The Better Leaders Better Schools Podcast with Daniel Bauer

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Dr. Brandi Kelly offers a refreshing reminder that hope isn't fluffy — it's foundational. In this episode, she unpacks how school leaders can reconnect with what matters most: the heartbeat of their schools. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Brandi Kelly is a seasoned educator with 20+ years of experience as a school social worker, principal, and superintendent. She's a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Maxwell Certified Coach who founded Spark HOPE Edu to help leaders cultivate schools where every person feels seen, heard, and valued. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Dr. Brandi Kelly challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1: Leadership by Compliance What's broken: Systems that reward rule-following over relationship-building. The shift: Leading with heart, humanity, and HOPE. Impact: Deeper connection, higher engagement, and campuses where people thrive. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Fixing Kids Instead of Finding Their Spark What's broken: Focusing on deficits and discipline. The shift: Believing in students before they believe in themselves. Impact: Students rediscover purpose, belonging, and personal power. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Leading Alone What's broken: Isolation at the top. The shift: Prioritizing coaching, community, and connection. Impact: Stronger, more supported leaders who build stronger teams. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "You matter. Your story matters. And there is greatness inside of you. So go shine your light in this world bright." – Dr. Brandi Kelly 🏋️ Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask one student or teacher what gives them hope. This Month: Reflect on your leadership through the lens of HOPE: Habits, Optimistic Outlook, Purpose, and Excellence. This Semester: Start your day with intention. Replace your to-do list with a "to-connect" list. 👩🏻‍💻 Connect & Continue 🌟 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 Follow Dr. Brandi Kelly: Website: www.sparkhopeedu.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandi-kelly-ed-d-lcsw-05446aa7/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadwithhope.23/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LTW24?mibextid=LQQJ4d 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey: 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — An opportunity to Do School Different 3x a week. Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: https://ruckusmakers.news 🗖 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content on Substack. Premium leadership insights, AI prompts and custom gpts, new books before the bookshelf: https://ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, AI Prompt Library, and more: https://ruckusmakers.club 🤨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system (The Ruckus Maker Flywheel) to help you transform your campus: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind 🤝 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 © 2025 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Traditional discipline assumes kids will reflect, reset, and return on their own. Charle Peck and Joshua Stamper expose the myth of self-regulation and offer a proven, trauma-informed framework that transforms behavior systems from reactive to relational. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Makers Charle Peck is a global keynote speaker and co-author of The Language of Behavior and Improving School Mental Health. Her experience as a high school teacher turned clinical therapist brings real-world insight and urgency to her work supporting educators. Joshua Stamper is an author, speaker, and former middle school administrator with a passion for trauma-informed education and leadership. He created Aspire to Lead to equip educators with practical, empathetic strategies that drive real change. As co-author of The Language of Behavior, Joshua helps schools implement transformative, relationship-centered approaches to discipline and student support. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Charle Peck and Joshua Stamper challenge traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1: Discipline Isn't Magic What's broken: Detentions, ISS, and OSS assume kids will reflect and self-correct. The shift: Behavior is a language. Read it, respond to it, and teach skills in context. Impact: Reduced repeat referrals, improved student-teacher relationships. 🧠 Key Insight #2: The Push-In Model What's broken: Students lose learning time. Teachers lose momentum. Nothing changes. The shift: Admin, counselors, or coaches step in so teachers can connect 1:1 with students. Impact: Thousands of instructional minutes reclaimed. Increased student engagement and academic gains. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Relationship Action Teams (RATs) What's broken: Top-down initiatives die without real buy-in. The shift: A grassroots team pilots behavior strategies, tracks wins, and grows culture from within. Impact: Sustainable change. Staff ownership. A true transformation movement. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Too often we forget that discipline really means to teach, not to punish." – Charle Peck "Connection before correction is the key." – Joshua Stamper 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Try a "sky signature" as a rapid reset strategy to shift classroom energy. This Month: Pilot the push-in model in one class. Reflect on what changes. This Semester: Launch a Relationship Action Team with 3-5 educators ready to lead from within. