Petra Luhrsen is a first year elementary assistant principal in Sacramento, California. Prior to becoming an assistant principal, she was an elementary teacher for grades K-6.  In addition to serving as an assistant principal, she currently serves as a teacher consultant for the Area 3 Writing Project as well as a Lead Learner for CUE.

 

Petra talks about her family, her background in advertising, her love of 90’s hip hop, and what sparked her decision to leave advertising and become a teacher (1:45)

Why Petra made the switch from teaching to administration (7:04)

Petra’s advice for people thinking of becoming school administrators (10:43)

For Petra, the hardest part about the process of becoming an innovator is that she approached job interviews with her old perspective of a teacher in one classroom, instead of considering things on a school-wide basis (12:17)

Dealing with self-doubts and feelings of inadequacy, AKA Impostor Syndrome (17:05)

Some things Petra learned about administration after taking her first admin job and how she adapted to the new environment (20:28)

One of Petra’s favorite stories about the impact she’s making as a school leader (25:51)

The best leadership advice Petra has ever been given – always remain a teacher at heart (30:22)

Petra’s top book recommendations for school leaders (31:45)

Petra’s advice for school administrators on working with students (33:27)

Her advice for school administrators on working with the teachers in your building (35:27)

If Petra had a time machine, here’s the advice she would go back and give her younger self when she was just starting out in administration (36:12)

 

Books mentioned in this episode

Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer’s Keys to Cultivating Lifelong Reading Habits

Coaching Conversations: Transforming Your School One Conversation at a Time

 

Connect with Petra Luhrsen

Twitter

Blog

Voxer: pluhrsen

 

 

About EducatorsLead:

Educators Lead is a podcast created to help launch educators into the next level of leadership. This show is for you if you are interested in educational leadership as an assistant principal, principal, superintendent, teacher or someone who hopes to be a school leader one day. Educators Lead offers inspiration and practical advice to help you lead more effectively. Jay Willis interviews school leaders three days a week to discuss why and when these educators made the decision to move into school leadership, challenges along the journey, and stories that made it all worthwhile. Educators Lead is a great resource for any educator looking to make a greater impact.

Educate. Inspire. Lead.

www.educatorslead.com