How to Get Kids Excited About Writing
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Release Date: 11/19/2024
News Roundup: What’s the Latest in Edtech and AI Right Now?
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
What do teachers need to know this week about AI, edtech tools, privacy risks, and time-saving features? In this fast-paced news update, Vicki Davis — the Cool Cat Teacher — shares teacher-tested headlines that impact the classroom. From Google's bulk grading feature to concerns about AI eye-tracking and international AI policy, this episode is packed with insights that matter. Also, a huge health concern with touching the receipts of many of your local retailers. 💡 Includes a teacher tip on using data for AP test prep — and a heads-up about a surprising classroom health hazard!...
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How to Help Every Child Feel Like They Belong
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
In this inspiring episode, Principal Carlos Ramirez, named "2024 Principal of the Year" by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents shares how he turned a school tradition into a movement for community and inclusion. Discover how he builds trust with families, shows up for students, and leads a school where every child feels they belong. This is a must-listen for school leaders and teachers who want to create a culture of care and connection. 🎯 Highlights Include Leading with Compassion During Crisis: How Carlos returned to school during the pandemic to support...
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Fun Grammar Strategies That Actually Work
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Can grammar really be fun? Yes! In this episode, literacy coach and author Patty McGee shares fresh, playful ways to teach grammar that actually work—and won't leave kids groaning. If you've ever struggled to make grammar stick, you'll love these shame-free, curiosity-fueled strategies that bring joy and purpose back into your language lessons. (And personally I also like that there can be alternatives to diagramming sentences.) Solution Tree 💼 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree. For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts...
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Teaching Math in 2025: Dan Meyer on Tools, Trends, and True Engagement
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
How do we move beyond drill-and-kill and actually engage students in math? In this visionary episode, Dan Meyer shares how Desmos and Amplify are transforming math classrooms—and what every teacher needs to know for the future of math instruction. Highlights from Dan Meyer include: • Real-Time Math Engagement: How Desmos shifts math from static worksheets to dynamic experiences. How Amplify also works in this area. • Embedded PD That Works: Why the best professional development happens inside the tools teachers already use. • The Mindset Shift: Why great math teachers start with what...
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56% of New Teachers in Texas Are Uncertified: The Impact on Learning
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Is passion enough to teach? In this powerful episode, Dr. Jacob Kirksey—Assistant Professor of Education Policy at Texas Tech University—reveals research on the rise of uncertified teachers (56% of new teachers in Texas are uncertified) and the real cost to student learning. Discover why teacher training matters more than ever and how we can fix the broken pipeline in education. 💼 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree. For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts to deliver research-driven professional development that helps...
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8 Insights About Early Childhood Education
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Isabelle Hau, executive director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, joins Vicki Davis to explore why the early years gap is our greatest educational inequity. Discover how 90% of brain development happens before age five and why relationships are fundamental to learning. Hau's book "Love to Learn" (the #1 new release on Amazon in Early Childhood Education) reveals why we need more "relational intelligence" in education and less focus on standardized metrics. She explains why young children today play 50% less outdoors than their parents did and how early childhood educators are...
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5 Ways to Help Students Succeed in School and Life
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Daron Franklin also known as “Coach Frank,” is a former Algebra I teacher turned human performance coach. His practical advice to help teachers reach kids and to help kids reach their goals is spot on. He talks about strategies for improving student motivation. Additionally, he shares the importance of building relationships and things you can say and do to support student mental health. I like how he encourages us teachers to be honest when we make mistakes (we all make them.) He also encourages us to bring relevance into every lesson. Finally, his encouragement to develop keystone habits...
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How to Actually Engage Students Who Have Zero Attention Span
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Dr. Marc Isseks, author of Captivate: Engaging and Empowering Students in a World of Digital Distractions, talks bluntly about cell phone policies and his opinion that attempting to ban cell phones is pointless. He also discusses the ways that you can engage students who have a short attention span (sometimes it feels like zero, but there are a few seconds -- 3 seconds. Some would say that is zero!) His thoughts on starting class are important ones to discuss. Whether it is pop culture, or other tips he offers, we can engage students in learning from the moment they walk in the door. Show...
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AI in Education: Friend or Foe? A Student Perspective #AILiteracyDay
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Today is AI Literacy Day, Friday, March 28, 2025. So, as my part in celebrating this day, I thought the best people to speak about this topic is my students. So, I issued a call to my AP students and two of them showed up this past Tuesday and we recorded this show. I think that their honest, intelligent, reflective thoughts of the issue of their generation and their concerns and hopes for the future. If you didn't want to talk to your students about Artificial Intelligence, you will after this show. I'm going to watch this with my other classes to start the conversation. The boldness and...
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Personalizing Learning for Teachers & Students
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Courtney Walker, NASSP National Assistant Principal of the year for 2024 talks about personalize learning for both teachers and students at her school and how to get started. The collaboration at her school will inspire you! Show notes and full transcript:
info_outlineSpeech-to-text, audio, personal drawings and pictures, and writing about things kids love are all part of helping kids get excited about writing. In today's show, we talk to 15-year educator Randi Ahrndt about encouraging kids to get excited about writing as we discuss interactive writing strategies and one of the best free tools for teaching writing. We also talk about an authentic project of having kids write a personal book and the various steps of making it happen. We'll explore how to leverage technology and interactive strategies to turn even the most reluctant students into enthusiastic writers. Discover how to encourage creativity and self-expression in your classroom for all grades.
Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e869
Questions Answered in This Show:
- What are the best free writing apps for classrooms, including tools like Book Creator?
- How can teachers use interactive strategies to make writing more engaging?
- Why is sharing writing with an authentic audience crucial for student motivation?
- How can speech-to-text tools support struggling writers?
- What role does student choice play in creating excitement for writing projects?
- How do graphic organizers help students overcome writer's block?
- How can teachers balance the demands of teaching foundational skills with writing practice?
Key Takeaways:
- Free Apps for Writing: Explore tools like Book Creator, Canva, and Google Docs to enable multimodal storytelling and provide accessibility options such as speech-to-text.
- Interactive Strategies: Foster excitement with activities like project pitches, peer feedback, and sharing stories with family or classmates.
- Practical Tips: Encourage frequent writing through journaling, passion projects, and low-pressure feedback to build confidence.
- Authentic Experiences: Showcase student work with tools like eBooks, digital displays, and class libraries to celebrate their creativity.
Book Creator is my favorite tool for teaching writing and promoting student creativity! With its user-friendly platform, students can create vibrant eBooks featuring text, images, audio, and even video.
✅ Get 3 months FREE of Book Creator Premium with the code COOLCATTEACHER!
🎨 Connect directly to Canva, personalize books, and ignite a love for writing in your classroom.
👉 Learn more about how Book Creator can improve literacy in your classroom!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. While I was compensated by Book Creator, all opinions expressed here are my own. I only share tools I personally use and believe will benefit my audience.