Vicki A. Davis's Blog, page 4

Teacher Brain Burnout? GPT-4.1 and 8 Other Headlines that Matter

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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Looking for ideas to engage your students in conversation? In this week's quick news roundup, I give you stories about:

The impact of overwork on the teacher's brain,An idea for an energy drink experiment for science teachers around the chemical “taurine”NASA and the tectonic plates of VenusYouTube's new “Peak Points” Advertising strategy as an AI article to...

Choosing the Tools & Habits to Create Content, Manage Your Learning, and Influence Others

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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Hello friends, So, you might decide you want to share online. You might think you want to speak at conferences and such. But how do you manage it all and still teach in the classroom? I mean, our jobs are already TOO BUSY, so isn't doing more just asking for trouble?

For me, sharing changed my life for the good when I started in 2005. It is also a way to share what I'm d...

Real-World Math That Boosts Student Achievement with Dr. Erin Krupa

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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“Why am I even learning this?”
I’ve heard this question in my classroom more times than I can count. If you're a math teacher, you probably have too. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Erin Krupa, an associate professor at NC State and founder of EMC² (Exploring Mathematics Curricula Creatively), to explore how real-world math can not only answer that question, but also boo...

AI Gone Wild, Canva Code, and ChatGPT Tennis?! 15 Edtech News Stories

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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You know what time it is — it’s the end of the week, and that means it’s time for your 10-minute edtech news briefing from a real classroom. I’m Vicki Davis, a full-time teacher, instructional tech coach, and IT director, bringing you the stories I’m actually sharing with my students this week — the prompts, tools, and questions we’re exploring in real time.

Here's this w...

5 Ways to Build Your Platform with a Purpose

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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If having a good day is what it takes for me to talk about what matters, I don’t know if I’d ever talk—because every day is a mix of good and hard. But I keep showing up because teachers matter, and our voices matter.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve learned that building a platform isn’t about fame—it’s about faithfulness. It’s about showing up, telling the truth, and servin...

How to Be a More Effective Teacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Subscribe to the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts.

When you’re standing in front of a classroom, what actually works? In this episode, Nathaniel Hansford shares the scientific principles every teacher should know. He draws from meta-analysis and global classroom experience. Then, he explains how to move beyond guesswork and trends. Finally, Nathaniel uses strategies proven to make a difference.

Whether you're new to t...

How Do We Know Who’s Human? A New Tech Raises Big Questions

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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On May 1, 2025, Sam Altman’s identity project, now called World (formerly Worldcoin), launched iris and face-scanning locations in six U.S. cities.

The goal? Prove you're human — and get a World ID in return (and some of their cryptocurrency.)

A Media Literacy Moment, For Sure

This story is important. As I did research, I was astounded at the variety of angles on t...

How to Truly Connect with Students (and Why It Matters)

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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Do you have kids you struggle to reach? I do! Do you have kids who you think are acting out just for the attention? Me too! How do you connect with students when you're struggling to fit it all in? It can be done. That is the topic of today's show.

3 Keys to Connecting with Students — Dr. Lucy Lambert-Guesnard shares how teachers can build authentic relationships that hel...

5 Free Evernote Features Every Educator Should Know

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Subscribe to the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Episode 896 of the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast features Dr. Frank Buck sharing 5 free Evernote tools teachers and school leaders can use to stay organized and boost productivity.

A decade ago, I tried to break up with Evernote—more than once. But somehow, I always come back. Why? Because it still works.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by productivity expert Dr. Frank Buck...

How to Stop Teacher Burnout Before It Stops You

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Subscribe to the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Teaching is a calling — but it can also wear you down. We know this. It can be hard on us. It can also affect our families. We need to learn to draw some lines to be healthy.

After 23 years of teaching, I know the feeling all too well. I have tried to hold everything together. But there are times it just isn't possible. Like now. Details aren't necessary but it happens to...