How ABCDE Days Made 6th Graders Love Science Again with Jessica Levine & Mitch Weathers

📣 The Ruckus Report

Quick take:

Jessica Levine restructured Wednesdays to unlock autonomy, connection, and deep learning in her sixth-grade science class. Joined by Mitch Weathers, this episode explores student voice, the power of routine, and why helping kids feel known is just as critical as teaching content.

🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Makers

Jessica Levine is a sixth-grade science teacher who created "ABCDE Days" — a protocol born from pandemic chaos that now transforms how her students learn, reflect, and grow.

Mitch Weathers is an educator, author, and systems guru who helps schools build executive function and organization into the DNA of instruction. He co-founded Organized Binder and co-authored a new book on self-regulation in early grades.

🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🧠 Key Insight #1: School should center the whole child, not just content.

• What's broken: Treating academics and social-emotional learning as separate.
• The shift: Jessica's "B" day prompts students to reflect on how they're being — emotionally, socially, and mentally.
• Impact: Deeper student connection, emotional literacy, and trust in the classroom.

🧠 Key Insight #2: Systems aren't stifling — they're liberating.

• What's broken: Teachers winging it or relying on memory for every class routine.
• The shift: Mitch shows how naming and systematizing common tasks frees up energy for deeper learning.
• Impact: Students thrive with predictability, and teachers save time and sanity.

🧠 Key Insight #3: Every student deserves a caring adult connection on campus.

• What's broken: A shocking number of students report not feeling seen by a single adult.
• The shift: Simple routines like anonymous surveys and sticky-dot walls help identify who's floating through school unseen.
• Impact: Schools proactively create connections — and prevent isolation-driven behavior issues.

💬 Quotable Ruckus

"I'm not teaching content anymore. I'm teaching kids how to learn — and how their brains work." – Jessica Levine

🏋️ Your Do School Different Challenge

Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:

• Tomorrow: Ask students one "B" question: How are you being?
• This Month: Add structure to one routine that currently drains your energy.
• This Semester: Run a campus-wide check — does every student have one trusted adult?

🔗 Connect & Continue

🎯 Get the full episode transcript here

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🔍 Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with:

• ODP Business Solutions® Looking to create the kind of campus experience students never forget? ODP Business Solutions® transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary learning environments. 🔍 Learn more: odpbusiness.com/education
• IXL Over 1 million teachers rely on IXL because it is empowering, it helps them make better decisions with reliable data, and it adapts instruction based on student performance. 🔍 Learn more: ixl.com/leaders
• Play Piper Too many students love tech but don't see themselves as scientists or engineers. Play Piper's hands-on STEM kits and engaging curriculum changes that. 🔍 Learn more: playpiper.com

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