The International Classroom

Can a PE teacher with no formal coding background solve the biggest headache in education? In this episode of Show Us Your Stack, Alex and Darren are joined by Tom Raithby, the creator of Chalkd.Tom shares his incredible journey of "vibe coding"—using AI to build AI—to create a platform that automates grading and provides high-quality, personalised feedback for students. From navigating the Google Gemini ecosystem to marking 140+ A-Level papers in 48 hours, Tom dives deep into the tech, the triumphs, and the friction of being a teacher-founder in 2026.Key Takeaways:Vibe Coding is Real: Tom explains how he used tools like Kero, Anti-gravity, and Claude Code to build a complex architecture without traditional CS training.The Google Advantage: Why building within the Google Cloud/Vertex AI ecosystem provides the security and compliance schools require.Feedback Loops: How Chalkd uses Gemini 1.5 Pro for heavy OCR/handwriting tasks and Flash for quick generative reporting.The "Teacher in the Loop" Philosophy: Why AI shouldn't replace teachers, but rather "close the loop" on feedback faster than ever before.Website: https://chalkd-ai.comGuest: Tom Raithby, Frederick Gough School.Frontend: React / VercelBackend: Python / FirestoreAI Models: Google Gemini 1.5 Pro & FlashCoding Tools: Cursor, Claude Code, Kero, Anti-gravity.#EdTech #AIinEducation #VibeCoding #TeacherProductivity #Chalkd #GoogleGemini #ShowUsYourStack🔗 Connect with Tom & Chalkd:🛠️ The Stack Mentioned:

Are school leaders avoiding the most critical conversation about how students are actually using Artificial Intelligence?In this episode of The International Classroom, Alex Gray sits down with Matthew Wemyss—the architect behind the AIDUCATION conference—for a deep dive into the real-world evolution of AI in schools. Matthew unpacks the massive success of the CreateCodeChange awards, where students used Canva to build prototype apps solving UN Sustainable Development Goals.They also tackle the "awkward question" SLTs need to address: the rising trend of teenagers turning to AI chatbots for mental health and relationship advice. Plus, Matthew shares his philosophy on preventing cognitive atrophy, why he shudders at the term "thought leader," and why schools should start flow-coding their own bespoke apps to solve niche administrative problems.#AIinEducation #EdTech #SchoolLeadership #TheInternationalClassroom #MatthewWeymss #AIDUCATION26 #FutureOfLearning #EducationPodcast

Are we accidentally widening the educational equity gap by handing out AI tools too quickly?In this episode of The International Classroom, Alex Gray sits down with Chris Loveday and Amelia King to explore the intersection of the operational backend and the cognitive classroom layer. They unpack why giving students an AI tool is only the second step in the digital equity journey, and why foundational training must come first to prevent students from offloading their critical thinking.They also discuss the fascinating concept of "Red Teaming" AI in schools—from adults stress-testing bots for safeguarding risks (like asking an AI how to harm a tutor) to "metacognitive red teaming" where students inevitably try to get the AI to just do their homework for them.Plus, find out why navigating AI in education feels a lot like being a contestant on Big Brother or Love is Blind.

Are our school IT departments falling dangerously behind the AI risk curve? And what do students really think about their teachers using AI in the classroom?In this episode, Alex Gray sits down with Emma Darcy and James Garnett to discuss the very real friction between the pedagogy layer and the infrastructure layer in schools. They tackle the rising threat of deepfakes, why one-off AI safeguarding training doesn't work, and the massive disconnect between the teachers adopting the tech and the IT teams trying to secure it.Plus, they share a powerful insight into the "student voice" and why young people desperately want to protect the authentic, intrinsic relationship they have with their educators.Don't forget to Subscribe for more conversations on the future of education, EdTech, and classroom innovation!#AIinEducation #EdTech #SchoolLeadership #Deepfakes #StudentVoice #CyberSecurity #EducationPodcast

Are schools drowning in data but starving for actual information?In this episode, I speak with Matt Woodruff, founder of Open Education AI, about the urgent need to break down data silos in education. With over two decades in school governance and a PhD in ethical AI, Matt unpacks why the sector needs open-source, non-profit infrastructure so schools stop wasting money reinventing the wheel.We discuss the ethical tightrope of using predictive analytics to safeguard students versus accidentally labeling them, the four stages of data maturity in schools, and why jumping into every new AI tool is a lot like being a contestant on Love Island.

