What Teachers Have to Say

Send us Fan Mail A student turned in a short story this spring that neither of us has stopped thinking about. A man installs an AI system in his home. It does everything for him. Slowly there is nothing left to want, and no one left to talk to. He wrote it as a warning. He is 17. This started as a workflow episode. Nathan built a college-level writing assignment around Isabelle Hau's "We...

Send us Fan Mail The federal government recently launched an AI literacy program delivered entirely by text message. Jake has completed the first five days, and also looked into a network of teachers, HR professionals, and writers and to ask what they thought. The results were predictable in one direction and surprising in another. This episode is less about the program and more about what it expo...

Send us Fan Mail Jake and Nathan just got back from their third Stanford AI + Education Summit — The AI Inflection Point: What, How, and Why We Learn — and a week later, they still can't stop talking about it. In this episode they dig into the tension at the heart of AI in schools right now: how do you protect the human skill development that education exists to build, while letting AI do the...

Send us Fan Mail When something lands the right way in a classroom, it doesn’t just teach—it transforms. But in today’s climate, that transformation can come at a cost. In this episode, Jake shares a personal story he's never fully told publicly—about the time a group of parents tried to get him fired for teaching a novel. Not because it was inappropriate. But because it made students think,...

Send us Fan Mail When the tools, tasks, and teaching all start to change—at what point do we stop and ask: Is this still education? In this mini episode, Jake Carr dives into the ancient thought experiment known as the Ship of Theseus to unpack what's happening in our schools today. From medieval monks copying texts by candlelight to students copy-pasting AI-generated responses, he asks: What...

Send us Fan Mail A brand-new student walks into a San Diego classroom—fresh across the border, speaking only Spanish. No prep. No warning. Just dropped off mid-morning with a “good luck.” What happened next? It’s the kind of story that reminds us why AI, when done right, can be the ultimate scaffold. In this episode, Jake shares the real story of a fifth-grade student who used Snorkl’s AI-powered...

Send us Fan Mail AI isn’t storming the gates of education — it’s swimming quietly across the moat. In this episode of What Teachers Have to Say , Jake unpacks how the traditional moats that once protected education — content, pedagogy, and institutional processes — are quietly eroding as AI reshapes the landscape. Inspired by a thought-provoking LinkedIn post by Steven Bartlett (FlightStory, Third...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jake Carr discusses the impact of artificial intelligence on education and how a shift from control to connection can enhance teaching using a recent article by Carlo Iacono. He introduces the EduProtocols Triple Play, which includes adaptations of the Frayer Model to foster student engagement, collaboration, and reflection. The conversation emphasizes the importa...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Jake, and guest call-in Maria, cover the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, focusing on how it can enhance teaching and learning. He explores the distinction between automation and augmentation, practical strategies for teachers to implement AI, and the importance of fostering a creative culture around AI usage in schools. The discussio...

Send us Fan Mail How do you teach computational thinking to kids without screens? In this episode, recorded live at TCEA in Austin, Texas , I sit down with Nik from Sphero to talk about Indi , the screen-free coding robot that’s helping even the youngest learners develop problem-solving skills. But Indi isn’t just for coding—teachers are using it in ELA, math, and more . 🎧 Listen to hear: ✅ How...

Send us Fan Mail Jake & Nathan explore two ways to motivate students toward better learning habits by valuing their learning process, not just the products of their learning, and connecting their skills to real world applications. Your teacher besties return to ideas from two previous episodes on procrastination and the EduProtocols mindset, and dig deeper into Adam Grant’s work in his book Hi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Jake explores Wicked Hydra, a dynamic EduProtocol from The EduProtocols Field Guide: ELA Edition, that transforms classroom inquiry by putting questions first. In conversation with Courtney, a passionate middle school social studies teacher from Texas, we learn how Wicked Hydra shifts the responsibility for inquiry from teacher to student. Rather than delivering a...

Send us Fan Mail Jake and Matt Miller from Ditch That Textbook dive into the power of AI’s imperfections as a teaching tool. They explore how the quirks and mistakes in AI-generated content, like extra fingers or misshapen images, can sharpen students’ critical thinking, media literacy, and observation skills. Instead of fearing AI’s flaws, teachers can turn them into opportunities for deeper lear...