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🌟 Get the full episode transcript here 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Charle Peck: Website: https://www.thrivingeducator.org/speaking Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlepeck1 Twitter X: https://twitter.com/CharlePeck LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlepeck/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-language-of-behavior/id1777075576 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Joshua Stamper: Website: www.joshstamper.com Twitter (X): @Joshua__Stamper (@Joshua__Stamper) Instagram: @Joshua__Stamper (@Joshua__Stamper) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper/ Blue Sky: @joshuaStamper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuastamper Aspire to Lead Book: www.bit.ly/aspirelead 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — Do School Different 3x a week. Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗳 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Premium leadership insights, AI prompts and custom GPTs, new books before the bookshelf. ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, AI Prompt Library, and more: ruckusmakers.club 🫸 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system (The Ruckus Maker Flywheel) to help you transform your campus: Apply Now 🔍 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. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education and let's Do School Different. 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 © 2025 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: What if connection — not curriculum — was the real driver of academic success? In this episode, Dr. Anne Paonessa reframes student disengagement as feedback, not failure, and reveals how connection fuels attendance, learning, and belonging on every campus. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Anne Paonessa is a former assistant superintendent, national speaker, and author of Essential Connection Skills. She helps school leaders build connected classrooms that combat disconnection, burnout, and disengagement by focusing on four essential domains of connection. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Dr. Anne Paonessa challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1 – Connection Over Compliance What's broken: Schools chase test scores while ignoring the human heartbeat of learning. The shift: Connection becomes the foundation — built through self-awareness, belonging, and relevance. Impact: Attendance rises, engagement doubles, and students actually want to be on campus. 🧠 Key Insight #2 – The Four Domains That Transform Culture What's broken: Kids sit isolated behind screens, while teachers chase compliance. The shift: Paonessa's "Four Domains of Connection" — to self, others, learning, and community — transform classrooms into thriving, relational ecosystems. Impact: Classrooms see fewer disruptions, stronger collaboration, and improved outcomes. 🧠 Key Insight #3 – Connection Is the Curriculum What's broken: Educators think connection is "extra." The shift: Connection isn't an add-on — it is instruction. Every reflection, conversation, and partnership becomes a lever for growth. Impact: High- performing schools prove that when people feel seen and valued, achievement follows naturally. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Connection isn't something extra. It really is at the core of learning." — Dr. Anne Paonessa 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Build a reflective pause into one lesson — ask students what they're proud of learning. This Month: Partner with your team to identify one of Paonessa's four connection domains to strengthen on campus. This Semester: Host a "Connection Audit" with students and staff — gather stories, data, and wins to build momentum. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 Follow Dr. Anne Paonessa: Website: https://annepaonessa.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-paonessa-phd-77559292/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConnectedClassrooms/ Book: Essential Connection Skills: Strategies for Integrating Social Connections into Core Content 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey: 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — 3x a week, tools and mindset shifts that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content, AI prompts, and new books before the bookshelf: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, AI Prompt Library, and more: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system (The Ruckus Maker Flywheel): betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind 🎙 Today's RUCKUS cast 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. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education and let's Do School Different. IXL Over 1 million teachers rely on IXL because it empowers them to make better decisions with reliable data and adapts instruction based on performance. 🔍 Get started today at ixl.com/leaders. PLAY PIPER Kids love gaming but disengage from Math and Science at school. Play Piper changes that with hands-on STEM kits and coding curriculum that spark curiosity and confidence. 🔍 Visit Play Piper © 2025 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: If you think skipping lunch and glorifying stress proves your worth as a school leader, this episode will hit different. Danny and Jethro rip the mask off martyrdom in education and offer a new, healthier way to lead. