The Better Leaders Better Schools Podcast with Daniel Bauer

    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: What if you could deliver six weeks of learning in a single hour? Simon Strong did exactly that — and the results are challenging everything we think we know about teaching, memory, and curriculum. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Simon Strong is the founder of Download Learning, a UK-based company partnering with schools and organizations to dramatically accelerate learning by sequencing information to align with how the brain actually works. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🧠 Key Insight #1: Speed doesn’t kill learning — distraction does. What’s broken: Slow, disjointed lessons overloaded with irrelevant detail. The shift: Simon’s team scripts, edits, and delivers content at 220 words per minute —nearly double classroom pace — to keep attention and trigger retention. Impact: Students retain foundational knowledge more effectively, especially those with ADHD or learning differences. 🧠 Key Insight #2: One hour, one-half term (seriously). What’s broken: Teachers covering complex topics in 6-week units with minimal retention. The shift: A single high-impact video lesson designed to fire synapses in precise time intervals. Impact: One hour of Simon’s approach produced equivalent learning outcomes to an entire half term of traditional instruction. Add teacher support, and outcomes doubled. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Flipping modes ≠ mastery. What’s broken: Constantly switching between direct instruction, stories, and activities in class. The shift: Presenting one “mode” at a time to avoid cognitive overload. Impact: Improved comprehension, less classroom disruption, and deeper long-term understanding. 💬 Quotable Ruckus “Education doesn’t build character—it reveals it. Our job is to help students discover who they are and become the best version of themselves.” – Simon Strong 🚀 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? **Start here**: Tomorrow: Audit your next lesson for unnecessary mode-switching. Stick with one mode longer. This Month: Try introducing a complex topic through a story, not a slide deck. This Semester: Partner with a colleague to design a one-hour “burst” lesson using Simon’s three-mode model. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here. 🔗 Learn more about Simon’s work: https://downloadlearning.co.uk 🌐 Website 🔗 LinkedIn 📄 Peer-Reviewed Research 📌 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 – Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work (3x a week). 🗞 Read Ruckus Makers – Exclusive content on Substack featuring leadership insights, AI prompts, and new books before the bookshelf. 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club – Our private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, and AI Prompt Library. 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind – Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven Ruckus Maker Flywheel™. Every tool, community, and coaching program we offer is built to help visionary school leaders play the new game — one where leadership is creative, tech-enabled, and unapologetically student-centered. The podcast is your starting point. The movement is just getting started. 🎙 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 empowers educators with real-time data and adaptive instruction. 🔍 Learn more: ixl.com/leaders PLAY PIPER Play Piper bridges gaming and STEM with hands-on kits that turn curiosity into confidence—and students into makers. 🔍 Learn more: 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 happens when two rival schools — with decades of “us vs. them” history — are forced to become one? Derek Cantrell didn’t just merge Alleghany and Covington into a single high school. He built a “Better Together” culture while weaving in AI tools that are reshaping instruction and leadership. This episode is a blueprint for rethinking school culture in the age of disruption. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Derek Cantrell is the principal of Alleghany High School, where he led the merger of two rival schools into one unified community through a “Better Together” culture. Alongside culture-building, he integrates AI-driven tools like custom chatbots and Julius AI to streamline leadership tasks and improve instruction. Derek is redefining school leadership by honoring tradition while embracing innovation. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Derek Cantrell challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1: Culture eats consolidation for breakfast. What’s broken: Forced mergers often leave communities divided, with morale and identity lost. The shift: Derek built a roadmap of intentional relationship-building — open houses, student forums, teacher mingles, and community events like cornhole nights and bonfires. Impact: Instead of resentment, Alleghany High became a place where rival traditions fused into a proud new identity. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Data disaggregation doesn’t have to take weeks. What’s broken: Teachers drowning in endless spreadsheets and meetings just to analyze test scores. The shift: Julius AI and custom chatbots cut through the noise, turning state test data into actionable two-page reports per strand. Impact: Teachers save time, get clarity, and can focus on engaging instruction — not manual number-crunching. 🧠 Key Insight #3: AI can make learning more relevant — and fun. What’s broken: Lesson plans that feel stuck in the past, disconnected from students’ real-world experiences. The shift: Teachers plug lessons into Derek’s bots to generate hooks, engagement strategies, and real-world applications. Impact: Students see math, science, and core subjects through a lens that matters to them, boosting both interest and outcomes. Quotable Ruckus "Culture doesn’t happen by accident. Lead it, shape it, and live it every day."                   – Derek Cantrell 📌 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask students and staff one simple question: What excites you, and what concerns you? Use the answers to guide your next decision. This Month: Build a small win — repaint lockers, host a community night, or launch a mini-podcast — and celebrate it loudly. This Semester: Experiment with AI tools (like Julius or a custom GPT) to cut down on data drudgery and make lessons more engaging. Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 Follow Derek Cantrell: Website: https://www.ahps.k12.va.us/ Twitter/ X: X/Twitter LinkedIn: LinkedIn Email: Email 📣 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 — delivered 3x/week. → ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Makers on Substack Premium leadership insights, AI prompts & GPTs, early access to new books. → ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join the Ruckus Maker Club Private network + workshops, AI Prompt Library, and more. → ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind Weekly coaching + peer mentorship using the Ruckus Maker Flywheel. → betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind-application 🎙 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 Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain’t a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

