All Episodes

May 5, 2025 17 mins
In this conversation, Will Peters, the founder of Bookji, discusses his journey in creating a platform aimed at making reading more engaging for students, particularly those who are reluctant readers. He shares insights into the integration of social media elements into the platform, the challenges of navigating the educational landscape, and the importance of student safety and compliance with privacy laws. Will also reflects on the feedback he has received from educators and outlines future developments for Bookji, emphasizing the goal of building a connected community around reading. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you.  Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today!

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

To get our weekly Instructional Coaching Tips sent right to your inbox, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Conversation Takeaways

  • Bookji aims to make reading more interesting for students.
  • The platform was inspired by Will's own experience as a reluctant reader.
  • Social media elements are integrated into Bookji to engage students.
  • The platform is moderated by AI to ensure safe discussions about books.
  • Will's journey involved a lot of trial and error and late nights coding.
  • Feedback from teachers has been crucial in shaping the platform.
  • Navigating the educational landscape involves multiple layers of administration.
  • Student privacy and compliance with laws like COPPA and FERPA are top priorities.
  • Future developments include integrating assessment features and building a connected community.
  • Will is excited about the potential impact of Bookji on students' reading habits.

View Our Episode on YouTube

Chapters

  • 00:00 Introduction to Book G and Its Mission
  • 04:21 The Journey of Building Book G
  • 07:24 Navigating the Educational Landscape
  • 09:16 Ensuring Student Safety and Compliance
  • 10:37 Teachable Moments and Feedback
  • 12:20 Future Developments and Community Building
  • 14:30 Conferences and Closing Thoughts

About our Guest:

Will Peters is the founder of Bookji, a platform making reading more exciting for grade school students by combining social media, interactive maps, and other innovative technology tools. He graduated from Princeton University in 2023 with a degree in Computer Science and completed his master’s at UNC Chapel Hill in 2024. With a background in both tech and education—and experience as a Division I college athlete—Will brings a unique perspective to building tools that inspire the next generation of readers.

Links of Interest


Follow Our Podcast And Subscribe


Follow Our Host

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience

The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.