Are we using AI to enhance student creativity, or are we letting it do the designing for them?In this episode, I speak with Trudi Barrow and Aaron Patching to unpack the profound impact of Artificial Intelligence on education, design thinking, and the creative process. They dive deep into the concept of Creative Fidelity; the critical need for students to maintain authentic ownership over their ideas when using AI tools.Plus, we discuss why every teacher is secretly a designer, the problem with the modern school timetable, and why AI might just be the reality TV show Love is Blind.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses recent sensitive real-world events, military actions, and the unrest in the region, which some listeners may find distressing or triggering.This week on The International Classroom, Alex, Drew, and Bodruz sit down for a candid, raw, and necessary conversation about living and teaching through one of the most surreal and frightening weeks in recent memory.While the sudden onset of unrest in the region brought undeniable anxiety—including firsthand accounts of witnessing military interceptions in the sky—it also highlighted the incredible safety protocols and community strength within the UAE. We discuss the realities of the sudden pivot back to distance learning, how schools are prioritising student and staff wellbeing over strict academics right now, and the unique ways educators are managing the "COVID-era" remote teaching muscle.But it’s not all heavy. We also share how we are finding normalcy and keeping grounded—from baking cupcakes and playing exploding kittens, to a lighthearted debate on why Drew is currently banned from the "British Dads in Dubai" Facebook group.This episode is a massive thank you to the community, the school leaders sending out care packages, the government ensuring our safety, and the everyday expats stepping up to look out for one another. If you are feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. Step away from the rumor mill, lean on your community, and stay safe.In this episode we cover:The emotional toll and reality of the recent unrest in the UAE.How schools and teachers successfully pivoted back to distance learning.The importance of prioritising wellbeing and mental health for both students and staff.Standout moments of the expat community coming together to support one another.Finding humor, routine, and control in times of extreme uncertainty.#Dubai #UAE #InternationalClassroom #Podcast #DistanceLearning #Resilience #ExpatsInDubai #CommunitySupport

Are you drowning in school admin and disjointed EdTech systems? In this episode of Show Us Your Stack, we sit down with Matthew, a science teacher based in India, who decided to stop waiting for perfect EdTech and started building his own.Facing teacher shortages, curriculum revisions, and endless data entry, Matthew turned to AI to regain his time. He walks us through exactly how he uses tools like Claude Code and Google Apps Script to bypass strict school firewalls, build custom standards-based grading apps, and automate departmental budgets—all without being a professional software engineer.If you want to take control of your workload and learn how to safely build AI tools specifically for your school's ecosystem, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The Firewall Workaround: Why building within Google Workspace (Apps Script + Sheets) is the best way to deploy custom apps in restricted school environments.The AI Tech Stack: Why Matthew transitioned from ChatGPT to Claude Code for architecting his education tools.From Idea to App: The exact workflow for turning a messy spreadsheet into a clean, functional web app for teachers and students.Beating Burnout: How investing time in AI up-front can drastically reduce daily administrative fatigue.Episode Timestamps: - Introduction to Matthew and the reality of teacher workload. - Sink or Swim: Using AI for IB Science moderation and data. - Matthew's workflow: Storyboarding with Claude and coding with Google Apps Script. - Navigating school firewalls and data privacy with custom apps. - Building a unified, standards-based grading dashboard. - The best advice for educators looking to start coding with AI.Links & Resources:Mentioned AI Tools: Claude Code, Google Gemini, Google Apps Script.Watch the video version of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4W6ja6uoLikConnect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandergray84/Discover more episodes and resources: https://www.deepeducationnetwork.com/podcastEnjoyed the episode? Please leave us a rating and review on Spotify! It helps other educators discover how to leverage tech to improve their classrooms.

