What if the problem in schools isn’t that we have too many meetings… but that we’re having the wrong ones?In this episode of The TechEd Clubhouse, I talk with Kurtis Hewson from Jigsaw Learning about a simple structure that helps schools move from isolated classrooms to real collaboration.Kurtis shares the thinking behind Collaborative Team Meetings (CTMs) — a practical meeting structure that helps teachers share strategies, solve classroom challenges together, and unlock the expertise already inside a school.Instead of another initiative, this approach focuses on leveraging the knowledge teachers already have to improve practice and support students.IN THIS EPISODE• Why teaching has become too complex to do alone

• The difference between real collaboration and “contrived collegiality”
• The four layers of collaboration effective schools use
• How Collaborative Team Meetings help teachers learn from each other
• Why most professional development ignores the expertise already in the building
• How small changes in meetings can reduce teacher burnout and overwhelm

THE FOUR LAYERS OF COLLABORATION

1. Collaborative Planning Teacher teams working together to improve learning for all students.
2. Collaborative Team Meetings (CTM) Structured conversations where teachers bring real classroom challenges and share strategies.
3. School Support Team Teams that coordinate additional supports for students beyond the classroom.
4. Case Consultation Focused meetings that address the needs of one student when deeper support is required.

RESOURCES MENTIONEDJigsaw Learning https://jigsawlearning.caCONNECT WITH DANWebsite https://coachthomastech.comFollow Dan on Twitter/X @coachthomastechThe TechEd Clubhouse Podcast explores STEM education, project-based learning, creativity, and practical ideas teachers can use tomorrow.ENJOY THE EPISODE?If you enjoyed this conversation:Follow the podcast Leave a rating or review Share the episode with another educatorIt helps more teachers discover the show.

We gave kids devices.
We gave them apps.
We gave them AI.

But did we ever teach them what’s under the hood?

In this episode, I sit down with Stewart Brown from Code4Kids to talk about why tech literacy can’t wait until high school — and why this conversation is bigger than “learning to code.”

We dig into:

• Why K–8 is the missing link in digital literacy
• Why computer science should amplify core subjects — not compete with them
• Why engagement doesn’t automatically equal learning
• How understanding algorithms builds smarter, more intentional tech users
• Why banning technology isn’t a long-term solution
• What AI is exposing about our current education system

This isn’t about turning every student into a programmer.

It’s about helping kids move from passive consumers to informed, critical thinkers who understand the systems shaping their lives.

If this episode challenged you, share it with a colleague and let’s keep the conversation going.

Connect with Stewart Brown / Code4Kids

🌐 Website: https://c4k.io
💼 LinkedIn: Stewart Brown (Code for Kids)
📧 Email: stewart@c4k.io

Thanks for listening to the TechEd Clubhouse.

Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next.

In this episode of the Tech Ed Clubhouse, I’m joined by Stephanie Howell—CEO of Gold EDU, Google Innovator, co-author of Control the Chaos, and Community Coach at SchoolAI.

We talk about the difference between engagement and compliance, why quiet classrooms are often misunderstood, and how small, low-prep moves can immediately shift student thinking. Stephanie shares her personal learning story, a 5-minute classroom strategy teachers can use tomorrow, and how AI—used well—supports feedback, iteration, and real learning without replacing teachers.

We also dig into:

• What real engagement actually looks like

• Managing “controlled chaos” in active classrooms

• How SchoolAI’s Dot and Spaces support teachers and students

• Using AI for feedback, projects, and formative assessment

• Why teachers—not tools—still lead the work

If you want ideas that work inside real classrooms, without new mandates or heavy lift, this episode is for you.

Connect with Stephanie:
📧 stephanie@schoolai.com
🌐 schoolai.com
📱 @MrsHowell24 , LinkedIN

Follow the Tech Ed Clubhouse for practical conversations about teaching, learning, and building classrooms where thinking actually happens.

In this episode, I sit down with Austin Levinson, Director of Learning at Mega Minds and a former educator with over 20 years of classroom experience. We dig into what’s missing in education right now—especially in CTE and career pathways—and why certifications alone aren’t enough.

We talk about critical thinking, adaptability, workforce readiness, and immersive AI simulations that go far beyond videos, worksheets, or “edtech for edtech’s sake.” Austin shares how Mega Minds is using 3D environments and AI characters to give students realistic, high-stakes experiences—from healthcare triage to AI ethics to job interviews—while keeping teachers at the center of the work.

If you care about real learning, transferable skills, and preparing students for a future that keeps shifting, this conversation is for you.

