Trending In Ed with Mike Palmer

How do we bridge the communication gap between schools and families in an increasingly fragmented digital world? In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Anu Vaid, the founder of ParentSquare, to explore the evolution of school-home partnerships over the last 15 years. Anu shares her journey as a computer engineer and immigrant parent who was overwhelmed by the disjointed tools of the K-12 system, from papers stuffed in backpacks to disparate robocalls and long emails . Today, ParentSquare serves over 22 million student families, providing a unified platform where everyone from the principal and teachers to the nurse and the librarian can speak with one voice . We dive into how technology can foster authentic human connection rather than just "checking a box," moving toward a positive school climate that supports every student. Key Takeaways: 🏫 The Unification of Stakeholders: Why it is essential for every department—from transportation to the school office—to come together on one trusted source for families . 📉 Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: Moving away from punitive compliance letters toward catching issues early and building a human-level sense of belonging . 🤖 AI as a Bridge, Not a Barrier: Leveraging AI for context-aware translation, gender-neutrality, and helping teachers craft messages that feel personal and authentic . 📱 Navigating Cell Phone Bans: How schools can use school-issued devices and ParentSquare to keep families coordinated without the negative impact of social media . Anu concludes by emphasizing the importance of building a "circle of love" around every child. When parents and schools work together effectively, the student knows it and feels it, which is when they truly begin to prosper. Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts to stay ahead of the curve in the world of learning. Visit us at TrendinginEd.com for more sharp takes on the future of education. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Anu’s Origin Story 05:55 - The Evolution of School Communication Tools 10:52 - Addressing Chronic Absenteeism through Connection 17:35 - AI, Contextual Translation, and Authenticity 21:42 - Navigating Cell Phone Bans and Family Messaging 28:38 - The Future of AI and Human Connection

What if everything we’ve been told about math education is backwards? In this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Ted Dintersmith,venture capitalist, filmmaker, and author of the upcoming book Aftermath: The Life-Changing Math That Schools Won't Teach You to discuss why our schools are still teaching low-level math mechanics that phones and AI already do perfectly. You can learn more about Ted's work at What Schools Could Be. Ted shares his journey from the world of high-tech innovation to becoming a "code red" alarmed citizen advocate for radical school change. We dive into how high-stakes exams are inadvertently training students to compete with AI in areas where computers are unbeatable, while ignoring the creative and conceptual math, like probability, decision-making frameworks, and estimation, that actually shapes lives. From Moneyball statistics to the dangers of misinterpreting healthcare data, Ted explains why math should be a tool for empowerment rather than a metric for punishment. We also take a "lightning round" trip through Ted’s prolific career, including his work with the late Sir Ken Robinson and his influential documentaries Most Likely to Succeed and Multiple Choice. Whether you’re a parent trying to preserve your child’s curiosity or an educator looking for a more relevant curriculum, this conversation offers a refreshing and urgent blueprint for what school could be. 📉💡 Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts to stay ahead of the curve in the world of learning. 🔔 Time Stamps 00:00 - Introduction: Why Math Should Turn You On 🎙️ 00:41 - Ted’s Origin Story: From Carpentry to Venture Capital 02:18 - The Middle School Note That Changed Everything 04:02 - Making the Film "Most Likely to Succeed" 05:14 - Why AI Makes Most School Math Obsolete 07:03 - Previewing "Aftermath": Math for Decision Making 11:00 - The Dunning-Kruger Effect and Iraqi War Predictions 12:45 - Why 90% of Doctors Misunderstand Test Results 🏥 15:35 - Teaching High Schoolers Decision Frameworks 18:14 - The Art of Mathematical Modeling 21:30 - Math as a Tool for Ranking, Sorting, and Punishing 25:15 - Can We Trust Economic Numbers? (The Estimation Problem) 28:43 - Moneyball and the Power of Creative Statistics ⚾ 34:10 - Lightning Round: Sir Ken Robinson and New Documentaries 39:53 - Advice for Families: Preserving Curiosity and Audacity 41:43 - Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Ted’s Work

