In this conversation, Sandra Magsamen discusses her approach to creating children's literature that emphasizes connection, love, and emotional intelligence. She shares insights into her creative process, the importance of feedback from readers, and how her work aims to foster self-love and connection between caregivers and children. Magsamen also reflects on her artistic journey, the role of perseverance, and the significance of storytelling in shaping lives.

Takeaways

Connection is at the heart of children's literature.
Love is an action that caregivers can demonstrate.
Books can provide comfort and emotional support to children.
Feedback from readers is validating and inspires future work.
Objects like books and blankets can hold deep emotional significance.
Stories can change lives and shape worldviews.
Curiosity fuels creativity and artistic expression.
Perseverance is essential in the creative process.
Every project is an opportunity to connect hearts.
The act of reading together fosters intimacy and connection.

Chapters

00:00 The Heart of Connection in Children's Literature
02:48 Love as an Action: The Role of Caregivers
05:34 Impactful Feedback: Stories from Readers
08:31 The Power of Objects and Books in Shaping Lives
11:06 Curiosity and Creativity: Fueling the Artistic Journey

Learn more about our special guest:

https://www.sandramagsamen.com/

Learn more with Jeff and Tricia

https://www.shiftingschools.com/

Our show is produced by Sagheer M.

Learn more:

https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01a20f0c0c32996d55

In this conversation, we explore the new collaborative picture book 'Rise Girl Rise', which explores themes of empowerment, friendship, and the importance of storytelling across cultures. They emphasize the book's role in inspiring the next generation and fostering a sense of shared humanity.

Gloria Steinem is a political activist, feminist organizer, and the author of many acclaimed books, including the national bestseller Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem. She is a contributor to the classic children's book Free to Be You and Me, which became a children's entertainment project, conceived, created, and executive-produced by actress and author Marlo Thomas, produced in collaboration with the Ms. Foundation for Women, and the Free to Be Foundation, both cofounded by Ms. Steinem, and most recently illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Ms. Steinem is also the co-founder of the National Women's Political Caucus and the Women's Media Center. In keeping with her deep commitment to establishing equality throughout the world, Ms. Steinem helped found Equality Now, Donor Direct Action, and Direct Impact Africa. To learn more, visit gloriasteinem.com.

Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist, social worker, and women's rights advocate. She is Founder and President of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa, based in Monrovia. As a writer, Ms. Gbowee is the author of the inspirational memoir Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War, and author of the children's book A Community of Sisters, illustrated by Coleen Baik. Ms. Gbowee is perhaps best known for leading a nonviolent movement that brought together Christian and Muslim women to play a pivotal role in ending Liberia's devastating, 14-year civil war in 2003.

Chapters

00:00 The Power of Picture Books
02:43 Friendship Across Cultures
05:15 Legacy and Call to Action

The Shifting Schools podcast is produced and edited by Sagheer M.

How is artificial intelligence being used in the NFL today?

In this solo episode of Shifting Schools, Tricia Friedman explores how AI is already shaping professional football, with a special focus on Super Bowl Sunday. Rather than speculation, this episode looks at concrete, current examples of how AI is influencing advertising, predictions, player safety, and fan experience.

Get the free conversation guide to share with friends and family:

https://open.substack.com/pub/k12aileadershipbrief/p/five-signals-of-change?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

This episode is designed as a conversation resource for educators, families, and anyone gathering around the Super Bowl, offering five clear lenses for discussing AI's role in sports and society.

What role does AI play in Super Bowl commercials?
Major brands, including OpenAI, are now using the Super Bowl to tell stories about AI itself, while many non-AI companies are using generative tools to shape persuasive advertising. Tricia invites listeners to compare past and present Super Bowl ads and consider how the rise of AI-driven storytelling may change the creative skills schools should prioritize.

What is the AI Influence Index and why does it matter?
For the first time, startup Emberos is tracking which Super Bowl ads are most visible inside large language models during the game. Instead of asking people at the watercooler which ads were memorable, this index asks which brands "win" inside AI systems like ChatGPT.

Can AI really predict Super Bowl winners?
Recent reporting from USA Today and CNET shows how generative AI models are being used to forecast playoff outcomes, Super Bowl scores, and even halftime show cameos. As these models improve, Tricia raises questions about how fans may rethink expertise, intuition, and luck in sports forecasting, and whether some fans will resist consulting AI altogether.