Quick take: What happens when a leader ditches ego, prioritizes relationships, and treats students like real-world innovators? Jeremy Quals proves you can turn around struggling schools and create one of the most exciting entrepreneurial programs in the country. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Jeremy Qualls is the Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (EIC) and College, Career, and Technical Education (CCTE) with Williamson County Schools. A former coach, principal, and district athletic director, he now leads some of the most innovative programs in Tennessee, blending entrepreneurship, career readiness, and creative learning opportunities that make school worth showing up for. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Jeremy challenges traditional education paradigms: 🧠 Key Insight #1: Leadership isn’t about ego — it’s about relationships. What’s broken: Leaders who default to punishment and blame. The shift: Building trust first, simplifying discipline to “Be responsible, be respectful, be ready.” Impact: Transformed a school with 1,000+ discipline referrals into one with just 52 — and skyrocketed student growth. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Students need relevance, not busywork. What’s broken: 42 definitions on a worksheet and other meaningless tasks. The shift: Replace rote work with entrepreneurial problem-solving, empathy-driven projects, and micro-internships. Impact: Students who once checked out now show up excited, engaged, and prepared for life beyond school. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Create spaces worth showing up for. What’s broken: Schools that look the same as the 1950s— rows, lectures, and compliance. The shift: Entrepreneurial labs with open design, mentorship networks, and student-led startups. Impact: The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center grew from 70 students to 280 with a 500+ waitlist — and is producing teen founders winning national competitions. Quotable Ruckus “Fail forward and fail often.” – Jeremy Quals 📌 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Swap one rote assignment for a real-world problem or entrepreneurial- style task. This Month: Map student relationships — find the “safety valves” so every kid has a trusted adult. This Semester: Audit your schoolwork and culture. Cut the irrelevant busywork, build in creative challenges, and create spaces students want to be in. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: [Link] 🔗 Follow Dr. Jeremy Qualls: https://wcssportsconference.com/ Email: jq14@hotmail.com LinkedIn: LinkedIn Twitter: @wcsCCTE on X X: @wcsEIC on X 📣 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 — delivered 3x/week. → ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Makers on Substack Premium leadership insights, AI prompts & GPTs, early access to new books. → ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join the Ruckus Maker Club Private network + workshops, AI Prompt Library, and more. → ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind Weekly coaching + peer mentorship using the Ruckus Maker Flywheel. → betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind-application 🎙 Today’s RUCKUS cast in Partnership With: 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. ODP 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  

The Ruckus Report. Quick take: What if the secret to becoming a more effective school leader was … leaving school? Joe Clausi, known as the Traveling Principal, shares how stepping out of the building helped him step into his purpose. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Joe Clausi, aka The Traveling Principal, is reimagining what it means to lead schools by exploring the world — and himself — one passport stamp at a time. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 Key Insight #1: Curiosity makes you a better principal What's broken: The traditional career path says school leaders should settle down and play it safe. The shift: Joe’s curiosity drove him to explore 39 countries — and that curiosity now shapes how he leads schools. Impact: He’s more reflective, empathetic, and able to connect with people across backgrounds. Key Insight #2: Leadership doesn’t happen in isolation What's broken: Most principals grind through the work without personal growth. The shift: Joe intentionally seeks people, places, and moments that challenge his worldview. Impact: Each trip adds to his toolkit as a leader — and inspires his team to grow too. Key Insight #3: Adventure is a mindset, not a plane ticket What's broken: PD is treated like a checklist, not a life-changing experience. The shift: Joe shows how you can bring the spirit of exploration to your daily leadership. Impact: His story proves that reimagining school starts with reimagining yourself. Quotable Ruckus “I needed to lose who I thought I was … to find who I really am.” – Joe Clausi Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Walk your campus with a traveler’s eyes — what would surprise or inspire a visitor? This Month: Schedule time outside the school walls to connect with something that sparks wonder. This Semester: Share one leadership lesson from your own journey with your staff — and invite theirs. Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: https://ruckusmakers.notion.site/Joe-the-Traveling-Principal-Joins-Danny-and-Mitch-211229bf615380ecbf96c2c10f48c1f9?source=copy_link 🔗 Follow Joe Clausi: https://travelprincipal.com 💪 Apply to the mastermind: https://www.betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind-application/ Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here → ruckusmakers.news/subscribe Today’s RUCKUScast in Partnership with: 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. 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  

