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Ep. 271 | How To Run A School Makerspace With Cari Orts

The EdTech Bites Podcast

Release Date: 06/24/2025

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...

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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...

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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?...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 MagicSchool AI. With over 6 million users worldwide, MagicSchool offers more than 80 educator-friendly tools that support everything from AI literacy instruction to smarter lesson planning. To learn more and get started, visit www.magicschool.ai.

What does it really mean to run a makerspace? In this episode, recorded live at the TCEA Elementary Technology Conference, I chat with a Cari Orts who runs two school makerspaces. She shares the must-haves (and nice-to-haves), what a makerspace is not, and how to thrive if you're suddenly handed the makerspace keys. Whether you're a tech coach, a teacher, or an administrator, this episode is packed with practical tips and inspiration to bring creativity, collaboration, and curiosity to life in your school.

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