Sustainability Spotlight: How to Empower Students to Tackle Sustainability Issues
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Release Date: 05/21/2020
Richard Culatta: What an AI-Ready Graduate Really Looks Like
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
AI didn’t break assessments—it revealed just how flawed they already were. Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE+ASCD, shares how schools can prepare AI-ready graduates, address bias, and rethink what learning really looks like. Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e912 3 Takeaways: • Assessments weren’t broken by AI—they were broken already. • An AI-ready graduate needs strong human skills like storytelling and problem-solving. • Addressing bias requires both human awareness and AI tools for cross-checking. Growth Reflection: How should schools redefine assessments in the age of...
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Building Cybersecurity Skills in Schools: The Student SOC
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Cyber attacks on schools are growing. Auburn University’s Jay James shows how student-led cybersecurity operations prepare learners and protect campuses. 3 Takeaways: • Student SOCs give real-world, hands-on cybersecurity training. • AI tools like Microsoft Security Co-Pilot mentor students in real time. • K-12 schools can start small with focused projects and grow from there. Growth Prompt: How do you prepare students—or staff—for real cybersecurity threats? Show notes link:
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Low Morale or Toxic Culture? Solutions with Stand Tall Steve Bollar
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Staff morale slipping or culture feeling off? In minutes, Stand Tall Steve Bollar shares quick, no-cost moves to lift school climate, empower staff, and unite your campus. Full links + guest bio: . Follow the 10 Minute Teacher for weekly classroom-ready tips. 3 Takeaways • Run a 7-week student-to-staff micro-challenge to build relationships fast. • Use five levels of decision-making to boost empowerment and morale. • Choose shared “anchors” to align subcultures and reduce toxicity. Growth Prompt Which micro-move will you try first—learn names, compliment shoes, thumbs-up...
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NEWS: Common Sense Warnings about Social AI Apps and More
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
This week's education news brings critical warnings every educator needs to hear. We're covering a major Apple security update, OpenAI's new Study Mode (and why a Cambridge expert gives it a C+), and most importantly - alarming findings about AI social companion apps that 70% of students are already using. Plus, concerning comments from OpenAI's CEO about the future of education. If you work with students, this episode could be a game-changer for the conversations you need to start having. Visit for all the links and resources mentioned. This 8-12 minute news segment always is the...
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Top 10 AI Tips for Schools to Do Now
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
As we prepare to return to school and with all of the announcements over the summer, what are the things we should do right away to prepare. Should we really enable all of the things or how can we slow down and test what really needs to happen to ensure the safety of our students and the educational value we want to offer? Teacher and IT Director, Vicki Davis, gives an overview of the summer's hottest AI announcements and some tips that schools are using to keep kids safe and cover their bases when it comes to implementing this cascade of change in ways that protect learning and kids. As...
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3 Easy AI Prompts I teach My Students on Day 1
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
I have three AI prompts I teach my students on the first day. Learn about why I do this and what the prompts are in this turbo tip episode! See the three prompts in the show notes and see a copy of the presentation I use to teach students to prompt:
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Top 5 Copilot Breakthroughs Unveiled at ISTE 2025 with Mike Tholfsen
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Microsoft's Mike Tholfsen unveils game-changing AI breakthroughs for educators at ISTE 2025, including Copilot Chat for teens 13+, the revolutionary Teach module that creates standards-aligned lessons in minutes, and AI-powered study guides that transform how students learn. Discover how Learning Zone on Copilot+ PCs brings AI directly to your classroom without internet, plus exciting updates to Learning Accelerators and seamless LMS integration that puts powerful AI tools right where teachers need them. Key takeaways: FREE Copilot Chat now available for students 13+ with enterprise data...
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3 EFFECTive Strategies: Curiosity Corner, Brain Breaks, Action Teams
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Sometimes it takes a wake-up call to transform from just being "a teacher" to being "THE teacher" who makes a difference. Math teacher and tech director Josh Korb shares three game-changing strategies from his book "Be the Cause" that you can implement immediately: Curiosity Corner spaces that spark student inquiry, energizing brain breaks using his "Jumping Jack Jam" technique, and Action Teams that tackle real-world problems through design thinking. These mastery learning strategies prove you don't need high energy or expensive tools—just intentional choices that put students in control of...
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My 30 Hot June AI and Edtech Tools and EduNews Show (June 2025)
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Ready for a deep dive into the latest AI tools and education headlines? In this special extended news episode, Vicki Davis shares 15 cutting-edge AI tools including Gemini's new video parsing capabilities, Claude Opus 4's powerful features, and Perplexity Labs' research tools, plus 15 critical news stories every educator needs to know. From AI ethics and security warnings to practical classroom applications, this episode delivers real classroom tech use insights you can implement immediately. Subscribe for weekly teacher-tested edtech tips and join the conversation at I'm also including...
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Stop, Think, Question: A Teacher’s Guide to Responsible AI with Audrey Watters
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
with Audrey Watters | Episode 903 | Tech Tool Tuesday Are we racing toward an AI future without asking the right questions? Author and ed-tech critic Audrey Watters joins me to show teachers how to hit pause, get thoughtful, and keep classroom relationships at the center. Sponsored by Rise Vision Did you know the same solution that powers my AI classroom also drives campus-wide emergency alerts and digital signage? See how Rise Vision can save your school thousands: Highlights Include Why “human first” still beats the newest AI tool: Audrey explains how relationships drive real...
info_outlineWe can tackle sustainability issues by empowering students. I would also think that this could apply to helping students be part of the solution for health in their communities and schools. Let's face it, if we're going to solve hard problems, we need lots of minds, hands, and feet involved in moving towards the solution. I recorded this some time ago, but you'll get some ideas (like I did) for what we can do now.
Sponsor: My friend Kasey Bell writes the Shake Up Learning Blog. Kasey is who I turn to when I need to train my teachers on Google Classroom and the Level 1 Google Classroom Teacher Certification Training. Right now, Kasey is offering her Google classroom master class 50% off. That’s a great deal, especially now, if you’re in the middle of distance learning or upping your Google Classroom ability. Go to googleclassroomcourse.com and use the coupon code “homelearning” to get 50% off and take advantage of that great price and sign up for Kasey’s Google Classroom Master Class. If you need training for your entire school, like I did, check out gsuitetrainingforschools.com. Tell her Vicki Davis, the Cool Cat Teacher, sent you. Kasey rocks -- and she’ll help you become a better distance learning teacher now.
Michael Walker - Bio as Submitted
Michael Walker is a Teach for America alumnus and holds a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology. He has been involved in research and education since 2005 and has taught a wide array of science courses from middle school through university. His research expertise is on climate change and how it affects both social and natural systems, with an emphasis on plant physiology and development. Michael now leads the environmental sciences and student sustainability initiatives at the Village High School in Houston, TX.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a sponsored podcast episode. The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."