The Better Leaders Better Schools Podcast | The #1 Downloaded School Leadership Show

    Kristen Horton began her career in education at Navajo Mountain Community School as a teacher in a multi-age classroom. Dr. Horton has a commitment to supporting students and teachers through collective educator agency and relational capacity. Dr. Horton currently serves as principal of Continental Colony Elementary School and founder of L.E.A.D.S. She understands support for teachers will sustain her "why" every day, to increase life chances for students.   Joseph Hyun started his educator journey at UCSD when he signed up to tutor local high school students and discovered his passion for teaching math and commitment to fighting for social justice. Today Joseph serves as the Head of Partner Success at TeachFX, where he supports teachers in increasing equitable opportunities for their students to participate and engage in learning.     Show Highlights   TeachFX brings significant shifts in leadership for professional learning and coaching. Leadership strategies to support student learning and teacher growth. Purpose-driven curricula to save time and address learning gaps.  The most important principle when designing curriculum. Tips to encourage diverse forms of dialogue that deepen understanding and promote active participation. Avoid ineffective PD sessions that lack teacher agency by encouraging professional learning. Support teachers in increasing equitable opportunities for student engagement and participation. Transferring ownership to students, using these tools.        "The scariest place to be in is the same place as last year, grow."  -Dr Horton   Get the episode transcript here! Dr Horton's Resources & Contact Info:   Twitter Instagram Facebook     Read my latest book! Learn why the ABCs of powerful professional development™ work – Grow your skills by integrating more Authenticity, Belonging, and Challenge into your life and leadership.   Read Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader today! Apply to the Mastermind The mastermind is changing the landscape of professional development for school leaders.    100% of our members agree that the mastermind is the #1 way they grow their leadership skills.   Apply to the mastermind today!   How We Serve Leaders   The School Leadership Scorecard™ Identify your highest leverage areas for growth this year in 10 -minutes or less.    https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/scorecard   Month-to-Month Principal Checklist As a principal with so much to do, you might be thinking, where do I even start?   When you download The Principal Checklist you'll get 12-months of general tasks that every campus need to do Space to write your campus specific items. Space to reflect and not what worked as well as a space of what didn't work Go to https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/principal-checklist to download now.   Ruckus Maker Mindset Tool™ The "secret" to peak performance is ot complicated.  It's a plan on how to optimize the five fundamentals found in The Ruckus Maker Mindset Tool™. https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mindset   The Positive Spotlight Tool™ Energy flows to where attention goes! If you want to get more of what you want, when you want it as a school leader I have a tool for you…   Download The Positive Spotlight Tool™ for free here: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/positive   The Ruckus Maker 8-Step Goal Setting Tool™ Are you ready to accomplish more? With less effort and in less time? When you download The Ruckus Maker 8-Step Goal Setting Tool™  I'll send you the tool and a short 8-minute coaching video that shows you how to work smarter, not harder…and create more value for your school campus.   Download The Ruckus Maker 8-Step Goal Setting Tool™  for free at https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/goals SHOW SPONSORS:   TEACHFX How much student talk happened today? When classrooms come alive with conversation, learning improves, students feel a sense of belonging, and teachers feel inspired.    The TeachFX instructional coaching app gives teachers powerful insights into their student talk, student engagement, and classroom conversation.    With TeachFX, teachers see how much student talk happened, the moments of students sharing their brilliance, and the questions that got students talking.Learn how to pilot TeachFX with your teachers. Visit: teachfx.com/betterleaders     Quest Food Management Services   Quest Food Management Services provides high-quality, scratch-made food in K-12 schools and universities across the country, prioritizing the health and wellness of students and elevating the cafeteria dining experience.  Quest offers a full-service approach to their school partners, bringing 40 years of expertise through every stage of program development and nurturing a true sense of community through interactive events such as student food committees. For more information about Quest Food Management Services, www.questfms.com     IXL IXL is the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. Over 1 million teachers use IXL in their classrooms every day for one reason: They love it. Visit IXL.com to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.   Copyright © 2024 Twelve Practices LLC      

