AHH! the Proof

VT No 306 - When an Idea Becomes a Book

Feb 09, 2026

Hello Everyone,

WELCOME EVERYONE,

I know that storytelling is such an important skill. The ability to express oneself creatively, is critical in all aspects of life. Through storytelling I can entertain kids, feed their minds and give them some useful tools packaged around something I am passionate about.

So I am publishing my my Book Series - AMAZING Stories. My first proof just came back.

AHH! to have a physical copy. It’s AMAZING

It has been quite the journey, through ISBN numbers, BISAC categories, print specs and proofing.

My vision for the six book AMAZING Stories series is simple. Each book connects naturally to video, extending the book beyond the page without breaking immersion. It introduces kids and parents to the idea that stories can live in multiple forms.

At the core is a quiet optimism about the future, inspired by classic Star Trek values. Curiosity beats fear. Thinking matters. Difference is normal. Technology helps, but people lead. These are stories for brave, curious, adventurous kids with agency, stories that do not promise everything will be easy, only, that whatever happens,
YOU will be able to handle it.

Join Cathy’s subscriber chat

Available in the Substack app and on web

ENJOY IT, ENJOY IT, ENJOY IT,

Have as Much FUN as possible!

Enough of the chat, check out the Amazing Tools & Absolutely Splendid ideas
I have to share with you in this issue, in the spirit of

EASIER, MORE PRODUCTIVE
& A WHOLE LOT MORE FUN!

Until Next Time……

PS
Virtual Teacher is.......... FREE FOREVER

Here's What's on the MENU Today

Mind Candy - mental treats, light, fun or entertaining things for the brain.
INTRINSIC EXTRINSIC - The moment learning really takes off …
The QUIET VALUES Behind AMAZING Stories - I often think of the original Star Trek.
Flipping the PYRAMID - US unveils new Approved Food Pyramid
AI Prompting Tip #3 - The Whole Class Quiz Prompt
TO DO LIST - Make sure you do!
VT YouTube - The Great Lunch Debate: Toastie vs Pizza! Who hasn’t had this debate!

Let's create a ripple effect of learning, sharing, and growing together.
Pass any good ideas on to colleagues, and encourage them to subscribe to VirtualTeacher for more.

MIND CANDY

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”
C.S. Lewis

INTRINSIC EXTRINSIC

I have seen all of these play out in classrooms over the years.
Stickers, points, bargains and quiet little deals might work for a while,
but they always wear off.
The moment learning really takes off is when a student says
”I want to do this, no deal required.”

The QUIET VALUES Behind AMAZING Stories

When people ask what AMAZING Stories is really about,
I often think of the original Star Trek.

Not the spaceships.
Not the tech.
The values.

Gene Roddenberry’s vision wasn’t a fantasy escape. It was a calm, confident belief that humanity could grow up. Hope for a better future. That we could face the unknown, make mistakes, and still move forward.
That same belief sits at the heart of AMAZING Stories

A HOPEFUL View of the FUTURE
Classic Star Trek never assumed the future would be easy.
It assumed it would be worth facing.
The future in AMAZING Stories works the same way.
Strange things happen. Worlds shift. Plans fail. Outcomes surprise.
But the underlying message is always this:
Whatever happens, I can deal with it.
Not because everything turns out perfectly, but because resilience grows through experience.

CURIOSITY OVER FEAR
In Star Trek, the unknown isn’t something to defeat.
It’s something to understand.
AMAZING Stories invites children into that same mindset.
New worlds aren’t dangerous by default. They’re invitations.
Curiosity is treated as a strength, not a risk.
Questions matter more than answers.

THINKING MATTERS
The original Star Trek trusted its audience to think.
It didn’t explain everything. It didn’t moralise. It didn’t rush to conclusions.
AMAZING Stories does the same.
These stories don’t tell children what to think.
They remind them that THEY CAN THINK.
There’s space for interpretation, discussion and disagreement.
Meaning is something the reader participates in, not something delivered.

DIVERSITY WITHOUT LABELS
Star Trek normalised difference simply by showing it working.
AMAZING Stories reflects that same approach.
Characters and worlds are different not because they are making a point,
but because difference is normal.
Creativity comes from contrast. Growth comes from perspective.
No speeches. No explanations. Just coexistence.

TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL, NOT A CRUTCH
Star Trek never pretended technology was the hero.
People were.
In AMAZING Stories, imagination always comes first.
Technology supports exploration, but it never replaces thinking, feeling or choice.
This matters, especially now. Anything is possible. The future will be AMAZING.