The Ruckus Report Quick take: If you're facing pushback on your bold school vision, this episode is your playbook for flipping critics into raving fans. Learn how one principal shifted the narrative — and built massive community support in the process. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Christopher Jones is a high school principal, leadership author, and host of the Seeing to Lead podcast. He helps educators shift from surviving to thriving by encouraging reflection, connection, and vision — even in the most resistant environments. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 Key Insight #1 What’s broken: Too many leaders are paralyzed by fear of resistance — especially from staff or community stakeholders. The shift: Chris started by listening deeply and showing people how they could lead without a title. Impact: Staff ownership grew, and culture shifted — not because mandates were handed down, but because people bought in. Key Insight #2 What’s broken: Traditional admin mindsets treat critics as threats rather than assets. The shift: Chris chose curiosity over combat, asking questions like: “What do you want to see happen?” Impact: Open conversations turned former critics into trusted allies who now champion his leadership publicly. Key Insight #3 What’s broken: Schools often ignore how powerful public perception is in building momentum. The shift: Chris proactively told positive stories and empowered his community to tell them too. Impact: The narrative shifted from doubt to celebration — with the superintendent, school board, and staff all on board. Quotable Ruckus “Your loudest critics might just be your most loyal supporters — if you give them the chance to lead.” – Dr. Christopher Jones Your Do School Different Challenge Tomorrow: Ask one critic what success would look like in their eyes. Listen without defense. This Month: Invite that person into a decision-making process — not to agree with you, but to shape the future together. This Semester: Create a system where feedback becomes fuel, not friction. Turn your toughest room into your greatest asset. Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here. 🔗 His Books: 📘 SEEing to Lead 📗 Isabella and the Storm 📕 Isabella's Unexpected Gift 📌 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/week leadership mindset shifts and tools that work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Makers – Premium content on Substack with early access to new books, AI prompts, and more: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club – Private community, The Automatic School™ tools, and more: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind – Weekly coaching + The Ruckus Maker Flywheel leadership system: Apply Now ❤️ Today’s show is sponsored by: 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. 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  

🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: If you're still blocking ChatGPT, you're playing the wrong game. In this episode, William Grube of Groovy Education shows how to turn AI from a perceived threat into a daily teaching advantage — one that saves teachers time, levels up rigor, and makes cheating irrelevant. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker William Grube is the founder of Groovy Education, a consultancy and training firm that helps educators across 100+ schools and organizations integrate AI responsibly and effectively. His work is grounded in ethics, practical tools, and a passion for helping schools lead, not lag, in the AI revolution. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, William challenges traditional education paradigms and shows how Ruckus Makers can lead the shift: 🧠 Key Insight #1: Design for Trust, Not Policing What’s broken: Schools are using surveillance software to "catch" students cheating with AI, treating tech as the enemy. The shift: Rebuild assessments around curiosity, context, and originality — like having students respond to local events or present their work live. Impact: Makes cheating pointless. Encourages deeper thinking. Promotes student ownership. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Differentiate Without Burnout What’s broken: Teachers waste hours adapting lessons to meet different learning needs — often sacrificing quality for speed. The shift: Use AI to instantly align assignments to state standards, adjust for reading levels, and build accommodations (504/IEP). Impact: Teachers get time back. Students get work that actually fits. Everyone wins. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Teach Tech Like It’s a Literacy — Because It Is What’s broken: The only digital safety lesson most kids get is “don’t be online too much.” The shift: Teach AI & media literacy by exploring how algorithms shape thought, how to verify sources, and how to disagree respectfully. Impact: Students learn to think critically, not just click passively — which pays dividends in every subject and real life. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "Ignoring AI in schools today is like ignoring the internet in 1995." — William Grube 📌 Your Do School Different Challenge Start using AI to lead differently — not later: Tomorrow: Pick one assignment and make it AI-resistant. Add a personal, local, or in-class component students can’t fake. This Month: Use AI to adapt a unit plan — align to standards, customize for reading levels, and build in scaffolded supports. This Semester: Pilot a student-facing AI/Media Literacy sequence. Let students analyze the algorithm and present real insights in a live class debate. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Transcript: [Link] 🔗 Learn more about Groovy Education: groovyeducation.com Email: william.grube@gruvyeducation.com Instagram: ****https://www.instagram.com/gruvyeducation/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-grube-16200a177/ X: https://x.com/gruvyeducation 📣 Ruckus Makers Don’t Just Listen — They Act If education ain’t a bit disruptive, what are your students really learning? This isn’t about “doing school better.” It’s about Doing School Different — and joining a bold movement of creative, visionary school leaders. 