The Ruckus Report Quick take: A former teacher turned ed-tech founder reveals how simple daily actions - from hallway check-ins to thoughtful class placements - can transform school culture and help every student thrive.

Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Mike Cronley is the CEO and co-founder of Class Composer, bringing 12 years of 3rd grade teaching experience to revolutionize how elementary schools create balanced classes. After witnessing firsthand how traditional class placement methods could unintentionally disrupt student relationships and learning environments, he developed a solution to help schools make more informed, equitable placement decisions.

Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Mike challenges traditional education paradigms:

Key Insight #1: The Power of Being Present

• What's broken: Leaders getting caught up in administrative tasks and losing touch with their staff

• The shift: Intentional daily check-ins and genuine conversations with teachers

• Impact: Teachers feel valued, leading to increased motivation and better student outcomes

Key Insight #2: From Paper to Purpose

• What's broken: Complex, paper-based class placement systems that miss crucial student dynamics

• The shift: Data-informed decisions that consider academic, social, and emotional needs

• Impact: More balanced classes and stronger student relationships

Key Insight #3: Taking Smart Risks

• What's broken: Fear of failure leading to stagnation in educational practices

• The shift: Creating a culture where trying new approaches is encouraged

• Impact: Continuous improvement through calculated risk-taking and innovation

Quotable Ruckus "You have to be willing to take risks and try to improve. Not gigantic risks, but if you want to move the needle and do something different and better, you have to be willing to try." – Mike Cronley

Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:

1. Tomorrow: Walk your halls after school and have one genuine conversation with a teacher

2. This Month: Create a system to track meaningful check-ins with all staff members

3. This Semester: Review your class placement process and identify opportunities for more data-informed decisions

Connect & Continue

• 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: Link

• 🔗 Follow Mike: LinkedIn, Facebook

• 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join

Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here.

Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with:

Class Composer: Want to know why Ruckus Makers love Class Composer? Because it turns the dreaded end-of-year class placement meetings into a streamlined, data-driven process. Your teachers will save hours of time while ensuring that nothing is overlooked, including student separations. 🔍 Learn More Here.

Quest Food Management Services: Creating joyful learning environments starts in the cafeteria. Quest brings 40 years of expertise in crafting scratch-made meals that nurture both body and community spirit through innovative student engagement programs. 🔍 Learn more here.

ODP Business Solutions: Most schools botch STEAM implementation because they're missing 3 critical elements. Here's the wild part: it's not about fancy tech or massive budgets. ODP Business Solutions® has researched many successful programs to identify what actually works (and what's just burning cash). 🔍 Learn the blueprint: here

Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

The Ruckus Report Quick take: A veteran superintendent reveals how shifting from a mastery mindset to an unfinished mindset can transform school leadership and create environments where innovation thrives, student voice matters, and continuous growth is celebrated.

Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Michael Lubelfeld serves as Superintendent of North Shore District 112 in suburban Chicago, leading 9 elementary schools with 4,000 students. A passionate educator since 1992, Mike was awarded the 2021 Administrator and Supervision Distinguished Alumni Award from Loyola University Chicago. He's co-authored four books, including his latest "The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself."

Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Dr. Lubelfeld challenges traditional education paradigms:

Key Insight #1: The Power of Coaching Fundamentals

• What's broken: Complex leadership initiatives that overlook basic human connection

• The shift: Regular, structured coaching conversations focused on growth and support

• Impact: Principals create better conditions for teacher growth, leading to improved student outcomes

Key Insight #2: Embracing the Unfinished Mindset

• What's broken: The pressure to achieve mastery and have everything figured out

• The shift: Viewing leadership as a continuous journey of growth and evolution

• Impact: Creates a culture where innovation thrives and continuous improvement is celebrated

Key Insight #3: Leveraging Student Voice

• What's broken: Top-down decision making that excludes student perspectives

• The shift: Actively incorporating student input in strategic planning and facility design

• Impact: More engaged students and better-designed learning environments that meet real needs

Quotable Ruckus "I'm never going to be done doing it. I'm going to learn more from the next principal than she or he learned from me because I'm learning from them and we're growing together." – Dr. Mike Lubelfeld

Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:

1. Tomorrow: Schedule a one-on-one coaching conversation with a teacher or principal focused on their aspirations and goals

2. This Month: Create a student advisory panel to provide input on one major school initiative

3. This Semester: Develop a structured feedback system that celebrates growth and learning

Connect & Continue

• 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: Link

• 🔗 Follow Dr. Lubelfeld: LinkedIn

• 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join

Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here.

Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with:

Class Composer: Want to know why Ruckus Makers love Class Composer? Because it turns the dreaded end-of-year class placement meetings into a streamlined, data-driven process. Your teachers will save hours of time while ensuring that nothing is overlooked, including student separations. 🔍 Learn more here..

Quest Food Management Services: Creating joyful learning environments starts in the cafeteria. Quest brings 40 years of expertise in crafting scratch-made meals that nurture both body and community spirit through innovative student engagement programs. 🔍 Learn more: www.questfms.com

ODP Business Solutions: Most schools botch STEAM implementation because they're missing 3 critical elements. Here's the wild part: it's not about fancy tech or massive budgets. ODP Business Solutions® has researched many successful programs to identify what actually works (and what's just burning cash). 🔍 Learn the blueprint: here

Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

Quick take: In this special coaching episode, a K-4 principal shares his honest struggles and breakthroughs in implementing project-based learning, revealing why communication and teacher buy-in are crucial for meaningful educational change.

Dan is a K-4 principal with an art education background, bringing a unique creative perspective to his leadership role. As a solo administrator in his building, he's passionate about transforming education through project-based learning while maintaining strong relationships with his staff.

In this episode, Dan challenges traditional education paradigms:

Key Insight #1: Consistent Communication

• What's broken: Sporadic communication about new initiatives, assuming teachers will automatically buy in

• The shift: Consistently discussing and reinforcing PBL benefits while giving teachers autonomy to experiment

• Impact: Teachers feel more supported and are more likely to take risks with new teaching methods

Key Insight #2: Building Authentic Relationships

• What's broken: Traditional top-down mandate approach to implementing new programs

• The shift: Building genuine relationships and understanding teachers' individual goals and aspirations

• Impact: Increased teacher engagement and willingness to try new approaches

Key Insight #3: Meaningful Feedback Systems

• What's broken: Complex, jargon-filled evaluation systems that don't drive real improvement

• The shift: Simple, meaningful feedback focused on growth and celebrating small wins

• Impact: More authentic professional development and risk-taking in the classroom

"You have to have the mentality that everybody you meet is going through something that you don't know anything about. We have a saying here: 'Sweep the sheds.' It sounds kind of weird, but it's about humility and doing the work that needs to be done." -Principal Dan

Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:

1. Tomorrow: Ask your teachers what's stopping them from trying something new in their classrooms

2. This Month: Create a weekly roundup to celebrate teachers taking risks and trying new approaches

3. This Semester: Develop an implementation plan based on teacher feedback and goals

• 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: Link

• 🔗 Join The Ruckus Maker Club waitlist: https://ruckusmakers.club/join

💪 Apply to the Ruckus Maker Mastermind: https://www.betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind-application

Learn how to Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here.

IXL Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more here.

Class Composer Is your elementary school still creating class lists with colored index cards or sticky notes? Class Composer offers a streamlined solution for making well-informed student placement decisions in less time. 🔍 https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7625546/b577a4c88ce8.

ODP: ODP Business Solutions® formerly Office Depot® Business Solutions Division has been a trusted partner for schools for over 30 years. At ODP Business Solutions, we’re by your side to meet your evolving education needs.🔍 Learn more here.

Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

The Ruckus Report Quick take: As California mandates AI literacy in schools, education leaders face a critical choice between teaching basic AI operation and empowering students to reimagine what's possible with AI fluency.

Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Hannah Grady Williams is the Chief Rebel at d'Skills, where she helps students transform their passions into real-world projects using AI. Starting college at 14 and graduating with her bachelor's at 18, Hannah brings a fresh perspective to education innovation. Chris Lochhead calls her "one of the most important voices in education today."

Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Hannah challenges traditional education paradigms:

Key Insight #1: AI Literacy Isn't Enough

• What's broken: Schools focusing only on basic AI efficiency like email writing and lesson planning

• The shift: Moving toward true AI fluency where students apply AI across all aspects of learning

• Impact: Students who can creatively innovate and think beyond what AI alone can accomplish

Key Insight #2: Integration Over Isolation

• What's broken: Adding standalone AI clubs or career pathways as a checkbox solution

• The shift: Embedding AI project-based learning into every core subject

• Impact: Students developing real-world AI applications across all disciplines

Key Insight #3: Authentic AI Experience

• What's broken: Using "sterilized" educational versions of AI tools that limit real learning

• The shift: Teaching students to work with actual AI tools they'll use in their careers

• Impact: Graduates prepared for the true demands of an AI-transformed workplace

Quotable Ruckus "If our response as leaders is to go with sterilized versions of tools to satisfy a mandate, we're not doing our kids a service for their future." - Hannah Grady Williams

Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:

1. Tomorrow: Evaluate how your school currently uses AI - is it for efficiency or empowerment?

2. This Month: Identify one core subject where you can integrate AI project-based learning

3. This Semester: Develop a comprehensive AI fluency strategy across all grade levels

Connect & Continue

• 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: [Link]

• 🔗 Follow Hannah: hannah@dskills.io

• 🌐 Explore d'Skills: https://www.dskills.io/

• 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://rucku

Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here

Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more: IXL.com/leaders

Class Composer: Want to know why Ruckus Makers love Class Composer? Because it turns the dreaded end-of-year class placement meetings into a streamlined, data-driven process. Your teachers will save hours of time while ensuring that nothing is overlooked, including student separations. 🔍 Learn more here.

ODP Business Solutions®: Want to know how top schools create collaborative learning environments that actually work? ODP Business Solutions®, formerly Office Depot Business Solutions Division, has equipped innovative educators for over three decades. 🔍 Visit www.odpbusiness.com/education and let's make a ruckus together.

Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

The Ruckus Report

Quick take: In this transformative session, Danny Bauer shares the powerful RISE method to help school leaders move from playing it safe to creating meaningful change in their schools.

Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Danny Bauer is the founder of Better Leaders Better Schools, author of multiple bestselling books, and host of one of the world's top 0.5% podcasts. He helps school leaders "Do School Different" through coaching, mentorship, and building communities of innovative educators.

Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨

In this episode, Danny challenges traditional education paradigms:

Key Insight #1: From Reactive to Reimagining

• What's broken: Leaders getting stuck in day-to-day reactive mode

• The shift: Using the RISE method (Reimagine, Identify, Select Strategic Strikes, Execute)

• Impact: Creates clear path from current reality to reimagined future

Key Insight #2: From Overwhelm to Strategic Focus

• What's broken: Trying to tackle too many initiatives at once

• The shift: Using the 80/20 principle and "The One Thing" question

• Impact: Identify highest leverage actions that make other things easier/unnecessary

Key Insight #3: From Planning to Execution

• What's broken: Analysis paralysis and lack of momentum

• The shift: Breaking goals into first day/week/month actions

• Impact: Building momentum through quick wins and strategic progress

Quotable Ruckus "Ideas are great, but not the greatest. Taking action is really important." - Danny Bauer

Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:

1. Tomorrow: Use the Do School Different Scorecard to assess your current reality

2. This Month: Identify your "One Thing" that makes everything else easier

3. This Semester: Implement strategic strikes using the 80/20 principle

Ready to Do School Different?

Take the next step: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/win

*Offer expires January 27th, 2025

The Ruckus Report Quick take: From surviving childhood trauma to revolutionizing student mental health, Dr. Watson reveals how schools can transform their approach to student wellbeing from crisis response to proactive skill-building.

Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Hayley Watson is the founder and CEO of Open Parachute, a Tier 1 K-12 curriculum program supporting mental health for students, teachers, and parents. A Clinical Psychologist with a PhD in school bullying interventions, she's spent 20 years developing youth programs that turn challenges into opportunities for growth.

Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Dr. Watson challenges traditional mental health paradigms:

Key Insight #1: Mental Health Belongs in Tier One

• What's broken: Relegating mental health support to counseling offices and crisis intervention

• The shift: Teaching core mental health skills to all students as fundamental curriculum

• Impact: Reduced pressure on Tier 2/3 services; students develop essential life skills early

Key Insight #2: Four Steps to Emotional Intelligence

• What's broken: Reactive responses to emotional challenges without systematic approach

• The shift: Feel, Pause, Think, Act framework for processing emotions

• Impact: Students learn to recognize triggers and choose constructive responses

Key Insight #3: Student Voice Drives Transformation

• What's broken: Adults lecturing about mental health without authentic connection

• The shift: Real student stories and experiences guide learning

• Impact: Increased engagement and relatability in mental health education

Quotable Ruckus "Don't be afraid to bring mental health into the classroom. This is the ruckus making that we need to really create generational change for the future." – Dr. Hayley Watson

Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:

1. Tomorrow: Practice the Feel-Pause-Think-Act framework yourself in a challenging situation

2. This Month: Create safe spaces for students to share their stories and experiences

3. This Semester: Implement a tier one mental health curriculum across grade levels

Connect & Continue

• 🌐 Website: https://openparachuteschools.com/

• 📚 Get "Finding the Words": https://openparachuteschools.com/finding-the-words/

• 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-hayley-watson-2b249a16/

• 📧 Email: hayley@openparachuteschools.com

• 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join

Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here

Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more: IXL.com/leaders

Class Composer: Want to know why Ruckus Makers love Class Composer? Because it turns the dreaded end-of-year class placement meetings into a streamlined, data-driven process. Your teachers will save hours of time while ensuring that nothing is overlooked, including student separations. 🔍 Learn more here.

ODP Business Solutions®: Want to know how top schools create collaborative learning environments that actually work? ODP Business Solutions®, formerly Office Depot Business Solutions Division, has equipped innovative educators for over three decades. 🔍 Visit www.odpbusiness.com/education and let's make a ruckus together.

Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

The Ruckus Report Quick take: From middle school gum empire to innovative children's author, Mr. B reveals how embracing uniqueness and real-world learning can transform education from standardized to remarkable.

Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Mr. B is a multi-faceted creative and entrepreneur, blending Hip-Hop music, live-streaming, and children's storytelling into his unique brand. Known for his viral rhymes and as the creator of What Rhymes With Orange?, Mr. B brings fans into real-world experiences with his innovative 'Find Me IRL' live-streamed events and music concerts. He's on a mission to connect people, both in-person and online, with a fresh mix of freestyle rap, humor, and creative flair.

Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Mr. B challenges traditional education paradigms:

Key Insight #1: Real-World Learning Beats Standardization

• What's broken: Schools focus on standardized formats and rigid rubrics

• The shift: Enable students to engage in real-world business and creative projects

• Impact: Mr. B's middle school gum business generated over $1,000 in 2.5 months, teaching vital lessons about supply, demand, and credit

Key Insight #2: Pattern Breaking Creates Opportunities

• What's broken: Traditional teaching methods crush creativity and innovation

• The shift: Encourage unique approaches and celebrate different ways of learning

• Impact: Students develop confidence in their uniqueness and learn to innovate

Key Insight #3: Beauty, Innovation, and Respect Transform Learning

• What's broken: Sterile environments and hierarchical relationships

• The shift: Create beautiful spaces and authentic connections between staff and students

• Impact: Students take themselves more seriously and operate at a higher level

Quotable Ruckus "Change is going to come from the kids, not the adults." – Mr. B

Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:

1. Tomorrow: Sit with students at lunch and engage in genuine conversation

2. This Month: Create opportunities for students to publish or monetize their school work

3. This Semester: Design a program that lets students explore entrepreneurship within your school

Connect & Continue

• 📚 Get Mr. B's book "What Rhymes With Orange?": https://a.co/d/cPcq47B

• 📷 Follow Mr. B on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrbinspire

• 📧 Contact: mrbinspire@gmail.com

• 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join

Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here.

Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more: IXL.com/leaders

Class Composer: Want to know why Ruckus Makers love Class Composer? Because it turns the dreaded end-of-year class placement meetings into a streamlined, data-driven process. Your teachers will save hours of time while ensuring that nothing is overlooked, including student separations. 🔍 Learn more here.

Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?