The Principal's Office Should Be the Least Scary Place for Middle School Students.

Students used to tremble when they are summoned to the Principal's Office.

When I first started as a Junior High (JH) principal, I wanted to get to know the 400 students in the JH program. I started by calling them into the principal's office to wish them a happy birthday. But I was met with fear, anxiety, and students need their entourage of friends for moral support.

The phrase "principal's office" brings fear to many teenagers.

On the 5th week of school, several students came into my office voluntarily.

• they asked me time management advice

• they recited their favorite scripture

• they sang a song to remember the books of the Bible.

• they showed me a dance they made up.

Instead of fear, there was joy, laughter, and comfort.

I believe that the principal's office should be the least scary place for middle school students.

Here are 3 principles I live by to reverse the horror that is the principal's office:

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Principle #1: Principals are Lead Educators

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Principals are Educators.

Principals are the lead educators in a school, which is an organized learning institution. The educator's responsibility is to teach students, so they learn. Students learn better when they have a trusting relationship with their teachers.

So principals need to earn student trust through influence.

If principals rely on fear to lead, students are simply complying.

When they see you coming down the hallway, they walk away. They only follow the rules to keep themselves out of trouble. They aren't learning how to make decisions on their own if they are only complying.

Helping students learn is what makes you an educator.

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Principle #2: Principals Build Liberating Learning Environments

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What is the most optimal learning environment?

A liberating learning environment is characterized as an environment where students feel supported to take on any challenge that their teachers throw at them. They are excited to try new things, master their skills, and take themselves to the next level. They feel they have all the tools they need to be successful.

Students thrive in a liberating environment.

What makes an environment liberating?

• You must have high support: you provide students with everything they need to succeed.

• You must have a high challenge: you are calling students up to what they can be.

• You calibrate support and challenge depending on the situation.

When students feel you are for them, they will embrace the challenge as an opportunity for growth.

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Principle #3: Principals Serve Students and Meet Their Needs

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Without students, there is no school.

The school exists to serve the needs of the students. To maintain a school, the principals must fight to serve the students by meeting their educational needs. Principals take the time to understand the needs of the students and build systems of support to help the students to the next level.

Principals should pay attention to student's needs.

As an organization, principals should become familiar with the data:

• Academic data

• Cultural & demographic data

• Self-reported & parent survey data.

Leveraging data to understand student needs, so you can build a system to meet them.

Having students come into my office with gladness is the highlight of my day.

It further affirms that the Principal's Office should be the least scary place on campus for students.