🧠 Four Ways to Do School Different With Us 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work — delivered 3x/week. → ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Makers on Substack Premium leadership insights, AI prompts & GPTs, early access to new books. → ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join the Ruckus Maker Club Private network + workshops, AI Prompt Library, and more. → ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind Weekly coaching + peer mentorship using the Ruckus Maker Flywheel. → betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind-application 🎙 Today’s RUCKUScast in Partnership With: ODP Business Solutions Transform classrooms from whiteboard to WOW with flexible furniture, integrated tech, and sustainable tools — all from a compliant vendor. 🔍 Learn more: odpbusiness.com/education Ruckus Makers on Substack Get 90-second mindset shifts, custom GPTs, and content that punches above its weight. 🎁 Listeners get 50% off year one: ruckusmakers.media/awesome IXL Close knowledge gaps and tailor instruction with diagnostics and adaptive practice — built to serve every learner. 🔍 Learn more: ixl.com/leaders

In this special episode, Chief Ruckus Maker, Danny Bauer teaches the Principal Success Formula™. This episode is in-depth. Much deeper than a usual show. We recommend you listen to this one with a notebook, so you can follow along and do the work Danny had leaders do when he taught this live. The four parts of the Principal Success Formula™ are: LEVEL UP your mindset so that you are an even more magnetic, impactful, and effective leader … Learn how to use intentional design to create an even more welcoming and inclusive environment … Follow the “clues” left by remarkable leaders that you can use to create the school culture of your dreams! Absorb and practice the foundational actions that Ruckus Makers take to consistently create results you’ll be proud of … And if you'd like to work with us to implement this framework consistently, we invite you to apply to the fourth cohort of The Principal Success Path™. We're getting started January 15. Apply today here: https://www.betterleadersbetterschools.com/principalsuccesspath/ Read my best-selling 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! SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader. TEACHFX Imagine providing feedback for every teacher, as often as they'd like, without relying on classroom observations. TeachFX is an app that supports both student learning and teacher learning. With instructional support at the push of a button, our app provides teachers with objective, personalized, non evaluative feedback about the teaching and learning happening in their classrooms. From student talk and teacher talk to insights into research-supported teaching practices like questioning technique, wait time, and more, TeachFX provides teachers with new insights into student engagement, academic dialogue, and equity of student voice. Learn more about TeachFX and find out how to get a free TeachFX account for one of your teachers. Visit TeachFX | BLBS   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder. Copyright © 2023 Twelve Practices LLC

Christine Voigt is a secondary educator and award-winning author from Dallas, Texas. Her background is in English, geography, and life sciences and her specialty is infusing technology across the curriculum. She currently serves as the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Technology at Bishop Dunne Catholic School. She has been recognized at the state and national levels for her contribution to geographic education and has received multiple honors for the books Mapping Our World: GIS in Education and the Our World book series. She holds a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Southern Methodist University and a Master of Science in Computer Education and Cognitive Systems from the University of North Texas.    Show Highlights Tech as a meaningful tool to authenticate personalized learning. Incorporating technology every day despite economical disadvantages and different experiences in the classroom.  Successful shift going paperless or implementing Teach FX with this approach.  A bottom up approach to prepare kids for the future with these tools. Tips to determine meaningful technology for your teachers and students.  Select technology as methodology and not hardware and software for instruction.  Assert an integrated approach to leadership to make radical changes.  A different approach to learning through typical constraints in education. “We didn’t want technology to drive the curriculum. We wanted what was best to teach the kids. We wanted the curriculum to drive the technology. A lot of times people were like, ‘We have to go and incorporate all this tech stuff’, but it's not about the technology. It's about what is best for teaching and learning.” -Christine Voigt Full Transcript Christine Voigt Transcript   Christine Voigt’s Resources & Contact Info: Christine L Voigt: Books Twitter LinkedIn cvoigt@bdcs.org   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Hannah Beach is an award-winning educator, author, and keynote speaker. She was recognized by the Canadian Human Rights Commission in 2017 as one of five featured changemakers in Canada. She is the co-author of Reclaiming Our Students: Why Children Are More Anxious, Aggressive, and Shut Down Than Ever—And What We Can Do About It (released April 2020). Her best-selling I Can Dance book series—which supports the emotional health of children through movement, play, and expression—won the 2017 GOLD International Moonbeam Children’s Book Award (Books with Music/Theatrical) and has been adopted by multiple English- and French-language school boards across Canada. Hannah received the City of Ottawa’s annual Celebration of People Education Award, which recognized her contributions in developing innovative inclusive programs and resources. As the founder of celebrated experiential discovery programs at Dandelion Dance™ and Tournesol, Hannah has spent over 25 years developing and delivering programs for children and youth. She is a Neufeld course facilitator, delivers professional development services across the country, provides emotional health consulting to schools, and speaks at national and international conferences about the power of bringing more feeling and human connection into the classroom.   