WEP 261: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships in the Age of AI

WEP 261: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships in the Age of AI Guest: Casey Cuny, 2024 California Teacher of the Year

"AI can be an engine for equity, but only if we maintain the heartbeat of the classroom: the relationship."

In this high-energy, live-recorded episode, Kelly Croy sits down with Casey Cuny, the 2024 California Teacher of the Year. Recorded live at the 3rd Annual SEL Symposium, Casey shares his moving journey from a 13-year-old bone cancer patient to a leader in educational innovation.

Casey and Kelly dive deep into how AI shouldn't just be a tool for "offloading" work, but a thought partner that fosters differentiation, upskilling, and deeper student inquiry.

Key Takeaways from the Interview:

• The Human Connection: Why Casey's teachers became the "central characters" in his survival story and how those relationships remain the most powerful tool a teacher has.

• Limb Salvage & Resilience: Casey shares the surreal moment he had to choose between amputation and experimental surgery at age 13, and how that shaped his empathy for students facing invisible challenges.

• AI as a "Thought Partner": Moving beyond "cheating" to using AI for Socratic tutoring, real-time differentiation for ELL students, and "upskilling" for the future workforce.

• The "Screenshot Hack": A brilliant tip for using visual context in ChatGPT to solve any tech support hurdle instantly.

• The AI Divide: Why we must be careful not to let AI become the new "digital divide" between title-one schools and affluent suburbs.

The Resource Rack (Affiliate Links)

Support the Wired Educator Podcast by using the links below!

• Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations by Mark Perna. (A must-read mentioned as an upcoming guest!)

• Intentional Influence: The Art and Science of Building a Culture of Excellence by Benjamin Johnson and Bobby Dodd.

• Unthink Before Bed by Kelly Croy. (Help your kids—and yourself—quiet the mind for a better night's sleep!)

• Claude.ai: The coding tool Casey's son used to land a marketing internship.

• ChatGPT: For using "Visual Context" to bridge the gap between curiosity and mastery.

Notable Quotes:

"Courage is not being fearless. Courage is being afraid but going ahead anyway."

"Our English language learners don't have a cognitive deficit; they have a vocabulary deficit. AI allows them to access the content immediately."

Level Up Your Leadership

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Email Kelly at: [email protected]

Connect with the Show

• Host: Kelly Croy

• Guest: Casey Cuny

• Website: WiredEducator.com