
10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Cool Cat Teacher
Jam-packed with cool classrooms, cool apps, and cool teaching ideas, full-time teacher and award-winning edtech influencer, Vicki Davis, who blogs as the Cool Cat Teacher Blog, loves to interview awesome teachers and educators from around the world on this teacher podcast. Her goal is to interview the most in-classroom teachers on one helpful teacher podcast. This encouraging show will give you quick ideas you can use right away. You can follow Vicki @coolcatteacher on all social media and join the conversation.
Latest episodes

Feb 21, 2024 • 13min
7 Ways to Make Worksheets Engaging and Effective: The Ultimate Guide
Transform traditional worksheets into engaging teaching tools with innovative strategies like Showdown activity and group contests discussed in this classroom-focused podcast episode. Learn how to breathe new life into worksheets for powerful student engagement.

Feb 20, 2024 • 21min
10+ Ways to Use Adobe Express in the classroom
In this episode, Jesse Lubinsky, a former classroom teacher and education evangelist for Adobe, shares 10 awesome free ways that teachers can use Adobe Express in their classrooms. From using Animate from Audio to create animated reflections to using Text to Image to create generative AI art, Jesse provides practical tips and ideas for teachers to empower their students through creativity. Whether you're a seasoned Adobe user or new to the platform, this episode is packed with valuable insights and resources. Show notes and full transcript with links: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e831

Feb 19, 2024 • 7min
Hero at the Classroom Door
Imagine standing at the doorway of possibility, where every greeting and every look holds the potential to uplift a child's spirit. This heartfelt episode is guided by the unwavering believe that every student deserves to be seen and heard – truly seen – in a world where we often rush past the small yet important moments. You’ll learn about what I call - "look-listening"—seeing beyond the surface to the heart of what students communicate without words—can change the trajectory of a day, a mindset, and even a life. It's about recognizing the unspoken struggles, the quiet victories, and everything in between, with a compassion that speaks volumes without needing a single word in return. And it is more than in the classroom, our janitors and administrators can apply these principles in the hallway, our lunchroom staff can apply this in the lunchroom, our front office can apply this as they interact with students. I hope that all of us will be educators who inspire, care, and teach not just with books, but with heart. Together, let's inspire a wave of kindness in education, showing the world that the most powerful lessons come from the heart. Teach on, dear friends, and remember: in the journey of teaching, the kindness we extend truly shapes the future.

Jan 23, 2024 • 15min
4 Entrepreneurial Secrets Every Teacher Needs to Empower Learning
The entrepreneurial spirit isn't confined to the world of business – it can thrive in every classroom, every day. It aligns seamlessly with dynamic project-based learning and captivates students through engaging classroom projects. In this episode, we're joined by Stephen Carter, author of 'Teaching the Entrepreneurial Mindset.' Stephen delves into the four pivotal aspects of an entrepreneurial mindset that are essential for educators at all levels. He shares insights from his extensive experience as the Director of Entrepreneurship and Sustainability at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, where he's not only taught for 18 years but has also revolutionized their entrepreneurship program. Join us as Stephen Carter gives an approach for every educator to empower their students with entrepreneurial thinking. Show Sponsor: Edge U Badges - Edge U Badges from Forward Edge is a fantastic micro credentialing program for teachers, administrators, and school staff. In this program, you can earn contact hours or graduate credit. With the ISTE Seal of Alignment, this program is approved by many districts as a flexible, personalized way for teachers to learn and grow. They will work with you to help your district accept your transcript for licensure renewal hours. Edge U Badges has former teachers review every single badge within 1-3 business days of submission, and no badge is ever denied without very specific feedback on what you can do to resubmit successfully or positive feedback on successful submissions. This is a program that I'm reviewing for my own renewal that comes up this year and I'm excited about their micro-credentialing system, which is why I'm recommending it to you! Use the code COOLCAT for $20 off a premium account. Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored podcast episode.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Jan 16, 2024 • 13min
The Rise of Esports in Education: Breaking New Ground
If you want to know how to start an eSports program in your school. Or if you want to know why so many schools are getting eSports programs, this episode is a must-listen for you. Welcome to another episode of the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast, where today we're diving into the game-changing world of scholastic esports. Our guest, Danielle Johnson, Executive Director of the Texas Scholastic Esports Federation, shares how esports is not just about gaming but about boosting student engagement, improving academic performance, and building a more inclusive school community. Esports are rapidly growing in schools across the country. The reasons are not only that they are fun but they are making a positive impact on a generation of students whose favorite sport is video games. If you're skeptical, we'll speak to your concerns as well. Tune in to discover why esports might just be the missing piece in your educational toolkit and how you can start a program at your school. Show Sponsor: Edge U Badges - Edge U Badges from Forward Edge is a fantastic micro credentialing program for teachers, administrators, and school staff. In this program, you can earn contact hours or graduate credit. With the ISTE Seal of Alignment, this program is approved by many districts as a flexible, personalized way for teachers to learn and grow. They will work with you to help your district accept your transcript for licensure renewal hours. Edge U Badges has former teachers review every single badge within 1-3 business days of submission, and no badge is ever denied without very specific feedback on what you can do to resubmit successfully or positive feedback on successful submissions. This is a program that I'm reviewing for my own renewal that comes up this year and I'm excited about their micro-credentialing system, which is why I'm recommending it to you! Use the code COOLCAT for $20 off a premium account. Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored podcast episode.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

