Bill Selak Talks

In this episode, I explore the concept of schoolwide habits and personality, focusing on how educators can shape these habits to foster a more curious and engaging learning environment. I discuss the importance of personality tests, the role of habits in personality development, and the potential impact of cultivating curiosity on students from kindergarten to 12th grade. I also highlight the exam...

In this episode, I rethink the old build-versus-buy decision through a student badging project at Hillbrook. We bought a reliable ProdataKey access-control system, paid for API access, and then used Codex to build the simple, live dashboard our team actually needed—who is in each building, who has not arrived, and where an individual student last badged. The lesson is a new middle path: buy the st...

In this episode, I follow curiosity from a daytime moon to the classrooms and culture of a school. After hosting a delegation of educators from South Korea at Hillbrook, I kept returning to the same idea: schools are at their best when they help students notice something, ask better questions, and build something that matters. I share an applied-calculus traffic-safety project sparked by cars spee...

In this episode, I explore the famous story of Van Halen’s “ no brown M&M’s ” rider—and why it was never really about the candy. That idea got me thinking about what I call the inverse of a Brown M&M: the small, intentional experiences that communicate your organization’s values from day one. I share how building a custom onboarding app for new employees changed the way I think about techn...

In this episode, I react to Anthropic’s new Claude for Teachers announcement and explain why I’m excited—but also frustrated—as a school technology director. Great AI tools need great administrative tools, and there’s still work to do. Then we zoom out to a bigger question: what should educators actually be building with generative AI? I share a few of my own projects, including a private podcast...

In this episode, I share how I finally moved my websites off Bluehost after more than 20 years. What started as a simple side project with Cloudflare turned into a complete migration of my domains, DNS, and WordPress hosting—and it ended up being much less intimidating than I expected. Along the way, I talk about why I chose Cloudflare and KnownHost, how ChatGPT helped me work through each step wi...

In this episode, I talk about a new idea for identifying misplaced devices. We often find ourselves asking, “Whose device is this?” Join me as I share my journey of creating a solution using ChatGPT and Codex to build a macOS app for device lookup. I discuss the process of developing the app, from brainstorming to coding, and how leveraging technology can streamline our inventory manag...

In this episode, we dive into the world of automation and synchronization for school events, including concerts and musicals. Starting from the chaotic process of managing audio and lighting cues, I walk you through changing the workflow into a seamless experience using QLab, Light Key, and OSC commands. Heard how we’re setting up QLab for audio playback, integrating lighting control through...

I just shipped an app — and this episode is the full story of how it came together. NextUp Music started as a simple frustration: shared listening is messy. People fight over songs, and somehow your Apple Music Replay ends up reflecting everyone except you. So I followed that problem and built a system. In this episode, I walk through all 31 sprints that led to the app: from the first idea around...

In this episode, the extraordinary Nick Provenzano joins the pod: an educator, maker, and AI enthusiast. We talk about the transformative power of generative AI in education, discussing how it can enhance creativity, support neurodiverse learners, and foster inclusivity in the classroom.

You’ve heard the story behind the music, now it’s time to listen to the track itself. Here’s November Tragedies the ninth and final song from Rising Decline’s 9-track album, newly remixed and reimagined with the power of AI. This is part of my 18-episode series, where I break down each track from the album, share the process, and bring you along on a journey of nostalgia and innovation. Enjoy this...

In this episode, we reach the conclusion of our retrospective on Rising Decline’s second album with the track, “November Tragedies.” I talk about the emotional weight behind the song, exploring themes of loss, heartbreak, and the cathartic power of creativity. We’ll discuss the importance of embracing the artistic process without the pressure of perfection. Stick around for...

You’ve heard the story behind the music, now it’s time to listen to the track itself. Here’s Hey Mr. Corporate Plantation Owner Man, the eighth song from Rising Decline’s 9-track album, newly remixed and reimagined with the power of AI. This is part of my 18-episode series, where I break down each track from the album, share the process, and bring you along on a journey of nostalgia and innovation...

In this episode, we’ll talk about how collaboration fuels creativity in both music and education. The idea is simple: connect with inspiring people and share ideas that can lead to exciting new projects. Stick around for the full track in the next episode!

You’ve heard the story behind the music, now it’s time to listen to the track itself. Here’s What Was Who, the seventh song from Rising Decline’s 9-track album, newly remixed and reimagined with the power of AI. This is part of my 18-episode series, where I break down each track from the album, share the process, and bring you along on a journey of nostalgia and innovation. Enjoy this song—free fo...