If Teachers Ruled the World

The When Will We Ever Use This? Teaching Question: How to Balance Expectation and Reality

10 min · 5. Mai 2026
Episode The When Will We Ever Use This? Teaching Question: How to Balance Expectation and Reality Cover

Beschreibung

Ever had a student ask "when will we ever use this?" and known immediately it wasn't really about curiosity? In this episode, high school teacher and 25-year classroom veteran Leah Cleary shares a real story about handling student pushback in real time, without losing instructional momentum or getting pulled into a debate you didn't plan for. If you're looking for honest, practical classroom management strategies for handling off-task students and navigating end-of-year behavior, this episode's for you. Because sometimes the best response isn't a lengthy explanation. It's knowing when to move on.

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53 Folgen

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

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/]

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

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/].

23. Juni 202618 min
Episode AI in Education: What Teachers Need to Know Right Now Cover

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/]

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