AJ and Chris kick off the first episode of 2025 by diving into some important education topics, including inspiring students and addressing hate symbols in schools. They also tackle the challenge of dealing with students who refuse to do their work and share some of their own experiences and thoughts on the matter.

Episode Highlights:

• Inspiring Students: How can we better engage students in a meaningful way and inspire them to do their best?
• Addressing Hate Symbols in Schools: AJ and Chris discuss strategies for handling hate symbols in the school environment and fostering a more inclusive atmosphere.
• Dealing with Resistance to Work: The duo explores what to do when students refuse to do their work, including strategies for encouragement, accountability, and support.
• Chris’s Soapbox Moment: Chris shares his frustrations with a popular education podcast that uses AI-generated voices for its content but fails to disclose it to listeners, sparking a conversation about ethics in podcasting and AI in education.
• Reflections on Education Post-Pandemic: Both hosts reflect on the state of education today, questioning its relevance and effectiveness in a post-pandemic world, and whether education, as we know it, is broken.

What Are We Listening To:

• AJ: Smash Boom Best is a debate show for kids and families from the makers of the award-winning podcast, Brains On! Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best. Our debaters use facts and passion to make their case -- teaching listeners how to defend their own opinions along the way.

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In this episode of PodcastPD, we welcome Walter McKenzie, a veteran educator with over 40 years of experience and the founder of The Worthy Educator. Walter shares his journey and discusses how his initiative supports mid- and late-career educators by building community, offering tailored professional development, and fostering legacy-building.

Join us as we explore:

• The unique challenges faced by mid-career and veteran educators.
• Strategies for authentic leadership at the classroom, district, and national levels.
• How The Worthy Educator provides a lifeline for education leaders through collaboration and advocacy.
• Walter’s reflections on the importance of relationships, innovation, and mentorship in creating a lasting impact.

If you’re an educator or leader seeking inspiration and practical advice to navigate the evolving landscape of education, this episode is a must-listen!

Resources & Links:

• Visit The Worthy Educator: TheWorthyEducator.com

Share Your Thoughts:

What resonated most with you about Walter McKenzie's approach to leadership in education? Let us know!

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In this episode, Chris and Dr. Tani Farran dive into the innovative ways Rubi AI can support teachers with lesson planning, student engagement, and personalized learning. They discuss the importance of guiding students to use AI tools responsibly, encouraging them to be the primary creators of their work while leveraging AI for feedback and enhancement.

Key Discussion Points:

• Empowering Student Ownership with AI: Chris and Tania emphasize that students' work must reflect their own voice and understanding. They discuss how AI can support but shouldn't replace students’ critical thinking and creative process.

Ruby AI Features for Educators:

• Lesson Planning: Demonstration of Rubi AI’s lesson and unit planning capabilities, including pre-built modules for various subjects. Educators can quickly generate lesson outlines, objectives, and activities tailored to their needs.
• Document Anchoring: Rubi’s ability to “anchor” to specific documents (like PDFs) allows teachers to use existing materials as data sources for AI-generated summaries, questions, or content insights.
• Topic Research and Content Generation: Rubi’s modules can assist with topic research, providing structured information and summaries, which can be transformed into lesson plans, presentations, or study guides.

Customizing Lessons: Tania shows how teachers can modify AI-generated content to better fit their curriculum goals, including adjusting lesson modules based on specific class needs.

Practical Classroom Applications: Examples include using Rubi AI to create study guides for special education, generate multimedia resources for homeschooling, and support high school business students in projects like competitor analysis.

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In this episode of PodcastPD, Chris Nesi and AJ Bianco dive into a mix of professional development topics, from school community participation to the challenges of dealing with verbally abusive parents. The hosts share personal experiences, offer insights into the complexities of the teaching profession, and discuss how to maintain professionalism in difficult situations.

Complete show notes: https://podcastpd.com/144

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Chris Nesi and AJ Bianco catch up after a hectic summer. AJ reveals his exciting career move from Vice Principal to Principal in a new school district. The duo discusses the challenges and emotions involved in making such a significant decision, the interview process, and AJ's vision for his new role. They also explore how AJ’s family and mentors influenced his decision, and what he hopes to accomplish in his first 90 days as a principal. Whether you're an aspiring leader or an experienced educator, this conversation is packed with insights into educational leadership, personal growth, and the transition into a top administrative role.

Complete show notes: https://podcastpd.com/143

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PodcastPD founder Stacey Lindes joins Chris while AJ is away. We dive into educational topics pulled from Reddit, offering practical advice for educators.

Complete show notes: https://podcastpd.com/142

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In this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Tom Pesce, a unique educator who blends his passion for teaching with the art of magic. Tom shares his journey and insights on how educators can engage students by incorporating elements of surprise and personal interests into teaching.

Complete show notes: https://podcastpd.com/140

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In this episode of PodcastPD, hosts Chris Nesi and AJ Bianco dive into a range of questions sourced from the internet to offer invaluable insights for educators. Episode 139 explores themes such as salary negotiation for new teachers, the logistics and emotions of changing classrooms, supporting partners who are teachers, and coping with a challenging year professionally. Join us for a blend of practical advice and thoughtful discussion aimed at enhancing your professional journey.

Complete show notes: https://podcastpd.com/139

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In this episode of PodcastPD, AJ and Chris explore a range of educational topics sourced from across the internet. They debate the effectiveness of professional development, particularly when it feels disconnected from classroom realities, and share insights on how long is reasonable to decide on a job offer. The duo also addresses technology failures in the classroom, offering advice on bouncing back from a challenging observation experience. Plus, they weigh in on the age-old New Jersey debate: pork roll or Taylor ham? Tune in for reflections on resilience, personalized PD, and learning from tough experiences.

Complete show notes: https://podcastpd.com/138

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.