The Better Leaders Better Schools Podcast with Daniel Bauer

• 3 AI Principles Ruckus Makers Use to Future-Proof Their Leadership with Danny Bauer

  🎯 The Ruckus Report Quick take: Most principals fear AI. Ruckus Makers see it as fuel for innovation. In this solo episode, Danny shares 3 foundational AI principles that will redefine school leadership in 2025 — showing you how to trade fear for leverage and ideas for bold action. **You can unlock all 10 AI principles here.** 👋 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Danny Bauer helps Ruckus Makers Do School Different — reimagining education within traditional systems to create campus experiences worth showing up for. He’s written multiple bestselling books and hosts the Better Leaders Better Schools RuckusCast, the most downloaded school leadership podcast in the world, ranking in the top 1% of all podcasts globally. 🔨 Breaking Down the Old Rules In this episode, Danny challenges traditional education paradigms and reveals how courageous leaders can use AI to future-proof their campuses: 📌 Key Insight #1: There Are Two Sides to Every Coin What’s broken: Many school leaders see AI as a threat — banning tools and retreating to old habits out of fear. The shift: Courageous Ruckus Makers choose to reframe fear as curiosity. They see AI not as cheating, but as a way to create leverage and deeper learning. Impact: Schools that embrace this mindset are equipping students for a future where AI fluency isn’t optional — it’s essential for employment and innovation. 📌 Key Insight #2: Your #1 Job Is to Transfer Belief What’s broken: Traditional leadership focuses on control and compliance instead of cultivating confidence. The shift: Ruckus Makers inspire belief — helping staff and students see that they can solve hard problems and do extraordinary work. Impact: Teams move from hesitant to high-performing, creating schools filled with energy, innovation, and ownership. 📌 Key Insight #3: Ideas Are Great — But Action Wins What’s broken: School leaders get stuck in meetings, policies, and analysis — mistaking discussion for progress. The shift: Ruckus Makers act first, learn fast, and iterate forward. They understand that bold experiments beat perfect plans. Impact: Leaders who move from inspiration to implementation transform ideas into tangible outcomes for students and staff. 💬 Quotable Ruckus “Ideas are great, but not the greatest. Action is the only thing greater than an idea.” – Danny Bauer 📈 Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Identify one “fear coin” moment on your campus. Flip it — and turn fear into a chance for curiosity or innovation. This Month: Transfer belief. Tell three staff members specifically what you see in them that they don’t yet see in themselves. This Semester: Choose one bold experiment that uses AI to free up your team’s time and amplify student engagement — then share the results with your district. 🔗 Connect & Continue 🔓 Unlock all 10 principles + the AI demo + tools here. 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: here 🔗 Follow Danny: Website, LinkedIn 📌 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: ruckusmakers.news 🗞 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Premium leadership insights, AI prompts, and new books before the bookshelf: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Private network, AI Prompt Library, and workshops that make school leadership easier: ruckusmakers.club 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and the Ruckus Maker Flywheel leadership system: Apply Now 🎙 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 helps them make better decisions with reliable data and adapt 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 coding curriculum. 🔍 Learn more at playpiper.com. Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain’t a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?  

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• Simon Strong Provides Half a Semester of Learning in One Hour

  🎯 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?  

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• How This Principal United Two Enemy High Schools

  🎯 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?  

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• Student Turns Classroom Idea Into $40,000 Business (Principal Reveals How) with Jeremy Quals

  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: [email protected] 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  

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• From NYC's Toughest Schools to California's Top Charter: A Principal's Journey

  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  

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