Sonya Thomlinson (Uchita) HHC, ERYT-500, C-IAYT was co-director and co-founder of Tandava Yoga and Trinity Yoga Centers in Kelowna and Vernon, British Columbia from 2003-2016.  An avid student of yoga and meditation since 1994, and teaching since 1998, Sonya leads trainings, retreats, workshops and classes throughout Western Canada and the US and works individually with those interested in dynamic health and healing. Jeff Thomlinson is formally the co-owner and director of Trinity Yoga Center, then Tandava Yoga in Kelowna, since 2003. Jeff began teaching yoga in 1991. For 10 years, he lived, studied and worked at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, MA, USA, the largest yoga teaching center in North America. This enabled him to study with international leaders in yoga and to assimilate leading teaching and practice techniques. Read the full bio on the show note page. Take a Breath Show Highlights: The story of starting Take a Breath Stress reduction for kids with yoga Get out of a stress response How breath practice calms our flight and fight response 100% of kids are stressed Don’t be a jerk … people can’t think or perform around you Rest before a test led to 20% increase in test scores The inherent stress beast Consequences of ignoring the stress epidemic BRAVE acronym Bring attention to stress so staff and students don’t feel alone in this Take a Breath Resources:   Take a Breath Website The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer   Join my hybrid group coaching & leadership development community Text BETTERMASTERMIND to 33444 Create winning cultures Focus on the essential Lead with courage & integrity    BECOME A PATRON OF THE SHOW FOR AS LITTLE AS $1/MONTH DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW?  iTunes SUBSCRIBE HERE! SHOW SOME LOVE: PLEASE LEAVE A 5-STAR RATING AND REVIEW Grab your FREE 15 Phrases of Effective School Leaders  Text PHRASES to 33444 or click the link above.   Website :: Facebook :: Insta :: Twitter :: LinkedIn   SHOW SPONSORS: SCHOOL SPIRIT VENDING Hassle-free, year-round fundraising for your school. With School Spirit Vending, we do all the work, you just cash the check Increase school spirit with custom stickers for your school and raise funds at the same time -no upfront costs, no volunteers, no selling Sick of the same old ways of raising money for your school? Let School Spirit Vending's hassle-free, year-round fundraising program supplement the other fundraisers you're already doing. SSV is also giving away the Top 10 School Fundraising Ideas for 2017. Download the guide here.     Copyright © 2017 Better Leaders Better Schools    

🧰 The Ruckus Report Quick take: This episode flips the script on school culture and student motivation. Adrian Ireland shows why most engagement issues aren't about effort — they're about environment — and what to do instead. 🫂 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Adrian Ireland is an international educator, systems thinker, and author who reimagines the architecture of learning by challenging traditional, standardized education models. With experience leading across Asia and Europe, he champions learner-centered approaches that elevate curiosity, individuality, and creativity. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 😎 Key Insight #1: Schools don't have effort problems — they have architecture problems What's broken: We blame students and teachers for being unmotivated. The shift: Redesign the system so motivation is the natural outcome, not a constant battle. Impact: Transforms passive learners into engaged problem-solvers without more effort. 📌 Key Insight #2: Culture isn't spoken into existence — it's built by design What's broken: Leaders treat culture like a vibe or vision statement. The shift: Treat culture as the emergent result of your systems, structures, and incentives. Impact: A culture of belonging and excellence that sustains itself beyond PD days and posters. 🧰 Key Insight #3: Startup Week proves a different architecture delivers better results What's broken: End-of-year burnout and throwaway lessons. The shift: Reclaim that time with a high-agency, high-authenticity program rooted in design thinking. Impact: Students work harder, retain more, and surprise themselves — even in the last week of school. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Culture is really system architecture in disguise." – Adrian Ireland 🧗‍♂️ Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Audit your current systems. Where are students swimming upstream? This Month: Start planning a low-stakes sandbox where your staff can test new structures. This Semester: Launch a Startup Week-style program to unlock student agency and authentic learning. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 👩🏻‍💻  Follow Adrian Ireland: Website: https://designingdifferent.carrd.co/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adrian-ireland-413191278 📕 Book: Designing different 📌 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: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content on Substack. 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 RUCKUS cast in Partnership With: Play Piper Every student starts with curiosity — Piper keeps it alive. Our hands-on STEM kits turn gaming passion into real engineering skills. 🔍 Spark confidence in your students at playpiper.com/ruckus. ODP Business Solutions® Still scrambling for supplies like it's 1999? ODP streamlines everything from pencils to projectors so you can focus on what matters — making an impact. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education to learn more. IXL If you could differentiate instruction in 20 minutes or less, would you do it? Over 1 million teachers use IXL to make data-informed instruction effortless. 🔍 Start today at ixl.com/leaders. © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

