Teaching Unscripted

Welcome to The AI Conversation for Educators, A Heinemann Podcast Series hosted by Meenoo Rami. 

This series for teachers explores how generative AI is transforming teaching and learning. 

In this episode, Meenoo Rami speaks with Sara Nagy, former senior director of customer engagement at Microsoft and a strong advocate for equity in tech literacy.

Together they discuss::

• the values she sees in successful teammates, all of which align with some of our highest goals for students, and how those values remain constant even as technology evolves
• practical insights into AI literacy
• common AI-related misconceptions
• why she believes the real power of AI lies in how we use it as a thinking partner, not a crutch

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Welcome to The AI Conversation for Educators, A Heinemann Podcast Series hosted by Meenoo Rami. 

This series for teachers explores how generative AI is transforming teaching and learning. 

In this episode, Meenoo Rami speaks with Mary Beth Hertz, art and technology teacher at Beeber High School in Philadelphia, author of Digital and Media Literacy in the Age of Internet, and the executive director of Walkabout Education.

Together they discuss:

• Why she makes space for honest conversation about bias, privacy, and ethical use
• How educators can introduce AI in ways that support creativity, critical thinking, and student voice.
• How her students use tools like Adobe Firefly in her art class
• How she scaffolds digital literacy through inquiry

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Welcome to The AI Conversation for Educators, A Heinemann Podcast Series hosted by Meenoo Rami. 

This series for teachers explores how generative AI is transforming teaching and learning. 

In this episode, Meenoo Rami speaks with Jen Roberts, a national board certified high school English teacher with over 25 years of classroom experience, and a Google for Education certified innovator. Her blog, Lit and Tech, is a go-to resource for educators who want to teach thoughtfully with technology.

Together they discuss:

• How AI can help enhance student engagement.
• How to introduce AI in ways that helps students write, reflect, and think more critically.
• Anecdotes from ninth graders using AI-generated outlines to improve their essays and learning how to spot when tools get things wrong.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to The AI Conversation for Educators, A Heinemann Podcast Series hosted by Meenoo Rami. 

This series for teachers explores how generative AI is transforming teaching and learning. 

In this episode, Meenoo Rami speaks with Dr. Alec Couros, a leading expert in educational technology and media. Dr. Couros is a professor at the University of Regina and director of the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Together, they discuss:

• Why AI literacy for educators is essential
• How generative AI tools are reshaping student learning and teacher workflows
• What it means to foster creativity and critical thinking in an AI-driven world

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The authors of The Civically Engaged Classroom believe in the power of curated current text sets. Collections initially created by teachers that students can expand as their knowledge grows. In this preview of the audiobook, we'll explore how to build these text sets, starting with online sources to engage students in contemporary issues.

We'll also hear practical tips on tech set mapping, ensuring you cover a range of perspectives and complexities. Learn how to balance digital archives with print resources, introduce challenging texts, and support diverse reading levels.

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Today we are remembering our dear friend and colleague, Dr Kylene Beers. Heinemann is deeply saddened by the passing of Kylene Beers. Kylene's 46-year career has had a significant impact across the field of education, helping to shape classroom practice across the country.

As we reflect on our time with Kylene at Heinemann, we wanted to revisit two recordings from 2022.

The first is a special conversation with Kylene and her daughter Meredith, where they reflect on Kylene’s career as an educator. Her mission; to help students become better readers and critical thinkers.

 After we will revisit Kylene’s “Letter to George” updated in 2022 as a reflection on her first year of teaching. Both of these were recorded in the summer of 2022 for the audio book version of When Kids Can't Read—What Teachers Can Do, Second Edition.

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Today we are playing an excerpt from a series called "Writing as Healing". This series was a collaboration with author Liz Prather.

In this episode she's in conversation with Willie Carver, who is a poet and the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. We'll hear about Willie's approach of using student writing as the classroom textbook which not only bypasses censorship, but also validates student voices. And Willie's personal journey of healing through poetry, models how educators can use vulnerability and storytelling to foster resilience and empathy in their classrooms.

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In this episode, I'm joined by Jennifer Lempp, author of Math Workshop, and Sue O'Connell, co-author of Math by the Book. Together, they share how these two powerful resources can work hand in hand to bring structure, creativity, and real world context to elementary math instruction.

They explore how to use children's literature to launch math investigations, how to differentiate through small groups, and ultimately build a classroom culture where students see themselves as capable problem solvers.

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Today we are replaying a powerful conversation with Donalyn Miller, co-author of The Joy of Reading. Donalyn unpacks why joyful reading isn't fluff, it's foundational. From the deep importance of book access and daily reading time to the nuance of honoring student choice, this episode is a reminder that helping kids see themselves as lifelong readers starts with what we do today. Whether you're a classroom teacher, coach, or leader, tune in to reflect on how we can protect and prioritize independent reading. Even in the face of high stakes pressure. 

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In this 2023 episode, Jennifer Serravallo explores how The Reading Strategies Book 2.0 is organized to support skill progression and responsive teaching. Learn how the book’s “if-then” paths help teachers quickly identify the right strategies based on individual student needs—whether in small groups, whole-class lessons, or intervention settings.

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