In this episode, I’m joined by Mariya Gluzman to explore how educators can use Notebook LM to support—not replace—student thinking.

We discuss how AI is shifting instruction from product to process, and how tools like Notebook LM can help structure deeper learning, safer AI use, and more intentional instructional design.

• AI should supplement thinking, not replace it
• Traditional plagiarism detection is no longer reliable → task design must change
• Strong instruction in an AI era = process, scaffolding, and feedback loops
• NotebookLM creates a closed, source-based AI environment for learning
• Educators can use AI to generate:
• AI can act as a “study buddy” to support skill development
• The real shift is from knowing about AI → learning with AI

The challenge isn’t access to AI—it’s designing learning experiences where AI enhances thinking instead of bypassing it.

Mariya Gluzman LinkedIn Page

Brooklyn College Academic Information Technologies

Music by Aylex

Leadership Isn’t About the Idea as much as It’s About the Decision

Most leaders have great ideas. The difference? Execution lives in the shadow between idea and reality.

In this podcast episode, we speak with Norman Hunter - author of the book "Between the Idea and the Reality: Decision-Making for the Thinking Educational Leader".

We dive into:

Why decision-making defines leadership

How great leaders think beyond the obvious

What it really takes to move from concept → impact

If you’re leading a school, team, or classroom… this one hits.

Listen in and rethink how you lead.

Norm Hunter LinkedIn Page

Between the Idea and the Reality - Book (Amba Press)

What can crossword puzzles teach us about learning?

In this episode of the Have a Life Teaching Podcast, I speak with crossword constructor and social scientist Natan Last, author of Across the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle.

We explore how crossword puzzles bring together language, mathematics, history, and creative thinking—and why they can be powerful tools for classroom learning.

Natan explains how crossword solving strengthens decoding skills, pattern recognition, and productive struggle. We also discuss how puzzles reflect cultural moments in history and how teachers can use crossword creation as a collaborative learning activity.

If you’re looking for ways to help students think more strategically and deeply, this conversation offers surprising insights.

Topics in this episode

• How crossword puzzles develop analytical and creative thinking

• Why the best solvers rely on pattern recognition—not just knowledge

• The mathematics behind crossword grid design

• Crossword puzzles as cultural and historical artifacts

• Using crossword creation as a classroom learning strategy

• How puzzles foster collaboration and community

Guest

Natan Last is a crossword constructor whose puzzles appear in The New York Times and The New Yorker. He is also a social scientist whose research focuses on migration and asylum policy.

Natan Last LinkedIn Page

Natan Last Website

Natan Last Book - Across the Universe

Music by Aylex