The post The Five Biggest Fears that Kept Me from Empowering Students appeared first on Spencer Education.

In my latest episode, I talk to Susan M. Riley about what creativity looks like in a generative age. She talks about how it’s changing, why it’s important, and what creative thinking looks like in a K-12 classroom. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy...

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Focus is no longer our default. It’s not something that tends to happen by accident anymore. In a culture built on notifications, infinite scroll, and instant answers, students need both a pull toward deeper thinking and a push away from the distractions that steal their...

The post The Push and the Pull Needed to Help Students Focus appeared first on Spencer Education.

With AI becoming a helpful tool in education, it’s easy to see the benefits of quick access to information, personalized support, and the efficiency that technology can bring. However, as we embrace these tools, we also want to preserve and nurture the learning experiences that...

The post The Human Advantage: Nine Skills We Can’t Afford to Lose in an AI-Powered World appeared first on Spencer Education.

In my latest episode, Brett Fischer talks about how AI is transforming teacher creativity. I loved his practical insights and depth of knowledge on this subject. Listen to the Podcast If you enjoy this blog but you’d like to listen to it on the go,...

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Socratic seminars are a democratic, student-centered, approach to class discussions. They can be used at any grade level with any subject area. In a Socratic Seminar, members meet in a circle (or more likely an oval, because, let’s be real, circles are really hard to...

The post Designing Socratic Seminars to Ensure That All Students Can Participate appeared first on Spencer Education.

As AI becomes becomes more pervasive in our daily work, we often wrestle with a big question: what should we automate and what should we protect as deeply human? We experience this profoundly in creative work. We are drawn to the speed and efficiency of...

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In this episode, I interview ed tech expert Tony Vincent, who shares practical insights on how educators can use AI ethically and responsibly in schools. He discusses how teachers can balance innovation with integrity, ensuring that AI supports creativity, critical thinking, and student agency without...

The post Tony Vincent on How to Integrate AI Ethically in an Elementary Classroom appeared first on Spencer Education.

AI represents both a dream and a warning for education. On one hand, it offers personalized feedback, instant support, and creative possibilities that can make learning more dynamic than ever. On the other, it tempts us toward speed over depth, efficiency over understanding, and convenience...

The post Using AI to Spark Deeper Learning appeared first on Spencer Education.

When I was a new teacher, I had a goal of differentiating instruction for every student. I would provide additional directions, project sheets, tutorials, and small group instruction for any student who needed help. I kept a list of specific strategies I would use in...

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