  

Sarcasm. This behavior can be subtle. In fact, it may initially surface as well-meaning humor. However, the impact often comes when, instead of being used as an intentional tool to relate to our snarkier students, it becomes a habit we employ thoughtlessly; then, it comes across as disrespectful and cutting, causing shame or hurt in its recipients. For example, saying “Nice of you to join us” when a student arrives late conveys anything but a welcoming gesture. Or joking “Well, that is one way to get it wrong” is not sending a message of support. Even though sarcastic remarks can at times elicit laughs and factor into relatability, especially for those of us who teach teens or pre-teens, they might more often undermine trust, discourage risk-taking, and strain relationships.   

Counter habit: Use neutral language rather than casting judgment. Replace with respect, authentic support, and warmth. 

Cynicism. While less overt than sarcasm, this behavior conveys low expectations and a dismissive attitude. The implication may be that nothing can be done, things cannot be changed, and efforts to make a difference will be fruitless. Statements such as “Most of them will not study anyway” and “We’ve tried that before; it never works” convey a lack of hope and can send students the message that they cannot or will not learn difficult things.  

Counter habit: Replace with credible optimism. Focus on conditions to make a difference. Think “not yet” rather than “not possible.” 

Emotional disengagement. The behavior shares some characteristics with sarcasm and cynicism, but it is even more passive. Emotional disengagement is often associated with burnout. It involves low levels of effort investment. It is often described as “going through the motions” or “mailing it in.” The behavior can involve mindlessly repeating lessons one may have taught dozens of times, letting expectations slip, and feeling bored. Students quickly sense when emotional disengagement becomes a pattern and often scale back their investment in effort in response.    

Counter habit: Focus on being present and creating moments that matter. Vary routines and explore new approaches.  

Assuming negative intentions. When students behave in unacceptable ways, refuse to commit to performing at their best, or fail to persist in the face of challenges, this habit assigns blame and metes out criticism. Rather than investigating the cause of the behavior, the conclusion is that the student chose to misbehave, was lazy, or did not care. Student behavior can result from a variety of factors, including some over which the student may have little or no control. Unfortunately, hastily drawn negative conclusions and unfounded blame often lead to emotional separation, resentment, and even reduced effort in the future.  

Counter habit: Replace immediate conclusions with curiosity. Pause and inquire before deciding. Separate student behavior from their identity.  

Excessive hurrying. We may feel as though we must rush to do all that is asked and expected of us. We might feel pressure to hurry through units or a series of lessons. We might find ourselves rushing through our reviews of student work and pressuring students to move faster in their learning. Unfortunately, pressing can mean superficial instruction and learning. Feedback to students may be perfunctory and generic. Students may feel that complete understanding and deep learning are not priorities. Unfortunately, the habit of rushing teaching and learning processes can exact a high price in missed learning.  

Counter habit: Think purposeful pacing over coverage. Focus on understanding, retention, and transfer over exposure. Remember: If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well.  

Habits can be helpful for instilling good practices and useful routines. However, they can also get in the way of what we want from our work and life. We need to be certain that they help us to think and grow, not become barriers to achieving what we want for ourselves and others in our lives.

It is difficult to avoid the constant drumbeat of bad news about the performance of American education. Reading and math test scores have declined over the past decade, but there is no consensus about the cause, despite the many, many theories present in those conversations. Some blame cellphones and social media. Others point to the prevalence of 1:1 computers and tablets and the general overexposure to screens. Still others argue that the lessening of accountability following the demise of No Child Left Behind is to blame. 

Meanwhile, there has been little discussion about whether reading and math test scores tell the full story. Without question, skills in reading and math are important, but they may not paint a full picture of how American education is performing. What if we stepped back, looked at the broader context, and observed how students are doing later, as they near the completion of high school, engage in higher education, and join the workforce? 

Fortunately, a recent study conducted by researchers at UC Berkeley answers part of that question and urges better data collection to fully understand what is happening. Michael Kirst and Victor Chan (2026) recently published a peer-reviewed academic study that presents compelling data and argues that a narrow focus on test scores overlooks important information we need to consider when assessing how schools are doing. They also point to major gaps in the available data for understanding students' longer-term learning experiences as they complete high school and transition to post-secondary endeavors. 

While not discounting the importance and need to improve in reading, math, and other areas of academic performance, Kirst and Chan present a compelling argument that there are trends indicating learning success worth noting. Among their finding are: 

Importantly, the authors point to multiple additional areas of probable growth and improvement, but there are no robust, stable databases to track and document performance. Experiences such as on-the-job training, transfer pathways as students leave two-year institutions and matriculate to other programs and work, and military education show signs of effective outcomes, but inadequate data systems are in place to fully track and assess their quality and impact.  

Without question, American education faces serious challenges and must improve. However, we need to keep in mind that the story of how our education system is doing needs to include a broader perspective than test scores. The story must include the experiences and successes found within and beyond our traditional focus.  

Source:

Kirst, M., & Chan, V. (2026, April 4). Broadening our perspective concerning American education attainment, growth, progress, and data gaps. Research and Occasional Paper Series. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6kf0842w  

Education is complex and challenging work. It can be frustrating, draining, and demanding. At times, it even feels all-consuming. Some days are filled with disappointment and dissatisfaction, and we may not see the full impact of our efforts. Toxic positivity is not the answer, but disparaging our profession is not a solution either. Acknowledging the reality of a career in education is one thing, but when we disparage and disrespect our profession, we risk sending the message that the work is not very important, rewarding, or worthy of high regard. 

How we view our work and profession can be reflected in the expectations we hold for ourselves and our students. When we fail to respect our work, we are less likely to fully and thoughtfully prepare for and support instruction and follow through to ensure that learning results. Students are likely to sense that we are lowering expectations for what we do and what they learn—and they will respond accordingly. 

As ambivalent as we might sometimes feel, we must respect our profession. Why? How we treat and talk about our profession can have a profound impact on how we work, how we are perceived, and even on the future of our profession. 

So, what does it look and sound like to respect our profession? Here are some examples: 

Respecting our profession also offers some important rewards. When we respect our profession, we respect ourselves and our work. We can take pride in our accomplishments, impact, and contributions. 

Respecting our profession also positions us to advocate for improvements. Our respect allows us to speak from the perspective of an advocate, not a critic. We can recognize that changes are necessary and possible. We can also be part of making our profession better. 

Finally, as models and influencers for students, our respect for our profession positions it as an option to be considered. We need bright, curious, motivated professionals to work with us and to come behind us. The teachers of tomorrow are sitting in our classrooms today. Our respect for our profession and encouragement for students to consider education as a career can help to ensure a bright future for education.  

The truth is that our students, our colleagues, our administrators, and others who depend on our work do not need us to be perfect. They need us to be caring, responsive, learning, and committed to growth. Our willingness to not always be perfect can make us more accessible, more relatable, and more human. These are important characteristics for the students who learn from us, colleagues who work with us, and others who depend on us.