Dustin and Ghazali dive deep into the topic of cultural awareness and internationalization in education on this episode of Teachers Talking. Their guiding question: How can educators create meaningful connections across cultures locally, nationally, and globally, so students grow in empathy, understanding, and real-world readiness? They start by defining culture in a school context, discussing both visible and invisible layers, and the importance of students understanding that culture is something within them every day—shaped by their families, values, and lived experiences. They highlight strategies to help students see and respect cultural differences and overcome challenges such as language barriers and biases, while stressing that building cultural awareness should be a continuous, integrated effort in the classroom, not a standalone lesson. By fostering curiosity, empathy, and open communication, teachers can help students expand their cultural horizons and prepare for a globally connected world.

Interested in joining us on the podcast? We’re always looking for passionate educators and school leaders to share their insights—no need to be an “expert.” Tell us what you’d like to talk about here: https://forms.gle/RCeUFhmvLxY1nRwU9

Dustin and Ghazali are joined by Aditya Prakash, founder & CEO of SKIDOS Labs, to explore how playful design can turn “screen time” into learning time for our youngest learners. Their guiding question: How can beloved characters, adaptive game design, and thoughtful UX turn practice into joyful mastery for every child—without overstimulation?

With SKIDOS focused on ages 3–7, Aditya shares why open-ended pretend play is the engine of engagement, how the team aligns early numeracy/literacy/SEL to global outcomes, and why parents are part of the loop from onboarding to progress dashboards. He explains accessibility choices guided by WCAG (simple color palettes, dyslexia-friendly fonts, minimal on-screen text, voice/visual prompts) and a unique “safe space” that kids can enter—or that auto-triggers after extended play—to regulate stimulation. Recognizable IP (e.g., The Smurfs) helps kids persist with tasks (like exploring instruments in a music room), while the product stays calm, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate.

They also dig into SKIDOS’s use of AI: machine-learning personalization built from learner behavior data and AI to speed internal workflows—without exposing children directly to LLMs. Aditya touches on localization plans, parent-led SEL activities mapped to CASEL, availability across iOS/Android/Amazon/web (free to try, subscription for full access), and what it takes to keep curiosity at the center of early learning.

Interested in joining us on the podcast? We’re always looking for passionate educators and school leaders to share their insights—no need to be an “expert.” Tell us what you’d like to talk about here: https://forms.gle/RCeUFhmvLxY1nRwU9

Dustin and Ghazali get real about parent communication in Hard Conversations, Strong Partnerships—a practical episode on preventing most tense meetings before they ever happen. Their guiding question: How can teachers head off 80% of “hard” parent conferences—and turn the rest into collaborative problem-solving?

They share concrete moves for the first weeks of school (positive check-ins, asking families’ contact preferences, and steady transparency around grades/expectations), plus systems that keep everyone aligned: student-led bi-weekly update emails, inviting parents into LMS/grade portals, work portfolios to make progress visible, and simple co-created trackers (from blue-book notes to assignment checklists) to reduce repeat issues. When emotions run high, they model de-escalation—listen fully, name what you hear, avoid blame, and pivot to “what we can do” language—then repair the relationship so the focus returns to the child’s success.

You’ll walk away with ready-to-use scripts, documentation ideas, and a calmer approach to tough moments that builds trust—with families and with colleagues.

Interested in joining us on the podcast? We’re always looking for passionate educators and school leaders to share their insights—no need to be an “expert.” Tell us what you’d like to talk about here: https://forms.gle/RCeUFhmvLxY1nRwU9