Can You Learn to Be Inspirational?

In this first-ever solo episode of The International Classroom, Alex Gray tackles a question that most of us assume has a fixed answer: Is inspiration a gift you're born with, or a skill you can build?

Prompted by a candid (and slightly humbling) conversation with his daughter, Ava, Alex explores why genuine inspiration has nothing to do with Instagram quotes or polished TED Talks. Instead, it’s about the "thousand small things" and the "walk" we choose to take every day.

Inside the Episode:

• The Inspiration Myth: Why we mistake charisma for character and how to pivot toward "genuine inspiration."

• The Research: Breaking down Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory and Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset through the lens of a modern classroom.

• The Paradox of Performance: Why "trying" to be inspirational is the fastest way to fail—and what to do instead.

  Modeling in the Age of AI: The rising value of authenticity and visible effort in an increasingly automated world.

• The 5 Pillars of the "Inspirational Walk":

  1. Visible Curiosity: Being a lifelong learner in front of your students and peers.

  2. Honest Struggle: Why the "messy middle" of problem-solving is more powerful than a polished answer.

  3. High Standards + Warmth: Why "Clear is Kind" (Brené Brown) is the ultimate leadership framework.

  4. Storytelling: Framing ideas through human experience to make the hypothetical real.

  5. Consistency: The unsexy, cumulative power of showing up exactly the same way, day after day.

  "Inspiration is not a speech. It’s not a trait. It’s not a gift. It’s a walk that other people want to join."

  Connect with the Show:

  • Follow Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandergray84/

  • The DEEP Network: https://www.deepeducationnetwork.com/

  • Subscribe: If this episode sparked a thought, hit follow and leave a review to help us grow the community.

Does starting a task with AI inherently mean you are cheating the learning process?

In this episode of The International Classroom, Alex Gray sits down with Ben Whitaker—co-host of Edufuturists, author, and "The Ideas Guy"—for one of the most deeply reflective conversations of the AIDUCATION26 conference in Bucharest. Ben openly discusses how he had to fundamentally reconsider his own stance on AI, shifting from viewing it as a "shortcut" to embracing it as an essential starting (or finishing) block for modern learners.

They also dive into the profound impact of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), exploring how AI can shift neurodivergent and EAL students from being a "secondary thought" to the absolute center of the educational conversation.

Plus, discover why Ben created physical AI Cards to force educators to slow down, why he abandoned ChatGPT for Claude, and why navigating the EdTech landscape right now feels a lot like being in the Big Brother house.

Jump to a section:

00:00 – Intro & Kicking off the Bucharest Conference

01:41 – The "Lone Wolf" Problem & Building the Edufuturists Pack

04:04 – AI Cards for Educators: Why We Desperately Need to Slow Down

08:53 – UDL & Radical Inclusion: Empowering "People of Determination"

12:41 – The "Cheating" Mindset Shift: Reconsidering Core AI Principles

14:17 – Beyond Prompt Engineering & Why Ben Switched to Claude

16:19 – Holding Opinions Lightly & The Value of Divergent Thinking

19:59 – If AI was a Reality TV Show (I'm a Celeb & Big Brother)

Key Takeaways from this episode:

The Cheating Misconception: Going to AI first doesn't necessarily mean you are short-cutting the work. Sometimes it is the perfect starting point; other times, it is the perfect finishing tool for proofreading and editing. We have to be willing to reconsider our rigid rules around its use.

Slowing Down in a Fast World: In an industry that rewards speed and constant output, sometimes the most powerful tool is a physical set of cards that forces you to stop, step back, and ask the deep philosophical questions about why you are using the tech.

Radical Inclusion via UDL: AI allows for personalisation at scale. By using it properly, we can build environments where learners with additional needs (or "People of Determination") are no longer an afterthought, but the central focus of lesson design.

The Death of the Lone Wolf: Trying to innovate in education on your own is exhausting. The strength of the EdTech wolf is the pack—we need communities to challenge our thinking and "sharpen the axe."

Connect with the Guests:

Alex Gray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandergray84/

Ben Whitaker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsbenwhitaker/

Don't forget to Subscribe for more conversations on the future of education, EdTech, and classroom innovation!

#TheInternationalClassroom #AIinEducation #EdTech #Edufuturists #UDL #AIDUCATION26 #FutureOfLearning #EducationPodcast

In a world where every fact is instantly available, why are we still testing students on knowledge retention? 📉

On the latest episode of The International Classroom, I sat down with EdTech veteran Al Kingsley at AIDUCATION26 to discuss exactly that.

We dove into his session, "AI as a Catalyst for Education Reform & Digital Equity," and tackled the awkward questions school leaders are actively trying to avoid.