🔑 Key Topics We Cover

• Why critical thinking can’t be taught directly—and what can develop it

• The difference between compliance-based learning and real workforce readiness

• What CTE programs do well—and where they’re still falling short

• Why videos and slide decks aren’t enough for career exploration

• How immersive AI simulations create tension, decision-making, and real learning

• Teaching skills like triage, adaptability, communication, and judgment safely

• AI ethics through lived experience, not lectures

• Why failure, replayability, and reflection matter more than right answers

• Supporting ELL students, neurodivergent learners, and accessibility through AI

• • Keeping humans at the center while using technology intelligently

  
  

  🧠 Big Takeaways

• • Students don’t remember worksheets—they remember experiences

  • Certifications matter, but durable skills matter more

  • Not all screen time is equal

  • Feedback needs to be immediate, human, and actionable

• • Career exploration should help students say “yes,” “not yet,” or “definitely not”
  • AI works best when it supports teachers, not replaces them

• 🔗 Learn More About Austin & Mega Minds

  
  

• • 🌐 Website: https://gomegaminds.com

  • 💼 Connect with Austin on LinkedIn: Austin Levinson

  🎧 Who This Episode Is For

  • CTE teachers and directors

  • STEM, tech ed, and special area educators

  • School and district leaders

  • Anyone questioning whether current systems are truly preparing students

  • Educators looking for real solutions, not shiny tools

  
  

In this episode of the Tech Ed Clubhouse Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Marialice Curran to unpack one of the most important—and most misunderstood—topics in education today: mental health.

What starts as a conversation about digital citizenship quickly turns into a powerful discussion about language, stigma, masculinity, school culture, and why mental health needs to be treated like physical health—something we actively train, track, and support.

Marialice shares her personal journey into the mental health space, her work with Same Here Global, and how a simple shift in language—from “us vs. them” to “five in five”—can completely change how schools, communities, and individuals show up for one another.

This isn’t a surface-level conversation. It’s honest, human, and long overdue.

• Why “1 in 5 have mental illness” is the wrong message

• The Same Here Global philosophy: five in five of us have mental health

• How language shapes stigma in schools and society

• Why mental health should be treated like going to the gym

• The “Gym for the Brain” model and what it looks like in schools

• Masculinity, vulnerability, and the unique mental health challenges men face

• How sports, coaching, and education intersect in powerful ways

• Why proactive mental health work beats crisis response every time

• Simple ways teachers can support students tomorrow—without new programs or mandates

Mental health isn’t something some people have.
It’s something all of us live on a spectrum with—every single day.

When schools change the language, normalize the conversation, and model regulation instead of compliance, everything shifts: culture, trust, and learning.

• Same Here Global: https://www.samehereglobal.org

• Contact Mary Alice: marialice@samehereglobal.org

• Instagram: @dr_mbfxc

• Same Here Scale App: Available via Same Here Global

• Teachers and school leaders

• Coaches and athletic directors

• Counselors and support staff

• Parents and caregivers

• Anyone who believes schools should be more human

If this conversation made you pause, reflect, or feel a little more seen—you’re not alone.

Same here.

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a review—it helps more educators find conversations like this.

We talk a lot about fixing education.

But what if teaching isn’t broken?

In this episode of The Tech Ed Clubhouse, I explore the idea that we’re standing at the beginning of a Renaissance in education—a shift away from scripts, compliance, and performative engagement, and back toward the human craft of teaching.

Drawing parallels to the early Renaissance at the end of the Middle Ages, this episode unpacks:

• how schooling quietly became more about obedience than judgment

• why teachers are feeling tension between what they’re told to do and what they know works

• what the first Renaissance actually looked like before the masterpieces

• how today’s classrooms mirror that same uncomfortable, hopeful transition

• and where tools and AI fit—using the printing press as a guide

This isn’t a call for new programs or shiny tools.

It’s a call to reclaim professional judgment, trust human thinking, and teach like a Renaissance human—right now, even while the old systems are still in place.

If you’ve felt like something in education doesn’t quite fit anymore…
this episode will give you language for why.

After 32 years in the classroom, I’ve been thinking a lot about why teaching feels heavier now than it used to—even though we have more tools, systems, and strategies than ever before.

In this episode, I reflect on the invisible cognitive and relational work at the center of teaching: the constant judgment calls, the timing, and the real-time decisions that never show up on a plan or a platform but shape everything that happens in a classroom.

This isn’t an episode about tools or advice. It’s a quiet conversation about teaching as a professional, judgment-based practice—and why the weight teachers feel is often a sign of meaningful work being done.

Every scroll promises a fix.
A new tool. A new strategy. A new way to boost engagement.

But after coming back from FETC, one question kept sticking with me:
What if the biggest thing missing in education right now isn’t another tool—but permission to just be a teacher?

This episode is a reflection on great conversations, real engagement, and the growing overload of “solutions” in education. While the presenters, sessions, and people at FETC were thoughtful and inspiring, the most meaningful moments didn’t come from platforms or products—they came from honest conversations between educators.

We talk about:
• Why engagement isn’t missing—it’s being crowded out
• How too many tools can quietly make teaching feel heavier
• What we’ve lost in the rush to fix teaching
• Why “just teaching” might be the most radical move right now

No tips.
No tricks.
Just space to think.

If teaching has started to feel more complicated than it should, this episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and remember that you already know how to do this work.