Show Highlights See the emotion behind every challenging behavior. RECLAIMING our STUDENTS - book and interactive videos. How to avoid influencing stuck roles or developing a negative identity. Journaling tips that leave room for the ugly and gratitude to emerge. Be in their eyes, call kids to who they are in the future. Powerfully grow goodness by feeling the knowledge. Teach the “oldest wisdom” to sense humanity. Lead students to build capacity to see their own gifts, beauty and human connection. “You don't change when you know something. I might know people are starving, in another part of the world, but I'm not going to do anything about it unless I feel something. We don't change when we know we change when we feel.”    Full Transcript Hannah Beach Transcript   Hannah Beach’s Resources & Contact Info: Twitter Facebook Reclaiming Our Students Reclaiming Our Students  Hannah Beach  Linkedin   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   Show Sponsors HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader. TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs. ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Siobhan Davenport is the President & CEO of Crittenton Services of Greater Washington (CSGW). CSGW works in conjunction with schools to close education and achievement gaps for teen girls to feel empowered through a whole-child, whole-community curriculum. In her previous role as Crittenton’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, she built collaborations between schools, nonprofits, and corporations to better meet Crittenton girls’ challenges and launched the Declare Equity for Girls: It’s Time campaign. Siobhan is an inspiration– the daughter of teen parents who has defied every statistic and now leads a nonprofit empowering younger versions of herself. Additionally, Siobhan serves as a commissioner for the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism and sits on the Advisory Council for Ascend at the Aspen Institute. Siobhan holds a master’s degree in journalism from American University.    Show Highlights Understanding barriers that girls face and teaching action advocacy.  Creating safe space and suspending judgment as an intentional move as an organization. The key to building world class culture with one question. Reflection for leaders to help navigate and engage at school and at home. Serve the whole child by suspending judgment with specific staff training.  Evolution of a sacred sister circle-hood. “Meet girls where they are, but don’t let them stay there.”   “Let Teens Lead. As adults, we have wonderful experiences in our lives and we get to a point where we say, ‘Do this, do that, do the other.’ We forget that teens are the experts in their own lives. They come with so much experience and they know what they need, and we can be a support to them and get the services that they need.”  - Siobhan Davenport   Full Transcript Siobhan Davenport Transcript   Siobhan Davenport’s Resources & Contact Info: Crittenton Services of Greater Washington:  Twitter Instagram Linkedin   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   Show Sponsors HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Diane Willis has worked diligently in education for 32 years, making a difference in the learning lives of students and teachers.  She is a veteran leader, serving 24 years in leadership roles in seven different elementary schools. Diane believes an instructional leader must be present during learning moments to help discover the next best answers.  She believes that professional development is within things done, said, discovered, or planned each day.    Show Highlights Tips to free yourself up to be available to be where it matters. TeachFX isn’t “one more thing” it is a way to multiply yourself. Transfer ownership to your students to liberate learning. Offer high quality, personalized professional development on a daily basis. PD is every day with these little gems that you elect along the way. How to be present as a leader with the “next best answers” of the day. Tips and tricks to not miss moments to support your staff and share goals. Schedule the day out and share your improvement plan for optimal team effort.    “The thing is just be there in the moment and professional development is at any moment, any time, any day, a question, any activity, if you've got a focus on what matters most at your school, go out and look for that. Once you find it, celebrate it, talk about it, share it, and it will spread like wildfire.” -Diane Willis     Full Transcript Diane Will Transcript   Diane Willis’ Resources & Contact Info: LinkedIn Twitter   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder. Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Sam was an English teacher, Academic Intervention Specialist, athletic coach, and School Counselor for 21 years and is currently serving as Chief Development Officer at SimpliCollege.com. He is the Author of Choose the Perfect College and Hire Education.  The father of five children, his family recently moved from the Philadelphia suburbs to Denver Metro.  Sam is the host of the Made to Thrive podcast and is writing Why Aren’t Men Thriving?, which is due out in early 2022.   Show Highlights History proves Masterminds are transformational systems for achievement When culture and profession collide  The art of being an aggressive suggester Don’t miss delivery points of SEL programs and make teachers a dirty pipe  Your leadership values serve McDonalds or Chick-fil-A  Create boundaries that allow people to stay in their lane and you to move faster in yours   A needed paradigm shift for the counselors Simpli College is a turn key,frictionless entry point into the college conversation for equity and access “Simpli College says your job as a counselor is to help people create a log-in and that's it. All of a sudden you think about the people who for a long time, unfortunately, school has been about access to school. Most of the school experience is given to those who know the system. Many of our families are first generation and have not had a welcoming school experience as parents. They're not going to pick up the phone and call the counselor and figure out when they can get in and talk about whether even college is a good idea for their kid.” -Sam Feeney   Full Transcript Sam Feeney Transcript   Sam Feeney’s Resources & Contact Info: Simpli College Choose the Perfect College Made to Thrive Podcast Linkedin simplicollege/ The Infinite Game LinkedIn   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Jeff Becker’s an award-winning school counselor and teacher with a Master's in Secondary Counseling and a second degree in communications- so he's a boots-on-the-ground leader and entrepreneur. Jeff is also an adjunct professor at National University for their Master’s program in Social and Emotional Learning. He's the founder of two revolutionary products that help principals to deliver much-needed SEL to their kids without taxing their teachers. And it looks like something from Netflix, so kids love it.   