Eric Chamberlain spent 25 years in education. Then he lost his job. Instead of sending CVs, he opened a laptop and started building.Four months later, he'd shipped five apps — including Save Veritas, an oral assessment platform that tackles one of the biggest problems in schools right now: how do you know a student actually did the work when AI can do it for them?In this episode, Eric walks us through everything — the origin story that started with his wife needing a French speaking app in Kuwait during COVID, the interview with an AI system that sparked the idea, and the technical journey from Bolt DIY frustrations to a robust, multi-assessment platform built on Vercel, Supabase, and the latest AI models.We get into the real stuff: the tech stack choices, why PRDs and user stories changed everything, how to handle security and GDPR when you're not a developer, the tools that actually work on a bootstrap budget, and why boring, disciplined building beats vibe coding every time.Whether you're a teacher curious about building your own thing, a solo founder figuring out your stack, or just fascinated by how fast non-coders can ship real products with AI right now — this one's worth your time.In this episode we discuss:The assessment integrity crisis and why oral assessment solves itBuilding on free tiers — Vercel, Supabase, OpenAI, and Google GeminiGoing from idea to PRD to user stories to shipped featuresGit branching, work trees, and protecting your codebase from AI agentsRed teaming your own product for securityAnti-Gravity, Claude Code, and Olama Cloud for budget AI-assisted developmentAligning with UK DfE AI product safety standardsThe difference between vibe coding and actually building something that worksConnect with us:Alex Gray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandergray84/Darren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-coxon/Eric Chamberlain: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericchamberlintech/

Teachers keep saying, “I’m not a coder.”Evan Weinberg proves that doesn’t matter.In the premiere episode of Show Us Your Stack, we break down how Evan built a unit-planning tool using AI — not to replace teaching, but to protect the human parts of the job: the coaching, the feedback, and the relationships.In this episode, you’ll learn:✅ The real problem that pushed Evan to build (unit planning chaos + meeting “triage”)✅ How he uses AI Studio as the simplest “way in” for educators✅ Why he recommends single-file HTML apps (fast prototyping + built-in version history)✅ The biggest risk teachers ignore: data + security (CSV uploads, student info, API keys)✅ A brilliant starter project for beginners: the grouping generator (“Hello World” for teacher tools)Evan’s message is simple: don’t chase the perfect prompt — start with a problem, ask for an HTML file, and iterate.About the seriesShow Us Your Stack features educators around the world building practical tools with AI — without needing to be computer scientists.Chapters:00:00 Cold open: comedy duo + what “Show Us Your Stack” is00:52 Darren’s current build: SEN vector-store chatbot + agents02:52 Darren’s courses + Learnfolio membership site04:33 Alex’s update: Duxer v1.1 parent portal + Deep Education Network courses07:35 Darren’s next builds: AI consultant OS + packaging tools (BYOK)09:51 Introducing the first guest: Evan Weinberg10:10 The problem: unit planning gets pushed aside (PBL + no set curriculum)13:34 The build: from “agents” confusion to a unit planner (Python → JavaScript)14:39 Tools & workflow: why AI Studio is the easiest “way in”15:58 Before vs after: meetings move from triage to concrete unit timelines18:31 Mistakes & version control: single-file HTML downloads21:10 Classroom example: students building habit apps + file responsibility22:34 When AI makes things worse: data, security, permissions25:12 Backends & RLS: why local storage first, lock down row-level security26:36 Evan’s background: maths → engineering → STEM + learning alongside students28:35 Debunking the myth: you don’t need to be a CS teacher28:56 Evan’s “coder origin story”: automating parent-teacher scheduling31:25 One-sentence advice: start small—describe a problem, ask for HTML, iterate33:20 Where Evan is: Santiago, Chile + wrap-up