What Teachers Have to Say
What Teachers Have to Say brings together innovative educators to talk about what it means to be a teacher in the modern classroom. Each episode explores the emotional complexity of teaching as hosts Jake & Nathan talk through the trials and triumphs of teaching. We talk access and equity, artificial intelligence, student behavior, teacher burnout, mentorship models & more. Find practical teaching advice and resources presented in an approachable and real way, alongside valuable insights and inspiration in these thought-provoking conversations, for educators at all levels.
What Teachers Have to Say
Coding Without Screens? How Sphero Indi is Transforming Early STEM & Literacy
How do you teach computational thinking to kids without screens? In this episode, recorded live atTCEA in Austin, Texas, I sit down withNik from Sphero to talk aboutIndi, the screen-free coding robot that’s helping even the youngest learners develop problem-solving skills. But Indi isn’t just for coding—teachers are using it inELA, math, and more.
🎧Listen to hear:
✅ HowIndi teaches codingwithout screens
✅ How afirst-grade teacher used Indi forsentence-building
✅ Whyhands-on learning is critical forearly STEM & literacy
📌Opening Hook (0:00 - 1:30) – Live fromTCEA Austin! Why Sphero Indi is a game-changer for classrooms.
📌Segment 1: Why Indi? (1:30 - 4:30)
- GuestNik from Sphero shares whya screen-free coding robot was developed.
- HowIndi makes computational thinking physical instead of an abstract concept.
- 📢Watch my TikTok on Indi in action ➡ [TikTok Link]
📌Segment 2: Indi in Action – Sentence-Building with Robots? (4:30 - 8:00)
- Teachersaren’t just using Indi for coding—they’reteaching literacy with it.
- 📚ELA Example: First gradersbuild sentences with Indi & color tiles.
- 🔄 Instant feedback: Indicelebrates when students build a correct sentence.
📌Closing & Call to Action (8:00 - 10:00)
- Big takeaway: Computer science is aboutproblem-solving, not just coding.
- Want to tryIndi in your classroom?Free ELA & Math lesson plans ⬇
- Leave a voicemail: Share your experiences with hands-on learning tools!
📌Watch my TikTok on Indi: [TikTok Link]
📌Free Indi lesson plans (ELA & Math): [Sphero Central]
📌Leave a voicemail for the podcast: [SpeakPipe]
📌Follow on TikTok for more edtech insights: [@mr.carr.on.the.web]
✅Enjoyed this episode? Leave a5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more educators find the show!
✅Tag me on social! Share howyou’re using Indi (or any hands-on learning tool) in your classroom.
🚀Stay connected: Subscribe & follow for moreteacher-friendly, practical edtech insights!
🎙That’s it for today—see you next time on What Teachers Have to Say!
Got a question? We'd love to answer it! Leave us a voicemail on SpeakPipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/whatteachershavetosay
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