RESILIENCE WITHOUT TOUGHNESS
The core message running through AMAZING Stories is not “be brave” or “be strong.”
It’s quieter than that.
It’s the calm confidence that says:
”I might not know what’s coming, but I TRUST MYSELF to deal with it.”
That idea builds agency.
And agency builds resilience.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR CHILDREN
Children don’t need stories that promise everything will be fine.
They need stories that show they’ll be capable even when it isn’t.
That was Star Trek’s gift to its audience.
And that is what AMAZING Stories offer.
Not escape.
Not certainty.
But CONFIDENCE in the face of the unknown.

AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
AMAZING Stories

Flipping the Pyramid

US unveils new Approved Food Pyramid

The pyramid has been flipped. At last.

SAY, I told you there was a simple change that could reduce behaviour issues by 50%. Would you try it? What about 70%? 90%?

Now imagine that change isn’t a program, a policy, or another intervention.
It’s food.

The US has just unveiled a new RFK Jr approved food pyramid and it literally turns the old one upside down. Protein is now front and centre at every meal. Bread and cereals move right down the list. Added sugar isn’t recommended at all until age 10.

This isn’t about fads. Independent studies have linked higher protein intake with better cognition, memory, language and motor development in children. Lower sugar and ultra processed carbs are also associated with improved focus and behaviour.

Anecdotally, I’ve seen it firsthand. Swapping “crunch and sip” for the protein power of eggs, cheese, chicken and plain milk.

Maybe call it Protein Boost? What do you think!

A huge change for a small change. One student, under medical guidance, went from heavily medicated and struggling to calm, focused and unmedicated.

No magic. Just biology.

The pyramid didn’t just flip.
Common sense finally caught up.

For millions of years Humans ate meat. Brains grew.

New food pyramid pdf
RFK Jr. announces new nutrition guidelines, pushing more protein and less processed food.

Whole milk is coming back to school lunches after President Trump signed a bill that overturned Obama-era restrictions on full-fat dairy.

AI Prompting Tip #3
The Whole Class Quiz Prompt

Quizzes do not need to be built from scratch.
And they definitely do not need to be generic.

This prompt is not for individual practice. It is for whole class teaching.
You stay in control. The AI supports the flow.

Try this prompt:
“Use the uploaded document to create a whole class quiz.
If no document is uploaded, generate age appropriate content first.
Ask the questions one at a time so I can pause, discuss and take responses from the class.”

Suddenly your AI becomes a co teacher, not a tutor.

You instantly get:

teacher paced questioning
built in pause points
discussion led learning
instant clarification of misconceptions
no devices required for students

Make It Concrete - Whole Class Example

You have just finished a Year 3 unit on the solar system.

You upload your lesson notes or if you do not have them you type:

“Provide the knowledge a Year 3 student would know about the solar system after studying it.”

Then you can add:

“Create a whole class quiz with 10 questions based on this content.
Ask the questions one at a time so I can stop and discuss answers with the class.
Use 4 multiple choice questions and 6 questions requiring single sentence answers that require deeper thinking.
If the class gives an incorrect answer, explain the correct answer clearly.
At the end, provide a short evaluation of class understanding.”

Now the AI supports your teaching rhythm.

You Decide:

who answers
how long you wait
when to stop and unpack thinking
when to move on

The AI does not rush ahead.
It waits for you.

Why This Works in Real Classrooms

Students discuss each question in small groups first, agree on a shared response and then feed back to the class.

Group Discussion Means:

stronger verbal reasoning
peer correction before public answers
more confident participation
less performance anxiety
better language modelling

Multiple Choice Questions Help:

warm the room
build confidence
surface misunderstandings quickly

Single Sentence Questions Help:

stretch thinking
encourage explanation
encourage discussion
model academic language

The Final Evaluation Gives You:

a snapshot of whole class understanding
clear next steps for tomorrow
confidence about what landed
evidence without paperwork

BOOM.
One screen. One teacher. One shared thinking space.

No logins. No tracking. No marking.

Low tech. zero Prep.
Big shift.
Just good teaching supported by a smart prompt.

See how its done!

CHECK THESE OUT LIST

Neil.fun Comparing Sizes A fun interactive comparing the sizes of living things.

PromptHero helps you find, share and craft effective prompts to get better results from generative AI tools PromptHero is a prompt discovery + learning tool.

Spurious Correlations by Tyler Vigen is a delightfully mischievous website that uses real data to reveal hilariously perfect but utterly meaningless patterns, reminding us why critical thinking matters and why charts should never be trusted at first glance.

Valentine’s Day What is it? How do you find it in the 21st century? How is it commercialized? Check out on VT.

Cosmic Odometer Fascinating - Space Travel Calculator & Age in Seconds

Climate Change is a Fact It’s also a fact that humans are not causing it.

VT YOUTUBE

The Great Lunch Debate: Toastie vs Pizza!
Watch Milo and Zara go head-to-head in a hilarious duet about the best lunch ever.
This animated short was created with Adobe Character Animator and brings two lively characters to life as they debate, compromise… and celebrate with dessert!

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