Why this episode matters for educators and families
This conversation goes beyond football. It models how adults can talk with one another about AI's influence in everyday life, notice differing attitudes toward technology, and ask longer-term questions about which changes are likely to last over the next decade.

Key discussion questions listeners can use on Super Bowl Sunday
– Does AI enhance or diminish creativity in advertising?
– Should brands optimize for human memory or AI visibility?
– If AI predictions outperform humans, how does that change our view of expertise?
– Where should decision-making authority sit when AI informs player safety?
– Does AI-driven commentary deepen or reduce the joy of debate in sports?

Subscribe to our free AI Forward newsletter to get the free conversation guide:

https://k12aileadershipbrief.substack.com/

Email thoughts or additional angles to Tricia at Tricia@shiftingschools.com.

What do puzzles teach us about being human. In this episode, Tricia talks with Allison Kane, Head of Puzzle Innovation at Highlights, about why puzzling matters far beyond entertainment. From Hidden Pictures and Wordle to classroom design and family learning, this conversation explores how puzzles build confidence, perseverance, and joyful learning across ages.

Learn more:

https://parents.highlights.com/printable-puzzles-and-mazes-puzzle-day-challenge

Allison shares her origin story as a lifelong puzzler, explains the idea of the satisfaction of the solve, and offers practical advice for educators and families who want to integrate puzzles into learning spaces. The conversation also looks at puzzle design, community building, and what adults model for young people when they choose curiosity over avoidance.

Topics covered
Allison Kane's path from Highlights intern to Head of Puzzle Innovation
Why puzzles support perseverance, confidence, and joyful learning
The satisfaction of the solve and why payoff matters
Puzzles as community builders in classrooms and families
Designing puzzles that challenge without frustrating
How educators can bring puzzles into classrooms easily
What adults model for kids through playful intellectual challenge
National Puzzle Day and the rise of puzzle communities

Puzzles are not just activities. They are invitations to practice thinking, persistence, and joy. When adults model engagement with challenge, they show young people that learning can feel good.

AI literacy in the classroom looks like students practicing judgment, sense-making, and self-awareness while working alongside AI, not replacing thinking with tools. It emphasizes mindset before mechanics.

In this episode of Shifting Schools, Jeff Utecht and Tricia Friedman frame AI literacy through the BAKE Mindset:

• Balance – Knowing when AI helps and when it doesn't

• Adaptability – Updating learning practices as tools change

• Knowledge Sharing – Making thinking visible and collective

• Empathy – Designing learning with student experience in mind

AI changes how research starts and what counts as learning.

Instead of:

• Finding information

• Rewriting sources

• Formatting citations

Students now practice:

• Comparing perspectives

• Identifying bias and heuristics

• Deciding what matters and why

Research becomes an exercise in judgment, not retrieval.

The episode traces this shift historically—from card catalogs to microfiche to Google—and positions AI tools as the next evolution rather than a rupture.

The conversation highlights several skills that remain human-led:

• Judgment – Evaluating ideas, not accepting outputs

• Question Formation – Using AI to clarify what to ask next

• Bias Awareness – Recognizing anchoring and confirmation effects

• Metacognition – Noticing learning gaps and strengths

AI supports these skills but does not perform them on a learner's behalf.

AI as a co-learner means:

• Students remain responsible for decisions

• AI offers scaffolding, variation, or clarification

• Learning paths stay human-directed

This mirrors patterns already familiar in education, including IEPs, 504 plans, and differentiated instruction.

AI literacy intersects with social-emotional learning by strengthening:

• Self-awareness of strengths and gaps

• Confidence in asking questions

• Comfort with uncertainty and revision

As students work with AI, they gain clearer insight into how they learn—not just what they produce.

• Classroom teachers rethinking research and assessment

• School leaders shaping AI literacy strategy

• Instructional coaches and curriculum designers

• Educators focused on mindset, SEL, and learning design

This episode is part of the BAKE Mindset series from Shifting Schools.

Ready to learn more:

https://www.shiftingschools.com/

Do you love the way this show is edited and produced?

