The Weather’s Gone Mad, But the Learning’s on Fire
The forecast calls for disruption...
Greetings Starfighters,
Kentucky’s weather has lost its mind. One minute, it’s springtime bliss, the next, you’re dodging high winds while scraping ice off your windshield. If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes, right?
But amidst the meteorological chaos, I’ve had some of the best conversations with teachers this week. And let me tell you—when teachers start talking about real, meaningful learning experiences, the magic happens. Forget worksheets and test prep drills—these were conversations about authentic, hands-on, brains-on learning—the kind that sticks and gets kids thinking, creating, and doing.
And speaking of thinking… ever had one of those moments where a quote hits at the perfect time? During a PD session this week, a William Gibson line appeared like a neon sign in a cyberpunk novel:
Bam. That one stopped the room cold. Because isn’t that the truth? We’re shaping that future in our classrooms, in how we design learning, in the opportunities we create for students. The question is—are we making sure it reaches everyone?
While you’re stewing and chewing on that question, here are 10 things I found worth sharing this week:
1. Heather Cox Richardson’s latest piece dives into how Trump’s recent actions—like shutting off intelligence sharing with Ukraine and ambushing Zelensky in the Oval Office—are shaking up U.S. alliances. It’s a complete shift away from long-standing commitments, leaving European leaders scrambling to determine what comes next. If the goal is to hand Putin precisely what he wants, mission accomplished.
2. If you’re a teacher trying to figure out how AI can help—not replace—you in the classroom, this conversation between Tyler Cowen and David Perell is worth your time. Instead of debating the ethics of AI, they dive into practical ways to use it for research and expanding how we think. Cowen shares how he uses AI to prepare for interviews, uncover new ideas, and sift through complex information—skills that translate directly to teaching. They also discuss strategies for better AI prompts, the evolving role of writing, and to stay ahead in an AI-driven world.
3. If you’re older than dirt (like me) and remember wasting countless hours on the original Digg, brace yourself—it's back. Alexis Ohanian and Kevin Rose are resurrecting the once-legendary news aggregator, aiming to recapture the magic of the internet before social media took over everything. If you were around for the wild west days of Web 2.0, this feels like an old friend returning from the digital graveyard.
https://x.com/alexisohanian/status/1897326680316002560
4. The people who teach America’s kids daily have spoken and don’t support the education agenda coming out of Washington. In a new survey, teachers overwhelmingly back programs like Title I funding and IDEA, which are the exact initiatives Trump’s administration seems eager to gut. Evan Stone breaks down how the new education secretary, Linda McMahon, is pushing policies teachers don’t want and didn’t ask for, all while claiming to “invest in teachers.” The reality? Cuts, chaos, and a radical shift from decades of bipartisan education policy.
5. Stephen King might write horror, but sometimes real life is scarier than fiction. In The Dead Zone (1979), he created Greg Stillson—a loud, unpredictable, populist politician who laughs his way into the White House and, well… let’s say things don’t end well. Sound familiar? King himself has admitted that by 2016, he saw the writing on the wall: voters weren’t just looking for change; they wanted to burn it all down. Whether King is just eerily good at reading people or has a touch of Johnny Smith’s clairvoyance, his take on Trump as a symptom—not the cause—of something deeper is worth considering.
6. Steven Pressfield comes through with some thoughts on The Unlived Life…
7. TechDirt isn’t just a tech blog anymore—it’s a democracy blog, because the fight over technology is the fight over democracy. Their latest piece lays it out: the exact tactics we’ve seen in Silicon Valley—power grabs wrapped in the language of “innovation,” dismantling systems under the guise of “efficiency”—are now playing out nationally. And as institutions crumble, it’s not just about politics; it’s about whether the foundation of innovation, free speech, and open inquiry will survive. I’m taking the same stance with my work—if we don’t connect these dots, we’re sleepwalking into disaster.
8. I’m still reeling from Gene Hackman's death, and I loved this write-up on some of his best roles (including some of my favorites from The Quick and the Dead and Heist).
9. Cory Doctorow’s latest piece, There Were Always Enshittifiers, traces the battle over personal computing from its earliest days to today’s locked-down, monopolized tech landscape. He shows how the tactics behind today’s digital lock-ins—app store fees, DRM, and subscription-only features—were already alive in the 1980s, when companies built hardware that deliberately broke compatibility to squeeze more money out of customers. The fight over technology was never just about innovation—it’s always been about control. And now, with power more concentrated than ever, that fight has never been more urgent.
10. Finally, Larry Cuban gathered insights from teachers using AI in their classrooms, and the takeaway is clear: AI isn’t replacing teachers—it’s helping them teach smarter. From automating feedback to adapting materials for different reading levels, educators use AI to enhance learning, not take shortcuts. Some have students critique AI-generated essays, while others use it to streamline communication with parents and administrators.
Another week, another whirlwind of ideas—AI, innovation, and the ever-evolving tech and education landscape. Thanks for reading, thinking, and pushing boundaries with me.
Cyas,
MP