🤓 NerdSquad Notes 25.10


If there’s one thing teaching has taught us, it’s that flexibility isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a lifeline. From shifting lesson plans to surprise assemblies, from adjusting expectations for different groups of students to rethinking your own routines, flexibility is what keeps classrooms (and teachers) moving forward. Being flexible by design means building your work, your mindset, and even your schedule in a way that bends without breaking. This month, we’ll explore how intentional flexibility can support not just your lessons, but your energy, your creativity, and your ability to thrive in the unexpected. And for those inside NERDSquad+, we’ll be taking a deeper dive into how this concept applies directly to lesson planning through Agile Lesson Design.

🥳 We’re also celebrating something special - this marks the one-year anniversary of our newsletter! We’re so grateful to you, our readers, for showing up month after month and making this community possible. Here’s to another year of learning, experimenting, and thriving together.

☎️ Jen Hall’s Tech Tips 411

Jen’s newsletter delivers bite-size, classroom-ready ideas every week. In a recent issue she featured OBS, a free video recording tool that lets teachers mix screen, webcam, and doc cam, record once, and reuse across class, LMS, or home, a simple way to stay flexible by design. Check out her latest tips, and subscribe, here:

Tony Vincent — Learning in Hand

Tony shares smart, adaptable tech tools and ideas for teachers who need to pivot with purpose. One recent post explains how to go from a PDF to a complete classroom Jeopardy experience with Factile, a tool meant for quizzes that can be reimagined for engagement regardless of setting, perfect for flexible lesson moments. Follow him for practical, creative tips that help you stay responsive and energized.


🔥 Hot Tips

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Shuffle Buddy: "randomize your students...with rules"

Shuffle Buddy enables educators to create randomized seating charts that adhere to specific rules, such as accommodating individual student needs and preferences. This tool facilitates dynamic group rotations and activity assignments, enhancing classroom engagement and fostering a flexible learning environment.

📽️ Mixkit: free assets for video projects

Need assets for video projects without the fuss? Mixkit offers a huge, free library of stock video clips, music tracks, sound effects, templates, and icons - all royalty-free and easy to download. It's perfect for teachers wanting to quickly pull together engaging multimedia content that works in any setting — in-class, remote, or hybrid — so you can stay flexible and creative without reinventing the wheel.

🌬️ Mindfulness Tip: Box Breathing

When things shift unexpectedly, your breath can be your anchor. Box Breathing (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4) is a simple technique you can use anytime, anywhere. It’s flexible by design. You can shorten or lengthen the counts depending on your needs, giving you calm in the moment without breaking your flow.

🛍️ ✨ Featured Product: Kami

Most people know Kami as a PDF annotation tool, but it’s so much more than that! With built-in accessibility features (like text-to-speech and dictionary support), real-time collaboration, and the ability to leave video or audio comments, Kami makes learning more interactive and inclusive. Think beyond highlighting and commenting. Kami can transform assignments, group projects, and feedback into engaging, multimedia experiences for every learner. Get started here and don't forget to use your exclusive EdTech Nerds discount code for extra features!

Be sure to reach out to Melissa Summerford at melissa.summerford@kamiapp.com for additional expertise.

📣 Bring EdTech Nerds to Your School or District!

Want a fun, high-energy PD session that leaves your staff feeling energized and equipped? We offer custom workshops on everything from mindful tech use to creative classroom tools, and we’d love to support your team. Let’s make PD feel like less of a chore and more like a collaborative recharge.

“That was the first PD where I left with actual tools I could use the next day - and I didn’t feel overwhelmed!”
— Instructional Coach, Texas

Upcoming EdTech Nerds Events

🐛 NERDSquad+ Membership Is LIVE!!

Big news: our NERDSquad+ membership is now live!

NERDSquad+ isn’t just another membership - it’s your shortcut to less stress and more “wow, I’ve got this” moments. Join today and load up on cheat sheets, makeovers, and pro-level resources that keep your teacher life running smoother than your first cup of coffee.

🎉 GaETC

We’re excited to connect with fellow educators at GaETC this fall. If you’ll be there, come say hi and swap ideas!

🎉 See You at TCEA!

We’re heading to TCEA 2026, and we can’t wait to connect with our fellow EdTech Nerds in person. Our official session schedule is still pending, but we’ll share it as soon as it’s confirmed. If you’ll be there, let us know; we’d love to say hi (and maybe share some stickers).

We're honored to be part of your journey. Thanks for being an essential part of ours.

Until next time,
Destiny & Kris

Let's connect! 💬 You can find me on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky.

Connect with Kris - Bluesky & Instagram

Note: EdTech Nerds shares product recommendations based on personal experience and professional insights. We are not affiliated with nor compensated by the companies or creators of these products. Our goal is simply to provide valuable resources for mindful educators.


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EdTech Nerds

At EdTech Nerds, we blend mindfulness with practical tech solutions to help teachers streamline their workload without sacrificing their well-being. Our goal is to help educators reclaim their time, avoid burnout, and build a more balanced, fulfilling teaching life.

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