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Ep. 260 | It Takes 10 Years To Get Started: The Hustle w/ Jorge Valenzuela, Jean Darnell, And Andre Daughty

The EdTech Bites Podcast

Release Date: 02/16/2025

Ep. 282 | Why Male Teachers Second-Guess Every Move show art Ep. 282 | Why Male Teachers Second-Guess Every Move

The EdTech Bites Podcast

This episode explores the quiet, constant tension male teachers experience when trying to build authentic relationships with students. From hugs to high-fives, what feels natural for many female educators often feels risky or off-limits for their male colleagues. We also dive into Texas Senate Bill 12 (SB12), a new law that requires parental consent for schools to provide basic health or emotional support—yes, even for a band-aid or a conversation with a counselor. In This Episode: The double standard male educators face in classrooms Real-life examples of how the same gesture can be...

info_outline Ep. 281 | Why Most Teachers Get Student Voice Totally Wrong show art Ep. 281 | Why Most Teachers Get Student Voice Totally Wrong

The EdTech Bites Podcast

Want to bring your whole district together with one simple tool? ClassDojo for Districts makes it easy to engage families and strengthen school communities—at every level. It’s the number one communication app trusted by millions of K-12 teachers, now with district-wide oversight and controls. From Pre-K to high school, ClassDojo connects your schools and families in one seamless place. Learn more at .   What if your students had the power to shape your lessons—and it actually worked? In this insightful conversation, educator and author Jennifer Casa-Todd joins us to break down...

info_outline Ep. 280 | Don’t Start a Drone Club Until You Hear This w/ Frankie Baker show art Ep. 280 | Don’t Start a Drone Club Until You Hear This w/ Frankie Baker

The EdTech Bites Podcast

Hear that? That’s the sound of STEM careers taking off. Meet CoDrone EDU from Robolink — the drone made for classrooms and competitions and the sponsor for this episode. It’s safe, durable, and fixable — with no FAA license or assembly required to fly and help every student feel more confident in a tech-driven world. Students fly CoDrone EDU three ways: manually, coded with Blockly, or coded with Python. See how over 7 thousand schools have proven you CAN have drones in classrooms, buzz and all, at Ever wondered how to get a drone club off the ground—without crashing it on day one?...

info_outline Ep. 279 | ClassDojo Deep Dive: From Dojo Points to Dojo Power Moves w/ Miranda Ketcham show art Ep. 279 | ClassDojo Deep Dive: From Dojo Points to Dojo Power Moves w/ Miranda Ketcham

The EdTech Bites Podcast

Want to bring your whole district together with one simple tool? ClassDojo for Districts makes it easy to engage families and strengthen school communities—at every level. It’s the number one communication app trusted by millions of K-12 teachers, now with district-wide oversight and controls. From Pre-K to high school, ClassDojo connects your schools and families in one seamless place. Learn more at . What started as a simple point system is now a full-blown ecosystem! In this episode, I sit down with Miranda Ketcham — veteran educator and ClassDojo superuser — to explore how this...

info_outline Ep. 278 | UDL, Bagels, And Barbecue: Designing Lessons That Fit All Learners w/ Kyle Niemis show art Ep. 278 | UDL, Bagels, And Barbecue: Designing Lessons That Fit All Learners w/ Kyle Niemis

The EdTech Bites Podcast

What do gluten-free chips, high-protein bagels, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) have in common? They’re all about meeting everyone’s needs, and that’s exactly what former middle school teacher turned tech coach Kyle Niemis is passionate about. In this episode, we break down the real classroom implementation of UDL, point out the differences between UDL and differentiation, and talk practical grading strategies that won’t break your brain. Plus, we take a tasty detour into food metaphors, BBQ negotiations, and the ultimate tortilla debate. (Team corn, for the win!) This episode...

info_outline Ep. 277 | Human First: Teaching Smarter Using AI Optimism w/ Becky Keene show art Ep. 277 | Human First: Teaching Smarter Using AI Optimism w/ Becky Keene

The EdTech Bites Podcast

Want to bring your whole district together with one simple tool? ClassDojo for Districts makes it easy to engage families and strengthen school communities—at every level. It’s the number one communication app trusted by millions of K-12 teachers, now with district-wide oversight and controls. From Pre-K to high school, ClassDojo connects your schools and families in one seamless place. Learn more at . In this episode, Becky Keene and I explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping education. We unpack the role of AI in lesson planning, student engagement, and teacher...

info_outline Ep. 276 | Smarter Schools With AI Data: Doowii’s Big Idea w/ Ben Dodson show art Ep. 276 | Smarter Schools With AI Data: Doowii’s Big Idea w/ Ben Dodson