If you are looking for an amazing producer, learn more about connecting with our very own, Sagheer M.

https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01a20f0c0c32996d55

In this episode of Shifting Schools, hosts Jeff Utecht and Tricia Friedman discuss their personal experiences over the holidays, leading into a broader conversation about the importance of mindset in education, particularly in relation to AI literacy. They introduce the 'BAKE Framework' as a tool for educators to navigate AI discussions, emphasizing the need for adaptability, empathy, and open communication. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in educational settings, encouraging educators to embrace change and foster a culture of experimentation and learning.

Takeaways

The importance of personal gifts and experiences in shaping our perspectives.

Mindset plays a crucial role in how we approach AI in education.

The Bake Framework offers a structured way to think about AI literacy.

Addressing concerns about AI requires empathy and understanding.

Adaptability is key for leaders navigating technological changes.

Misinformation about AI and its impacts must be addressed thoughtfully.

Conversations about AI should focus on perspectives and experiences.

Time is necessary for understanding and shifting opinions on AI.

Playfulness in experimentation can lead to better outcomes.

Educators should foster a culture of open dialogue and consideration.

Chapters

00:00 New Year Reflections and Personal Gifts
03:07 Mindset and AI in Education
05:47 The Bake Framework for AI Literacy
08:20 Addressing AI Concerns in Education
12:29 Adaptability and Playfulness in Leadership
17:46 Navigating Change and Misinformation
22:31 Conversations and Perspectives on AI

Learn more about Crayola Creativity Week

https://www.crayola.com/learning/creativity-week

Send Jeff and Tricia your questions and feedback:

info@shiftingschools.com

Learn with us in 2026

https://www.shiftingschools.com/

In this episode, host Tricia Friedman sits down with Dr. Michael Greger, bestselling author and founder of NutritionFacts.org, to explore why non-commercial, evidence-based health guidance matters more than ever. They discuss lifestyle medicine, plant-based nutrition, scientific integrity, cannabis research, and how small, testable behavior changes can dramatically improve long-term health.

Health advice is everywhere — but trustworthy guidance is not. This conversation slows things down and examines how to make informed choices in a noisy, commercialized health landscape, without absolutism, hype, or fear-based messaging.

Dr. Greger shares:

• Why he donates 100% of book proceeds to charity

• How lifestyle medicine transformed his own family's health

• What the science actually says about cannabis — both risks and benefits

• Why updating guidance as evidence evolves is a strength, not a weakness

• How social support, not willpower, determines whether health changes last

• Why non-commercial health information matters
  How financial incentives distort nutrition and medical guidance — and how to recognize bias.

• Lifestyle medicine in practice
  Diet, movement, and daily habits as powerful tools for disease prevention and reversal.

• Plant-based eating (defined clearly)
  What "plant-based" actually means — and what it doesn't.

• Cannabis: separating evidence from ideology
  What newer human studies reveal about cancer risk, pain management, and safer use.

• Scientific uncertainty and misinformation
  How peer-reviewed research works, where it fails, and how to interpret studies responsibly.

• Behavior change that sticks
  Why short-term "experiments," bodily feedback, and social support outperform rigid rules.

• Listeners overwhelmed by conflicting health advice

• Educators, parents, and caregivers navigating cannabis conversations

• Anyone curious about plant-based nutrition without extremism

• People interested in evidence-based, non-commercial wellness guidance

• Listeners looking for sustainable, realistic behavior change

Dr. Michael Greger is a physician, internationally recognized speaker, and New York Times bestselling author of How Not to Die. He is the founder of NutritionFacts.org, a nonprofit providing free, evidence-based nutrition research, and a leading voice in lifestyle medicine.

Chapters

1. Introduction and Non-Commercial Guidance

   - 0:00

2. Dr. Greger's Personal Story and Motivation

   - 3:15

3. Importance of Repeated Guidance and Lifestyle Changes

   - 6:30

4. Updated Book Topics: COVID, Cannabis, and Misinformation

   - 10:45

5. Science Communication and Challenges

   - 15:00

6. Plant-Based Diet and Personal Health Experiments

   - 19:15

7. Social Support and Sustainable Lifestyle Changes

   - 23:30

8. Closing Thoughts and Positive Messages

   - 27:45