Show Highlights Solving the SEL need with 5 minute videos How to Multiply yourself  Build tension before you unpack solutions Resources to help students build self-discipline  What it’s like to have a principal that trusts you Archaic communication promotes the thing you’re going against As a school leader, you're the biggest bottleneck Avoid 60 plus hour work weeks for your best year ever   “The thing that keeps me up at night is all of these fires that we're constantly putting out as ed leaders. The more fires we're putting out and jumping around and being reactive, the less we're proactive about the skills that we're given to our children.” -Jeff Becker    Full Transcript Jeff Becker Transcript   Jeff Becker’s Resources & Contact Info: http://www.incontrolsel.com/danny  betterleadersbetterschools.com/challenge-july-2021 Twitter LinkedIn   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Dr. Mike Stacy is currently the superintendent at Beechwood Independent Schools in northern Kentucky. (This is his sixth year in this position). During his educational career, he’s had the opportunity to be an administrator at the building level (elementary, middle school, high school) and the district office. During his 20 years as an administrator, he’s enjoyed a lot of different aspects of his work, but coaching principals is what he loves most.    Show Highlights 3 lessons being a 1st generation college student teaches about leading an entire district   Systematic principal development within the district How we will get learning get caught up The right formula of leadership   Getting your students and staff to let their true selves be seen An underestimated tool in our profession to  build relationships Interview questions that bring out personalities to be able to put into a job.  How to lean into challenge and support new principal growth “The number one job in all of education, the most important job in all of education is the building level principal. There's no doubt that a teacher impacts a kid more than anyone, but a building level principal impacts every teacher, every student directly.”  -Dr Mike Stacy Full Transcript Dr Mike Stacy Transcript   Dr Mike Stacy Resources & Contact Info: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Dr. Andrew B. Campbell (Dr. ABC) is a graduate of the University of Toronto, with a PhD. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Diversity. He is presently a Faculty member in the Master of Teaching (MT) Program at the University of Toronto and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Queens University (online). He is an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) and has been an educator for over 25 years in Jamaica, The Bahamas and Canada.    He has authored two books, “Teachable Moments with DR.ABC: A Spoonful for the Journey, in 2015” and “The Invisible Student in the Jamaican Classroom in 2018.His research and scholarship focus on issues of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Cultural Competency, Education Leadership, 2SLGBTQ+ issues, and Teacher Performance Evaluation. Dr. Campbell continues to present at various peer-reviewed academic conferences across North America and the Caribbean.   He is a workshop facilitator, a motivational speaker and has delivered several Keynotes. Dr. Campbell appreciates fashion, enjoys travelling and meeting new people, and equally finds pleasure in bringing his community together to share a good meal.   Show Highlights     Simple spaces of belonging in schools Where the magic happens in teaching and learning Wooden ramps and murals have no place in schools Lesson that create intruders and not students Drop the mic moments aren’t as powerful as this next move  The art of storytelling as a pedagogy Know your power on your journey with including equity, diversity, and inclusion  Your every day, 365 days a year speaker    “Educational leaders have the moral courage to create belonging in our schools and I think that is lacking in a lot of our schools. We don't have leaders who have the moral courage, because guess what, if you're going to create something different, create belonging for people who the system is not created for. You're going to have pushback. A lot of educational leaders need to understand that when they get pushed back you are creating space for people who the institution did not create space for.” -Dr ABC   Full Transcript DR ABC Transcript   Dr. Andrew B. Campbell’s Resources & Contact Info: Teachable Moments  The Invisible Student  DR. ABC  Twitter Instagram  LinkedIn Empathy Map - Business Model Toolbox Business Model Generation How to Be an Antiracist The Cast The Person You Mean to Be:      Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog     SHOW SPONSORS: HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader.   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a “Fitbit for teachers” that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Lindsay Lyons is an educational consultant who works with teachers and school leaders to inspire educational innovation for racial and gender justice, design curricula grounded in student voice, and build capacity for shared leadership. Lindsay taught in NYC public schools, holds a PhD in Leadership and Change, and is the founder of the educational blog and podcast, Time for Teachership.  Lindsay helps leaders build their adaptive capacity to lead school-wide change grounded in antiracism, inclusion, and stakeholder wellness. This includes helping leaders set up structures for shared leadership that amplifies student, teacher, and family voice through virtual coaching calls and supporting your teachers to design engaging, culturally responsive, project-based curricula through self-paced online courses. She’s helped hundreds of dedicated leaders and thousands of passionate teachers across the United States and internationally improve their practice and create educational environments in which all students are able to thrive.   