Why Discipline Feels So Hard as a Principal (And What to Do Instead)

Discipline can quickly take over your day as a principal. What starts as a few behavior issues turns into constant interruptions, frustrated teachers, and decisions that feel inconsistent or unclear. Over time, you may start hearing it, “nothing happens to kids” and that begins to erode trust in your leadership.

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we break down why discipline feels so heavy and what’s actually causing the frustration. You’ll hear how a lack of clarity and systems, not a lack of effort, is what leads to reactive leadership, emotional exhaustion, and inconsistent outcomes.
You’ll learn what it takes to move from putting out fires to leading discipline with confidence, consistency, and calm and how to create a system that supports both you and your teachers.

Interested in group coaching to improve discipline systems in your building--- Join The Discipline Reset Here. 

Learn more about today's sponsors, Renaissance, Playworks and IXL:

Learn more about Renaissance:
 
As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.


We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation

We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
  • Simplify and streamline technology
  • Save teachers’ time
  • Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
  • Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
Why Discipline Feels So Hard as a Principal (And What to Do Instead)