Happy Friday, Reader!
Before you close the laptop this week, let’s make a little room for connection. I have an idea for bringing some fun into your classroom, a book for teachers who might be feeling the weight of the school year, and a couple of Gemini resources to explore.
I’m also excited to share the new TeacherCast website—and a question about what might come next.
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💡 Did You Know?
Make room for a little fun
As the weather gets colder, students may spend more time indoors for recess and gym. That extra energy can make its way into your classroom, too.
Remember: your classroom can be a fun, safe place to connect. It’s okay to set the curriculum aside for a moment and open or close class with a question that helps students engage with you and one another, not just the subject in the book.
Try this as an entrance or exit ticket: “If you could invent an indoor recess game, what would it be?”
A small moment of fun can be a way to build community before getting back to the work ahead.
📚 From My Bookshelf
I Didn’t Sign Up For This by Diane E. Manser
Diane is a former cohost of Digital Learning Today and the author of an amazing book for teachers who may be feeling a little stressed this time of year.
In I Didn’t Sign Up For This: One Classroom Teacher’s Journey Through Emotional Fatigue to Personal Empowerment, she shares classroom stories and reflections on the emotional side of teaching and her journey from emotional fatigue toward personal empowerment.
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📰 From My RSS Reader
From EduGems to EduPrompts
Eric Curts is giving his collection of educator AI prompts a new name: EduPrompts. He plans to make the existing prompts available as Gemini Skills and Gemini Notebooks while continuing to offer the text to copy into other AI tools.
Find one prompt that fits a task you already do, then adapt it to your needs. Review the output and avoid sharing sensitive student information.
Read Eric’s EduPrompts update
A step-by-step look at Google Gemini
Want to see some of these tools in action? Teacher’s Tech has a beginner-friendly Gemini walkthrough covering Skills, Gemini Notebook, connected apps, and scheduled actions. Availability may depend on your account and school settings.
Watch the Gemini tutorial
🎙️ From TeacherCast This Week
A new look for TeacherCast!
I’m excited to share that TeacherCast has a new look! The website is now organized around three pathways, making it easier to find a starting point for the work in front of you:
- Coaching — resources for supporting teachers and growing your coaching practice.
- Digital Learning — tutorials and ideas for using technology with purpose in the classroom.
- Creation & Productivity — explore podcasting, video, websites, and ways to create and share your work.
You can also visit the Free Educational Resources Center to find classroom and coaching toolkits. The resource pages use an email signup for delivery. If you’ve already requested a resource, look for your existing delivery email.
Pick the pathway that fits what you’re working on and explore what’s there.
💭 One Thing I’m Thinking About
What could TeacherCast become next?
As I’ve been working on the new TeacherCast website, one question keeps coming to mind:
How can TeacherCast become a place where teachers and coaches can bookmark and find the resources, tutorials, and ideas they need?
I’ve been thinking about what a TeacherCast membership space could look like and how it might help educators find useful support for their work. I have a big announcement coming next week, and I can’t wait to share more of my thoughts with you.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you: What’s one resource you wish you could find more easily when you need it? Hit reply and let me know.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Jeff Bradbury
Your Digital Learning Coach
Simplified Systems. Strategic Insights. Greater Impact!
