They’re Only 19… And Already Rethinking Education

What happens when two 19-year-olds look at education and say… this isn’t working?

In this episode, I sit down with Almar Tishenko and Max Litvinenka, two young founders building Reading Rooms, a platform designed to rethink how students read, write, and receive feedback in the age of AI.

This isn’t about replacing teachers.
This is about giving them time back, strengthening critical thinking, and using AI the right way.

🚀 What You’ll Learn
•Why delayed feedback is hurting student learning
•How Reading Rooms is changing reading & writing workflows
•Why banning AI isn’t the answer
•How to use AI without killing critical thinking
•What teachers actually want from EdTech
•The future skills students NEED right now

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background of Guests
02:07 Celebrating 6 Years of My EdTech Life
04:56 Meet Almar and Max: Young EdTech Innovators
08:51 Problems in Education: Grading and Critical Thinking
11:46 Impact of AI on Education and Teachers' Concerns
16:49 Connecting with Educators and Understanding Needs
32:29 Introducing Reading Rooms Platform
36:27 Features of Reading Rooms: Homework Builder and Tools
48:07 Skills for the AI-Driven Future
01:01:57 Advice for Educators and District Leaders
01:04:33 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

Connect with Dr. Fonz:
🎙️ Website: https://www.myedtech.life/
📲 Follow on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook & YouTube

Thank you to our sponsors:
📚 Book Creator Use Code MYEDTECHLIFE for Premium Access!
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🎓 Peel Back Education
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Peel Back Education exists to uncover, share, and amplify powerful, authentic stories from inside classrooms and beyond, helping educators, learners, and the wider community connect meaningfully with the people and ideas shaping education today.

Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator.

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Student voice is one of the most powerful forces in education — but only when it has a real stage. In this episode, Dr. Fonz welcomes back returning guest Tim Belmont, Language Arts teacher and Technology Coordinator at Lyndhurst High School in New Jersey, for a rich conversation on what it actually means to give students an authentic voice — and the innovative project he built to make that a reality.

Tim breaks down how he integrates podcasting into his Public Speaking and Advanced Public Speaking classes, why choice and personal connection are the secret ingredients to genuine student expression, and how the NPR Student Podcast Challenge transforms reluctant students into passionate communicators. He also shares the story behind the Bell Tower — a privacy-conscious podcast platform he built from the ground up to give student voices a stage that goes beyond the classroom walls, while staying FERPA and COPPA compliant.

Whether you are a classroom teacher, a tech coordinator, or a district leader, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you define assessment, student engagement, and what authentic learning looks like in the age of AI.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
02:43 Tim Belmont's Background in Education
05:51 Integrating Podcasting in the Classroom
10:26 Authentic Student Voice vs. Performative Voice
15:15 The Impact of Authentic Audiences
20:24 The Importance of Scripted Communication
22:32 The Bell Tower Project Overview
23:40 The Bell Tower Project: Vision and Goals
29:57 Authentic Audience Engagement in Education
34:45 Transformative Student Experiences through Podcasting
39:34 Getting Started with Podcasting in the Classroom
44:25 The Future of Student-Created Media and Assessment

Connect with Tim Belmont:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timbelmont/

Tools & Resources Mentioned:
NPR Student Podcast Challenge & Curriculum — npr.org
Adobe Podcast https://podcast.adobe.com/
Screencastify https://www.screencastify.com/
The Bell Tower https://www.linkedin.com/company/belltower-edu/

Connect with Dr. Fonz:
🎙️ Website: https://www.myedtech.life/
📲 Follow on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook & YouTube

Thank you to our sponsors:
📚 Book Creator Edu: Use Code MYEDTECHLIFE for Premium Access!
🎓 Peel Back Education

Peel Back Education exists to uncover, share, and amplify powerful, authentic stories from inside classrooms and beyond, helping educators, learners, and the wider community connect meaningfully with the people and ideas shaping education today.

Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator.

Support the show

In this episode, Dr. Alfonso sits down with Caleb Hurd, founder of Chatperone, an AI chat platform built specifically to keep kids safe online. As a father of two and a 20-year tech industry veteran, Caleb built Chatperone not for investors or school district contracts, but for his own children first. What started as a personal solution has become a mission to give parents and educators peace of mind in a world where AI chatbots are already in the hands of our kids.

From the Character AI controversy to COPPA compliance gaps, Caleb and Dr. Fonz unpack the real dangers lurking in unguarded AI platforms and why Big Tech is getting it wrong. They also explore what it truly means to put the child at the center of EdTech design, how parents and teachers can work together to guide healthy AI interactions, and why data ownership matters more than ever in 2026.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Context Setting
06:04 The Birth of Chatperone
12:01 Navigating Parental Concerns
17:48 Building Trust with Parents
23:52 Challenges with Big Tech
29:52 The Future of Child Safety in EdTech
30:47 Understanding AI in Education
35:46 Building Solutions with Children in Mind
40:39 The Philosophy Behind Chatperone
42:44 Navigating the Current Educational Landscape
47:46 Reflections on Parenting and Technology

Sponsor Shoutout
Thank you to our sponsors: Book Creator, Eduaide.AI, and Peel Back Education for supporting My EdTech Life.

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Stay Techie ✌️

Peel Back Education exists to uncover, share, and amplify powerful, authentic stories from inside classrooms and beyond, helping educators, learners, and the wider community connect meaningfully with the people and ideas shaping education today.

Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator.

Support the show