Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Takeaways
Focus is not about more effort—it’s about better strategy and self-awareness.
ADHD is not a deficit in intelligence but a challenge in managing attention and regulation.
Productivity must include mental health, not come at the cost of it.
Transitions—into university, new careers, or independent learning—can be overwhelming without support systems.
Reflective practices, safe spaces, and collaborative environments are essential for real learning and growth.
Understanding the why behind distraction helps build better habits and not just guilt cycles.
Psychologically informed practices help students and professionals reclaim autonomy in high-demand environments.
Burnout often stems from mismatched expectations and lack of recovery.
Compassionate teaching starts with giving ourselves permission to pause, reflect, and realign.
Chapters
00:00 Alicia’s Journey into Psychology and Education
06:00 Applying content from Tiny Experiments into her practice
12:30 Focus & Excitement for Learning,
14:00 Power of Vulnerable Spaces and Moving Into Education Spaces
17:30 Procrastination?
20:00 Burnout in High-Pressure Academic and Workplace Settings
24:55 Building Systems That Align With Wellbeing
31:00 Cell Phones In Classrooms
36:00 Less Tolerance For Boredom
39:00 Final Thoughts and Ideas Worth Sharing
43:00 Misconceptions of Engaged vs. Learning and the Perception of Either
Resources wp.me/p4covo-3jK
Takeaways
Focus is not about more effort—it’s about better strategy and self-awareness.
ADHD is not a deficit in intelligence but a challenge in managing attention and regulation.
Productivity must include mental health, not come at the cost of it.
Transitions—into university, new careers, or independent learning—can be overwhelming without support systems.
Reflective practices, safe spaces, and collaborative environments are essential for real learning and growth.
Understanding the why behind distraction helps build better habits and not just guilt cycles.
Psychologically informed practices help students and professionals reclaim autonomy in high-demand environments.
Burnout often stems from mismatched expectations and lack of recovery.
Compassionate teaching starts with giving ourselves permission to pause, reflect, and realign.
Chapters
00:00 Alicia’s Journey into Psychology and Education
06:00 Applying content from Tiny Experiments into her practice
12:30 Focus & Excitement for Learning,
14:00 Power of Vulnerable Spaces and Moving Into Education Spaces
17:30 Procrastination?
20:00 Burnout in High-Pressure Academic and Workplace Settings
24:55 Building Systems That Align With Wellbeing
31:00 Cell Phones In Classrooms
36:00 Less Tolerance For Boredom
39:00 Final Thoughts and Ideas Worth Sharing
43:00 Misconceptions of Engaged vs. Learning and the Perception of Either
Resources wp.me/p4covo-3jK





![218: Teaching What Can’t Be AI’d with John Camp
A fast, energizing conversation with Camp (a.k.a. John Camp), Head of Teaching & Learning at New England Innovation Academy (NEIA). It was so fun to chat with someone who I have not met or talked to before and found someone with similar energy and thinking about teaching and learning. We dig into building a startup school, designing a competency-based “mash-up” grading system, and the courage it takes to break invisible rules while still preparing students for “what comes next.” We also trade notes on AI, why classrooms should maximize human-to-human connection, and simple, teacher-doable “ruckuses” you can try tomorrow.
What We Talk About
Camp’s path to NEIA and why he still teaches while leading (modeling the work)
Courage as the catalyst for change in any system, at any scale
Competency-based assessment as a school-wide skill map (transfer across humanities, science, math, Innovation Studio)
“Linear school” in a nonlinear world and how AI can help us blow up the old schedule logic
Walking the fine line: college-prep and “what-comes-next” prep (love this framing)
Keeping innovation alive after year 1: support systems, permission to try (and fail), and tapping teacher passions
Workflow talk: using ChatGPT to organize brainstorms; Google Classroom paired with “Otis” for competencies; protecting life balance
Teach what can’t be AI’d: discourse, idea-to-idea connection, and real human presence in the room
One small “ruckus” for tomorrow: break the pattern with a 10-minute gallery walk or other quick shift that re-energizes learning
Access the Show
All platforms & past episodes: https://coffeeforthebrain.com/podcasts/
Direct Link to This Episode: https://coffeechug.simplecast.com/episodes/218
Listen & Subscribe:
[Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify] | [YouTube] | [Simplecast]
Resources & Links
Tiny Experiments Book
NEIA Profile: John Camp: https://neiacademy.org/team/john-camp/
Camp on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/campsm/
Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (referenced in the discussion with link to my blog post)
Alpha School: (referenced in AI discussion)
Highlighted Posts (good primers for listeners)
Why human-to-human discourse beats screen-staring (ties to “teach what can’t be AI’d”).
