In this episode, host David Blumenthal sits down with Yousuf Marvi, a middle school math teacher from Irvine, California, and a builder of a new tool to document mathematical thinking in students. Together, they discuss the realities of teaching math in the modern classroom, the importance of "evidence-based" instruction as a way to improve the odds of student success, and the need for pedagogical tools that go beyond simple content delivery. Yousuf shares his personal journey into education, driven by a desire to understand why public education works for some and not others, and offers a sneak peek into his current project, Thematics, which aims to help teachers better elicit and understand student mathematical thinking.

Key Highlights:

• The "Why" Behind the Profession: Yousuf reflects on his experience as an immigrant and English Learner in the U.S. school system, explaining how his desire to solve the "duality" of public education—where high achievement and illiteracy can coexist—led him to the classroom 14 years ago.
• Defining Evidence-Based Practices: The conversation shifts to what "evidence-based" actually means in a classroom setting. Yousuf advocates for using evidence not as a rigid rulebook, but as a "North Star" to guide pedagogical praxis, allowing teachers to criticize their own environment and improve their instructional decision-making.
• The Pedagogy Gap: Yousuf discusses the struggle of balancing standard-driven pressure with the need for deeper student connection, emphasizing that the most challenging part of teaching is creating a culture where mathematical thinking thrives rather than just checking off content boxes.
• Thematics: Yousuf introduces his new tool, Thematics, designed to help teachers capture the metacognitive processes behind student work. The goal is to move math instruction away from "question-to-question" cycles and toward fostering mathematical competencies.
• AI as a Partner: Both David and Yousuf touch on how AI can act as a non-judgmental expert peer, helping educators brainstorm strategies, adapt to student needs, and ultimately focus on higher-leverage activities like lesson planning and analyzing student signals.

Links & Resources:

• Eddie: Learn more about the research-driven teaching assistant at eddiai.net.
• Special Offer: Use code EDDIEPROVIP for one month free on an Eddie Pro account.
• Thematics: Interested in beta testing Yousuf’s new tool? Reach out to him at Yousuf@thematics.us.
• Connect with Eddie: Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube at @EddieAnswers.

Eddie Chats features conversations with educators, researchers, and education leaders exploring teaching, learning, AI, research, and classroom practice.

In this episode, we sit down with school psychologist Julie Castro, school psychologist based out of New York City, to discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence and educational equity. We explore how administrative burdens often hinder the quality of school psychology evaluations and how AI can be a powerful tool to streamline workflows, allowing professionals to dedicate more time to direct student support.

Key Topics Discussed

• Bridging the Gap in School Psychology: Julie explains their role on a preschool assessment team and how they use technology to translate complex research into practical, evidence-based recommendations for families.
• The Burden of Administrative Work: We discuss the challenge of managing high caseloads while maintaining report quality. Julie highlights how AI can assist in drafting personalized Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, significantly reducing backlogs.
• Ethical AI Application: A crucial part of our conversation focuses on the risks of using generic AI tools. We emphasize the necessity of using specialized, reliable platforms—like Eddie Pro—to ensure the accuracy of life-impacting advice provided to families.
• Early Intervention & Communication: Julie shares actionable advice for parents, emphasizing the importance of constant, descriptive communication with children from infancy to encourage language development.
• The Future of Accessibility: We look ahead to how technological advancements can bridge access gaps, specifically regarding multilingual communication and supporting diverse immigrant families in navigating special education systems.

Eddie helps educators explore education research and discover evidence-informed instructional ideas.

Create your account:

👉 https://eddieai.net/create-account

Learn more about Eddie at: https://eddieai.net

Eddie Chats features conversations with educators, researchers, and education leaders exploring teaching, learning, AI, research, and classroom practice.

What happens when educational leadership, evidence-based instruction, and artificial intelligence collide?

In this episode of Eddie Chats, David Blumenthal sits down with Robert Blumenthal, Assistant Principal at Chesterton High School in Chesterton, Indiana, for a candid conversation about the realities of modern education and the opportunities—and tensions—created by AI in schools.

The discussion begins with Robert reflecting on his journey into education, from aspiring historian at Indiana University to unexpectedly stepping into a high school classroom just days before the school year began. He shares what it felt like to manage six teaching periods across four different courses as a first-year teacher and how early professional development experiences helped shape his understanding of evidence-based instruction.

David and Robert then explore some of the biggest challenges facing schools today:

• The growing tension between qualitative student growth and quantitative accountability systems
• The importance of school culture and relationships in driving long-term student outcomes
• Why Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) remain difficult to implement at the secondary level
• How AI could help schools coordinate supports and improve collaboration among educators
• The challenge of balancing academic integrity concerns with preparing students for an AI-enabled future

The conversation also dives deeply into artificial intelligence in K–12 education. Robert discusses how his school corporation is developing intentional AI guidance and instruction beginning as early as kindergarten, helping students learn not only what AI is, but how to use it ethically and responsibly.

One of the episode’s most powerful ideas emerges during a discussion about the future of learning:

David and Robert reflect on how AI may fundamentally change what schools prioritize, shifting greater emphasis toward inquiry, critical thinking, judgment, and the ability to ask meaningful questions.

The episode closes with an optimistic discussion about educators’ adaptability and resilience. Drawing on lessons from COVID-era schooling and decades of technological change, Robert expresses confidence that teachers will continue to evolve alongside new tools while remaining focused on what matters most: supporting students.

• Educational leadership and school accountability
• Evidence-based instructional practices
• MTSS at the secondary level
• AI policy in K–12 schools
• Ethical AI use in education
• Research-informed decision making
• Student inquiry and critical thinking
• Teacher adaptability and innovation
• School culture and relationships
• The future of AI in classrooms

Robert Blumenthal is an Assistant Principal at Chesterton High School in Chesterton, Indiana. His work focuses on supporting teachers, improving student outcomes, navigating accountability systems, and helping schools thoughtfully adapt to emerging technologies and instructional challenges.

Eddie helps educators explore education research and discover evidence-informed instructional ideas.

Create your account:

👉 https://eddieai.net/mvp-sign-up/

Learn more about Eddie at: https://eddieai.net

Eddie Chats features conversations with educators, researchers, and education leaders exploring teaching, learning, AI, research, and classroom practice.