📕 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Danny tells the brutal story of a "worst first day of school ever" moment — when half the students had no schedules — and uses it to make the case for a 90-day entry plan that builds trust fast, reduces stress, and keeps your campus from spiralling into avoidable chaos. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Danny challenges the "vibes-only leadership" approach and lays out why leaders need a real plan — what you're doing, why you're doing it, and how you'll execute — especially in the first 90 days. 🧨 Key Insight #1 — The real "first day" starts months earlier What's broken: Treating the first day of school like a one-day event you can "wing." The shift: Build and execute a time-based entry plan with clear milestones and check-ins. Impact: Fewer fires, fewer surprises, and a campus experience worth showing up for. — starting day one. 📌 Key Insight #2 — Chaos is often a systems failure, not a people problem What's broken: Blaming individuals when a breakdown happens (or silently absorbing it alone). The shift: Own the outcome, stabilize the system, then fix the root cause with a plan you can communicate. Impact: Faster recovery when things go wrong — and fewer repeat disasters. 🎯 Key Insight #3 — Close the "Belief Gap" at 3 levels What's broken: Strategy that sounds good but doesn't create confidence. The shift: Close belief gaps for: You (internal confidence), Your team (shared belief + clarity), Stakeholders (parents/ board/ community buy-in). Impact: More trust, more autonomy, and more momentum — because people believe the plan is real. 🎙️ Quotable Ruckus "As school leaders, we make a promise to our community — and it's important that you deliver on that promise, especially in the first 90 days." — Danny Bauer. 🧩 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Identify the one predictable breakdown that could derail your next "first day" (schedules, transportation, staffing, supervision, etc.) and write the prevent-it list. This Month: Draft a 90-day entry plan with milestone check-ins (what success looks like by week 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12). This Semester: Share the plan in a format your team can repeat back — then measure whether belief is rising across you/team/stakeholders. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 👉Apply to The Entry Plan Intensive: https://entryplanintensive.com/ Applications close March 20th at 11:59:59 pm ET. 📌 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/subscribe 🗞 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/join 🧨 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 RUCKUS cast in Partnership With: ODP Business Solutions® For over 30 years, ODP Business Solutions® has helped schools transform from whiteboards to smartboards. Why? Because when you get the right tools, everyone wins. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education to revolutionize your school's learning spaces. 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 This episode 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 - They have hands-on STEM kits designed to turn curiosity into confidence and keep the pipeline of future innovators flowing strong. 🔍 Learn more at playpiper.com/ruckus © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

🧨 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Most leaders say they want innovation… then rebuild the same dusty campus experience with newer paint. Will Campbell shows what happens when you press reset, redesign the human experience of school, and trust students to build the culture while teachers get time to grow inside the workday. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Will Campbell is redefining what's possible with modern education. As the Founding Head of Franklin School in Jersey City, named the The Most Innovative School in the World by T4 Education, Will has built a learning ecosystem that fuses timeless educational wisdom with breakthrough innovation. His work challenges the traditional playbook, empowering students and educators to think boldly, act with purpose, and lead with vision. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Will Campbell challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧰 Key Insight #1: Building from scratch isn't freedom, It's leadership under uncertainty What's broken: Leaders wait for the perfect plan, perfect clarity, perfect conditions… and then wonder why nothing changes. The shift: Get comfortable "building the bridge while you're walking on it," with feedback loops, iteration, and a team that can handle a little wobble. Impact: Faster learning, better decisions, and a school design that improves because it's alive — not because it's locked in. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Student voice isn't a survey. It's shared ownership of culture What's broken: Adults control the experience, then blame kids for not buying in. The shift: Trust students to lead earlier — then coach them with guardrails: "Not everything can be a yes, but everything doesn't have to be a no." Impact: Students build real leadership skill through reps, culture becomes self-sustaining, and the building stops depending on one adult to hold it all together. 🧰 Key Insight #3: Partnerships beat "exposure." Bring the real world into the building What's broken: Schools talk internships and career pathways, but keep professionals at arm's length — so students stay stuck in fantasies and assumptions. The shift: Build partnerships that put experts in front of students now (micro-courses, real conversations, real constraints, real options). Impact: Students pivot earlier, choose pathways with eyes open, and develop the confidence that comes from proximity to real work. 🎙️ Quotable Ruckus "Not everything can be a yes, but everything doesn't have to be a no." – Will Campbell 🧗‍♂️ Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Pick one decision you're still hoarding "because it's faster." Give it away — with clear guardrails — and let someone lead. This Month: Create one student-led culture move (advisory, house system, rituals, onboarding, peer mentorship). Make it real. Make it visible. This Semester: Build a partnership pipeline: 10 professionals, 10 micro-sessions, 10 career reality checks — inside your building, not just on a poster. 📌 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/subscribe 🗞 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/join 🧨 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 RUCKUS cast in Partnership With: ODP Business Solutions® For over 30 years, ODP Business Solutions® has helped schools transform from whiteboards to smartboards. Why? Because when you get the right tools, everyone wins. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education to revolutionize your school's learning spaces. 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 This episode 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 - They have hands-on STEM kits designed to turn curiosity into confidence and keep the pipeline of future innovators flowing strong. 🔍 Learn more at playpiper.com/ruckus © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Kim Strobel's been attacked for teaching differently — and still chose joy. In this episode, she shows school leaders how happiness isn't fluff — it's the foundation. Learn how to fight for your fire, rewire your brain, and lead a school worth showing up for. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Kim Strobel is a former teacher and administrator turned global speaker, author, and happiness coach. After battling a debilitating panic disorder, she transformed her pain into purpose — helping educators reclaim joy, build resilience, and spark cultures of well-being in their schools. She's the author of Teach Happy: Small Steps to Big Joy and speaks on stages around the world, including events for the FBI and thousands of educators each year. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🧨 Key Insight #1: You have to play it safe to survive school culture What's broken: Educators who do school different often get bullied or iced out. The shift: Kim modeled courage by refusing to dim her light — and found her people. Impact: Students got more than standards — they got voice, agency, and purpose through passion-driven projects like dog adoption campaigns. 🧰 Key Insight #2: Productivity means grinding, not growing What's broken: School leaders wear burnout as a badge and equate rest with weakness. The shift: Kim reframes happiness as a performance strategy, not a luxury. Impact: When teachers practice happiness habits, productivity rises 31% and engagement 10x. 🚀 Key Insight #3: You can't lead culture — you're not responsible for staff happiness What's broken: Leaders think culture is out of their hands. The shift: Kim teaches that school-wide joy starts with modeling and micro-habits. Impact: Schools that bake happiness into the fabric see better retention, morale, and results. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "If your classroom doesn't have joy, curiosity, or risk, then what exactly are you preparing kids for?" – Kim Strobel 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask yourself and your staff: Are we choosing activities that drain us — or fuel us? This Month: Lead by example — commit to one daily happiness habit (movement, gratitude, meditation, social connection, or kindness) This Semester: Create a culture audit. Identify one system or meeting that could be redesigned for joy, not just compliance 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Kim Strobel: Website: http://www.strobeleducation.com, https://strobeleducation.com/teach-happy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-strobel/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimstrobeljoy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1798779396858380 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/she-finds-joy/id1487739752 📌 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/subscribe 🗞 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/join 🧨 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 RUCKUS cast in Partnership With: ODP Business Solutions® For over 30 years, ODP Business Solutions® has helped schools transform from whiteboards to smartboards. Why? Because when you get the right tools, everyone wins. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education to revolutionize your school's learning spaces. 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 This episode 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 - They have hands-on STEM kits designed to turn curiosity into confidence and keep the pipeline of future innovators flowing strong. 🔍 Learn more at playpiper.com/ruckus © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

📣 The Ruckus Report Quick take: What if the cure for disengagement isn't better apps, but real tools in real hands? In this episode, Kris Rockwell challenges the one-way screen model that dominates modern classrooms — and makes a powerful case for hands-on learning that sparks joy, confidence, and curiosity. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Kris Rockwell works at the intersection of venture capital, technology, and non-profit initiatives. After spending over fifteen years in the eLearning field, he went on to lead the S. Kent Rockwell Foundation, supporting initiatives in conservation, entrepreneurship, and addiction recovery. He currently serves as Head of Product Development at Play Piper Inc. an edtech company based in San Francisco, the founder of AoS Ventures, a Pittsburgh-based venture capital group, and the co-founder of Praxis Science, a company that focuses on blockchain applications for decentralized science. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Kris Rockwell challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1: The Tyranny of the One-Way Screen What's broken: One-way screens that keep kids passive and addicted. The shift: From screen consumption to hands-on creation and feedback loops. Impact: Students build confidence and competence through real-world tinkering and tech. 🧰 Key Insight #2: Tools Aren't Enough Without Freedom to Try What's broken: Classrooms full of unused tech due to lack of support or fear. The shift: Providing kids with approachable tools, open-ended projects, and the psychological safety to fail forward. Impact: One student went from bullied and silent to proudly presenting her own 3D-printed dragon — and finding her voice. 