A Conversation with the Director of the McKinsey Global Initiative

Get the inside scoop on SXSW EDU 2026 as Mike Palmer sits down with Kayla Meyers from SXSW EDU to preview what’s heading to Austin this March. From a reimagined city-wide footprint to the biggest podcast stage lineup yet, we’re breaking down why this year is a must-attend for anyone in the education ecosystem. Kayla shares her journey from museum curator to the mastermind behind the conference's "impeccable vibes," offering a deep dive into the trends shaping the 2026 program. What we covered: 🌵 The Great Austin Reset: How the Convention Center renovation forced a move to a more grassroots, decentralized footprint that puts the city of Austin front and center. 🎙️ Podcast Stage Expansion: We’re growing to 16 podcasts this year—come catch Trending in Ed live to kick things off on Monday morning. 🎓 Elevating Student Voices: From student-led journalism to the "Student Changemakers Hub," the next generation is finally getting the mic. 🤖 Wading Through the AI Slop: A candid look at "AI fatigue," the impact of LLMs on human neurology, and why human curation matters more than ever. 🤝 Crossover Day: Everything you need to know about the historic convergence of SXSW EDU and the main SXSW conference on March 12th. Join us live at the podcast stage in Austin on March 9th at 9:00 AM Central to start the week right! Keep Trending with Us: If you want to stay ahead of the curve in the world of learning, make sure to subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts. Follow our YouTube channel for weekly deep dives into the future of education. Timestamps: 00:00 🎙️ Kicking off the SXSW EDU 2026 Preview 02:14 🏛️ From Museum Curator to Programming Manager 07:44 📻 The Evolution of the SXSW EDU Podcast Stage 12:51 🏙️ What’s New: A Decentralized Austin Footprint 17:45 ☕ Designing for Serendipity and "Clubhouses" 20:00 🗣️ Spotlighting Student Voice and Agency 22:38 🧠 AI Slop, Brain Rot, and Human-Centered Literacy 33:50 🛠️ Workforce Readiness and AI Implementation 43:24 🎸 Crossover Day: Where Education and Tech Meet 45:00 👋 See You in Austin on March 9th!

In this episode of Trending in Education, host Mike Palmer welcomes Tara Chklovski, the founder and CEO of Technovation, a global nonprofit that has been at the intersection of AI and education since 2016. Tara shares her journey from growing up in India to pursuing a PhD in aerospace engineering and eventually launching a mobile entrepreneurship program just two years after the iPhone debuted. The conversation dives into the Technovation accelerator model, a three-month program for girls and young women ages 8 to 24. Tara explains how the program empowers students to identify real-world problems in their communities and build tech-based startups to solve them. We discuss the importance of fostering a problem-solving mindset, the critical role of human mentorship in an AI-driven world, and why the "personalized learning" trend might be too narrow a lens for the future of education. Key Insights: 💡 Early Intervention: Why we shouldn’t underestimate children's ability to tackle complex community problems as early as age eight. 🤖 AI as a Teammate: How Technovation’s "AI in Action" curriculum uses artificial intelligence as a brainstorming partner and subject matter expert for student teams. 🌍 Global Innovation: Stories of impact from 120 countries, including an alumna whose AI startup was acquired at age 19 and a student in India tracking environmental health through bird songs. 🏗️ Resilient Skills: Shifting the focus from simple AI literacy to building durable skills like user research, business planning, and civic responsibility. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Tara Chklovski and Technovation 01:00 - Tara’s origin story: From India to aerospace engineering 03:15 - The mission to unlock human potential through STEM 04:20 - Breaking down the Technovation accelerator model 07:15 - Why educators should be early adopters of new tech 10:45 - Addressing the gender gap in technical careers 15:30 - The "AI in Action" curriculum and free resources 21:30 - How AI elevates project-based learning in classrooms 24:30 - The three functions of modern schools 31:00 - Concerns regarding "personalized learning" bandwagons 35:45 - A call to action for the current Technovation season Subscribe to Trending in Ed wherever you get your podcasts—you don’t want to miss conversations like this one. To learn more about the program or access the free curriculum, visit technovation.org.