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Jethro Jones is a former principal and host of the Transformative Principal podcast. He's coached school leaders around the world and is passionate about rejecting outdated norms, rethinking leadership, and helping principals stop chasing busy and start leading with clarity. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Jethro Jones challenges traditional education paradigms: 💡 Key Insight #1: The Myth of Busyness = Importance What's broken: Leaders believe being "too busy for lunch" proves dedication. The shift: Prioritize wellness and boundaries as leadership assets. Impact: Better energy, focus, and longevity in the role. 💡 Key Insight #2: Every Task Deserves an A+ Effort What's broken: Treating every job — no matter how meaningless — as mission-critical. The shift: Work smart, not sacred. Prioritize impact. Impact: Leaders reclaim time for what truly moves the needle. 💡 Key Insight #3: Stress as a Status Symbol What's broken: Believing chronic stress is just part of the job. The shift: Normalize recovery and intentional leadership. Impact: Principals feel more human — and more effective — again. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Busyness is the choice of a hopeless mind." — Jethro Jones 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Block 30 minutes for lunch. No excuses. No interruptions. This Month: Audit your weekly tasks. Drop or delegate 3 things. This Semester: Redesign your calendar around what matters most. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: ruckusmakers.club/join 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey: 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: https://ruckusmakers.news 📜 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Premium insights, AI prompts, and early book drops: https://ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Private network, AI tools, and workshops: https://ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Our proven leadership system to transform your campus: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind 🤝 Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: ODP Business Solutions® — Transform ordinary spaces into unforgettable learning environments. 🔍 Learn more: https://odpbusiness.com/education IXL — Adaptive instruction + data insights trusted by over 1 million teachers. 🔍 Learn more: https://ixl.com/leaders Play Piper — Hands-on STEM kits that turn gamers into future engineers. 🔍 Learn more: https://playpiper.com Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Most schools are stuck in the past. But Anna Rita Pergolizzi-Wentworth is building a future-fluent model that fuses AI, global citizenship, and joy — and it's working. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Anna Rita Pergolizzi-Wentworth is Head of School at Pine Street School, a private International Baccalaureate school in Manhattan. A trilingual leader with global roots in Montessori and IB education, she's also the former Head of School at Battery Park Montessori and founding leader of Del Mar Academy in Costa Rica. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Anna Rita challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1: Balance Isn't Optional — It's the Blueprint What's broken: Prioritizing rigor and standards over student well-being. The shift: Designing school experiences that build cultural intelligence and center joy. Impact: Students thrive as whole humans — not just test takers — in multilingual, multicultural, AI-integrated environments. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Forget Fit, Design for Future Fluency What's broken: Matching kids to static school models rooted in alumni legacy and compliance. The shift: Creating agile, tech-empowered, globally connected schools that prepare for the unknown. Impact: Students design AI startups in middle school, build confidence through constant exposure, and graduate with real-world skills. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Teacher Happiness = Strategy, Not Perk What's broken: Under-appreciated staff, toxic culture, and reactive leadership. The shift: Intentionally recruiting joyful people, investing in appreciation, and building feedback loops that matter. Impact: Strong retention, deep belonging, and a campus culture where karaoke, dumplings, and the "Green Book" fuel morale. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Raise thinkers, embrace humanity, and teach for tomorrow." — Anna Rita Pergolizzi-Wentworth 🧩 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? start here: Tomorrow: Audit how you balance rigor with relationships — where are the gaps? This Month: Create one small moment of surprise and delight for your staff This Semester: Launch a student-led project that fuses creativity, technology, and cultural learning 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 Follow Anna Rita Pergolizzi-Wentworth: Website: pinestreetschool.com Instagram: @greenivypss LinkedIn: Anna Rita Pergolizzi-Wentworth, 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 💡 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — 3x a week insights and tools that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Premium leadership content, AI prompts, and early book drops: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Private network, workshops, tools, and more: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system: Apply Now 🔍 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. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education and let's Do School Different. 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. 🔍 Get started today at ixl.com/leaders PLAY PIPER Kids love gaming and computers, but are disengaged from Math and Science at school. Play Piper changes that with hands-on STEM kits and a coding curriculum. 🔍 Learn more at playpiper.com Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