🚀 Key Insight #3: Preparing Kids for the Jobs That Don't Exist Yet What's broken: Teaching only for predictable answers and standardized tests. The shift: Making infotech and digital literacy foundational, just like math. Impact: Students learn coding, robotics, and cybersecurity by building their own devices — laying the groundwork for creative, tech-enabled futures. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Confidence doesn't come from clicking — it comes from building." – Kris Rockwell 🧗‍♂️ Your Do School Different Challenge 👉 Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask one student what they'd build if they could learn anything. Then listen. This Month: Introduce one hands-on STEM project that doesn't require a final grade. This Semester: Reframe screen time — swap passive clicks for real-world tinkering. 🔗 Connect & Continue 📌 Get the full episode transcript here 👩🏻‍💻  Follow Kris Rockwell: Website: www.playpiper.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/krisrockwell Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StartWithPiper X: https://x.com/StartWithPiper Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startwithpiper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PlayPiperLLC TikTok: @play.piper 📌 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 and early book drops: https://ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Private network, AI Prompt Library, and more: https://ruckusmakers.club/join 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Coaching + The Ruckus Maker Flywheel: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind 🎙 Today's RUCKUS cast in Partnership With: ODP Business Solutions® For over 30 years, ODP Business Solutions® has helped schools transform from whiteboards to smartboards. Why? Because when you get the right tools, everyone wins. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education to revolutionize your school's learning spaces. 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 This episode 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 - They have hands-on STEM kits designed to turn curiosity into confidence and keep the pipeline of future innovators flowing strong. 🔍 Learn more at playpiper.com/ruckus © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

🎙 The Ruckus Report Quick Take: What happens when a high school sophomore builds the tool he wishes his teacher had? You get Markify — a collaborative, accessible classroom platform now used by 20,000+ students. In this episode, Anthony Beckett shares how a missed note sparked a movement and what school leaders can learn from a student-led disruption. 👋 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Anthony Beckett is the founder of Markify, an EdTech startup transforming classrooms into collaborative learning environments. After building the prototype while still in high school, Anthony scaled Markify to 1,500+ schools and continues to grow the company as a college student. He's presented at ISTE, FETC, and speaks nationally about accessibility, student agency, and rethinking how classrooms operate. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🧠 Key Insight #1 — Make Classrooms More Accessible What's broken: Teachers lecture. Students copy notes. And if you miss it, you're out of luck. The shift: Markify puts the whiteboard on every student's desk — live, editable, and archived. Impact: All students — even those in the back row or with attention challenges — can review, interact, and participate at their own pace. 🧠 Key Insight #2 — Design for Collaboration Without Chaos What's broken: Classrooms are still built for compliance, not contribution. Group work is rare, and many tools are either clunky or chaotic. The shift: Markify allows controlled collaboration with real-time editing, permissions, and engagement features. Impact: Shy students speak up. Peer feedback flows. Classwide documents become shared artifacts — not worksheets in isolation. 🧠 Key Insight #3 — Fight Fire With Fire (Engagement > Distraction) What's broken: Schools treat phones and tech as threats instead of opportunities. The shift: Build experiences so engaging, students choose learning over scrolling. Impact: One student hid in the janitor's closet to avoid speaking in class — until Markify gave her a voice. Two weeks later, she was leading a group project. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "The real challenge isn't distraction — it's disinterest. If school isn't more engaging than TikTok, we've already lost." — Anthony Beckett 🎯 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask students how they would redesign one traditional lesson. Try one of their suggestions. This Month: Pilot a collaborative tool like Markify in one unit or course. This Semester: Launch a student-led innovation — let learners solve a real campus problem with tech, process, or design. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Anthony Beckett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckett-anthony Markify LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/markifyapp Markify Twitter/X: https://x.com/markifytool Markify Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markifytool Markify YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@markifyexotek Markify Website: https://markifyapp.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 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 Substack content, AI prompts, book previews: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Private network, workshops, The Automatic School toolkit, and more: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system: Apply Now 🎙 Today's RUCKUS cast in Partnership With: ODP Business Solutions® For over 30 years, ODP Business Solutions® has helped schools transform from whiteboards to smartboards. Why? Because when you get the right tools, everyone wins. 🔍 Visit odpbusiness.com/education to revolutionize your school's learning spaces. 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 This episode 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 - They have hands-on STEM kits designed to turn curiosity into confidence and keep the pipeline of future innovators flowing strong. 