In this episode, Vicki Davis interviews James Clear, discusses the news and AI conversations happening in classrooms now, and talks about the tools she uses to build her 20 year platform in educational technology.

Show notes:

News - https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e900

James Clear - https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e381

This show and the full 3 part series on personal branding https://www.coolcatteacher.com/brandtips

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Cool Cat Teacher Talk, Vicki Davis opens up about the journey of building her platform with purpose and integrity. From early blogging days to international influence, she shares how her calling, faith, and values shaped every step. This episode isn’t just for educators who want to grow their voice—it’s for anyone navigating the tension between visibility and values.

Plus, in the opening news segment, Vicki unpacks the launch of World App’s WorldID—an iris-scanning ID system with major implications for privacy, education, and global identity verification. Highlights include: The Rise of WorldID & Biometric Concerns: Understand the ethical, privacy, and educational implications of a global ID system.

News Show Links: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e898

Personal Branding Show Notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/brandtips

• How Vicki Built Her Platform from Scratch: A candid journey from "what’s a blog?" to building a trusted education voice.
• Three Core Platform Principles for Educators: Learn how to align your strengths, understand your weaknesses, and stay true to your purpose.
• Navigating Sponsorships & Ethics: How to earn income and remain rooted in your values—without compromising integrity
• y. Faith, Family & Legacy: Vicki shares heartfelt insights about balancing influence with personal convictions, family, and long-term impact.

In this episode of Cool Cat Teacher Talk, host Vicki Davis and producer John Davis explore how both students and teachers can build a strong personal brand. Guests Elisabeth Bostwick and Dr. Will Deyamport join the conversation to share real-world advice on personal branding, reputation management, and guiding students in today’s digital age.

Highlights include:

• Practical strategies for building a positive digital footprint

• How students and teachers can "algorithm-proof" their reputation

• Inspiring personal branding stories and advice from top educators

• Insights on using Canva, Google Sites, and social media wisely

Resources:

• Personal Branding Resources: coolcatteacher.com/brandtips

• News Links and Headlines: coolcatteacher.com/e894

Subscribe and stay tuned for more ideas to elevate your teaching and learning journey!

Discover why students and teachers have mixed feelings about Artificial Intelligence in education. Learn about the pros and cons of AI from students and teachers themselves in this eye opening conversation. In this episode, Audrey Watters, Edtech's "Cassandra" talks about her concerns about artificial intelligence and the things we need to preserve in schools as we adopt its use.

Also, Vicki's students Will and Lucy talk about how students are using AI today, how students are beating AI detectors (the only students who get caught are those who don't really know how to use AI) and their thoughts about what teachers and professors should do at the beginning of each semester related to AI.

Additionally, Vicki's producer and son, John, joins the show to talk about what his recently graduated friends think about AI at work and also the perspectives of those who may not be fans as well as some positive uses even as we edit this show.

The full show notes can be found at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/talkai

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In this episode, award-winning educator Vicki Davis (that's me) explores how technology and innovative teaching strategies are revolutionizing the way we teach writing. From the inspiring story of Ms. Ezera Washington's transformative ELA classroom to practical tips on integrating tools like Book Creator, Minecraft, and even drones, this episode is packed with actionable insights for educators. Furthermore, I dive into this essential question by sharing 10+ practical, innovative strategies to transform writing instruction. Much of these are updates to chapters in my book Reinventing Writing published several years ago. I talk about the tools and ways you can better teach writing. This is part 1 which covers the tools, the writing landscape, and how teaching writing is changing. Part 2 will cover ideas from classroom teachers who are teaching writing now.

The episode will be posted here and on the show notes page at: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/talkwriting

Special Offer from Our Sponsor: 📖 Discover Book Creator and help your students unleash their creativity!

Sign up at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/bookcreator and use the code COOLCATTEACHER to get 3 months of Premium Book Creator FREE!

In this Cool Cat Teacher Talk episode, we will explore effective assessment strategies with Dr. Thomas Guskey, Becky Holden, Dr. Samuel Nix, Alan November, Mike Roberts, and Christie Thompson. We will talk about what makes an effective assessment and the importance of both formative and summative assessments. I'll share tools and how I use a custom GPT to give formative feedback for project-based learning. Experts and teachers will share tips for all grade levels as we focus on practical formative assessments.

Show notes and bios: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/talkassessment

In this heartfelt episode of Cool Cat Teacher Talk, we reflect on the remarkable careers of Mrs. Grace Adkins, who retired at age 94 after 77 years in education, and Mrs. Sharon Howard, who taught kindergarten for 44 years. These veteran educators share invaluable lessons on resilience, compassion, and the love of learning that every teacher can carry into their own classroom. Listen for timeless wisdom on creating a positive impact in students' lives. These women are spunky, vibrant women.

The episode with Grace Adkins was recorded five years before Mrs. Adkins retired when she was 89. She was my 4th grade teacher and colleague for 16 years. Mrs. Howard was my colleague at Sherwood Christian Academy and is such an amazing woman!

Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/talklegacy

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe here or on YouTube and subscribe to my weekly newsletter.

In this episode, we dive into essential qualities of effective school leadership. From building relationships to tackling teacher burnout, our guest principals and educational experts share their strategies for creating positive, high-impact school environments. Hear from award-winning principals like Tracie Anderson Swilley and Carlos Ramirez, alongside thought leaders George Couros, Eric Sheninger, and top episodes from the past including Nancy Blair, Chris Chappotin, Pam Moran and more…

This full episode and show notes can be found at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/talkleadership