In this episode, we tackle the challenges educators face as uncertainty around AI, demographic shifts, and evolving student futures continue to reshape schools. Teachers are feeling the pressure to personalize learning for every student, and we explore how AI might assist rather than overwhelm us in that work. Jennifer Womble, Conference Chair for FETC, joins us to unpack trends that matter now and in the years ahead. Whether you're attending FETC or not, this conversation will help you make sense of what's next in education.

In this episode, you'll learn how to:

• think about the implications of today's kindergarteners graduating in 2035 and what shifting demographics mean for schools

• reframe AI as an assistant to support teaching and learning rather than a threat

• recognize why learning as a human-centered, relational skill remains essential

• consider how schools and teachers can respond to change with clarity and purpose

Show notes and resources:
https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e923

Many teachers are frustrated when AI gives great results one day and confusing or unreliable responses the next. This episode explores why that happens and how it affects both teachers and students in real classrooms. I sit down with Rob the AI Guy to unpack a key concept that explains much of this inconsistency and helps educators use AI more wisely. If you want clearer results and better classroom conversations about AI, this episode will help.

In this episode, you'll learn how to:

• Understand why AI responses can drift or become unreliable over time

• Use simple strategies, like starting fresh conversations, to get better results

• Explain the idea of a context window to students in clear, age-appropriate ways

• Help students avoid overtrusting or misusing AI tools

• Emphasize critical thinking when working with AI in the classroom

Show notes and resources:
https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e922

The science of attention explains why learning cannot happen without focus—and why one teacher can make all the difference. Learn how to understand the science of attention and help students learn.

This episode is an extended episode shared from my other podcast/radio/TV show: Cool Cat Teacher Talk. I'm sharing it because it is helpful, but also because I share a very special story at the end. - I hope you enjoy! - Vicki

In this episode, host Vicki Davis sits down with Myriam Da Silva, AI ethicist, neuroeducation leader, and CEO of CheckIT Learning, to explore how attention actually works in the brain and what that means for today's classrooms.

Rather than telling students to "just pay attention," this conversation breaks down the different states of attention, why sustained focus is biologically limited, and how teachers can design lessons that align with how the brain learns best. You'll hear practical, research-based strategies teachers can use immediately, including how to start class with a strong hook, leverage the attention curve, build in attention resets, reduce distractions, and teach students to self-regulate their focus.

The episode also features the powerful classroom story "Sue and Mrs. Scruggs," illustrating how a teacher's intentional attention can change a student's confidence, trajectory, and life.

Myriam also shares insights from her work in ethical, human-centered AI, including how neuroeducation-informed tools can support teachers while preserving the essential teacher–student relationship at the heart of learning.

This episode is ideal for educators, school leaders, parents, and anyone interested in learning, child development, and the future of education.

Show notes and resources:
https://www.coolcatteacher.com/attention