🖊 The Ruckus Report Quick take: What if the most powerful classrooms in American history operated under segregation? Dr. Karida L. Brown reframes our understanding of Black education during Jim Crow and offers a compelling vision for nurturing students through ecosystems of care. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Karida L. Brown is an NAACP Image Award-winning author, professor at Emory University, and public intellectual. Known for her groundbreaking research on systemic racism and Black life, she's the author of six books, including The Battle for the Black Mind. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🧠 Key Insight #1: Schools aren't neutral. And pretending they are is dangerous. What's broken: The myth that schools can be politically or culturally neutral. The shift: Acknowledge that education operates within a social context — and choose to humanize, not homogenize. Impact: Creates space for students' full identities and lived experiences to be seen, respected, and affirmed. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Teaching was once a radical act of love. And it can be again. What's broken: Emphasis on compliance, test prep, and disconnected pedagogy. The shift: Look to the Black teachers of the Jim Crow era, who taught with deep care and high expectations. Impact: Reignites student pride, dignity, and purpose — and helps staff reclaim meaning in their work. 🧠 Key Insight #3: The hidden curriculum still shapes student success. What's broken: Assuming equity exists because students share a classroom. The shift: Recognize and dismantle invisible systems of advantage and disadvantage. Impact: Equips students from all backgrounds to navigate — and transform — institutional structures. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Walk these halls like somebody fought like hell for you to be here." — Dr. Karida Brown 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask your staff, "What invisible messages does our campus send?" This Month: Create space for student or staff storytelling to elevate empathy and insight This Semester: Rethink your discipline or feedback systems through a lens of equity and care Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here. 🔗 Follow Dr. Karida Brown: Website: https://www.karida.io/ Books: Link, *The Battle for the Black Mind.* Socials: LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Do School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🖊 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Makers on Substack: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind: Apply Now Today's RUCKUS cast in Partnership with: ODP SOLUTIONS: Looking to create the kind of campus experience students never forget? ODP Business Solutions® transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary learning environments. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education and let's Do School Different. 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. 🔍 Get started today at ixl.com/leaders PLAYPIPER: This episode of Better Leaders Better Schools is brought to you by Play Piper. At Piper, we believe STEM doesn't have to feel out of reach. Too many kids love gaming but give up on science and engineering because school doesn't spark their interest. That's where Piper comes in - hands-on STEM kits designed to turn curiosity into confidence and keep the pipeline of future innovators flowing strong. 🔍 Learn more at PlayPiper.com.

📣 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Most leaders ask the wrong question. They obsess over what to do next instead of who they're becoming. In this episode, Dr. Chad Dumas unpacks how self-awareness, non-verbal cues, and intentional presence shape your entire school culture before a single decision is made. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Chad Dumas is an international consultant, author, and award-winning researcher who helps educators build capacity for self, team, and system improvement. A former teacher, principal, and central office administrator, he's the author of Let's Put the C in PLC, An Action Guide to Put the C in PLC, and The Teacher Team Leader Handbook. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Danny Bauer and Dr. Chad Dumas dive deep into the inner work required to lead effectively. They challenge the surface-level "what do I do?" mentality and replace it with a leadership identity rooted in humility, empathy, and self-awareness. 🧠 Key Insight #1: Start with Who, Not What What's broken: Leaders jump straight to tactics — constantly asking, "What do I do?" The shift: Begin with who you are as a person and a leader. Your mindset, humility, and assumptions shape every result that follows. Impact: When leaders ground their actions in identity, they build trust, clarity, and authentic connection across their schools. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Leadership Speaks Before You Do What's broken: Non-verbal cues are ignored — rushed meetings, shallow breathing, and reactive tones quietly erode safety and collaboration. The shift: Master the pause, breathe deeply, and use intentional body language that communicates calm, curiosity, and respect. Impact: The culture shifts from tense to trusting. People start showing up with ideas because they feel seen and safe. