Weaponizing Screen Time: The EdTech Debate with Short Answer Founder Adam Sparks

Weaponizing Screen Time: The EdTech Debate with Short Answer Founder Adam Sparks

What happens when the research driving school technology bans doesn't actually apply to classroom technology? Adam Sparks, founder of Short Answer and former classroom teacher, joins Leah Cleary for a conversation about the edtech debate, the anti-technology movement in schools, and what's actually happening on the ground -- grants declined, district renewals paused, teachers whose plans for next year just hit a wall. They get into the books fueling the backlash, why weaponizing screen time is misleading, what Short Answer does that paper can't, and how Adam keeps building intentional educational technology when the political winds are working against him. The season finale of the If Teachers Ruled the World summer series on technology in the classroom. Check out the show notes here: leahcleary.com/the-edtech-debate-with-adam-sparks [https://leahcleary.com/the-edtech-debate-with-adam-sparks/]

Teacher Voices on Technology: Not One Said Get Rid of It

Nine teacher voices on technology in the classroom (and not one said get rid of it). Leah Cleary hands the mic to nine educators across subjects and grade levels. A special education teacher, an ESOL teacher, a media specialist, science teachers, history teachers, and more. She asks what they actually think about the current anti-tech movement in schools. What emerges is striking: every concern is about cell phones, implementation, or purposeless use, not classroom technology itself. This is the teacher perspective that's missing from the policy conversation right now. Be sure to check out the show notes here: leahcleary.com/teacher-voices-on-technology [https://leahcleary.com/teacher-voices-on-technology/]

Stop Playing AI Police: How to Reimagine AI in the Classroom

A student once accused Leah of writing with AI. The evidence was her em dash. One tiny but incredibly versatile piece of punctuation. In this episode, she makes the case for why AI detection in the classroom's a losing game, why the adversarial stance it creates with students isn't sustainable, and what reimagining instruction around process over product actually looks like in practice. From writing in class with devices away, to rubrics that weight thinking over polish, to a deliberate sequence for where AI enters the writing process and where it doesn't -- this one's practical and built for teachers heading into a new school year who want real strategies instead of a detection arms race. Plus: a limited-time discount code for three teacher professional development courses, including the newly launched Reimagining Instruction in the Age of AI. Check out the show notes here: leahcleary.com/how-to-reimagine-ai-in-the-classroom/ [https://leahcleary.com/how-to-reimagine-ai-in-the-classroom/]

The Walk, the Lake, and the Laptop: What I Learned About Rest and Screens for Teachers

In this episode of If Teachers Ruled the World, Leah Cleary talks about her own complicated relationship with rest and screen time. From a walk that turned into an unexpected lesson on creativity to a confession about the laptop that follows her everywhere, she explores what teacher wellness requires when summer self-care usually just means a different to-do list. With research linking teacher social media use to burnout, a different take on digital detox, and a few practical strategies for protecting a genuine summer break, this episode is part wellness check and part permission slip for any teacher who's ever felt guilty for doing nothing. Check out the show notes at leahcleary.com/rest-and-screens-for-teachers [https://leahcleary.com/rest-and-screens-for-teachers/].

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/]