Change Starts Here: Creative Ways to Help Kids Thrive in School

Being an educator is one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs, and nobody knows that better than Olympia Della Flora. On this episode of Change Starts Here, host Dustin Odham spoke with Della Flora about her experience as an educator, from teacher to principal to superintendent. They also discuss how you can best help students, including what to remember when in the classroom.

Currently a superintendent for Marion City Schools in Ohio, Della Flora grew up with an elementary school mother and a bus-driving father. She never intended to get into education, but after getting her Bachelor’s degree in Biology, she pursued a Master’s in Education. Her experience has taught her to build relationships with students to learn as much as possible about each one.

“I think it’s sometimes difficult for teachers because they have their schedules, and, you know, they need to get through their lessons, they have their curriculum, that they need to hit certain benchmarks,” says Della Flora, “and sometimes we get caught up in that, and we forget that we have little people that are sitting in our classrooms every single day.”

One of her strategies is taking pieces of a student’s life, creating a story out of it, and asking her faculty, “What does this mean? What does this mean for you as a teacher? What would you do with this student?” She also asks, “What do you know about this student? Have you talked to this student’s family? What do you know about this student’s background?” These efforts ensure a safe environment and understanding of faculty in the classrooms and everywhere else on campus.

A primary takeaway from Della Flora is that the more you know about a student, the better you will know how to address them in the classroom. “If you know your kids, and you know their triggers and how they learn best, it’s going to help you be a better teacher.”

Key Points:

– Get to know each student as much as possible.

– Understand the best ways to sympathize with and understand your students.

– Stay positive and committed to best helping your students.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

career resilience
Asking Questions Works: Career Resilience, Mentorship, and Real Growth in Real Estate and Beyond
June 11, 2025

In this inspiring episode of PQ: Conversations That Build Equity, host Jason Winningham sits down with Rosanna Hudson—affectionately known as “RoRo”—to explore how career resilience fuels the development of professional equity through trust, adaptability, and the courage to ask better questions. Rosanna is a seasoned real estate broker licensed in both Texas and California,…

Read More
Build the Why, Not Just the What
June 11, 2025

There comes a point where you stop asking what you’re building and start asking why you’re building it. That shift is where high-impact work begins. It’s when you move from shipping features to shaping purpose. Anyone can launch a roadmap, spec out a feature, or refine a UI. But the heartbeat of the product lives…

Read More
bringing hospitality to retail
Bringing Hospitality to Retail as an Authentic Community Anchor: 15 Minutes with Coach’s Giovanni Zaccariello
June 11, 2025

Luxury retail is no longer confined to storefronts and seasonal campaigns. Brands are bringing hospitality to retail, building deeper emotional connections, and extending their presence beyond the product. Coach, among other heritage labels, is experimenting with cafés, branded bars, and immersive spaces that offer more than a transaction—they offer belonging. According to MG2 Advisory,…

Read More
professional equity
Reclaiming Your Voice Is a Leadership Move That Grows Professional Equity
June 11, 2025

In the very first episode of PQ: Conversations That Build Equity, host Jason Winningham , the CEO and Founder of Professional Quotient, shares his inspiring journey, applauding the transformative power of ‘Professional Quotient’ or PQ. This podcast series aims to explore the concept of PQ, defined as a sum of one’s professional equity, encompassing…

Read More