Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher

I blog at the Coolcatteacher.com this is just a fun blog with lots of short opinions and quotes. If you love kids, teaching, and living a productive, good life - let's tumblr together! @coolcatteacher

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Brain Friendly Reading Strategies That Actually Work

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Lots of awesome strategies for reading teachers to help children learn how to read from Malia Hollowell.

[coolcatteacher]

Inquiry Based Learning Made Simple for K-8

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On today's podcast we learn about how to bring inquiry based learning into all grade levels #kindergarten #elementary and #middleschool with Terr Tarango. #inquirybasedlearning #classroomideas

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6 Ideas for Teaching Writing Now With Nancy McCabe

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Nancy McCabe shares six ways to engage your elementary students in writing. She also shares some common mistakes. She has some great ideas!

[coolcatteacher]

Clixo: The Must Have STEAM Toy That Bends the Rules of Play

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I just reviewed one of Time Magazines 2025 Inventions of the year, Clixo. It is an amazing STEAM toy that promotes screen free time and design thinking #sponsored by #Clixo

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How Speakable Solves the 5 Biggest Challenges Language Learning Teachers Face Daily

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My friend Dawne Beck teaches ELA and Spanish 2 across the hall from me. Her classroom is full of laughter and learning and I love it. She tested this AI pronunciation tool for me and it was awesome! Here's her #sponsored review of #Speakable and how she uses it to teach pronunciation.

[coolcatteacher]

How to Teach Spanish with Games, Fun, and AI

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I enjoyed talking to my friend Dawne Beck about how she uses #Speakable to teach Spanish pronunciation and all of the other things she does to #TeachSpanish #sponsored

She teaches across the hall from me and we have so much fun!

[coolcatteacher]

Fun Grammar Strategies That Actually Work

Can grammar really be fun? Yes! In this episode, literacy coach and author Patty McGee shares fresh, playful ways to teach grammar that actually work—and won't leave kids groaning.

If you've ever struggled to make grammar stick, you'll love these shame-free, curiosity-fueled strategies that bring joy and purpose back into your language lessons. (And personally I also like that there can be alternatives to diagramming sentences.)

Solution Tree 💼 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree. For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts to deliver research-driven professional development that helps teachers turn their passion into real progress for their students. 👉 See the results they’ve helped schools achieve at SolutionTree.com/10MinuteTeacher

Highlights Include

How to Break Grammar Shame: Why traditional approaches often fail—and what works better

Sentence-Based Strategies: From simple to complex, how sentence play builds understanding

Fun, Free, and Flexible Ideas: SPF-approved activities that require no fancy tools

🔗 Show page: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e892 

Call to Action

📲 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. 🎧 Don’t miss an episode of the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast!

New 10 Minute Teacher Podcast episode

[coolcatteacher]

Fun Grammar Strategies That Actually Work

Can grammar really be fun? Yes! In this episode, literacy coach and author Patty McGee shares fresh, playful ways to teach grammar that actually work—and won't leave kids groaning.

If you've ever struggled to make grammar stick, you'll love these shame-free, curiosity-fueled strategies that bring joy and purpose back into your language lessons. (And personally I also like that there can be alternatives to diagramming sentences.)

Solution Tree 💼 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree. For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts to deliver research-driven professional development that helps teachers turn their passion into real progress for their students. 👉 See the results they’ve helped schools achieve at SolutionTree.com/10MinuteTeacher

Highlights Include

How to Break Grammar Shame: Why traditional approaches often fail—and what works better

Sentence-Based Strategies: From simple to complex, how sentence play builds understanding

Fun, Free, and Flexible Ideas: SPF-approved activities that require no fancy tools

🔗 Show page: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e892 

Call to Action

📲 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. 🎧 Don’t miss an episode of the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast!

New Podcast Episode

[coolcatteacher]

Teaching Math in 2025: Dan Meyer on Tools, Trends, and True Engagement

How do we move beyond drill-and-kill and actually engage students in math? In this visionary episode, Dan Meyer shares how Desmos and Amplify are transforming math classrooms—and what every teacher needs to know for the future of math instruction.

Highlights from Dan Meyer include:

• Real-Time Math Engagement: How Desmos shifts math from static worksheets to dynamic experiences. How Amplify also works in this area. • Embedded PD That Works: Why the best professional development happens inside the tools teachers already use. • The Mindset Shift: Why great math teachers start with what students already know—not just what’s in the book.

🔗 Episode Page:

https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e901 

💬 Call to Action:

📲 Tag a teacher friend who needs to hear this!

New Podcast Episode

[coolcatteacher]

Teaching Math in 2025: Dan Meyer on Tools, Trends, and True Engagement

How do we move beyond drill-and-kill and actually engage students in math? In this visionary episode, Dan Meyer shares how Desmos and Amplify are transforming math classrooms—and what every teacher needs to know for the future of math instruction.

Highlights from Dan Meyer include:

• Real-Time Math Engagement: How Desmos shifts math from static worksheets to dynamic experiences. How Amplify also works in this area. • Embedded PD That Works: Why the best professional development happens inside the tools teachers already use. • The Mindset Shift: Why great math teachers start with what students already know—not just what’s in the book.

🔗 Episode Page:

https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e901 

💬 Call to Action:

📲 Tag a teacher friend who needs to hear this!

New 10 Minute Teacher Podcast episode

[coolcatteacher]

56% of New Teachers in Texas Are Uncertified: The Impact on Learning

Is passion enough to teach? In this powerful episode, Dr. Jacob Kirksey—Assistant Professor of Education Policy at Texas Tech University—reveals research on the rise of uncertified teachers (56% of new teachers in Texas are uncertified) and the real cost to student learning. Discover why teacher training matters more than ever and how we can fix the broken pipeline in education.