25 snips
Jan 8, 2024 • 22min
28 Questions to Ask Yourself As You Plan Your Year
Discover how to plan your year with a customizable approach. Reflect on the past year, evaluate attitudes, identify problems, and make changes. Explore the importance of seeking the truth, evaluating progress, and accessing downloadable resources for assistance.

Dec 22, 2023 • 12min
How to Make Teaching A Long-Term Career: What Works
Explore strategies for teacher well-being and sustainable education practices in this episode. Learn how to balance self-care and student support, accept students as they are, and set high standards for learning alliances. Gain practical tips for flourishing in a demanding profession.

Dec 19, 2023 • 13min
Charting New Territories in PD: The Witsby Story with ASCD
A conversation about the Witsby platform, a new PD option for educators. They discuss the advantages of a mobile learning platform, including high-quality content and collaboration. They also explore how teachers can earn professional development credit through reflection and AI coaching, emphasizing the importance of ethics and integrity.

Dec 5, 2023 • 46min
Cool Cat Teacher's AI Insight: 10 Ways I'm Using AI Today
Welcome to today's episode, where I will bridge the gap between AI in my classroom and your ears! If you've been following my blog, you know I want to bring practical, innovative teaching strategies to life. But today, I'm doing things a bit differently on the show for an extended episode with me, your host, Vicki Davis. Sponsor: Modern Classrooms Project will help you bring engaging, exciting teaching to your classroom with their free online course and community. Go to coolcatteacher.com/modern right now to sign up for the Modern Classrooms essential course for free where you will learn about the strategies, research, and resources that can drive student-centered, self-directed learning in your classroom. They can show you have to use technology to unlock deeper student relationships with your students. So many people ask me how to respond to Artificial Intelligence and my response is always, that we need to shift our pedagogical practices into the classroom to the time-tested research-based best practices. You get that with Modern Classrooms, so go to coolcatteacher.com/modern today and sign up. You’ll be glad you did. I'll guide you through how I use AI in my classes. I teach eighth grade through an AP Class with seniors, and we're finding amazing ways to use AI, from advising us on a trip project to providing feedback on logos and user interfaces for our app-building project to testing AI tutors. It's all real and all right now. There is no theory here, just lots of learning and some bumps along the way. (Recently, a custom GPT I created started calling me Melissa, sigh. Someone explain that to me!) And for a bit of fun, meet CAT GPT, my very own Content AI Taskhelper - a personal assistant I've created with a blend of my own educational beliefs and research-backed best practices. I have it interview me on the way to school (and sometimes back), and it helps me create content for you. I always link to it, so I'll share how I do that too. And, since I've given two weeks off to my son, John, so he can ace his finals, I understand the frustration with AI-generated transcripts (thanks, southern accent!), so while there's o polished transcript available just yet, you can check out the auto-captions on the Cool Cat Teacher YouTube channel for a pretty good transcript. And if you need a more accurate version, don't hesitate to reach out via email -- I'm committed to making my content accessible to all. This episode is more than just a podcast; it's a glimpse into the future of education with AI. So whether you're a seasoned educator or just AI-curious, tune in, laugh along, and prepare to form your own opinions about AI. Let's continue this AI adventure together as we work to improve our classrooms and educate a successful generation for tomorrow. This extended episode sponsored by Modern Classrooms will help me share about the pedagogical changes that can happen in schools that want to advance learning in an AGE of AI.

Nov 18, 2023 • 11min
A Very Useful Guide to Virtual Classroom Collaboration
In this episode, we welcome Billy Krakower, a nationally recognized educator with 16 years of experience and a passion for bringing technology and creativity into the classroom. As a current STEM teacher in North New Jersey and a Google Certified Trainer, Billy focuses on implementing cutting-edge instructional design and co-authors "Connecting Your Students with the Virtual World." We'll uncover practical, engaging strategies for integrating the four Cs -- Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication -- into your teaching. From engaging mystery location calls to the innovative use of Google Art and Culture for creative exploration and the impactful use of AI in education, Billy shares actionable techniques to transform your classroom into a hub of global learning and collaboration. Sponsor: This show is sponsored by Microsoft. Check out their new AI Course. All opinions are my own.