The short version: Pixel and Chalk exists to make school feel lighter for students, parents, and teachers by using AI ethically to reduce cognitive load and boost confidence, especially for neurodivergent learners.

The longer story: I’m Andi, a longtime English/Communication professor—and a mom first—helping my 15-year-old with ADHD navigate the daily realities of high school. Coming off three years of online public school, my son moved back to in-person learning. Overnight he faced eight classes, shifting due dates, decentralized coursework, and state testing. The content was fine; the cognitive load wasn’t.

At home, my husband (ADHD + dyslexia) had already discovered how much AI could help: dictation instead of blank-page panic, clean summaries instead of re-reading the same paragraph five times, step-by-step checklists instead of “where do I even start?” Watching those tools lower the noise for him made something click for me: this isn’t about shortcuts…it’s all about scaffolds.

I’ve taught English and Communication for 20 years, mentored faculty, and supported thousands of adult learners returning to school. The pattern is the same across ages: people don’t fail because they’re not smart; they get overwhelmed by the logistics. AI, used well, helps with the logistics of planning, chunking, remembering, and focusing so the brain can do the real work: thinking, creating, learning.

Pixel and Chalk is my way of putting both pieces together. Pixel is the smart tech that lightens the load. Chalk is the human heart of teaching—values, clarity, and care. When they work together, students learn more with less stress, and teachers get their evenings back.

Why AI in Education (to me)

• Cognitive load > raw ability. Tools that chunk, prioritize, and sequence tasks make school more accessible, especially for neurospicy brains.
• Access & equity. AI can be a speech-to-text scribe, a patient explainer, and an on-demand study buddy. These supports should be available to everyone.
• Future-proof skills. Ethical AI use such as prompting, verifying, citing, and reflecting, is a literacy students will need in college and the changing workplace.

My Mission

To equip families, students, and educators—especially neurodivergent learners—with ethical, human-centered AI practices that lower cognitive load and raise confidence. I do that by creating plain-language guides, classroom-ready resources, and trainings that are practical, inclusive, and immediately usable.

What I make (and why it helps)

• Books & guides for parents, teens, and teachers that turn “AI” into everyday routines (checklists, study plans, scripts). Coming soon!
• Student workbooks & templates (Google/Docs/TPT) that break big tasks into steps you can actually do.
• Workshops for schools and faculty on ethical use, verification, and neurodiversity-aware design.
• Newsletter (Substack) + LinkedIn posts with real examples, not hype—what worked for us this week, and why.

What I believe

Design for neurodiversity. Build for brains that don’t fit the template; everyone benefits.

Human first. Tech supports people, not the other way around.

Plain language beats jargon. If a ninth-grader can’t use it, it’s not helpful.

Ethics always. Cite sources, verify claims, respect privacy, keep the learning honest.