Dustin and Ghazali close out Season 3 of Teachers Talkin’ with a practical conversation about setting your future teacher self up for a stronger start. As educators head into summer break or time away from school, this episode focuses on how to find the right balance between rest, reflection, and preparation.

Rather than using the break to either work nonstop or completely disconnect until the last minute, Dustin and Ghazali explore small, intentional moves that can make the next school year or semester feel more manageable. They discuss reflecting on what worked and what didn’t, tightening classroom routines and procedures, planning ahead without overworking, building consistency from day one, and setting personal boundaries that protect energy and sustainability.

This season finale is a reminder that taking care of your future teacher self does not mean sacrificing your break. It means being thoughtful about what will help you return with more clarity, stronger systems, and a better chance of keeping school from taking over your life.

We are always looking for passionate members of the education world to join us and talk about tips and strategies to support teachers! You don’t have to be any kind of expert, just someone who is passionate about education and teachers. If that is you, please fill out this form to let us know what you want to discuss and choose a time to record with us: https://forms.gle/C21egnAUCw25gmZTA

Dustin and Ghazali talk with Katie Ludes to discuss reading instruction, the science of reading, and what it means to support readers across K–12. Our guiding question is, “How does the science of reading and learning impact instruction and outcomes across K–12?”

Katie Ludes has spent 25 years in education, including work as a teacher, reading interventionist, coach, and EL coordinator. Throughout her career, she has supported students and teachers across grade levels while helping educators better understand what actually moves the needle for students becoming stronger readers. In this conversation, Katie discusses why reading comprehension is the outcome, why content-area teachers play such an important role in literacy, how morphology and academic language impact secondary students, and why reading support matters for student confidence, behavior, and access to learning.

We are always looking for passionate members of the education world to join us and talk about tips and strategies to support teachers! You don’t have to be any kind of expert, just someone who is passionate about education and teachers. If that is you, please fill out this form to let us know what you want to discuss and choose a time to record with us: https://forms.gle/vS3VxdevfDC1VJcm6

Dustin and Ghazali talk with Shuayb Abdi, an educator-turned-founder working with international schools across Southeast Asia and the Middle East, to discuss the growing gap between AI policy and what’s actually happening in classrooms—especially in contexts where class sizes are large, resources are limited, and traditional assessment models are strained. Together, they explore why many schools stay stuck in fear-based, reactive approaches (like bans and “catching cheating”), and what it looks like to move toward practical implementation through teacher training, thoughtful guardrails, data privacy, and AI tools that actually support learning and reclaim teacher time.

Our guiding question is, ‘How do we move from AI policy to classroom practice in ways that truly support teachers and improve student learning—without sacrificing safety, trust, or equity?’

Shuayb Abdi is an educator-turned-founder who supports international and emerging-market schools in using AI in practical, classroom-ready ways. With experience working across Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Shuayb focuses on helping teachers improve outcomes while reducing workload—through stronger AI fluency, better implementation strategies, and tools designed with classroom realities in mind. He also runs a coding bootcamp that has helped hundreds of people learn to code and transition into tech, including many former educators, and he is passionate about helping schools prepare students and teachers for an AI-shaped future.

We are always looking for passionate members of the education world to join us and talk about tips and strategies to support teachers! You don't have to be any kind of expert, just someone who is passionate about education and teachers. If that is you, please fill out this form to let us know what you want to discuss and choose a time to record with us: https://forms.gle/CVUTHrwTRuqJo7FY8