Hello educators!
It is back here to school for me. I hope you'll join me and four other amazing educators as we share our top back to school tools this Thursday at 4pm Eastern with the FETC organization. Here is the link to register (all registrants get CEU certificate and the recording) : https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/5021079/32B297F7286F4247B5E0F5A84053A7E7?partnerref=FETCSpeaker_Shares
AI Companion apps are a problem. I recently reported on this and the Common Sense media warning all of us AGAINST letting kids under 18 use the apps, even though over 70% of them have already done so. This is not good!
Also, Roblox chats are making the news as the FBI has issued warnings against allowing kids to chat with those not known by their parents. Roblox has a pedophile problem, as Bloomberg reports.
It has been quite a summer for me - I hope yours was far better! Not a lot of trips but more family matters and trying to stay well. That said, I still learned so much and really enjoyed reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I really believe that helping my students develop emotional intelligence is going to be a key part of their success. We decorated "success journals" with washi tape and stickers on the first day and are learning new things as we open up each day.
So, as you go back to school or prepare to go back, let's play catch up and I'll share a bunch of episodes you may want to listen to that are full of current AI/edtech news as well as ideas for your subject areas.
10 Minute Teacher Episodes
3 Ways to Improve Your Classroom Today - Josh Korb
Top 5 Copilot Breakthroughs Unveiled at ISTE 2025 with Mike Tholfsen
3 Prompts I Teach All of My Students - my prompts I teach students the first week of school.
Top 10 AI Tips for Back to School - some tips for schools from me
Some Recent News Stories About Keeping Kids Safe (including warnings about AI Companions)
Recent Radio/TV Shows
You can watch on YouTube or listen via podcast - as always, shows air first on WDJY 99.1 FM in Atlanta at 4pm Wednesdays and on Thursdays on YouTube and my podcast (Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | iHeart Radio | Deezer)
An Amazing Start to the School Year: AI Insights, School Culture Tips, and Authentic Learning Ideas - Kick off your school year with AI strategies from ISTE’s Richard Culatta, community-building tips from Principal Brian Kulak, and storytelling magic from teacher and author Jessica Pack — plus urgent news from Common Sense Media about AI companion apps.
Teaching Reading, Grammar, a new AI Reading Tool, and Help for College Bound Kids - some back-to-school reminders for teaching reading, a new AI reading tool from Digital Promise with Jean-Claude Brizard, building readers with Jennifer Burns, and teaching grammar playfully with Patty McGee. We will also have a Harvard student from Coventry, England, Zak Adams, who is one of a growing group of volunteers working with Project Access, a nonprofit that supports high-potential, low-opportunity students to help them apply to top universities across the world.
Can you really trust AI Tools and Edtech? with Alice Keeler - On this show we talked to Google guru Alice Keeler about Gemini in Google Classroom, Vibe Coding, privacy concerns in Chrome extensions and much more. Also, you'll get 14 news updates about what's happening now in AI and edtech.
7 AI, Cybersecurity, and the Future of Teaching Trends: ISTE 2025 - In this show we cover several key topics including: Ai Updates: The Good, the Challenging, and the Practical AI as a Creativity Amplifier with Dr. Sarah Thomas Do AI Lesson Planners Measure Up? with Dr. Catlin Tucker Cybersecurity Education Through Real-World Experience with Jay James from Auburn University The Human Element - Why AI Can't Replace Teaching Relationships My 6 Key Tools Highlighted from ISTE 2025 Instagram's School Safety Partnership - A Game Changer for Digital Wellbeing
Let Them Eat CAIK: 8 Practical AI Recipes K12 Teachers Love - Edtech experts Eric Curts and Gabriel Carrillo help cook up some amazing recipes for AI success in this wide-ranging conversation about AI in the classroom and how it is being implemented today.
ISTE 2025 Supershare: AI Hacks, VR Magic & Microsoft Reveals #ISTELive - Three ISTE Presenters, Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth, Jaime Donally, and Microsoft's Mike Tholfsen will equip you with tools you can implement immediately. With big announcements from Microsoft, hot VR uses today, the AI ethics that have everyone talking, plus my 3 prompts I teach students on day 1 - this is a show for everyone going (or not going) to ISTELive '25.
You are Important
Thank you teachers for your hard work. Thank you for caring. Thank you for teaching and caring about teachers and kids. I know things aren't easy but I also know that you are amazing. Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. Now that I'm back on my feet, I'll be getting these to you more often.
As always, reply to this email if you have any questions. I will reply (as long as it isn't caught in spam!)
Thanks for being amazing!
Joyfully in your service,
Vicki Davis
@coolcatteacher