10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher

Brain first AI teaching: a new MIT Media Lab study shows students who think before they use AI have a clear advantage over those who start with AI. Philip Seyfried — Teachers College, Columbia doctoral student and co-author of AI-Enhanced Literacy — shares the brain-first framework, why AI detectors don't work, how to monitor AI use in the classroom transparently, and how to build the kind of trust that lets students tell you the truth about how they actually used the tools.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why MIT's research shows brain-first / AI-second produces stronger writers
• Why AI detectors fail — and what to do instead for academic integrity (with danah boyd's em-dash story)
• Why you should push AI to your students instead of grading WITH AI yourself — Vicki's classroom approach
• The "Beautiful Sentence" moment: why human teacher feedback still beats anything an algorithm can give
• Why we shouldn't anthropomorphize AI — and where beginning teachers should actually start (Phil cites Ethan Mollick's "Co-Intelligence" + "three sleepless nights" with AI)
Show notes and full transcript: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e934
Today's show is sponsored by EF Explore America and their STEM Tours. Lead your students on a STEM tour to places on the cutting edge of innovation — coding robots with MassRobotics at MIT, exploring marine ecosystems in Florida's coral reefs, or sitting down to talk with a former spy in Washington, D.C. Visit efexploreamerica.com/STEM.
If this episode helped you, please leave a rating or review on this site. It helps others find the show! Thank you for your help!

What does real world STEM education look like in a high school where students run actual manufacturing contracts on industry-grade equipment, intern at MIT, and learn AI ethics alongside CAD?
Joe Fatheree (Top 10 Global Teacher Prize, Illinois Teacher of the Year) and Dr. Mark Buckner (Smart Industry Top 50 Innovator, founder of Oak Ridge High School's iSchool and Wildcat Manufacturing) take Vicki inside a $1.25 million state grant program where 26 student-run contracts with 18 companies have produced near-net-shape metal 3D printing, augmented reality experiences, and graduates already working four to five years ahead of their college peers.
This extended episode also tackles the AI conversation educators most need: where AI belongs in classrooms, where it doesn't, what neuroscience says about kids' developing brains in the attention economy, and why "just because you can does not mean you should" is the most important lesson STEM students will learn this year.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How Wildcat Manufacturing's profit-sharing model pays students for real client work
The three pathways Oak Ridge graduates take — start a business, $100K+ workforce, or accelerate into engineering
Why Mark teaches industry frameworks (Scrum, Lean, Toyota Kata, Deming) instead of "edu-ese"
Where AI helps (rapid feedback, math practice) and where it harms (Grok Annie, social companionship, attention erosion)
What the "Manhattan Project 2.0" frame means for AI policy and your classroom
Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e933
EF Explore America STEM Tours sponsored today's show. Show students how STEM impacts the world up close and in action. Students could code robots with MassRobotics at MIT or explore marine ecosystems in Florida's coral reefs or even sit down to talk with a former spy in Washington DC. Students will learn how STEM thinking often shows up where you least expect it. Inspire your students visit efexploreamerica.com/STEM

ADHD misconceptions are sabotaging your students' confidence and success. In this episode, Jheri South—a certified ADHD specialist and mom of seven neurodivergent kids—reveals the five things that actually engage an ADHD brain, the hidden emotional struggle affecting 95% of people with ADHD (rejection sensitivity dysphoria), and why "just try harder" is the worst advice you can give. Learn practical strategies for classroom engagement, how to recognize hyper-focus, and why consistency matters more than you think.
In this episode:
The difference between ADHD behaviors and ADHD neurology
The five things that engage an ADHD brain: novelty, interest, challenge/competition, urgency, and passion
Why urgency triggers hyper-focus (and why it's not laziness)
Rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) and why it's often more disabling than distractibility
How classroom placement and private conversations rebuild self-confidence
Why inconsistency erodes ADHD students' self-worth
The role of project-based learning in ADHD engagement
Being a difference maker instead of a "put-downer"
Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e932 
This episode is sponsored by the VAI Educators Studio from Van Andel Institute for Education. Get 50% off with promo code COOLCAT at coolcatteacher.com/vai .

Free AI literacy resources for every K-12 teacher — not just computer science. Karim Meghji, President and CEO at Code.org, shares how to teach AI in any classroom.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why AI literacy belongs in every subject, not just CS class
How to get started with Code.org's free Hour of AI activities at hourofai.org
Unplugged AI activities that work without any computers — perfect for K-5
Why teachers need to invest in their own AI education first (and a free way to do it)
Where to start by grade level: elementary, middle school, and high school resources
Karim explains that students need to understand not just how to use AI tools, but how they actually work under the hood. Code.org's Hour of AI brings together hundreds of partners offering one-hour activities across grade levels and subjects. And their new unplugged AI curriculum lets students explore generative AI through conversation and collaboration before ever touching a computer.
Show notes and all links: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e931
This episode is sponsored by the VAI Educators Studio from Van Andel Institute for Education. Get 50% off with promo code COOLCAT at coolcatteacher.com/vai .

Inquiry-based learning doesn't have to mean overhauling your entire schedule. Terra Tarango, Chief Education Officer at Van Andel Institute for Education, shares practical ways K-8 teachers can weave inquiry and hands-on science into any subject — starting small and building from there.
Sponsored by the VAI Educator's Studio from Van Andel Institute for Education.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How a 5-lesson kindergarten bee project covers science, math, ELA, and SEL
Why "Beat the Bot" is the perfect activity for teaching kids what humans do better than AI
How to flip your planning — start with what's interesting, then connect the content
What ethical PD looks like (and why Terra says theory-heavy PD is "unethical")
Small first steps: pledge forms, student pitch tanks, and flipping instruction order
Show notes and resources: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e930
Get 50% off VAI Educator's Studio membership with promo code COOLCAT at coolcatteacher.com/vai