Instructional Shifts That Stick: A Northville Impact Story

When Jen Lawson first introduced Curipod to her district, itwasn’t just about trying a new edtech tool. For the 25-yeareducator and Northville’s Instructional Technology IntegrationCoordinator, it was about supporting good teaching—makingit easier to plan, deliver, and sustain lessons that sparkconnection and curiosity.

Northville has used Curipod to bring more energy intoclassrooms. For teachers like Amy Soukup, it quickly becamea go-to tool for driving engagement, building studentconfidence, and igniting her own excitement for teaching.

Engagement That Sticks

Amy Soukup, an English and Social Studies teacher at Meads Mill Middle School, didn’t begin usingCuripod until May. But within weeks, her classroom looked—and sounded—very different.

“They come in excited,” Amy shared. “They see Curipod on the screen and ask, ‘Are we doingCuripod?’ If I say no, I get a collective, ‘Aw man!’”

The shift was especially noticeable in students who rarely participated—those who hadn’t respondedto small group work, individual check-ins, or creative incentives. Now, they were raising their hands,typing thoughtful responses, and even competing for top-voted answers. One student, previouslydisengaged and quiet, now strives for the number one spot each day.

“That was my answer,” a student beamed after seeing her responseprojected—something she never would have shared aloud before.

For Amy, the energy didn’t feel like a one-off. It felt like sustainedconnection.

“A quiet classroom doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a learning classroom,” shesaid. “With Curipod, I’ve learned that louder sometimes means more learning.”

In Amy’s class, Curipod isn’t just an instructional tool. It’s a catalystfor student voice, creative expression, and social interaction. Studentslaughed, debated, drew, reflected, and moved—engaging in variouslearning modalities. She noticed a shift in the energy in the room—itchanged who felt empowered to speak up and how they did so.

Lesson Planning for Real Classrooms

Curipod wasn’t developed in isolation. It’s shapedthrough ongoing collaboration with educators—something Amy and Jen noticed right away.

“I just type in the standards and Curipod puts it alltogether. There’s still my thought and ideas behindit but without the exhausting process.”

For Amy, planning lessons no longer meantspending hours trying to come up with new ways tokeep students engaged. From vocabulary practice totest prep, Curipod helped her streamline theprocess—without sacrificing rigor or creativity.

By removing some of the mental load, Curipod gaveAmy more space to focus on what matters most:being present, energized, and connected with herstudents.

“It just puts it all together and adds some creativity to it. That takes away your exhaustion.Teaching is already mentally exhausting. This gives you more of your life back.”

A New Standard for Engagement

What began as a short-term experiment in one classroomhas grown into something larger for Northville. With toolsthat support real-time feedback, whole-class engagement,and creative freedom, teachers like Amy are discovering anew way to approach instruction.

“Curipod doesn’t just help you teach better,” she said. “Itmakes you feel better.”

In Amy’s classroom, the change is visible—and audible.Laughter. Reflection. Debates. Applause. Students leaningin, not tuning out.

This is the kind of change that happens when teachers aresupported, students are heard, and classrooms come alive.