Show Highlights Healing “soul harm”  Teaching for justice and leading for justice How do we make schools more equitable  The easiest first step for leaders Five big shared leadership mechanisms   Simple answers and the biggest barrier Embrace that radical collegiality as a foundation Family partnership is made easy with this invitation  Essential Self Reports “Setting up structures for shared leadership ensures that equity and justice initiatives are really sustainable and not just one-time actions.”  -Lindsay Lyons   Full Transcript Lindsay Lyons Transcript   Lindsay Lyons’ Resources & Contact Info: Time for Teachership Blog Setting Up Shared Leadership Worksheet Student perceived leadership opportunities: http://bit.ly/SLCBsurvey Facebook Instagram Pinterest Linkedin Twitter Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   Show Sponsors HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION   Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader. SMART TECHNOLOGIES The SMART Learning Suite Online allows teachers to create, store, and deliver lessons from anywhere – no SMART Board required – and your students can access and engage with your content from any web browser on any device. And it connects with tools you already use like Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams.   The research-backed EdTeach Assessment Tool will help Ruckus Makers discover their strengths and best area of focus across 5 different modules, including leadership and remote learning. You’ll get a personalized report that shows where you stack up against other leaders, and maps some areas of focus that will have the greatest impact for you.    ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Kyle Wagner, the founder of Transform Educational Consulting Limited, has always had a bold mission since he became an educator 15+ years ago: Create transformational learning experiences that connect students' interests and passions to issues that matter in the real world. This bold mission has literally taken him around the world. From the design of living museums, model governments, and engaging project-based experiences as a Humanities Teacher in world renowned High Tech High in San Diego; to co-founding student-led programs and schools as a Program Director in China; Kyle has remained true to that mission, and vowed to share it with others.  His book, The Power of Simple, outlines the simple shifts classrooms and schools can make to allow for these experiences, and the conditions required to ensure they have lasting impact. Kyle currently resides in Hong Kong, where through workshops, coaching, courses and bespoke training, he has now empowered over 1,000 forward thinking educators worldwide to create more socially, globally, and emotionally aware citizens through project-based learning.  Show Highlights 2025 skills have changed and the types of employees needed Provide the Swiss Army Knife of upskilling for your student’s toolbelt 12 shifts for student centered classrooms and lasting experience PBL as a tool for equity scorecard for teams and Individuals to id areas of strength and growth  Looking outside education can bring rich experiences  A strategy that will increase student performance, student engagement and  teacher efficacy  Empower forward-thinking educators to create more socially, globally, and emotionally aware citizens through PBL   “If we honor the fact that these kids are literally that adaptive. They can insert themselves anywhere. They're like chameleons, then what can we do as educators to kind of reflect that both in the experiences we offer them and our dispositions, mindsets to be able to offer them that kind of experience?” -Kyle Wagner    Full Transcript Kyle Wagner Transcript   Kyle Wagner’s Resources & Contact Info: Engaging and Empowering Socially Distanced Learners  PBL 12 Shifts Mastermind Accelerator Program  Twitter LinkedIn Kyle Wagner The Power of Simple:  Using Project-Based Learning to Boost Online Engagement   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   Show Sponsors HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Transform how you lead to become a resilient and empowered change agent with Harvard’s online Certificate in School Management and Leadership. Grow your professional network with a global cohort of fellow school leaders as you collaborate in case studies bridging the fields of education and business. Apply today at http://hgse.me/leader. SMART TECHNOLOGIES The SMART Learning Suite Online allows teachers to create, store, and deliver lessons from anywhere – no SMART Board required – and your students can access and engage with your content from any web browser on any device. And it connects with tools you already use like Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams. The research-backed EdTeach Assessment Tool will help Ruckus Makers discover their strengths and best area of focus across 5 different modules, including leadership and remote learning. You’ll get a personalized report that shows where you stack up against other leaders, and maps some areas of focus that will have the greatest impact for you.    ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is the missing piece in many classrooms. Many teachers are great with the main content of the lesson. Organized Binder helps with powerful introductions, savvy transitions, and memorable lesson closings. Your students will grow their executive functioning skills (and as a bonus), your teachers will become more organized too. Help your students and staff level up with Organized Binder.   Copyright © 2021 Twelve Practices LLC

