Be A Funky Teacher

AI, Technology & the Future of Education

Helping Students Think about Technology

Episode Summary In this episode, I reflect on an important moment during student computer time when I noticed students using digital messaging systems to communicate hurtful comments toward each other. That moment reminded me that technology itself is not automatically good or bad. Technology is a tool, and how students choose to use those tools

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Designing for Thinking, Not Output

Episode Summary In this episode, I reflect on a growing tension in education where students often become more focused on finishing quickly than thinking deeply. During science inquiry activities and problem-solving scenarios, I noticed students rushing toward answers without fully considering reasoning, implications, or deeper possibilities within the learning itself. I unpack the idea that

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Teaching Integrity Explicitly

Episode Summary In this episode, I reflect on the importance of explicitly teaching integrity, citation, and responsible use of information in a digital world filled with instant access to content. I share experiences from guiding students through a long-standing Great Americans research project where students researched influential people, created presentations, and learned how to work

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Cheating or Signal

Episode Summary In this episode, I reflect on the growing conversation around cheating, AI misuse, and academic honesty in education. While some situations clearly involve dishonesty, I believe other situations reveal something deeper about student understanding, pressure, confidence, and how students view learning itself. I unpack the idea that shortcutting is not entirely new, but

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Rethinking Assessment in an AI World

Episode Summary In this episode, I reflect on how AI is pushing educators to rethink assessment and what it truly means to measure student understanding. I share a recent experience where I used AI to help create part of an assessment and quickly noticed issues with patterns, answer structures, and predictability that weakened the quality

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Balancing Structure and Flexibility

Episode Summary In this episode, I reflect on the balance between structure and flexibility in teaching and how some of the best learning happens when we allow space for students to think, create, and take ownership. While structure provides clarity and direction, flexibility can open the door to deeper engagement and unexpected growth. I unpack

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