I've been wrestling with something more and more lately, and I have a feeling you might be too. You may use artificial intelligence for your own purposes, and find it useful in lots of scenarios. You might even teach students the value of AI and ethical ways to use it, both now and in their future careers. All the while, you're skeptical about where this AI stuff is headed, but it feels so embedded in everything that it can't be ignored. And as you're watching kids and teens pull up ChatGPT...
10 days ago • 2 min read
Are you spending countless hours planning lessons, yet still feel like you’re winging it each day? Are you doing lots of advance prep, but still have to do more planning every night to feel prepared for the following day? Check out this coaching call I conducted with a graduate of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek. Her name is Rachel, and she’s felt caught in a trap that I bet you can relate to. Rachel’s planning in advance, yet feeling like she’s flying by the seat of her pants, forgetting to do...
17 days ago • 3 min read
There’s a powerful connection between movement and cognitive performance. Standing up and moving around can both foster diffuse thinking—the kind of relaxed mental state that encourages breakthroughs and innovative ideas. In episode 314 of the Truth for Teachers podcast, I’m sharing Cal Newport’s research on training the brain for deep work through “productive meditation”, a practice that involves focusing on a specific problem while engaged in physical movement. I’m also detailing 4...
24 days ago • 1 min read
Let's be real: there’s too much curriculum, too many behavior challenges, and not enough hours in the day to make every lesson “fun.” But here’s the truth: fun is different from engagement. And engagement is the foundation for meaningful learning. When students are genuinely engaged, their brains are primed to absorb and retain information. Engagement reduces behavioral issues, fosters a sense of belonging, and helps kids connect what they’re learning to the real world. Here's the...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Have you ever stood in front of your class and thought, It's going to be impossible to meet the needs of every single student for this lesson? You're thinking about the advanced learners who finish before you even finish explaining, the students with gaps who are struggling to keep up, and the ones who are chronically absent ... and the list goes on. In episode 331 of the Truth for Teachers podcast, I spoke with Rob Barnett, a former high school math teacher and co-founder of the Modern...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Even young students can learn how to understanding and combat misinformation, and it’s a key information literacy skill in 2025. To go deeper in this topic, I talked with Melanie Trecek-King of Thinking is Power, because I love how her approach to the topic of misinformation is characterized by compassion and empathy. In our conversation for my Truth for Teachers podcast, Melanie emphasized that everyone is susceptible to misinformation, and falling for it doesn’t indicate a lack of...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Starting the school day doesn’t have to be chaotic or rushed. In this article + podcast episode on Truth for Teachers, I’m sharing how soft starts are transforming classrooms by offering a calm, low-pressure beginning that allows students to ease into their day. Soft starts accomplish more than just setting a calm tone—they’re a powerful tool for: promoting social-emotional learning giving kids the autonomy they need to feel in control of their learning fostering self-regulation,...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Over the years, school districts have become increasingly aware of what neurodivergent folks need in order to do their best work. But have you ever wondered why those supports are usually provided to students only, and not to staff? We expect teachers to differentiate instruction, but don’t personalize teacher support or ensure that every individual educator has the resources they need to thrive. So, I got curious about whether educators think accommodations are needed, and if so, what it...
2 months ago • 1 min read
I think we’ve spent far too long centering everything in schools around the needs of students—no matter the cost to educators. We hear “students first,” “whatever it takes,” and “do it for the kids.” While the intention is good, this short-sighted approach ignores something vital: Kids are deeply impacted by the physical and emotional well-being of the adults who teach them. If their teachers are exhausted, frazzled, disrespected, overworked, and micromanaged … there’s no way they can...
2 months ago • 2 min read