A Book Launch Reflection from ISTELive25

Years ago as a classroom teacher, I often felt like there just wasn’t enough time to cover all the subjects and topics I wanted to introduce to students. This was particularly true because of my role as a teacher in a self-contained elementary classroom in which I was responsible for covering multiple subjects. Between meeting standards, prepping students for tests, and trying to keep up with new instructional strategies, history always seemed to be a subject that got pushed aside. I wanted to teach it. Students wanted to learn stories of the past and explore cultures from around the globe. I believed in the value of teaching history/social studies. But I often felt I had no choice but to prioritize what felt more urgent.

Fast forward to today, and I see educators continue to struggle with history integration just as I did. In fact, after attending ISTELive24 last year and listening closely to the conversations happening between educators in hallways, workshops, and informal gatherings, I realized the problem has only grown. Now, teachers aren’t just merely standards and test prep. they are also navigating rapid innovations in AI, misinformation, and a world that feels increasingly complex and fast-paced. In this world, history/social studies becomes even more important for our students.

Again and again, I heard questions from educators such as:

• “How do I help my students think critically about the information they see online?”
• “How can history/social studies even fit in modern classrooms anymore?”
• “How do I prepare students for a world of AI without losing touch with what it means to be human?”

Those questions reminded me of my own struggles as a teacher and inspired me to provide support for educators working with students. I was reminded that we needed a different strategy. A practical solution. An interdisciplinary approach that could help teachers bring history/social studies into their already packed day in a way that felt manageable and relevant to students.

That’s why my co-author Adam Juarez and I wrote History Matters in an AI Era: Interdisciplinary Approaches for K-8.

This book is our response to the realities teachers face today. Rather than adding more to their schedules, It’s about reimagining what is already there. We show how history can be woven into what educators are already teaching: ELA, math, science, even computer science, through an interdisciplinary approach that saves time and deepens learning.

Now, at ISTELive25, I’m thrilled to celebrate the book’s release. More than just a book, it was designed to act as a tool created with educators in mind, rooted in lived experience and real conversations. And it contains a call to remember that in an AI-powered world, understanding the past isn’t optional. It is essential.

📘 Grab your copy today, and let us know how it helps shape your classroom.
💬 We’d love to hear how you’re making space for history, and empowering students to connect the past, present, and future.