My EdTech Life

Episode 339: Merissa Sadler-Holder | Teaching with Machines  In this episode of My EdTech Life, Dr. Fonz Mendoza talks with Merissa Sadler-Holder [https://www.linkedin.com/in/msadlerholder/], founder of Teaching with Machines [https://www.teachingwithmachines.com/]. Merissa shares her journey from French teacher to AI consultant and shows how educators can embrace AI without losing their voice, creativity, or purpose. They discuss what human-centered AI really means in the classroom, how to build meaningful professional development, and ways to keep teaching focused on people instead of platforms. Merissa also breaks down her AI Coherence Cycle, explains why teachers should stop chasing every new tool, and highlights the power of authenticity in a world full of automation. This episode will help you rethink AI in education and remind you that the real value is you. Timestamps 00:00 — Intro & Sponsors  01:00 — Meet Merissa Sadler-Holder  03:00 — From French Teacher to Teaching with Machines  06:00 — The Aha Moment: Seeing AI’s Potential  10:00 — What Human-Centered AI Really Means  14:00 — Helping Students Find Their Authentic Voice  20:00 — The AI Coherence Cycle Explained  24:00 — Making PD Meaningful and Ongoing  28:00 — Avoiding the “Shiny Tool” Trap  33:00 — Ethics, Data Privacy & District Challenges  36:00 — Involving Parents and Communities  38:00 — Teaching is Messy—And That’s Good  41:00 — Preview: Speaking at EdTech Week NYC  44:00 — The Future of Teacher-Built Tools  49:00 — The Value is YOU  55:00 — Closing Thoughts + Stay Techie Connect with Merissa Website: teachingwithmachines.com [https://www.teachingwithmachines.com] Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1403469100515516/] Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Huge thanks to Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast], Eduaide.AI [https://www.eduaide.ai/], and Yellowdig [https://yellowdig.co/] for supporting our mission to amplify educator voices and spark meaningful conversations about the future of learning. Stay Techie! ✌️ Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

Captivate Your Classroom with Dr. Marc Isseks In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Dr. Marc Isseks [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcisseks/], author of Captivate [https://amzn.to/46JoAfS], to explore how educators can break free from “cognitive entrenchment” and rediscover what it means to truly engage learners. Marc brings over 30 years of classroom, curriculum, and leadership experience, and his insights will challenge the way you think about teaching, technology, and student voice. We dig into why success can sometimes stop us from growing, how teachers can overcome rigidity and the dreaded phrase “this is the way we’ve always done it,” and why technology should be treated as a microphone, not an encyclopedia. Marc shares stories that will resonate with every educator—from rethinking assessment to giving students choice and voice in their learning. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, administrator, or EdTech leader, this conversation will spark reflection and give you fresh ideas to amplify student engagement and your own growth as an educator. Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to My EdTech Life + Sponsor shoutout 01:00 – Introducing Dr. Marc Isseks and his 31 years in education 04:00 – The story behind Captivate [https://amzn.to/46JoAfS] and why he wrote it 08:00 – Breaking cognitive entrenchment in schools 12:00 – Test #3 story: why success can stall innovation 16:00 – Technology shifts: from Tic-Tac-Toe to TikTok 21:00 – Engagement vs. learning: choosing the right apps 25:00 – Tech as a microphone, not an encyclopedia 30:00 – Process over product: lessons from Pixar 35:00 – The three new R’s: remixing, recording, researching 40:00 – Reframing screen time, dopamine, and classrooms 44:00 – Marc’s biggest takeaways for educators 47:00 – Rapid-fire closing questions 48:30 – How to connect with Marc + final thoughts  Big thanks to our amazing sponsors for supporting this mission: Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] – where student stories come to life Eduaide.ai [https://www.eduaide.ai/] – empowering teachers with smarter tools Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/] – building communities that thrive Stay inspired. Stay innovative. Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