💼 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree. For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts to deliver research-driven professional development that helps teachers turn their passion into real progress for their students. 👉 See the results they’ve helped schools achieve at SolutionTree.com/10MinuteTeacher

🧠 Highlights of this episode include: • The Cost of Uncertified Teachers: Students lose 3–4 months of learning in a single year when taught by uncertified teachers. • Impact on Dyslexia Diagnosis: Early learners are significantly less likely to be diagnosed correctly when taught by uncertified educators. • Veteran Teachers Under Strain: Certified teachers are absorbing the load—facing burnout, pacing gaps, and unfair support burdens.

🔗 Episode Page: www.coolcatteacher.com/e890

🎧 Love the show? Don’t miss an episode — subscribe, leave a review, and share with a fellow educator!

    New 10 Minute Teacher Podcast episode

[coolcatteacher]

56% of New Teachers in Texas Are Uncertified: The Impact on Learning

Is passion enough to teach? In this powerful episode, Dr. Jacob Kirksey—Assistant Professor of Education Policy at Texas Tech University—reveals research on the rise of uncertified teachers (56% of new teachers in Texas are uncertified) and the real cost to student learning. Discover why teacher training matters more than ever and how we can fix the broken pipeline in education.

💼 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Solution Tree. For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts to deliver research-driven professional development that helps teachers turn their passion into real progress for their students. 👉 See the results they’ve helped schools achieve at SolutionTree.com/10MinuteTeacher

🧠 Highlights of this episode include: • The Cost of Uncertified Teachers: Students lose 3–4 months of learning in a single year when taught by uncertified teachers. • Impact on Dyslexia Diagnosis: Early learners are significantly less likely to be diagnosed correctly when taught by uncertified educators. • Veteran Teachers Under Strain: Certified teachers are absorbing the load—facing burnout, pacing gaps, and unfair support burdens.

🔗 Episode Page: www.coolcatteacher.com/e890

🎧 Love the show? Don’t miss an episode — subscribe, leave a review, and share with a fellow educator!

    New Podcast Episode

[coolcatteacher]

8 Insights About Early Childhood Education

Isabelle Hau, executive director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, joins Vicki Davis to explore why the early years gap is our greatest educational inequity. Discover how 90% of brain development happens before age five and why relationships are fundamental to learning. Hau's book "Love to Learn" (the #1 new release on Amazon in Early Childhood Education) reveals why we need more "relational intelligence" in education and less focus on standardized metrics. She explains why young children today play 50% less outdoors than their parents did and how early childhood educators are literally "sculpting brains." A must-listen for anyone passionate about early childhood education!

Show notes, bio, and infographic at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e889

Solution Tree - Show Sponsor

For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts to deliver research-driven professional development that helps teachers turn their passion into real progress for their students. See the results they’ve helped schools achieve at SolutionTree.com/10MinuteTeacher. 

New Podcast Episode

[coolcatteacher]

8 Insights About Early Childhood Education

Isabelle Hau, executive director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, joins Vicki Davis to explore why the early years gap is our greatest educational inequity. Discover how 90% of brain development happens before age five and why relationships are fundamental to learning. Hau's book "Love to Learn" (the #1 new release on Amazon in Early Childhood Education) reveals why we need more "relational intelligence" in education and less focus on standardized metrics. She explains why young children today play 50% less outdoors than their parents did and how early childhood educators are literally "sculpting brains." A must-listen for anyone passionate about early childhood education!

Show notes, bio, and infographic at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e889

Solution Tree - Show Sponsor

For over 25 years, Solution Tree has partnered with schools and districts to deliver research-driven professional development that helps teachers turn their passion into real progress for their students. See the results they’ve helped schools achieve at SolutionTree.com/10MinuteTeacher. 

New 10 Minute Teacher Podcast episode

[coolcatteacher]

5 Ways to Help Students Succeed in School and Life

Daron Franklin also known as “Coach Frank,” is a former Algebra I teacher turned human performance coach. His practical advice to help teachers reach kids and to help kids reach their goals is spot on. He talks about strategies for improving student motivation.

Additionally, he shares the importance of building relationships and things you can say and do to support student mental health. I like how he encourages us teachers to be honest when we make mistakes (we all make them.) He also encourages us to bring relevance into every lesson. Finally, his encouragement to develop keystone habits is something we can all do.

Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e888

Download the infographic and read Coach Frank's bio on the show notes page.

New Podcast Episode

[coolcatteacher]

5 Ways to Help Students Succeed in School and Life

Daron Franklin also known as “Coach Frank,” is a former Algebra I teacher turned human performance coach. His practical advice to help teachers reach kids and to help kids reach their goals is spot on. He talks about strategies for improving student motivation.

Additionally, he shares the importance of building relationships and things you can say and do to support student mental health. I like how he encourages us teachers to be honest when we make mistakes (we all make them.) He also encourages us to bring relevance into every lesson. Finally, his encouragement to develop keystone habits is something we can all do.

Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e888

Download the infographic and read Coach Frank's bio on the show notes page.

New 10 Minute Teacher Podcast episode

[coolcatteacher]

How to Actually Engage Students Who Have Zero Attention Span

Dr. Marc Isseks, author of Captivate: Engaging and Empowering Students in a World of Digital Distractions, talks bluntly about cell phone policies and his opinion that attempting to ban cell phones is pointless. He also discusses the ways that you can engage students who have a short attention span (sometimes it feels like zero, but there are a few seconds -- 3 seconds. Some would say that is zero!)

His thoughts on starting class are important ones to discuss. Whether it is pop culture, or other tips he offers, we can engage students in learning from the moment they walk in the door.

Show notes: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e877

  New 10 Minute Teacher Podcast episode