Richard Milner IV is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Distinguished Professor of Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development. He has secondary appointments in Peabody’s Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations and the Department of Sociology in Vanderbilt’s College of Arts and Science. Milner is a researcher, scholar and leader of urban education and teacher education. Centering on equity and diversity, he has spent hundreds of hours observing teachers’ practices and interviewing educators and students in urban schools about micro-level policies that shape students’ opportunities to learn. He examines the social context of classrooms and schools and looks at ways in which teachers talk (particularly about race) influences student learning, identity and development.  His research in urban schools and his book, “’These Kids are out of Control:’ Why We Must Reimagine Classroom Management,” (Corwin Press, 2018) has influenced designs and practices of teacher education courses and programs. To improve relational, curricular, assessment and instructional practices, school districts across the United States and beyond draw on his recommendations to support students of color, those who live below the poverty line, and those whose first language is not English. To date, Milner has contributed significantly to the field of education in four interconnected ways: Milner has advanced conceptual and empirical understandings of what he calls “opportunity gaps.” The term stands in contrast to the more generally used “achievement gap” as a means of explaining and disrupting disparities between students. Specifically, he has introduced an Opportunity Gap Framework as a tool to describe the ways in which Black students continue to experience individual, structural and systemic inequity in classrooms and schools across the United States. Researchers have adopted the Opportunity Gap Framework as an analytic frame to explain aspects of their research. In addition, practitioners have drawn from the framework to develop and/or revise teacher education programs, courses and professional development in schools and districts. The framework has been developed from empirical case studies he has conducted over the past 18 years. The Opportunity Gap Framework is described and explained in his award-winning book, “Start Where You are, But Don’t Stay There” (Harvard Education Press, 2010). The book represents years of research and development efforts and is widely read in teacher education programs and school districts across the United States. Milner has constructed a Researcher Positionality Framework to challenge and support researchers in designing and enacting studies and programs of research that recognize, name and work through what he describes as dangers “seen, unseen, and unforeseen” in studying race and culture in education science. Published in the journal, Educational Researcher (2007), the framework has been adapted across disciplines including nursing and health sciences as an essential element to conducting research. Milner (with colleagues Lori Delale O’Connor, Adam Alvarez and Ira Murray) has developed a survey, the Teachers Race Talk Survey, one of the first survey instruments focused on teachers’ reported beliefs about race and discourse. The survey attempts to capture teachers’ reported beliefs about the role and importance of race in classroom talk and learning. Researchers interested in capturing the relationship between race and classroom talk, particularly focused on race, have found the survey useful as it is being adapted and adopted for studies across the field of education. Because the survey is designed for open- as well as closed-ended responses, researchers are able to triangulate, nuance and disrupt participants’, pre- and in-serve teachers’ responses. Implications from his research about race and poverty in schools and classrooms are outlined in his book, “Rac(e)ing to Class: Confronting Poverty and Race in Schools and Classrooms” (Harvard Education Press, 2015). In an effort to build synergy between and among empirical studies and conceptual arguments in and related to urban education, Milner has called for and advanced stronger conceptual and definitional work of urban education. He described and conceptualized three sites of urban education that other researchers use to make sense of and describe urban contexts: urban characteristic, urban emergent, and urban intensive. Bringing together leading scholars of urban education in the edited volume, “Handbook of Urban Education” (2014), Milner and co-editor Kofi Lomotey have attempted to describe and discuss what urban education is, what we know about it (empirically and theoretically), how we know what we know about urban education, and what other knowledge, as a field, is important for us to study in order to advance policy, research, theory and practice in urban education.   Show Highlights Authentic vulnerable moment break barriers  Will you knock down walls so students get the education they deserve?  Relationship building and cultivation has to be essential throughout  for sustainability Ethnic matching-showcase the differences that make a difference Help teachers build their toolkit, their repository to be responsive in all spaces Opportunity centered connections and teaching. See them beyond the walls “We have to as educators, we have to be our authentic selves. Young people don't need you to be more of who they are. They need you to be the best of who you are in order to compliment and advance their identity spaces, their exposure to different kinds of things. They need you to be anti-racist. They need you to be pro people, pro equity, projustice. Those are the things that matter to young people, more than the other pieces. When you don't come from the same community, when you don't share the same background there are concrete, really transformative ways to build those links, to build those relationships.” -Rich Milner   Full Transcript Rich Milner Transcript   Rich Milner’s Resources & Contact Info: H. Richard Milner: Books - Amazon.com Twitter Facebook LinkedIn rich.milner@vanderbilt.edu   Looking for more? Read The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap Join “The Mastermind” Read the latest on the blog   Show Sponsors ORGANIZED BINDER Organized Binder is an evidence-based RTI2 Tier 1 universal level solution Focuses on improving executive functioning and noncognitive skills Is in direct alignment with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework Is an integral component for ensuring Least Restrictive Environments (LRE) You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/   TEACHFX School leaders know that productive student talk drives student learning, but the average teacher talks 75% of class time! TeachFX is changing that with a "Fitbit for teachers" that automatically measures student engagement and gives teachers feedback about what they could do differently.  Learn more about the TeachFX app and get a special 20% discount for your school or district by visiting teachfx.com/blbs.   Copyright © 2020 Twelve Practices LLC