In this summer reflection episode, I’m sharing a small story—just a quiet moment at an airport breakfast counter—that brought me back to the kind of person I want to be. It’s a simple action, one that no one asked for or expected. But it reminded me that our small choices matter… especially now.

Because let’s be honest: it’s not always clear what the “right” choice is anymore.
Social norms are shifting fast. Families have vastly different beliefs about what should be taught in school. Everyone’s following their own path, and as educators, we’re constantly navigating conflicting expectations. You can’t make everyone happy. And trying to please every person or reflect every worldview just leaves you feeling pulled in a dozen directions.

So how do you decide how to show up—when there’s no one-size-fits-all answer?
For me, it comes back to personal integrity. To who I want to be, even when there’s no rulebook. This episode is an invitation to use this summer season to realign with your inner compass and reflect on what kind of world you want to help build—starting with the small, almost invisible choices you make every day.

We’ll reflect on:

Why integrity and empathy are more important than ever in a divided world

How to center your actions around who you want to be (not who you’re expected to be)

Questions to help you define your personal values and vision

Ways to leave things better than you found them, even in tiny, almost invisible ways

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about intention.

It’s about being the kind of person who shows up with clarity, even when no one’s watching. And it’s about using this summer to reconnect with the kind of world you want to help create.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

“We have overprotected kids in the real world and underprotected them online.”

Jonathan Haidt believes we have bubble-wrapped childhood: cut back on recess, banned kids from walking to school alone, and filled every spare moment with structured, adult-led activities.

But at the same time, we gave kids 24/7 access to social media, smartphones, and one-to-one devices—with very little guidance or boundaries.

And now, we’re seeing the results.

Rising anxiety. Fragmented attention. Lost confidence. Social disconnection.

This quote about overprotecting in the real world and underprotecting onloine hit me hard, because it puts into words what so many teachers have felt for years but couldn’t always articulate. If our kids seem less resilient, less focused, less ready to learn... maybe it’s not them. Maybe it’s the environment we’ve created.

The good news? We can change that. We ARE changing it.

More schools are rethinking tech. More parents are drawing tech boundaries. More teachers are advocating for what kids truly need. We can bring balance back.

Today’s guest is Jonathan Haidt—a social psychologist, professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business, and author of several influential books, including most recently, The Anxious Generation. You may have seen Jonathan in recent interviews talking about how smartphones and social media are impacting kids’ mental health. But I wanted to bring him on the show to go deeper—specifically from an educator’s point of view.

This conversation builds on some of the past episodes I’ve done around screen time, attention spans, and how tech is changing the way kids show up in the classroom. It’s a true back-and-forth conversation where we learn from each other, and I think it’s going to validate so much of what you’ve already sensed as a teacher.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

Later this summer, I'll share a different perspective from someone who sees personalized AI tutoring as the future of school, and I have to admit, I find that vision just as compelling as what Haidt has shared. Stay tuned!

I’m pulling back the curtain on how I use AI in my work with teachers as an instructional coach. I’ll show you how I collaborate with AI to brainstorm ideas, reflect on lesson design, and help teachers build scaffolds and supports that truly meet students where they are.

This is an honest, behind-the-scenes look at how educators are already partnering with AI in powerful and practical ways, as well as the limitations of these tools and what’s NOT working.

You’ll learn:

• What it means to treat AI as a reflective collaborator, not just a resource generator
• How tools like Diffit, Brisk Teaching, Insta-Lesson, and MagicStudent can support differentiation, feedback, and independent learning
• Prompts and workflows I use when coaching teachers to personalize tasks without creating extra work
• Strategies for using AI to scaffold multi-step directions, revise writing, and support executive functioning
• How to guide students in getting feedback from AI directly and build their independence

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

Grab the free AI prompt guide to try these strategies yourself.

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