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Conflict Is a Catalyst — Not a Threat What's broken: Leaders avoid hard conversations, turning tension into silence or resentment. The shift: Reframe conflict as a space for growth. Separate the person from the problem, focus on shared goals, and invite multiple perspectives. Impact: Teams move from defensiveness to collaboration. The best ideas emerge, and relationships deepen through honest dialogue. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "It's not about the do. It's about the who. Who you are as a person and as a leader — that's where everything starts." — Dr. Chad Dumas 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Before your next meeting, take one deep breath and pause before you speak. Notice how it changes the tone. This Month: Identify one assumption you hold about your staff that might not serve you. Replace it with the belief that they're doing their best. This Semester: Build time for reflection into your team meetings. Make space for silence, processing, and joy. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 Follow Dr. Chad Dumas: Website, YouTube, Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🎯 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey: 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Premium leadership insights, AI prompts, and new books before the bookshelf: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, AI Prompt Library, and more: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven Ruckus Maker Flywheel to transform your campus: betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind 🔍 Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: ODP Business Solutions® — Transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary learning environments. 🔍 Learn more: odpbusiness.com/education IXL — Empower teachers with adaptive instruction and data that drive results. 🔍 Learn more: ixl.com/leaders Play Piper — Hands-on STEM kits that turn curiosity into engineering confidence. 🔍 Learn more: playpiper.com Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

Ted Dintersmith, an education advocate and bestselling author, challenges traditional math education by highlighting its failures. He argues schools prioritize rote memorization over real-life skills like estimation and data literacy. Dintersmith emphasizes the need for critical thinking over standardized testing and advocates for career-based learning to elevate all students. He also shares insights on using documentaries to spark community conversations and details the transformative impact of innovative school models. Educators are reminded of their crucial role in shaping lives.

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: What if the most disruptive thing you could do as a school leader isn't another program — but rethinking when school starts? In this candid and funny conversation, Danny Bauer and Mitch Weathers dig into how protecting sleep actually protects learning, how parent boundaries preserve teacher sanity, and why even job postings reveal whether we're truly Doing School Different or just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Mitch Weathers is a veteran educator, author, and founder of Organized Binder, a system that helps schools build executive functioning and academic success for every student. He's spent decades teaching and coaching educators on how structure, sleep, and small shifts create massive change. Mitch is known for turning everyday challenges — like communication overload or bell schedules — into opportunities for innovation and calm confidence in the classroom. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Danny and Mitch challenge the old-school thinking that keeps leaders exhausted, students disengaged, and parents emailing at 2 am. 💡 Key Insight #1: The Sleep Revolution Starts at School What's broken: Early start times and late-night device use rob students (and teachers) of rest, and learning suffers. The shift: Ruckus Makers reimagine schedules to protect sleep, boost attention, and honor the science of rest. Impact: Districts that start high school later see stronger academic outcomes, better moods, and fewer discipline issues. 💡 Key Insight #2: Boundaries Are the New Professional Development What's broken: Teachers feel pressured to respond instantly to parent emails — even the ones that hit inboxes at 2 am. The shift: Clear, community-wide communication norms create psychological safety for staff and preserve trust with families. Impact: When schools set and model boundaries, teachers stay longer, burnout decreases, and parent relationships improve. 💡 Key Insight #3: Hiring Isn't HR — It's Leadership Marketing What's broken: Bland job postings and checkbox hiring processes repel the best talent. The shift: Treat every open position like a story about your culture — highlight your vision, values, and what makes your campus unmissable. Impact: Schools that "market their mission" attract stronger candidates, reduce vacancies, and build a team aligned with their purpose. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "If the most disruptive thing you do this year is let your students (and teachers) sleep — you're already Doing School Different." — Mitch Weathers 🧩 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to turn these insights into action? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask your leadership team, "What's one low-effort way we could protect rest for students and staff?" This Month: Draft and publish clear communication norms between teachers and families. This Semester: Reevaluate your bell schedule and hiring language. Does it reflect a traditional system — or a Do School Different mindset? 