La IA no reemplaza al maestro con Pedro Aparicio En este episodio de My EdTech Life, converso con Pedro Aparicio [https://x.com/Aparicio_Pedro]sobre un tema que nos toca a todos: el papel real de la IA en el aula y el rol insustituible del docente. Desde la mirada de Latinoamérica, Pedro nos comparte cómo la tecnología puede ser una aliada cuando se usa con intención, verificación y presencia humana. Hablamos del retroceso post-COVID, las falsas promesas de “2 horas al día”, el riesgo de caer en el hype y por qué el mejor recurso en el aula siempre será el docente. Este episodio es una invitación a reflexionar, cuestionar y seguir creciendo como educadores. Capítulos:  00:00 Bienvenida y agradecimiento a patrocinadores  02:00 Reencuentro con Pedro y el contexto en LatAm  07:00 ¿Cómo se percibe la IA en México y la región?  12:00 Dos bandos: entusiasmo vs. preocupación informada  19:00 Post-COVID: el riesgo de volver al “así se ha hecho siempre”  23:00 Las falsas promesas de “2 horas al día”  31:00 Uso responsable: intención, verificación y profundidad  35:00 NotebookLM y la creación de recursos útiles  41:00 “Cada viaje inicia con un pequeño paso”  54:00 Mensaje final y reflexiones Un agradecimiento especial a nuestros patrocinadores Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast], Eduaide.AI [https://www.eduaide.ai/] y Yellowdig [https://yellowdig.co/] por hacer posibles estas conversaciones que importan. Until next time, don't forget, Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

The Business of You with Marnie Stockman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marniestockman/] and Nick Coniglio In this episode of My EdTech Life, Dr. Fonz Mendoza sits down with Marnie Stockman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marniestockman/] and Nick Coniglio [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-coniglio-5b62153/] to explore their book The Business of You. [https://www.thebusinessofyou.ai/] They share how students, educators, and professionals alike can begin running their lives like a well-led company—by becoming the CEO, CMO, HR, and CFO of their own story. We also talk about adaptability, time as capital, the importance of asking better questions, and their upcoming project Blue, a gamified app designed to help students lead themselves first. Whether you’re a teacher guiding students, a counselor preparing learners for college and career, or someone seeking personal growth, this conversation is packed with insights on why the most important project you’ll ever work on is yourself. Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome & sponsor thanks  03:00 – Nick’s journey into EdTech and authorship  04:15 – Marni’s path from math teacher to author  05:05 – What it means to be the CEO of you  06:30 – Running your life like a business: vision, skills, and story  10:45 – Sydney’s story and why it matters to students  16:00 – Branding as story: controlling your narrative  22:20 – The power of asking better questions  28:15 – Time and energy as your real capital  35:10 – Adaptability and designing your personal path  42:25 – Introducing Blue: gamifying personal growth for students  48:30 – Waitlist and book links  50:00 – Lead yourself first: final takeaways  52:00 – Fun wrap-up: kryptonite, reflections, and closing thoughts Learn More 📘 The Business of You – thebusinessofyou.ai [https://www.thebusinessofyou.ai/] Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] | Eduaide.AI [https://www.eduaide.ai/] | Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/] Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

Peel Back Education with April Braithwaite   Educators are the backbone of society, yet their stories often go unheard. In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with April Braithwaite [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilbraithwaite/?originalSubdomain=uk], founder of Peel Back Education [https://www.peelbackeducation.com/], a new project dedicated to telling the authentic stories of teachers. April shares how a late-night reflection sparked her mission to capture educator journeys in writing, giving teachers a platform that isn’t about products or checklists, it’s about dignity, recognition, and impact. We talk about the ripple effect of great teachers, the importance of narrative in sustaining educators, and how storytelling can bring healing, validation, and even systemic change. April opens up about the teachers who shaped her life, why she believes “you’re here for a reason,” and how she’s building a space where every educator can feel seen. If you’ve ever doubted whether your work matters, this episode is a reminder that your story could change lives. Timestamps * 0:00 Welcome and sponsor shout-outs * 2:00 How April and I first connected at TCEA * 3:20 The toothbrush epiphany that sparked Peel Back Education * 6:00 Moving beyond products: Why teacher stories matter * 8:30 The mentors who shaped my own journey in education * 11:20 April’s inspiration from her own teachers who believed in her * 14:30 How storytelling gives educators recognition and dignity * 19:00 The ripple effect of teachers and the seeds they plant * 24:00 Education as the backbone of society * 25:30 How educators can share their stories with Peel Back Education * 28:45 The overwhelming response after launch * 34:00 Future plans: from blog to clips to podcast * 36:00 Lightning round: EduKryptonite, billboards, and role swaps * 39:00 Closing reflections and ways to connect with April Big Thank You to Our Sponsors This episode is made possible thanks to the support of Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast], Eduaide.AI [https://www.eduaide.ai/], and Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/]. Your belief in these conversations helps keep My EdTech Life thriving and accessible to educators everywhere. Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]