In November, I launched what's probably the most innovative and powerful resource I've ever attempted to create. It was also the most personal thing I've ever created, because I built it for people like me. Motivation Lab is a coaching app designed around neuroscience and powered by AI, to help you stop fighting against your brain and work with your natural tendencies for getting stuff done. To my delight, over the past few months, hundreds of people have been trying the app out, and the...
20 days ago • 3 min read
The biggest concern I hear from teachers about AI is around ethics, especially environmental impact. So many teachers feel conflicted about artificial intelligence. They're using it, but they've also feel like it's terrible for the environment, trained on stolen content, taking away jobs, and rotting our brains. And then there's the practical reality: it's 2026, and AI is literally embedded in everything online now. Instagram search. Email filters. Even online bill pay. So ... what are doing...
27 days ago • 3 min read
I've been quietly working on some new projects I want to tell you about. For over 20 years, pretty much everything I've created online has been for educators. And I'm not stopping that--Truth for Teachers isn't going anywhere. But over the years, I've noticed that a lot of what I talk about goes way beyond the classroom: productivity, mindset, how our brains work, navigating burnout, setting boundaries, figuring out what actually matters to you. I keep hearing from folks who share my work...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Our most confident moments come when we're in familiar territory. The uncertain ones are when we're growing, adapting, reaching new students in new ways. View on Instagram I've talked about imposter syndrome as a teacher on the podcast previously. And recently, I was chatting with my former colleague at BrainPOP, Andrew Gardner, about how imposter syndrome shows up now. Andrew has a unique perspective on imposter syndrome, because his worries about not being good enough are deeply intertwined...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
"Stick to reading, writing, and arithmetic. Stop pushing your agenda on our kids." If you've been teaching for more than a minute, you already know something doesn't add up about that request. Because there's no such thing as a values-neutral classroom. There never has been. Every time we decide which history gets a full unit and which gets a mini-lesson... Every time we choose whose stories show up in our classroom libraries while others gather dust on shelves... Every time we select which...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
On Monday this week, I was in Washington, DC, for the release of research as part of the SAFE AI Companions Task Force. It’s a part of a volunteer effort I’m part of (the EDSAFE AI Alliance). The task force brought together 70+ educators, researchers, policymakers, tech developers, and youth advocates to recommend guidelines for AI companion use in education. Meaning, we have concerns about young people using AI chatbots and other artificial intelligence “companions,” and as leaders in our...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
A huge problem in the way many teachers approach their work is that they focus on what’s right in front of them, instead of what’s most important + impactful. They’re rushing around trying to do everything that people are tossing at them, and so they never have the proper time and energy to accomplish tasks that would really make a difference for their students (or themselves). They show up to work, and try to do as much as they can until they have to go home and tend to other obligations....
2 months ago • 3 min read
I think there's a real need for in-person connection right now. I remember when the internet felt like an escape from real life. These days, it feels like a lot of us are looking for the opposite... we need real life as an escape from what we experience through these ever-present screens. After two decades of creating digital resources and offering professional development workshops, I want to offer something new. (Not instead of what I'm currently doing with the website, podcast, books,...
2 months ago • 3 min read
You know that moment when you look around your classroom and realize half your students have zoned out, and you have to snap them back to the lesson? Have you ever wondered how many of your students even notice they drifted off? As in, are they aware their attention has wandered? I’m always curious about what’s happening in people’s minds: what’s a conscious choice, and what we’re doing out of habit or involuntary reaction. It’s a skill to observe your own thoughts (a teachable skill!) but...
3 months ago • 3 min read