🔍 Learn more at playpiper.com/ruckus   © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: If you're leading from an empty tank, you're not leading at all. Joël McLean learned the hard way that transformational leadership starts within — and he built a roadmap any school leader can follow. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Joël McLean is a former principal turned certified leadership coach, committed to helping leaders at every level develop skills and confidence to thrive. With 27+ years in education and founder of Inspire Leadership Coaching, he's on a mission to spark transformation from the inside out. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Joël McLean challenges traditional education paradigms: 🤯 Key Insight #1: Self-Leadership Over More Initiatives What's broken: More hours, more meetings, and more pressure are seen as the solution to underperformance. The shift: Joël argues that success starts with self-leadership and intentional reflection. Impact: Leaders who focus inward show up with clarity, energy, and stronger school-wide influence. 🤯Key Insight #2: Leadership Is Human, Not Just Measurable What's broken: Leadership is treated as purely results-driven, often ignoring the personal development of the leader. The shift: Joël reframes leadership as a human-centered, values-based journey. Impact: Schools thrive when principals build themselves first, then build others. 🤯 Key Insight #3: Cross-Discipline Growth Builds Better Leaders What's broken: Rigid leadership paths discourage creative growth and perspective-taking outside education. The shift: Joël models how borrowing from business, coaching, and mindfulness unlocks new leadership capacity. Impact: Innovative thinking and intentional design create empowered, future-ready campuses. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "If people are depending on me as a leader, then I need to make sure I'm at my best." – Joël McLean 🧗‍♂️ Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Block 15 minutes for uninterrupted reflection. Ask yourself: "Who do I want to be as a leader this week?" This Month: Write your own Leader's Code. Define your values, vision, and what success looks like for you. This Semester: Begin building systems to support adult learning and staff development aligned with your leadership code. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🌟 Get the full episode transcript here 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Joël McLean: My website: inspireleadership.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspirelifeleadershipcoaching Instagram: @inspireleadershipcoaching 📕 Buy Transcending Your Leadership here. 📌 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 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 IXL takes the guesswork out of lesson planning for teachers. IXL's ready-made lesson plans are aligned to your textbooks and state standards, so teachers can turn to IXL for the exact content they need to help their students. 🔍 Get started today at ixl.com/leaders PLAY PIPER This episode of Better Leaders Better Schools is sponsored by Play Piper. Every student starts with curiosity - Piper keeps it alive. Our hands-on STEM kits turn gaming passion into real engineering skills. 🔍 Spark confidence in your students at https://www.playpiper.com/ruckus © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

📣 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Ryan Hennessey didn't just walk away from teaching — he dropped the mic. In this episode, he reveals how to leave on your own terms, build brave spaces that spark curiosity, and model vulnerability without losing yourself in the process. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Ryan Hennessey is a former award-winning educator turned heart-led entrepreneur who refuses to accept "good enough." A science teacher by training and disruptor by design, he equips leaders to build spaces (and lives) that are brave, human, and wildly effective. Ryan believes in trading fear for courage, autopilot for true agency, and busy work for inspiring learning that sticks. 🔨  Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Ryan Hennessey challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1: From Compliance to Curiosity What's broken: Classrooms designed for control, not connection. The shift: Ditch the worksheet culture and build can't-miss learning experiences. Impact: Students re-engage, show up with energy, and begin asking better questions. 🧠 Key Insight #2: From Burnout to Wholeness What's broken: The myth that great teachers must sacrifice everything. The shift: Choose integrity and presence — even if it means leaving. Impact: Greater sustainability and joy for teachers, deeper impact on students. 🧠 Key Insight #3: From Fear to Vulnerability What's broken: Hyper-vigilant environments that punish risk-taking. The shift: Lead with humanity and model failure. Impact: Classrooms become brave spaces where trust, growth, and agency thrive. 🎙️ Quotable Ruckus "Find the courage to fail spectacularly today." – Ryan Hennessey 🧩 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask yourself: Do students want to be in this space? Then do one thing to make the answer "yes." This Month: Build one immersive lesson that ditches the script and leans into curiosity. This Semester: Model vulnerability. Tell students when you're trying something new — and invite them to do the same. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: Read here 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Ryan Hennessey: Website: www.ryan-hennessey.com/ Substack: Handle: @IAMRYANHENNESSEY  |                                                                   Link: substack.com/@iamryanhennessey Instagram: Handle: @IAMRYANHENNESSEY | Link: www.instagram.com/iamryanhennessey LinkedIn: Link: www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-hennessey 📌 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: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content on Substack. 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): Apply here 🎙 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 IXL takes the guesswork out of lesson planning for teachers. IXL's ready-made lesson plans are aligned to your textbooks and state standards, so teachers can turn to IXL for the exact content they need to help their students. 🔍 Get started today at ixl.com/leaders PLAY PIPER This episode of Better Leaders Better Schools is sponsored by Play Piper. Every student starts with curiosity - Piper keeps it alive. Our hands-on STEM kits turn gaming passion into real engineering skills. 🔍 Spark confidence in your students at https://www.playpiper.com/ruckus © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

