Unpacking Education & Tech Talk For Teachers

The most important step toward the future is oftentimes just being willing to go for it. For students facing decisions about college, careers, majors, or other postsecondary options, there can be enormous pressure to make the “right” choice immediately. But growth often comes from taking a chance, trying something new, and giving yourself permission to change course along the way.

In this episode, University of Wisconsin...

With AI being able to generate an answer in seconds, the challenge for educators is making sure that students still do the thinking that leads to learning. As our guest, Shelly Muñoz, states, “Don’t outsource the thinking you’re trying to develop.” When used as a replacement, AI can remove the productive struggle that builds understanding. However, when used as an amplifier, it can challenge reasoning, surfa...

State policy can feel far removed from daily classroom instruction, but it plays a major role in determining which priorities receive funding, time, and long-term support. In this episode, Lindsey Henderson, Senior Policy Director for Math at ExcelinEd, explains how evidence-based math policy can provide educators with the resources, structures, and guidance needed to strengthen student achievement.

Drawing on her experience as a cl...

Laura Rounds, Implementation Strategist at AVID Center, joins us to explore how families and schools can work together more intentionally to support student success. Drawing on her experience as a school counselor, district leader, AVID administrator, professor, and parent advocate, Laura emphasizes that strong partnerships matter more than ever, as students navigate academic pressures, emotional hurdles, and social media.

This epis...

Naomi Fuentes, Odessa High School Teacher of the Year, shares how her 20-year journey in education has been shaped by patience, vulnerability, servant leadership, and a deep commitment to helping students grow. Naomi reflects on how honest self-assessment and student feedback transformed her classroom practice. She discusses the power of asking students what they need, setting healthy boundaries around vulnerability, and scaffoldin...

In this episode, Katie White draws on her more than 30 years of experience in education and frames assessment as a dynamic, ongoing process that drives learning forward. Our conversation with Katie is a powerful one about common misconceptions surrounding assessment, the importance of student agency, and why the way that we respond to assessment evidence matters more than the assessment itself.

Katie also shares practical insights o...