Quick wins to break the invisible rules (small, classroom-level ruckuses).
Episode Quote
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Maya Angelou
and
We don’t just think outside the box, we act outside the box. Camp
and our love for Neil Postman
Teach children something about the art and science of asking questions.
Question-asking is the most significant intellectual tool human beings have.
Support the Show
If this episode helped you, share it with a colleague and leave a review. It helps more educators and leaders find the show. 218: Teaching What Can’t Be AI’d with John Camp](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bES66UQYE2c/mqdefault.jpg)



![189 - Dr. Sabba Quidwai - Come for AI and Stay for Design Thinking!
In this episode, I speak with the super awesome and inspiring Dr. Sabba Quidwai. She is on fire with sharing her experience with AI not only for education, but for life and design. Her background from the classroom, to keynote speaking, to working for Apple, and now running her own company, Sabba has a perspective that is unique as we continue to think about education, learning, and AI.
Direct Link: https://coffeechug.simplecast.com/episodes/189
Apple Podcast – Find this episode and all the previous episodes on Apple Podcast
Spotify – Find this episode and previous episodes of the show on Spotify!
YouTube –
Challenges & Goals
Perception is everything.
Given our last 10 years with ipads and chromebooks, if people had used ipads, the way they should have been used AI would be non issue in terms of plagiarism, student work and all these other kinds of things. And so its an issue for us today because we have always latched on to these short term solutions that bring us even more long term problems.
Its really also important to question these large organizations. These really large big organizations that we look to.... Where have you been in the last 20 years? Where is that check in? Why have things not evolved and why are people so flustered? Where is the advocacy?Whos gonna take the step back and ask what is the missing piece here? Because if you just blindly follow these organizations, you will get what youve got in the last 10 years.
Surprising Takeaways
And I always tell people it doesnt matter whether somebody agrees or disagrees. If you dont have alignment, you have a problem, youre not gonna be able to advance your vision, your solution or anything, regardless of what the scenario is or how excited you may be.
We dont make the time for [it] and that is a choice that is an active choice we make, whether you realize it or not, where we choose to dedicate our time and dedicate our focus. Those are the seeds were choosing to plant. What you do is going to get you the outcomes that you get.
Prompt the human before you prompt the AI
Emerging Patterns
Importance of personal branding in opening doors for opportunities
Maintaining a growth mindset towards taking risks
Emphasis on human connection and values in all aspects of life - from personal relationships to professional settings
Importance of questioning large organizations
Key Moments
1) I think its an 80% mindset game…that idea that anything is possible…you truly have to believe that thats actually the case for you if you are going to trust yourself.
2) Being able to really understand your non negotiables…what are the things I just will not tolerate?
3) One of my biggest reasons I advocate for having a personal brand…is its very difficult to have those choices if the only people who know you are the people in your building.
RESOURCES
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabba-quidwai/
Design Schools - https://designingschools.org/
Her documentary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHKPjDSTF8
Session Lab - https://www.sessionlab.com/
Spark Type - https://sparketype.com/sparketest/
Black Sheep by Brant Menswar - https://www.brantmenswar.com/valuesassessment 189 - Dr. Sabba Quidwai - Come for AI and Stay for Design Thinking!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/btnRGuLzjl0/mqdefault.jpg)