😎 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Micah Ali dismantles outdated mindsets about urban education and shares how Compton Unified went from a district people had written off to one that's setting the pace for California. Learn what it takes to build trust, flip expectations, and drive equity by doing what's ethical. 🙌 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Micah Ali is the longest-serving President in the history of the Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees. A lifelong Compton resident and education advocate, he has championed transformational change in public education, equity in opportunity, and investments that uplift Black and Brown communities in California and across the nation. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🧠 Key Insight #1: Focus on Students, Not Adult Comfort What's broken: Urban education blamed for failing because of zip codes and funding gaps The shift: Real issue is adult comfort — not student success Impact: Compton Unified refocused priorities, bucked the failure narrative, and rebuilt community trust 🧠 Key Insight #2: From Expectations to Examples What's broken: Low expectations for Black and Brown communities The shift: Redefining students as examples, not expectations Impact: 90%+ student participation in STEAM, national recognition, and record-breaking graduation rates 🧠 Key Insight #3: Replace Equity Buzzwords with Ethics What's broken: DEI as a buzzword without substance The shift: Replace diversity and equity with ethics Impact: Every student gets what they need — not because it's politically correct, but because it's morally required 🗣 Quotable Ruckus "Compton is what the future looks like. And Compton students are not expectations, they are examples." — Micah Ali 🎒Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Audit one adult-centered practice and replace it with a student-focused one This Month: Reach out to one potential partner outside your zip code — think big (DLR, Apple, Zoom) This Semester: Launch one initiative that proves belief in students — housing, pathways, real opportunities 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Micah Ali: https://www.compton.k12.ca.us/ https://www.dlrgroup.com/work/compton-high-school/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/micah-ali-54503823/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/compton-unified-school-district/posts/?feedView=all https://www.linkedin.com/company/dlrgroup/posts/?feedView=all 📌 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/subscribe 🗞 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/join 🧨 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 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 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 © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

📣 The Ruckus Report Quick take: What if the key to student achievement wasn't curriculum coverage or test prep, but trust? Joe LaTorre's classroom proves that when you lead with relationships, kids show up, lean in, and thrive. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Joe LaTorre is a nationally recognized middle school teacher from Oceanside, NY. Known for building powerful classroom culture and eliminating discipline referrals, Joe helps students read 10–15 books a year, double the average. He's also the co-creator of the Bridges program, uniting students across racially and socioeconomically segregated communities. Joe is an award-winning educator, speaker, and proud Ruckus Maker. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🧠 Key Insight #1: The Trust Shortcut What's broken: Prioritizing procedures and curriculum in week one. The shift: Start with community, vulnerability, and visible trust. Impact: Students buy in early, behavior issues drop to nearly zero, and academic outcomes skyrocket. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Coaching Over Commanding What's broken: Teachers as compliance officers. The shift: Teachers act as coaches, tailoring experiences to student needs. Impact: More student ownership, deeper engagement, and drastically reduced AI misuse. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Cross-District Segregation Busters What's broken: Racial and economic isolation between school communities. The shift: The Bridges program partners students across districts for shared learning and leadership. Impact: Authentic friendships, empathy, and real-world leadership skills built over years. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Start with the stretching. Trust is the classroom version of that. If you build it first, you go farther." – Joe LaTorre 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Begin your class by explaining why today's learning matters — in their terms. This Month: Run a trust-building circle with authentic, scaffolded questions. This Semester: Pilot a cross-classroom or cross-campus exchange to build bridges. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🌟 Get the full episode transcript: Read it here 👩🏻‍💻 Follow Joe LaTorre: Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X7LDuBcPMw, Website: www.JosephLaTorre.com Instagram: @thejoelatorre Linktree: linktr.ee/TheJoeLaTorre 📌 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 — Get tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work 3x a week: ruckusmakers.news 🗖 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content, AI prompts, new books before the bookshelf: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network, workshops, AI tools, and more: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to The Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven Ruckus Maker Flywheel: 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. 🔍 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 © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