💌 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 Join us on the Adorable Red Hats show. Write an email to hello@adorableredhats.com with your pitch. Learn more at adorableredhats.com. 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a movement of bold, creative leaders reimagining what's possible. 🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey: 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — Tools, mindset shifts, and leadership strategies that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive essays, AI prompts, and early book access: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network, workshops, and leadership tools: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching and peer mentorship for visionary leaders: betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind 🎙 Today's RUCKUS cast 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. Visit odpbusiness.com/education and let's Do School Different. Play Piper Kids love gaming and tech — but often disengage from math and science at school. Play Piper changes that with hands-on STEM kits and a coding curriculum. Learn more at playpiper.com. IXL Over 1 million teachers rely on IXL because it empowers them to make better decisions with reliable data and adapts instruction based on student performance. Get started today at ixl.com/leaders. Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Most principals fear AI. Ruckus Makers see it as fuel for innovation. In this solo episode, Danny shares 3 foundational AI principles that will redefine school leadership in 2025 — showing you how to trade fear for leverage and ideas for bold action. **You can unlock all 10 AI principles here.** 👋 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Danny Bauer helps Ruckus Makers Do School Different — reimagining education within traditional systems to create campus experiences worth showing up for. He's written multiple bestselling books and hosts the Better Leaders Better Schools RuckusCast, the most downloaded school leadership podcast in the world, ranking in the top 1% of all podcasts globally. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Danny challenges traditional education paradigms and reveals how courageous leaders can use AI to future-proof their campuses: 📌 Key Insight #1: There Are Two Sides to Every Coin What's broken: Many school leaders see AI as a threat — banning tools and retreating to old habits out of fear. The shift: Courageous Ruckus Makers choose to reframe fear as curiosity. They see AI not as cheating, but as a way to create leverage and deeper learning. Impact: Schools that embrace this mindset are equipping students for a future where AI fluency isn't optional — it's essential for employment and innovation. 📌 Key Insight #2: Your #1 Job Is to Transfer Belief What's broken: Traditional leadership focuses on control and compliance instead of cultivating confidence. The shift: Ruckus Makers inspire belief — helping staff and students see that they can solve hard problems and do extraordinary work. Impact: Teams move from hesitant to high-performing, creating schools filled with energy, innovation, and ownership. 📌 Key Insight #3: Ideas Are Great — But Action Wins What's broken: School leaders get stuck in meetings, policies, and analysis — mistaking discussion for progress. The shift: Ruckus Makers act first, learn fast, and iterate forward. They understand that bold experiments beat perfect plans. Impact: Leaders who move from inspiration to implementation transform ideas into tangible outcomes for students and staff. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Ideas are great, but not the greatest. Action is the only thing greater than an idea." – Danny Bauer 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Identify one "fear coin" moment on your campus. Flip it — and turn fear into a chance for curiosity or innovation. This Month: Transfer belief. Tell three staff members specifically what you see in them that they don't yet see in themselves. This Semester: Choose one bold experiment that uses AI to free up your team's time and amplify student engagement — then share the results with your district. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🔓 Unlock all 10 principles + the AI demo + tools here. 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: here 🔗 Follow Danny: Website, LinkedIn 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🧠 Here Are Four Ways We Can Help You on Your Do School Different Journey 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Premium leadership insights, AI prompts, and new books before the bookshelf: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Private network, AI Prompt Library, and workshops that make school leadership easier: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and the Ruckus Maker Flywheel leadership system: Apply Now 🎙 Today's RUCKUS cast 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. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education and let's Do School Different. IXL: Over 1 million teachers rely on IXL because it helps them make better decisions with reliable data and adapt instruction based on student performance. 🔍 Get started today at ixl.com/leaders PLAY PIPER: Kids love gaming and computers, but are disengaged from Math and Science at school. Play Piper changes that with hands-on STEM kits and coding curriculum. 🔍 Learn more at playpiper.com. Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?