Crossing the Line of Falling Behind: Where Is Your School on the AI Curve?

Crossing the Line of Falling Behind: Where Is Your School on the AI Curve?

Author: Jeff Utecht & Tricia Friedman November 10, 2025 Duration: 9:51

Summary

In this episode, Jeff Utecht discusses the critical importance of understanding where schools stand on the AI adoption curve. He emphasizes the need for leadership to actively engage with AI and for educators to integrate AI into their teaching practices. The conversation highlights the transformative potential of AI in education, urging schools to move from mere conversation to meaningful integration.

Learn more about our amazing show sponsor: Poll Everywhere


Takeaways

  • AI adoption is crucial for schools today.
  • Leadership must model AI usage and curiosity.
  • Schools are on a curve of AI adoption.
  • Teachers should empower students to engage with AI.
  • AI can enhance learning, not replace teachers.
  • Starting small with AI can lead to significant progress.
  • The goal is to move from conversation to integration.
  • AI tools should be used daily by educators.
  • Understanding AI is essential for future readiness.
  • Schools must not fall behind in AI integration.


Chapters

00:00 The Journey of AI in Education
02:37 Understanding the AI Adoption Curve
06:01 Empowering Schools to Embrace AI


Ever feel like the conversation around education moves faster than a school day? Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators is here to slow things down just enough for a meaningful dialogue. Hosted by practicing educators Jeff Utecht and Tricia Friedman, this podcast creates a necessary space for teachers and administrators to dig into the real work of modern teaching. Instead of just theory, you’ll hear from fellow practitioners and thought leaders who are navigating the same challenges you face daily. The discussions move beyond surface-level trends to unpack practical strategies and tools that can be adapted for your own classroom or school. Whether it’s rethinking assessment, integrating technology with purpose, or fostering a more inclusive learning environment, each episode is grounded in the shared goal of improving outcomes for every student. Tuning in feels less like another professional development requirement and more like a candid staff room conversation with colleagues who get it. This is where the abstract ideas about educational change meet the concrete reality of the K-12 world, offering actionable insights for anyone committed to the craft of teaching. Find Shifting Schools wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts for a regular dose of perspective and practical ideas.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Shifting Schools: Conversations for K12 Educators
Podcast Episodes
How Nolan's Odyssey and Cover Songs Help Us Talk About AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:27
Christopher Nolan's Odyssey just earned nearly $300 million retelling a 3,000-year-old story — so what actually separates imitation from transformative interpretation? In this episode, Tricia makes the case that cover so…
When Students Go After Real Problems [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:28
When Alex Campbell set out to teach sociology through true crime, he wasn't trying to catch a murderer. He was trying to make the stakes real. Nine years later, his high school students in Appalachia have restored names…
Do you want to better understand your team? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:51
Every team has communication habits, but how many of those habits have ever been discussed out loud? In this episode, Tricia introduces The Shared Kitchen, a free reflection and facilitation tool designed to help teams u…
The perfect middle grade book for readers during The World Cup [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:45
Award-winning author Christina Diaz Gonzalez joins Tricia to discuss Offside, her new bilingual middle-grade graphic novel about soccer, friendship, ambition, identity, and finding the courage to use your voice. Although…
AI Literacy Is Problem-Solving Literacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:44
Tricia Friedman shares a real-life story about a flooded basement, an insurance claim, and what it revealed about AI literacy. After a major storm in Ottawa caused basement flooding, Tricia found herself facing the kind…
Jerry Spinelli: What Young Writers Need to Know About Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:56
Newbery Medal-winning author Jerry Spinelli joins the podcast for a conversation about writing, perseverance, childhood, and the stories that stay with young readers. Known to many elementary and middle school teachers t…
Colin Woodard on Civic Identity, Trust, and the American Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:18
In this Fourth of July weekend episode, Tricia Friedman speaks with Colin Woodard, director of Nationhood Lab at Salve Regina University's Pell Center, about national identity, civic trust, polarization, and the stories…
Teaching the Declaration Beyond the Fourth of July [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:12
In this Fourth of July weekend episode, Tricia Friedman speaks with historian and author Katie Kennedy about her new book, The Declaration Decoded, and the stories behind America's foundational documents. For history and…
What 600 Letters Can Teach Us About WWII [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:27
In this episode, Tricia speaks with Jan Cress Dondi about the years-long research journey behind her USA Today bestselling WWII book. What began with the discovery of hundreds of family letters became a much larger act o…