About: Jon Konen

Jon Konen is a high school principal and freelance writer in Columbia Falls, Montana. He has been a superintendent and has taught most all grade levels K-6, and has been an instructional coach. In addition, he has been an elementary and middle principal. As a 5th grade teacher, in 2010 he won the Presidential Award for Elementary Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST). As a principal, his school won the 2012 Blue Ribbon Award. In 2018, he won the National Distinguished Principal Award (NDP). In 2019 he won the National No Kid Hungry Breakfast Hero Award. He is the author of three guides published on teacher.org: An Educator's Guide to Combat Bullying & Bully Prevention; Teacher Evaluation: A Transition Guide to Exemplary Performance; and You are the Wild Card: Infusing Fun Back into Curriculum. He has authored a children's picture book that was released January 2019 titled Benjamin’s Visit to Principal Reads Office…again! (available at www.archwaypublishing.com)

Recent Posts by Jon Konen

5 Classroom Behavior Management Strategies to Add to Your Toolbox

wooden toolbox filled with hammer, wrenches, and screwdrivers on a workbench
Classroom behavior management strategies work best when you pair a few well-practiced go-to moves with the flexibility to switch tactics for students who don't respond to your usual approach. Five practical options here- brain fuzzing, check-in/check-out, High Trust language, Love and Logic's SEL banking, and restorative practices- cover students at every tier of support. [xyz_feat_school]…
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Don’t Leave, We Need You: 8 Reasons We Need More Teachers

Six smiling adults in matching pink and white raglan shirts posed together in an elementary classroom
We need more teachers because openings keep appearing without the profession expanding. Projections Central expects elementary teaching employment to dip about 2% through 2034 alongside roughly 91,000 annual openings, which largely reflect replacement needs as workers transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. This essay argues the real gap is retention. [xyz_feat_school] One…
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4 Strategies to Reframe Negative Language in the Classroom

man kneeling to talk calmly with a young boy at a playground
Reframing negative language in the classroom means swapping phrases like "I can't do it" or "I don't want to" for growth-oriented ones like "I can't do it yet" or "I get to." The shift works with students and with parents in tough conferences. Four strategies do most of the work: growth mindset, the word "yet,"…
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Leadership: 7 Unintentional Lessons I Learned from Failure

Rodeo rider being thrown from a bucking bull in a dusty arena as a bullfighter moves in to help
Failure can teach leaders lessons that success doesn't, especially when they reflect on what happened. After losing a superintendent bid, I came away with seven lessons: flip your perspective, find the win, model failure for students, learn about yourself, set up your future, have hard conversations, and pay it forward. [xyz_feat_school] Failure is often misinterpreted.…
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15 Relatable Teacher Memes That Make Me Laugh, Cry, and Try

illustration of hands holding up large letters spelling "MEME" against a blue background
These 15 relatable teacher memes come from a K-6 principal's own staff room and hallway bulletin boards in Montana, not a random internet roundup. Each one is tied to a real classroom or leadership story, from growth mindset to burnout to why kindness gets taught every day. They're built to be shared, printed, or hung…
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School Custodian Appreciation Ideas: The Toilet Paper Caper

Messy school restroom with green stall doors and toilet paper on the floor
The best school custodian appreciation ideas cost almost nothing: student thank-you notes, a staff assembly, a social media shoutout, or an administrator pitching in on safe routine tasks the custodial team approves. National Custodian Day falls on October 2, but recognition only sticks when students and staff also stop making the mess in the first…
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11 Ways Football Is Your Classroom: Lessons from the Sideline

Four high school football captains walk to the 50-yard line with a young child in a team jersey before the coin toss
What teachers can learn from football coaches comes down to habits, not slogans: assess before you plan, build a staff you can lean on, coach instead of dictate, and treat mistakes as data. A veteran principal walks through eleven parallels between Friday night football and Monday morning teaching. [xyz_feat_school] If you love football and you…
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8 Things to Think About As You Start the School Year

elementary student giving two thumbs up in a classroom with a decorated bulletin board behind him
The best back-to-school tips for teachers cover more than classroom setup: professional development tied to your career goals, a self-care routine you'll actually keep, and time spent learning who your students are before they walk in. Plan your first day, set a theme, and arrange your room with purpose. [xyz_feat_school] As you start school this…
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