📣 The Ruckus Report Quick take: When the system broke her heart, she built a new one. From a classroom with no chairs to a network of 1:1 micro schools, Lynna Martinez-Khalilian is rewriting the rules of what school can be. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Lynna Martinez-Khalilian is a former classroom teacher who experienced the limits of traditional schooling firsthand. Now a pioneer at Fusion Education Group, Lynna leads a nationwide network of one-to-one micro schools designed to prioritize student belonging, interest-driven learning, and flexible, personalized schedules. She's on a mission to put love at the center of school design — and create places where students thrive, not just survive. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🎯 Key Insight #1: The Class Size Myth What's broken: Cramming 40 kids into a classroom and expecting personalization. The shift: A micro school model with 1:1 instruction and flexible pacing. Impact: Students are engaged, confident, and finally seen — teacher burnout drops dramatically. 🎯 Key Insight #2: Teaching Before Trust What's broken: Leading with content before connection. The shift: A learning philosophy built on love, motivation, then teaching. Impact: Relationships become the gateway to mastery and critical thinking. 🎯 Key Insight #3: Standardized Systems, One-Size-Fits-All Schedules What's broken: Age-based cohorts, rigid start times, and locked-in pacing. The shift: Flexible, personalized schedules based on student peak learning times and interest development. Impact: Students discover self-agency, intrinsic motivation, and joy in learning — and it sticks. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Love, motivate, teach. That's the order — and that's the revolution." – Lynna Martinez Khalilian 🏋️ Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask your staff: what would it look like to lead with love in our classrooms? This Month: Audit your schedule for flexibility. Where can you give students more autonomy? This Semester: Pilot a mentorship-first initiative where teachers focus on connection before content. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 Follow Lynna Martinez Khalilian: Website: https://www.fusionacademy.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lynna-martinez-khalilian-413a2b75 📌 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 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, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content on Substack. Leadership insights, AI tools, book previews: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Private network + workshops, AI Prompt Library, The Automatic School tools: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven 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 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 © 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

📣 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 🔗 Join us on the Adorable Red Hats show. 📧 Email 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 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: Most schools are drowning in Tier 2 and Tier 3 referrals. Mitch Weathers shows why fixing Tier 1 first is the only way out — and how to actually make it work. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Mitch Weathers is a veteran educator, author, and co-founder of Organized Binder. He's helped thousands of schools rethink their Tier 1 systems and center equity, consistency, and executive function in the classroom. Mitch has keynoted across the U.S. and even rocked turquoise jewelry markets in New Mexico (true story). 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Mitch challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1: Tier 1 is the Foundation What's broken: Schools overload Tier 2 and Tier 3 while ignoring Tier 1. The shift: Design Tier 1 systems every teacher can implement with fidelity. Impact: Reduced referrals, increased student success, and less burnout. 🧠 Key Insight #2: PD That Actually Works What's broken: Professional learning feels irrelevant and impractical. The shift: Anchor PD in tools and mindsets that apply Monday morning. Impact: Teachers actually implement strategies — and want more. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Lead with Flow, Not Force What's broken: Leaders grip too tightly to plans and compliance. The shift: Lead with intentionality, flexibility, and flow. Impact: More trust, better culture, and stronger adult nervous systems. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "You can't Tier 2 your way out of a Tier 1 problem." — Mitch Weathers 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Audit one Tier 1 practice for clarity and consistency. This Month: Host a team conversation on the real purpose of PD. This Semester: Design Tier 1 initiatives that every teacher can do. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🌟 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 Join us on the Adorable Red Hats show. 📧 Email 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 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: 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?