Send us Fan Mail Can you be excellent at your job without letting it consume your life? The education system thrives on unpaid teacher labor, but at what cost? In this episode, we discuss cruel optimism —the idea that if teachers just work harder, they can fix systemic issues. Spoiler: They can’t. More hours don’t equal better teaching, and burnout isn’t a badge of honor. Hans Tullman kicks off th...

Send us Fan Mail We’re back! Our real-talk educator dynamic duo, Jake & Nathan are back in action: complete with career and life updates and a return to form discussing real life uses of AI tools to beat burnout and have more fun in your classroom tomorrow!  Visit https://www.mrcarrontheweb.com/ and sign up with your email for Jake’s newsletter to receive a PDF guide on when students should an...

Send us Fan Mail Are we really preparing students for their future? Educators are tasked to teach state standards, but are we also teaching the skills that students really need to be successful in the “real world”? State standards and standardized tests often test rote memorization more than real world application. The struggle is real and how will they get a job when they can’t turn in homework o...

Send us Fan Mail Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Move into the weekend with an incredible, inspiring, hope-filled conversation about the immense cultural value teachers have as problem solvers and keepers of democratic ideals. Don't wait for acts of Congress, act with your conscience. Dr. Fred Mednick is a teacher changemaker, global educator, thought leader, and founder of Teachers Without...

Send us Fan Mail Pat Yongpradit is a nationally recognized computer science education advocate and thought leader working at the policy level to make sure ALL students have the opportunity to learn computer science. You can't talk CS in education without talking CODE.org ! Pat has been at CODE since the beginning and is currently the Chief Academic Officer. Before CODE, Pat was a high school...

Send us Fan Mail Jake & Nathan are joined by Tracey Allen, Janet Brownell, and Anna Johnson from the Butte County Office of Education to talk about the future of Computer Science in schools. BCOE has been innovating in the sphere of EdTech integration in Northern California for years and has a VERY successful, cutting-edge library model with their EdTech Exchange so that all educators and all...

Send us Fan Mail If you want to be on the bleeding edge of current AI+Education discourse, this episode is for you! Jake & Nathan break down Stanford's 2024 AI+Education Summit held by Stanford HAI (Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence) . Follow the link to explore a selection of recorded sessions from the day and get in on the conversation. AI promises us limitless potential to shape o...

Send us Fan Mail Current research on the psychology of procrastination tells us it’s A LOT more complex than just "laziness" ... Leveraging the work of psychologist, author, and fellow podcaster Dr. Adam Grant, from his recent appearance on an episode of the Huberman Lab podcast , and his latest book Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things , Jake & Nathan challenge...

Send us Fan Mail Jake just returned from a whirlwind professional development tour, dropping the mic at a keynote in LA, and facilitating his first AI-in-education training in New York. It’s time for a What Teachers Have to Say debrief and special announcement! Jake & Nathan, along with friend and fellow EduProtocols author for the Social Studies Edition , Adam Moler ! have been invited to ser...

Send us Fan Mail Respectfully borrowing a term from LGBTQ+ culture, the classroom is often a closet for teachers, who do not feel safe to share much (if any) of their authentic human selves in their teaching without facing unjust disciplinary action or community backlash. Jake & Nathan approach this difficult topic to draw attention to this unspoken requirement of the career path of teaching....

Send us Fan Mail Josh Kuersten is a celebrated behaviorist and self-described "dimensional traveler" who is widely respected for his hands-on approach—training teachers how to work with the toughest, most intense students. In a post-Covid world, teachers are being rocked on a daily basis by behavior issues unlike anything we've seen before. Teachers out there are hurting. If you&apo...

Send us Fan Mail Jake & Nathan return to where it all started, and provide a much-needed update, we're talking artificial intelligence in education! We start by checking in on the state of artificial intelligence in education, talk a little educational philosophy in an attempt to dispel some of the fear educators have about using AI with students, and provide personally-vetted quality AI...