Welcome to Playground Post, a bi-weekly newsletter that keeps education innovators ahead of what’s next.

Here’s what we have on deck for today…

1. AI isn’t the best at math

2. PE helps build leadership skills

3. Tech can support vocabulary retention

Education's Secret Innovation Lab Is Now Taking Listeners

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Each week, you'll witness what happens when ambitious education entrepreneurs:

• Pitch their ideas for $50,000 prize

• Workshop their concepts through critical feedback

• Refine their solutions to education's most pressing challenges

It's the raw, unfiltered process of innovation that's normally hidden behind closed doors.

Peek behind the curtain → and hear education's next big idea before it makes headlines.

AI isn’t the best at math

Math teachers are conflicted about AI.

While 75% believe AI math skills will be needed for future jobs, two-thirds worry it will increase cheating, according to an EdWeek survey of 411 teachers.

The problem? AI often gets math wrong.

But that's creating an unexpected opportunity to develop tools that deliberately use AI errors as teaching moments, helping students build critical thinking skills while learning both math concepts and AI literacy.

PE helps build leadership skills

Physical education is no longer just about dodgeball and fitness tests. SHAPE America's new National Physical Education Standards help teachers use gym class to develop leadership skills in all students.

• "If you know you have a student that may not participate as much, mindfully grouping them with students that can help them feel better about engaging" makes a difference, says Jesse Weber from SHAPE America.

• Other strategies include replacing elimination games with inclusive activities and adding post-activity discussions where students reflect on their experiences.

Innovators can develop resources to help schools implement these new standards, from partner pairing guides to reflection frameworks that transform PE from physical activity to leadership development.

Tech can support vocabulary retention

In 1984, a study concluded that students need to know 88,500 word families in order to be successful readers — that’s a lot of words.

Digital tools are now revolutionizing vocabulary instruction to make it easier for students to reach that goal. Teachers report stronger engagement and retention when using technology like:

• Flippity for word sorting

• AnswerGarden for collaborative discussions

• And Pear Deck's Flashcard Factory for gamified learning.

Tools that track student progress toward vocabulary targets while making learning more interactive and measurable can help make it that much easier for kids to learn.

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We’ll be back with another edition on Friday. See you then!

To stay up-to-date on all things education innovation, visit us at playgroundpost.com.