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.

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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