The EdTech Bites Podcast

This episode is sponsored by Doowii. Doowii brings all of your district’s data together. When data is scattered across systems and buried in outdated reports, it’s hard to turn that data into action. Doowii connects your SIS, LMS, assessments, staffing, financial data, and more into one secure, conversational intelligence platform designed for all educators. No extra strain on your district’s resources, just faster, smarter decisions. Hungry for better insights? Visit to learn more and see it in action. If your school’s data could talk, would it ask for help? Or maybe just a better...

info_outline Ep. 275 | If Not You, Then Who? Creating AI Moments That Stick with Kristen Brooks show art Ep. 275 | If Not You, Then Who? Creating AI Moments That Stick with Kristen Brooks

The EdTech Bites Podcast

Want to bring your whole district together with one simple tool? ClassDojo for Districts makes it easy to engage families and strengthen school communities—at every level. It’s the number one communication app trusted by millions of K-12 teachers, now with district-wide oversight and controls. From Pre-K to high school, ClassDojo connects your schools and families in one seamless place. Learn more at . What happens when a recently retired edtech queen trades early morning alarms for AI-powered student engagement? You get a mic-drop convo with Kristen Brooks! In this fun and feel-good...

info_outline Ep. 274 | 2025-2026 Beginning Of The Year Keynote show art Ep. 274 | 2025-2026 Beginning Of The Year Keynote

The EdTech Bites Podcast

What do your classroom and sourdough bread have in common? In this inspiring keynote episode, we explore how patience, preparation, and purposeful pedagogy are the secret ingredients to a thriving school year. From pro tips on using ChatGPT and Google Gemini in the classroom to mindset shifts that set the tone for student success, this episode is packed with real talk and relatable strategies for teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators. Learn how to harness AI as your teaching assistant—not your replacement—and discover why carbs (yes, really) might be the secret to your...

info_outline Ep. 273 | Free99 For Districts: Scaling ClassDojo Beyond Elementary w/ Chad Stevens show art Ep. 273 | Free99 For Districts: Scaling ClassDojo Beyond Elementary w/ Chad Stevens

The EdTech Bites Podcast

Want to bring your whole district together with one simple tool? ClassDojo for Districts makes it easy to engage families and strengthen school communities—at every level. It’s the number one communication app trusted by millions of K-12 teachers, now with district-wide oversight and controls. From Pre-K to high school, ClassDojo connects your schools and families in one seamless place. Learn more at . What if your favorite classroom behavior tool scaled across an entire district—for free? In this episode, Chad Stevens, Head of Product at ClassDojo, reveals how the platform is evolving...

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This episode is sponsored by Brisk Teaching. To learn more and get started, visit www.briskteaching.com.

What does it take to go from passionate educator to sought-after speaker? At TCEA 2025, I sat down with three incredible presenters to talk about their journey to success, the hustle behind the scenes, and how passion fuels everything we do. Along the way, our paths crossed, and now, we’re officially “The Tech Thrillas”—a powerhouse team with more to come! Tune in for an inspiring conversation about growth, grit, and making an impact in the world of edtech. Buen Provecho!

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About Jorge Valenzuela

Jorge Valenzuela is a respected performance and education coach, author, and speaker at Lifelong Learning Defined. His mission is to empower educators to lead confidently and teach with greater effectiveness. Specializing in instructional innovation and action research, Jorge provides expert training in team building, core instruction, project-based learning (PBL), STEM pathways, entrepreneurship, and life skills integration. Partnering with Corwin, he helps schools systematically enhance instructional practices and adopt innovative teaching strategies, including PBL. He is a published researcher and author who also hosts the Lifelong Learning Defined podcast, sharing insights and strategies to inspire and support educators.

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About Jean Darnell

Jean is the Library Director for the School District of Philadelphia, an AI expert, phenomenal storyteller, the best awakened librarian the world has to offer and the curator of the instructional website: https://awakenlibrarian.com. She's a born and raised Texan educator with almost 25 years experience. Giving voice to the voiceless, Jean is a natural born advocate. Her heroes are Barbara Jordan, Nina Simone, Eartha Kitt, authors Tomi Adeyemi and Angie Thomas. One of her first love is music, as she's a classically trained cellist.

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About Andre Daughty

Andre Daughty is a highly acclaimed keynote speaker known for his expertise in transforming education and inspiring positive change. With over two decades of experience, he has made a significant impact on tens of thousands of educators and students and well over 400 schools as an educator, facilitator, speaker, and workshop presenter. He is recognized for his ability to captivate audiences with his dynamic speaking style and thought-provoking insights.

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