The Liminal Zone: End-of-School-Year Activities That Aren’t Just Busywork

Five Questions That Changed How I Use Technology in My Classroom

In this episode of If Teachers Ruled the World, Leah Cleary cuts through the noise on classroom technology decisions with a five-question framework built for real teachers in real classrooms. From note-taking to a Theory of Knowledge project that became a film collaboration, Leah shares the stories and thinking behind intentional technology use so educators can stop defaulting to devices and start making edtech strategies that actually serve student learning. Check out the show notes here: leahcleary.com/five-questions-for-intentional-technology-use [https://leahcleary.com/five-questions-for-intentional-technology-use/]

AI in Education: What Teachers Need to Know Right Now

Schools are banning AI. But 86% of students are already using it (with or without teacher guidance). In this Teacher Reality Check, Leah makes the case that ignoring artificial intelligence in schools doesn't protect students. It just means they figure it out on their own, the same way they figured out social media. She examines the research on AI literacy and teacher training, tackles the deskilling argument head-on, breaks down the equity stakes of AI bans in under-resourced schools, and offers a clear framework for what ethical AI use actually looks like in the classroom. If you've been waiting for someone to say the nuanced thing about AI in education -- this is that episode. Check out the show notes here: leahcleary.com/ai-in-education [https://leahcleary.com/ai-in-education/]

The Tech Pendulum: Are We Solving the Wrong Problem in Education?

The anti-technology movement in schools is moving fast -- 26 states have passed laws limiting or banning classroom devices, and 22 of those happened in 2025 alone. But is the backlash actually solving the right problem? In this Teacher Reality Check, Leah Cleary traces the full history of technology in education -- from the one-to-one device boom of the early 2010s, to what the pandemic did to classroom technology habits, to the legislative avalanche happening right now. Along the way, she unpacks what the research on educational technology actually says, explains why the phone ban conversation and the classroom technology conversation are not the same thing, and makes the case that when it comes to technology integration in the classroom, the problem was never the Chromebooks. It was always how we were using them. Plus: the one question every teacher should ask before assigning any tech-based task -- and a look ahead at the If Teachers Ruled the World summer series on edtech policy and practical classroom strategies. If you've been watching the anti-tech pendulum swing and wondering whether anyone is going to say the quiet part out loud -- this episode is for you. Be sure to check out the show notes here: leahcleary.com/technology-in-education [https://leahcleary.com/technology-in-education/]

Teacher Summer Advice: Rest, Reflect, and Let Go

What's the best teacher summer advice? I asked nine of my colleagues on the last day of school. And what they said will stick with you all summer. From permission to fully unplug, to a two-part summer strategy for veterans, to one line of pure wisdom from our English department chair, this episode is teachers talking to teachers about rest, recharge, and letting go. Because teacher burnout recovery doesn't start with a plan. It starts with permission. If Teachers Ruled the World, Episode 45. Find the show notes here: leahcleary.com/teacher-summer-advice [https://leahcleary.com/teacher-summer-advice/]

The Bookend: A Teaching Career Change After 25 Years in the Classroom

Are you actively choosing your teaching career, or just never choosing to leave? In this episode, Leah Cleary talks about her own teaching career change after 25 years in the classroom. What led her to resign, why she is trading AP history and department chair for seventh grade ELA, and what teacher work life balance actually looks like when you finally choose your whole life over your resume. If you're navigating teacher burnout and career transitions, or just carrying a weight you can't quite name, this episode's your permission slip. Listen in.