An Interesting Interview with My Principal: Meet Jonathan Dyal


This episode of The 10 Minute Teacher was a lot of fun. Not only did I get to interview my principal, Jonathan Dyal, but my film class, the "Sherwood Showstoppers," filmed the interview. (I'm so proud of how much they are learning!) After a tweet I sent out in October 2023, George Couros and Allyson Apsey invited me to write a chapter about Jonathan in their book What Makes a Great Principal: The Five Pillars of Effective Leadership out this year. (You can listen to my earlier interview with George about what truly makes a great principal and the five pillars shared in the book.)

Principal Dyal shares his philosophy of walking the halls frequently to stay connected with teachers and students, emphasizing his proactive rather than reactive philosophy. We talked about his strategies to build trust with teachers and how he uses observations positively. (I like his philosophy of observations; that is what the tweet was about in the first place.) He also discusses how he builds positive relationships with students in a way that improves student culture.

This is a unique interview in that I see this firsthand and know the positive results it has when principals leave their offices, walk the halls, and spend time in classrooms. This approach is powerful, and it works!

Show notes and transcript: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e866

Disclosure of Material Connection: This episode includes some affiliate links. This means that if you choose to buy I will be paid a commission on the affiliate program. However, this is at no additional cost to you.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” This company has no impact on the editorial content of the show.


Check out this episode!

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