Show Notes
When a principal and her school achieve amazing results, I find one thing stands out: the focus on helping students belong and grow. Student belonging is the first thing Sonia Ruiz builds. She is the 2026 National Middle Level Principal of the Year in the US. Incredibly but not surprisingly, her school's English learners and students with IEPs are making gains. Sonia says she didn't feel like school was built for her, but now she leads Jane Addams Middle School in Bolingbrook, Illinois. The school has earned the state's Exemplary status three years in a row. For her, love and high expectations go together. In this episode, you'll learn: The two survey questions that get middle schoolers to tell adults what they really need What a school dance looks like when not every student likes noise The three questions Sonia's staff asks before any decision How a chronically absent sixth grader finished eighth grade mentoring younger students Why Sonia uses a rubric to evaluate changes so change doesn't feel personal The one small thing students say makes them feel they belong What Sonia wishes adults outside school understood about middle schoolers Show notes, the full transcript, and the research behind this episode: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e1006
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Classroom Engagement is something all teachers can struggle with. Does it ever feel like kids can't pay attention anymore? Do you feel like attention spans are shorter than ever? Whatever you think about attention spans, we still have to engage the students sitting in front of us. Dr. Michael McDowell, an 18-year public school educator who served as a math and science teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent, shares classroom engagement strategies that can help! Michael is the author of The Attention Gap. He walks us through a math lesson built in short intervals, and two routines you can try in any K-12 class tomorrow. What you'll learn: Why splitting a lesson into I do, we do, you do can wear students out What the attention research measured, and what it means for your class period The one question that tells you if students are with you A silent routine that has students watching your every move What one dot on a piece of student work can teach the whole class The well-meaning teacher habit that widens the attention gap Full show notes, transcript, and resources: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e1015
If an AI site promises it won't "share your data," should you believe it? Well, first of all, there's a reason I put that in quotes! Our guest today, Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth, is an attorney with a law degree from Duquesne University, a classroom teacher with a doctorate in instructional technology, and the author of 10 books. Her answer is no, and she explains why. Today we dig into safety, protecting students by protecting their personally identifiable information (PII), and making smart use of AI. What you'll learn: The one thing Rachelle checks before she trusts any "we don't share your data" promise The surprising details that count as personally identifiable information Whether what you type into AI really stays in your account How far back one school data breach turned out to reach Who could be liable when a teacher accidentally shares student information Why educators are in the best position to teach students what not to type Disclaimer: This episode is general information, not legal advice. Listening does not create an attorney-client relationship with our guest or with Cool Cat Teacher, LLC. Laws vary by state and situation, so talk with your school or district's legal counsel about your specific circumstances. Our guest's views are her own. Full show notes, transcript, and resources: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e1014 If this episode helped you, take a moment to rate and review the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast wherever you listen.
Schools are funny. The weirdest things happen. But even in the midst of all of that hurry and scurry, we still have jobs to do, and AI for teachers can help get things done. Maurie Beasley, author of Teachers Have Bigger Fish to Fry, has some great perspectives to share with teachers. Maurie is a former teacher, counselor, and assistant principal who now directs technology for a rural Texas district. She shares how you can still figure out the best uses of AI even when you have bigger fish to fry! What you'll learn: What happened when a snake fell out of the air conditioning vent onto a teacher's desk The difference between efficiency AI and opportunity AI, and which one to start with Why her book skips the AI's bad answers, and what she printed instead The question Maurie says AI is finally making us ask about being human Who should be in control when the laptop lid goes up Show notes and full transcript: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e1013 If this episode helped you, please leave a rating and review. It helps other teachers find the show.
I asked Gemini Notebook (formerly known as NotebookLM) a dress-code question, and it gave me the answer and the page number from our handbook. Vickie Echols says the turning point for her was when she was barreling through the hallway and the teacher she was with stopped and asked her, "Ms. Echols, do you always walk this fast?" That moment was a turning point for Vickie, and when she saw AI, she wondered how she could save time on tedious tasks to make more time for human moments, so she wrote AI for School Leaders: 62 Ways to Lighten Your Workload and Focus on What Matters. Vickie has lots of ideas, including how to fix tone in emails, how a superintendent used Gemini Notebook (formerly known as NotebookLM) to summarize meetings for board members, and the usefulness of Gemini Notebook when you're answering handbook questions (this tip is for teachers and administrators!). Show notes, the full transcript, and links: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e1012 In this episode, you'll learn: The hallway question that changed Vickie Echols's decisions for how she would lead as an administrator How to get a fast, straight answer with page numbers from your school handbook or policy manuals The board-meeting trick one superintendent uses with NotebookLM The one thing to do before you send anyone an AI-generated podcast Where AI notetakers might cross a line in schools How one teacher fixed her tone that caused her to be confrontational in her emails (without meaning to)
If you're like me, you might have seen these nightmare "restorative practices" videos making the rounds on social media. I put restorative practices in quotes because seeing a kid misbehave, get a lollipop, and go back to class with no consequences seems like insanity to me; nothing is restored, and I would argue that, if that's what is happening, it is making the relationship worse. So, when I read Amanda Jamerson's story (she won the 2026 National High School Assistant Principal of the Year), I knew her story would give us some insight. Amanda, or "AJAM the Advocate" as she's called online, tells how her team cut office discipline referrals by 69% over three years and how they built a cell phone policy that is actually working on a five-building campus. I also like that she calls her work "heart work" because it is. Show notes, the full transcript, and links: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e1011 In this episode, you'll learn: Why a high schooler said it was "fair" to have his cell phone taken Why kids who get lunch detention with AJAM almost never come back What she checks before she'll act on a student referral A simple classroom routine for cell phone management that doubles as attendance Three questions a suspended student answers before coming back Some mistakes AJAM has observed with restorative practices How she helps her teachers know what to say when they are in the emotional moment of a student referral