The Better Leaders Better Schools Podcast with Daniel Bauer

Daniel Bauer
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The BETTER LEADERS BETTER SCHOOLS podcast is in the TOP 0.5% most downloaded shows of over 2 million podcasts across the world. The BLBS show was created for RUCKUS MAKERS in education -- those out-of-the-box school leaders making change happen. Launched in 2015, this category-defining podcast in educational leadership has helped over 1 MILLION leaders LEVEL UP. Each week host DANIEL BAUER has a conversation with a leadership expert and invites you to listen in. Turn your commute, chores, or workout into professional development and then GO MAKE A RUCKUS! BLBS is the #1 downloaded podcast for school leaders.

  1. 1D AGO

    Build Trust First, Curriculum Second with Joe LaTorre

    📣 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?

    54 min

  2. JAN 7

    From Overcrowded to One-on-One: Reimagining School with Fusion's Micro Model with Lynna Martinez-Khalilian

    📣 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?

    44 min

  3. 12/31/2025

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

    📣 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Jessica Levine restructured Wednesdays to unlock autonomy, connection, and deep learning in her sixth-grade science class. Joined by Mitch Weathers, this episode explores student voice, the power of routine, and why helping kids feel known is just as critical as teaching content. 🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Makers Jessica Levine is a sixth-grade science teacher who created "ABCDE Days" — a protocol born from pandemic chaos that now transforms how her students learn, reflect, and grow. Mitch Weathers is an educator, author, and systems guru who helps schools build executive function and organization into the DNA of instruction. He co-founded Organized Binder and co-authored a new book on self-regulation in early grades. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules 🧠 Key Insight #1: School should center the whole child, not just content. What's broken: Treating academics and social-emotional learning as separate. The shift: Jessica's "B" day prompts students to reflect on how they're being — emotionally, socially, and mentally. Impact: Deeper student connection, emotional literacy, and trust in the classroom. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Systems aren't stifling — they're liberating. What's broken: Teachers winging it or relying on memory for every class routine. The shift: Mitch shows how naming and systematizing common tasks frees up energy for deeper learning. Impact: Students thrive with predictability, and teachers save time and sanity. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Every student deserves a caring adult connection on campus. What's broken: A shocking number of students report not feeling seen by a single adult. The shift: Simple routines like anonymous surveys and sticky-dot walls help identify who's floating through school unseen. Impact: Schools proactively create connections — and prevent isolation-driven behavior issues. 💬 Quotable Ruckus "I'm not teaching content anymore. I'm teaching kids how to learn — and how their brains work." – Jessica Levine 🏋️ Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask students one "B" question: How are you being? This Month: Add structure to one routine that currently drains your energy. This Semester: Run a campus-wide check — does every student have one trusted adult? 🔗 Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript here 🔗 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?

    57 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    Tier 1 or Bust: How Great Schools Stay Out of the Referral Spiral

    🎯 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?

    54 min

  5. 12/17/2025

    Every Voice Matters: Reimagining Leadership with Dr. Brandi Kelly

    🎯 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?

    40 min

  6. 12/10/2025

    Discipline Isn't About Fixing Kids — It's About Fixing Us with Charle Peck & Joshua Stamper

    🎯 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?

    53 min

  7. 12/03/2025

    Connection Is the New Curriculum: Building Schools Worth Showing Up For — with Dr. Anne Paonessa

    🎯 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?

    52 min

  8. 11/26/2025

    Reject the Premise Part 4 with Jethro Jones

    🎯 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?

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The BETTER LEADERS BETTER SCHOOLS podcast is in the TOP 0.5% most downloaded shows of over 2 million podcasts across the world. The BLBS show was created for RUCKUS MAKERS in education -- those out-of-the-box school leaders making change happen. Launched in 2015, this category-defining podcast in educational leadership has helped over 1 MILLION leaders LEVEL UP. Each week host DANIEL BAUER has a conversation with a leadership expert and invites you to listen in. Turn your commute, chores, or workout into professional development and then GO MAKE A RUCKUS! BLBS is the #1 downloaded podcast for school leaders.

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