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- Small Actions, Big Impact: Mike Cronley on Creating Environments Where Everyone Matters
Small Actions, Big Impact: Mike Cronley on Creating Environments Where Everyone Matters


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.
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A MESSAGE FROM ODP
WANT TO KNOW WHY 67% OF STEAM PROGRAMS FAIL?
Hint: It's not the budget. After researching many schools, ODP Business Solutionsยฎ uncovered three make-or-break factors that determine STEAM success. The best part? You probably already have what you need. ๐
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๐ดโโ ๏ธ 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
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.
โ๏ธ YOUR DO SCHOOL DIFFERENT CHALLENGE
Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:
Tomorrow: Walk your halls after school and have one genuine conversation with a teacher
This Month: Create a system to track meaningful check-ins with all staff members
This Semester: Review your class placement process and identify opportunities for more data-informed decisions
โ CONNECT AND CONTINUE
๐ค TODAYโS 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. ๐ 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. ๐ 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 Solutionsยฎ has researched many successful programs to identify what actually works (and what's just burning cash). ๐ Learn the blueprint: here

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Podcast created by Danny. Audio engineered by Dragan. Show notes written by Christina. Email sent by Soniya
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