Should English Language Arts teachers subject their students’ writing to feedback from AI chat bots? This English teacher says a definitive, yes, even though others are quick to be skeptical. In fact, this is exactly the kind of area where AI’s efficiency can lead to educational gains.

The day before we returned to school from winter break in January 2026, we got a text from our superintendent informing us that we, as instructional leads, would be running a Math pilot in the back half of our school year. Although the timing was a bit surprising, the need was clearly evident, based on a least two clear factors. In the province of Alberta, we are a few years into a new K to 6 provincial curriculum across all core subjects. (In Canada, our curriculums are provincially mandated). Unlike previous curriculum changes, the government has not contracted any publishing companies to create print resources for any of the subjects that are now mandatory implementation.

YouTube video by Cammie Kannekens

YouTube video by FreshAirAtFive

Here's another "T" in Fun with Google A-Z! This time T is for Teachable Machine!

If your schools and teachers are eager to get started using Google Class Tools, but they can "find" where to start, read on to find the most likely solution. What is Google Class Tools? It's a classroom management solution for ChromeOS that gives teachers device management capabilities. With Class Tools, teachers can manage up to 50 student ChromeOS devices, and support multilingual students with real time translation. In Class Tools "Focus" mode, for example, teachers can push specific tabs to students for a specific time period. During that time, students cannot access any other material on their devices.

A carefully curated YouTube video can be a key lesson ingredient. However, as we move more and more toward self-paced learning, it's often difficult to tell if our students are actually watching the videos that we've painstakingly selected or created ourselves. If you have access to Google WorkSpace Plus, the Google Classroom feature that allows you to add custom questions to YouTube in Assignments is a great way to add accountability and engagement.

Have you tried Google Vids yet? It is the FREE Flip(grid) replacement that I have been waiting for! It's intuitive and collaborative... and easy to learn, especially if you start with the Intro to Vids course the Google Skill Shop.

YouTube video by FreshAirAtFive

YouTube video by Classrooms Beyond Borders

YouTube video by Diffit For Teachers

Love the community but not the email flood? As Google Educator Group (GEG) Instructional Coaches launches, it's a good time for a reminder of how to keep the messages manageable inside a Google Group.

YouTube video by Diffit For Teachers

Here’s my San Antonio ISTE+ASCD 2025 time capsule – a place to look back on the 2025 version of this conference and remember all the things. Some special things include being name one o…

Here's my San Antonio ISTE+ASCD 2025 time capsule - a place to look back on the 2025 version of this conference and remember all the things. Some special things include being name one of approximately 35 "2025 Featured Voices" and traveling with my school district colleague, Heather - we attended our first ever ISTE together in 2018. Another one of the most delightful delightful parts of attending ISTE+ASCD 2025 was seeing over half of our Chicago 2024 Google Innovator Academy crew. From presenting at the same playgrounds to hanging out at all the after hours meet ups and cheering each other on in sessions, it’s a great reminder of how honoured I am to be part of the #Chi24 cohort.

NotebookLM has added “Featured Notebooks”! 💥Imagine what you can do with the complete works of Shakespeare at your research finger tips! New blog post and overview video.

Ideas from this blog will be presented at the Future Ready Playground at ISTE+ASCD 2025 in San Antonio Texas on Wednesday, July 2. As a career humanities teacher, I feel that I am in a group of educators most thoroughly rocked by the prevalence and quick adoption of generative AI. It is here to stay, and it's going to totally reshape what writing and written communication even mean. Early calls from my language arts counterparts advocated for AI checkers so that we could catch students who are cheating using AI. It quickly became evident that AI checkers are very unreliable and most universities and schools do not support their use.

YouTube video by Classrooms Beyond Borders

Coming to the world 🌍 this week! NEW!! Classrooms Beyond Borders Podcast 🎙️ Join me as we step into classrooms across the globe. Our goal is to understand the various realities that teachers and students face in classrooms and countries that get less media attention.

The International Society for Technology and Education (@ISTE) is the leading professional organization for educators working in the field of educational technology. At the end of June in San Antonio, I’m excited to be attending and presenting…and honoured to be chosen as one of about 30 presenters designated as a “Featured Voice”. This conference, held jointly this year with ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), will have over 18 000 attendees and 1200 sessions and a massive Vendor hall. I'm excited to be presenting in conjunction with dozens of my favourite edtech colleagues in sessions and playgrounds.

Get a jump on learning about Canva's new features: Sheets, Magic Charts, Magic Insights - join my in this hands on virtual training session!

Careful scaffolding and repetition of good digital habits make a difference. Like all attention to teaching Executive Function skills, time invested early and skills reinforced often save time and frustration throughout the rest of the school year, and beyond into the student's educational career.

Cammie's Snorkl slide deck of sample activities and screenshots. In an AI-infused world where we need to change how we have traditionally taught things like writing, Snorkl.app is a great solution. Increasing use of oral responses is a way to get at what students really know ... but teachers worry that "listening" can be time consuming! Snorkl offers accurate and instant feedback to oral and written responses. The instant feedback even encourages students to improve their answer... without being asked! I'm most excited about it for Math and Science teachers. It is excellent for ALL subjects, but is such a great way to students…

Take a free MagicSchool Certification Course to maximize your teacher AI expertise. Learn how to harness the power of generative AI for educators to better support you and your students.

Help students build and practice vocabulary with personalized sessions using SchoolAI.com. Check out these 2 vocabulary boosting spaces. #AIedu #AIinEDU

We've just finished hosting a Giant Map of Canada from Canadian Geographic for 2 weeks in our school district. This is the 3rd time we've brought in one of these gymnasium-sized super maps to our district for a district tour. As a Social Studies teacher of over 25 years, these days as the chauffeur and learning host of the giant map do make my heart happy. You can read about the 2023 map tour here, or the 2022 map tour here. Every map has been different so learning and discussion opportunities shift, but at the end of the day, a map is a map!

The sixth topic in our "About AI" mini-series focuses on why it is so crucial that we, as learners, do not become over reliant on AI. Consider several "over-reliance" analogies as you work toward creating your own.