When I lost my voice after ISTE/ASCD, my son John stepped in – and together we bring you game-changing insights on AI in education that challenge everything you've heard about robots replacing teachers.

Join us for exclusive interviews with three experts who are reshaping how we think about AI in schools:

• Dr. Sarah Thomas reveals how AI becomes a "creativity amplifier,"
• Dr. Caitlin Tucker exposes why AI-generated lessons are failing (and what actually works), and
• Jay James shares how Auburn University students defend against real cyber attacks while having an opportunity to enter a field that currently has $90,000 starting salaries.

Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/ai-cybersecurity-and-the-future-of-teaching-key-insights-from-iste-2025

• Dr. Sarah Thomas (Regional Technology Coordinator, Prince George's County Public Schools) on using AI to reclaim your creative genius
• Dr. Caitlin Tucker (Author of "Elevating Educational Design with AI") on the UDL framework that makes AI actually useful for differentiation
• Jay James (Auburn University) on building student-powered cybersecurity programs that protect schools while creating career pathways

1. Ai Updates: The Good, the Challenging, and the Practical
2. AI as a Creativity Amplifier with Dr. Sarah Thomas
3. Do AI Lesson Planners Measure Up? with Dr. Catlin Tucker
4. Cybersecurity Education Through Real-World Experience with Jay James from Auburn University
5. The Human Element - Why AI Can't Replace Teaching Relationships
6. My 6 Key Tools Highlighted from ISTE 2025
7. Instagram's School Safety Partnership - A Game Changer for Digital Wellbeing

• Microsoft Copilot now available for schools (ages 13+)
• Google Gemini launches for all ages with Classroom integration
• New AI rubric conversion tools that actually work
• Apple's strategic delay of AI features until 2026
• Instagram's partnership with ISTE for anti-bullying programs
• Concerns we should have about some of these announcements

Whether you're AI-curious or AI-concerned or somewhere in between (like me), this episode provides practical, research-backed strategies for thoughtful integration that enhances rather than replaces great teaching.

Newsletter: Get weekly teaching tips at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/newsletter

Connect: @coolcatteacher on all platforms

The Cool Cat Teacher Talk podcast is now available wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to join our community of educators committed to excellence in teaching.

The conversation around AI in education has shifted from fear to practical implementation. In this episode, I sit down with two trusted voices in educational technology: Eric Curts from Ohio and Gabriel Carrillo from San Antonio, to share 8 practical AI recipes that work in real classrooms.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

Eric shares an exciting trend: "What I'm getting excited about is the shift from AI to support teachers to AI for students."

Gabriel notes the AI tool landscape has consolidated, giving educators clearer choices for classroom implementation.

We dive deep into:

• AI Recipe #1: Moving from AI fear to student empowerment
• AI Recipe #2: Face the academic integrity challenge wisely
• AI Recipe #3: Implement practical assessment strategies (like Snorkl)
• AI Recipe #4: Consider ethics and student well being as you look at AI.
• Plus 4 more practical recipes for immediate classroom implementation

Academic Integrity: The New Approach

Both guests emphasize moving away from "gotcha" mentality. Eric provides crucial guidance: "We need to spend more time looking for evidence of student learning than evidence of student cheating." Gabriel's powerful analogy: detecting AI misuse after submission is "like trying to un-bake a cake."

We share better approaches that work.

Critical Safety Insights

A sobering reality: 78% of people discuss health issues with ChatGPT, and companionship ranks among top AI uses. Gabriel shares the essential safety test every educator should perform before using any AI tool with students.

Research-Based Implementation

Stanford research reveals AI tools promoting productive struggle often yield better learning outcomes. We break down what this means for your classroom and how to implement these findings immediately.

Get the Complete AI Recipe Collection

📖 Get all 8 AI recipes and complete show notes: www.coolcatteacher.com/caik-practical-ai-recipes

Featured Guests

Eric Curts - Technology Integration Specialist, author of "Control Alt Achieve," and authorized Google Education Trainer with 33 years in education.

Gabriel Carrillo - Author of Cooking Up Experiences In The Classroom, EdTech Bytes podcast host, and instructional technology specialist who believes great conversations happen when we break bread together.

Ready to implement AI in your classroom with confidence? Listen now and visit the show notes for your complete practical AI recipe collection at www.coolcatteacher.com/caik-practical-ai-recipes

*And go to www.coolcatteacher.com/iste2025 for all of the shows on the latest education technology from ISTE 2025 / ASCD Live. We have several more shows to go!

Discover the secrets to raising thriving readers who are not only proficient in literacy skills but also genuinely engaged in the reading process. Every parent and educator wants their kids to experience reading success, and it all starts with unlocking the literacy secrets that inspire a love for reading. By implementing these strategies, you can help your child become an engaged reader, eager to explore new worlds and ideas through the pages of a book. The key to achieving this lies in understanding what makes kids thrive in reading, and with the right approach, you can set your child on the path to becoming a confident and enthusiastic reader. Learn how to nurture a lifelong love of reading in your kids and watch them flourish into thriving readers with a strong foundation in literacy skills.

Guests: Jennifer Serravallo, Ezera Washington, Nathaniel Hansford

Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/talkreading