The reality? Employers no longer care who the "smartest" kid in the room is. They want the most skilled. AI isn't going to replace the human element of teaching; it is going to force us to value those human skills—like oracy, literacy, and empathy—more than ever before.

Are we finally ready to move past the knowledge-retention model of education?#TheInternationalClassroom #AIinEducation #EdTech #EducationReform #AlKingsley #FutureOfLearning #AIDUCATION26

Can a PE teacher with no formal coding background solve the biggest headache in education? In this episode of Show Us Your Stack, Alex and Darren are joined by Tom Raithby, the creator of Chalkd.

Tom shares his incredible journey of "vibe coding"—using AI to build AI—to create a platform that automates grading and provides high-quality, personalised feedback for students. From navigating the Google Gemini ecosystem to marking 140+ A-Level papers in 48 hours, Tom dives deep into the tech, the triumphs, and the friction of being a teacher-founder in 2026.

Key Takeaways:

• Vibe Coding is Real: Tom explains how he used tools like Kero, Anti-gravity, and Claude Code to build a complex architecture without traditional CS training.

• The Google Advantage: Why building within the Google Cloud/Vertex AI ecosystem provides the security and compliance schools require.

• Feedback Loops: How Chalkd uses Gemini 1.5 Pro for heavy OCR/handwriting tasks and Flash for quick generative reporting.

• The "Teacher in the Loop" Philosophy: Why AI shouldn't replace teachers, but rather "close the loop" on feedback faster than ever before.

• Website: https://chalkd-ai.com

• Guest: Tom Raithby, Frederick Gough School.

• Frontend: React / Vercel

• Backend: Python / Firestore

• AI Models: Google Gemini 1.5 Pro & Flash

• Coding Tools: Cursor, Claude Code, Kero, Anti-gravity.

#EdTech #AIinEducation #VibeCoding #TeacherProductivity #Chalkd #GoogleGemini #ShowUsYourStack

🔗 Connect with Tom & Chalkd:🛠️ The Stack Mentioned:

Are school leaders avoiding the most critical conversation about how students are actually using Artificial Intelligence?

In this episode of The International Classroom, Alex Gray sits down with Matthew Wemyss—the architect behind the AIDUCATION conference—for a deep dive into the real-world evolution of AI in schools. Matthew unpacks the massive success of the CreateCodeChange awards, where students used Canva to build prototype apps solving UN Sustainable Development Goals.

They also tackle the "awkward question" SLTs need to address: the rising trend of teenagers turning to AI chatbots for mental health and relationship advice. Plus, Matthew shares his philosophy on preventing cognitive atrophy, why he shudders at the term "thought leader," and why schools should start flow-coding their own bespoke apps to solve niche administrative problems.#AIinEducation #EdTech #SchoolLeadership #TheInternationalClassroom #MatthewWeymss #AIDUCATION26 #FutureOfLearning #EducationPodcast

Are we accidentally widening the educational equity gap by handing out AI tools too quickly?

In this episode of The International Classroom, Alex Gray sits down with Chris Loveday and Amelia King to explore the intersection of the operational backend and the cognitive classroom layer. They unpack why giving students an AI tool is only the second step in the digital equity journey, and why foundational training must come first to prevent students from offloading their critical thinking.

They also discuss the fascinating concept of "Red Teaming" AI in schools—from adults stress-testing bots for safeguarding risks (like asking an AI how to harm a tutor) to "metacognitive red teaming" where students inevitably try to get the AI to just do their homework for them.

Plus, find out why navigating AI in education feels a lot like being a contestant on Big Brother or Love is Blind.

Are our school IT departments falling dangerously behind the AI risk curve? And what do students really think about their teachers using AI in the classroom?

In this episode, Alex Gray sits down with Emma Darcy and James Garnett to discuss the very real friction between the pedagogy layer and the infrastructure layer in schools. They tackle the rising threat of deepfakes, why one-off AI safeguarding training doesn't work, and the massive disconnect between the teachers adopting the tech and the IT teams trying to secure it.

Plus, they share a powerful insight into the "student voice" and why young people desperately want to protect the authentic, intrinsic relationship they have with their educators.Don't forget to Subscribe for more conversations on the future of education, EdTech, and classroom innovation!

#AIinEducation #EdTech #SchoolLeadership #Deepfakes #StudentVoice #CyberSecurity #EducationPodcast

Are schools drowning in data but starving for actual information?In this episode, I speak with Matt Woodruff, founder of Open Education AI, about the urgent need to break down data silos in education. With over two decades in school governance and a PhD in ethical AI, Matt unpacks why the sector needs open-source, non-profit infrastructure so schools stop wasting money reinventing the wheel.We discuss the ethical tightrope of using predictive analytics to safeguard students versus accidentally labeling them, the four stages of data maturity in schools, and why jumping into every new AI tool is a lot like being a contestant on Love Island.