How do you teach retelling in first grade without students telling every tiny detail—or barely telling you anything at all? In this episode of The Education Connection, we're wrapping up Part One of the Writing About Reading series with a simple approach to teaching students how to retell a story using the most important details. I'll share how I use a four-square graphic organizer to help first graders plan their thinking before they begin writing. We'll talk about what to include on the grap

Meet the remarkable Franci Paz Pienda, a sophomore at Amityville HS in Long Island, NY. At the recent school administrators' summer leadership retreat, Superintendent Dr. Gina Talbert invited a number of stakeholders, including student representatives, one of whom was Franci. He was outstanding- spoke up, participated, stayed up front, and was a star at the event. I said, "I gotta get him on the podcast!" & Here is this morning, Labor Day 9/7/26, at 10:10 am. Join us — we'll talk leadership thro

The most important EdTech skill might not be knowing which tool to use. It might be knowing when technology can actually help. New apps, platforms, and AI tools will always compete for your attention. Trying to keep up with all of them isn't realistic—and it isn't necessary. What educators need is a way to recognize opportunities, think critically about technology, and decide whether a tool will actually make learning or work better. That's the idea behind the Anytime EdTech Mindset. In Episo

Growth begins with awareness, but awareness requires the courage to see what is really happening. As school leaders, we often know what needs attention, yet we can resist looking closely because of the emotions, vulnerability, and uncertainty that come with facing the truth. In this episode, I explore the concept of awareness resistance and why we sometimes avoid the very information that could help us create change. I look at the patterns that keep us in the cycle of hype, disappointment, and

What’s the difference between main idea, central message, and moral of the story—and how do we teach those differences to first graders without making it complicated? In this episode of The Education Connection, we’re breaking down all three skills and looking at simple, developmentally appropriate ways to teach each one. Using The Tortoise and the Hare as a familiar example, we’ll look at: • Main Idea: What is the story mostly about? • Central Message: What does the author want us to unders

Summer Week 5: Summer Learning and Cars - FAAF 274 In this 274th episode, I share my reflections from August 24-29, 2026. Check out the WHOLE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST I put together with all the listens mentioned below: >>> bit.ly/E274FreshAirAtFivePlaylist <<< 25th: 10 Minute Teacher Podcast E976 “AI Agents Explained: What Teachers Need to Know”; The Easy EdTech Podcast E385 “10 Classroom Book Study Ideas for Any Subject”; Teach Lab with Justin Reich “Jessi Dukes on Teaching Through Emotions” 26th: T