Under the Hat Podcast

On this episode, Steve and Sophie reflect on 2025 and chat about goals for 2026six and 2027.

On this exciting episode of Under the Hat, we have Nick Coniglio and Marnie Stockman to chat about The Business of You: a fresh, human-first framework that reimagines college and career readiness. Listen in as we dig into the conversation about better preparing ourselves to shift the mindset of positioning success in a different light. Check out the website: https://www.thebusinessofyou.ai/

On this episode of Under the Hat, we are chatting School Culture with Brian Kulak. Listen in as we breakdown the importance and implementation of a sustainable school culture....and yes, this includes staff! Brian Kulak is in his 26th year in education. For the first fifteen, he taught English and journalism at his alma mater in New Jersey before joining leadership in 2014. He has been both a Chie...

On this episode, we have the pleasure of hearing from Starr Sackstein. Starr brings a tremendous amount of insight on various topics but one of her passions is changing the mindset around grading and assessing. Starr Sackstein is a recovering perfectionist, assessment reform advocate, and education consultant dedicated to transforming how we do teaching and learning. As the Massachusetts State Coo...

On this episode of Under the Hat, we have the pleasure of having Jon Laven of Snorkl! Jon and Steve chat about AI in the classroom, cognitive overload, and Snork. Jon is a teacher, instructional coach, and co-founder of Snorkl – the classroom AI tool that uses multimodal student input to give students instant feedback on their thinking, writing, problem solving, and explanations. A life-long learn...

On this episode of Under the Hat, we have founder of Short Answer Adam Sparks! Adam unpacks the need for writing solutions in the classroom and the journey he took to get his platform off the ground. Truly, an amazing story! Adam Sparks taught 6-12th grade ELA and SS for 7 years before recently finishing his master's in Learning Design and Technology (LDT) at Stanford. In LDT, Adam built a gam...

On this episode of Under the Hat, we have math expert/author Lisa M Nowakowski to chat all things math, MathReps, Eduprotocols, and number sense! Lisa is passionate about helping people understand how to use technology in the classroom. She is dedicated to helping teachers, students, and administrators become more effective in their use of Ed Tech. She firmly believes that technology should be use...

On this episode of Under the Hat, Steve sits down with AJ Melanson to discuss his experiences as an educator and insight on how we grade with equity in mind. AJ takes pride in his work with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) work. He has most recently presented on Grading for Equity at MassCUE, RTM Boston, and Medfield’s Design Your Learning Day.

On this episode of Under the Hat, we get to talk about Competency Based Education with Aman Sahota. Aman shares his work in this area with AI learner profiles, and the research he has done Toronto. Aman Sahota is the co-founder of Factors Education, an award-winning edtech startup dedicated to transforming learning. A passionate lifelong learner, Aman has honed his expertise through prestigious ac...

On this episode of Under the Hat, Steve and Sophie hear from Scott Azar as he discusses his recent findings on AI as well as his insights on AR, VR, Edtech, and the science classroom! Scott Azar is an Earth and Space Science teacher and Long Island Master Teacher. He serves as one of his districts technology mentors, providing professional development relating to EdTech platforms that improve teac...

On this episode of Under the Hat, we have the AMAZING Katie Novak chatting about UDL, cooking, and what students really need right now. Katie Novak, Ed. D., is a force of nature - part educational powerhouse, part motivational coach, part witty storyteller. With nearly 25 years of experience in education, a doctorate degree, and real-world experience as a former teacher, curriculum coordinator, an...

On this episode of Under the Hat, we are chatting with Norma Gonzalez who is a Special Education educator who teaches coding in the classroom and brings the Prodigy mindset to her classroom! Here are the links mentioned: www.curriculum.elementarycomputingforall.org/impact prodigygame.com/main-en

Under the Hat is back with Season three! Listen in as Steve and Sophie chat about the upcoming guest lineup, potential topics, and what is top of mind as we get into the 2025-2026 school year.

Listen in as Steve and Sophie reflect on season, discuss season three, updates, and announcements!

On this Episode of Under the Hat, we celebrate episode 50 with Mark Henderson. Mark serves as the Director of Digital Initiatives at the Missouri School Boards’ Association, where he leads their AI Advisory Group and spearheaded the creation of The AI Toolkit for K-12 Education. Mark has presented on AI's impact on education at major conferences across the country, including in Chicago, Dallas...

On this episode of Under the Hat, we have the pleasure of having Stephen Chiger back on the show to chat about ALL things education and literacy. Listen in as Stephen talks about his first book Love and Literacy , the importance of this work for all grade levels and subjects, and the need to close learning gaps. Check out Stephen's website to learn more: https://stevechiger.com/love-literacy/

We have the pleasure of having the AMAZING TR Deanon on the show this week! TR has 10 years of experience in education as an ELA teacher, Adult ESL, mentor, instructional coach for technology. TR is going to help us break down the need to be a disruptor in the traditional mindset of education to create a more active and relevant learning experience rather than a passive one. The shift in the teach...

On this episode of Under the Hat, we are joined by Andy Osborn who is discussing the critical topic of aligning PD to the reality of the fast pace of the AI advancements. Andy is in his 8th year as an EdTech Instructional Coach/TOSA and 25th year in education. Over the years he has filled many roles but currently the President of the Orange County CUE Affiliate. Want to lear more from Andy, here a...

On this episode of Under the Hat, we have Heather Brown chatting about ALL fun things! With 15 years of experience, she has dedicated her career to crafting innovative strategies that engage students, especially in math—a subject often perceived as challenging or dull. Teaching at East Coloma Elementary in the rural community of Rock Falls, Illinois, Heather worked as a K-5 math interventionist an...

Help us welcome Nate Ridgway to the show as we dive into Universal Design for Learning equity, differentiation, and....probably all the other things! Nate is a tech-loving history and educational consultant from Indianapolis, Indiana and author of two books on teaching. Don’t Ditch That Tech: Differentiation in a Digital World, and Breaking the Blockbuster Model: Using Edtech and Accessibility to...

On this episode, we have Dr. Casey Jakubowskig helpling us unpack bullying in education, teacher burnout, and Steve's favorite...CIVICS! We are thrilled to learn from Casey's knowledge and educational journey. Want to learn more from Casey? Here are the links: Website X Instagram

On this episode of Under the Hat, we have the pleasure of chatting with Dan Fitzpatrick who is an expert, author, and leading voice in the area of AI in education. Listen in as we learn from Dan on why change is crucial in this world of ongoing change. Want to learn more from Dan? Here are the links: Website X (formerly Twitter) LinkedIn Amazon

On this episode of Under the Hat, we have Lisa Moe who is passionate about removing labels from our students to see their full potential. Lisa also has a wide range of knowledge on SEL, STEAM, Computer Science, Edtech, and GAME SHOWS! Want to learn more from Lisa? Here are her links: X/Twitter Instagram

On this episode of Under the Hat, we are joined by Larisa Black who is a fellow Eduguardian and online educator. We are thrilled to hear Larisa's story and her knowledge of AI literacy. Want to learn more from Larisa? Here are the links: YouTube LinkedIn

Listen in on this episode of Under the Hat as Steve and Sophie chat about gratitude, teaching, and what is coming up next for the show.