If there’s one thing Judith Smetana is full of, it’s ideas. Good ideas, she says, that come either in the middle of the night or from the Lenovo Pro Community.
Known as ‘cuteenglishteacher,” on the Pro Community, Judith has been a member since 2022 and is one of our most prolific contributors and users. She’s always at the ready with engaging posts, helpful comments and interesting questions.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Judith over a video call in August and she was a shocker in the most delightful and unexpected ways. A teacher for more than three decades, for the past 18 years, she’s been helping students from around the world learn life-changing skills.
And speaking of location, thanks to a custom motorcycle trailer she had customized (yes, she rides), she can teach her classes from anywhere.
Judith’s Classroom on Wheels.
Judith’s dedication to her students and their success makes it clear why she’s a sought-after educator. She has a wealth of knowledge about so many things — and if she doesn’t know it, you can bet 100 Yoga laptops she will figure it out.
Let’s get into it.
Tell the Community about your teaching. Judith: I help people with test-taking strategies, pronunciation and writing. My clients range in age — currently, my youngest student is three years old and my oldest is 98. But I’ve also taught unborn children, too.
Wait, what? Judith: Yes! Sometimes, mothers hire me to speak to their children in utero. And then, there’s the other end of the age spectrum. My near-centenarian aged client wanted to learn how to use a digital tablet to design a room based on his drawings. I’m teaching him the language of how to describe things.
I know you teach virtual group classes for school-aged children in the US and in the UK. Is all your teaching virtual? Judith: No, I still teach in the classroom as a substitute when I’m needed. But now with my Classroom on Wheels, I am starting to travel and teach.
Classroom on Wheels? Say more, please. Judith: I live in a hurricane-prone area. Even though I never want to cancel a class, when the government says mandatory evacuation, I have to go.
This past year, I converted my motorcycle trailer into a mini-home that I can pull behind my pick-up truck. It’s truly a mobile office and home with air conditioning, electrical, internet, water, a kitchen, two beds (my dog, Dax travels with me), refrigerator, sink, toilet — everything I need. Now I can teach anyone from anywhere!
Interior shot of Judith’s Classroom on Wheels.
That’s fabulous! Was it a seamless experience for your students? Judith: It worked great on the road. My students thoroughly enjoyed the sessions — I was able to take them outside. They got a different perspective of me and experienced another way of teaching.
That’s just so ingenious. I know your students range in age, but are the bulk of them school-aged? Judith: No, not necessarily. I’ve recently found a new niche helping people who are interested in a career with the armed services.
Before someone can join the military, they must take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) or the Pending Internet Computerized Adaptive Test (PICAT.) These are important tests and the person’s results will determine their assignment and pay.
Many students don’t remember their mathematics; some didn’t have a shop class in school, so they don’t have any experience with automotive or electronics. These tests cover all these subject areas. I help them with these topics and guide them with targeted instruction in test-taking strategies.
So you’re not only an expert in English but mechanical topics as well? Judith: I have an agricultural degree from the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute. Before we could teach others, we had to learn how to wire a light (with the guidance of a licensed electrician) and learn the corresponding technology and terminology.
I have a ceiling fan that needs to be replaced. Do you think I could do that myself? Judith: I wouldn’t recommend it, zoning ordinances in some cities forbid people to do that.
What else do you know, Judith? Are you multilingual, too? Judith: Not yet. For now, I speak just English and Spanish — but I’m learning Chinese.
I’m really excited about an AI product I’ve been building and just launched in September. It’s a conversational AI educator for students who want help with their English pronunciation.
That is huge, Judith! Let me be sure the Community understands this: you created and trained an AI? Judith: I did, yes with the help of Deepbrain.io. They are partners with Lenovo — I actually discovered them through a Lenovo Pro Community webinar. I saw their educational bot that can converse with people and I thought, “I want that too!”
I have my popcorn. What happened next? Judith: Well, what I didn’t know was how to code it. So I followed Deepbrain’s advice and guidance, and after working together closely for about two years, I have a viable AI Human Educational Consultant in the market.
Users can purchase a block of time to interact with the human tutor and converse with it on their own schedule, outside of class. As they converse with one another, they’re practicing pronunciation and refining their English proficiency.
That’s huge! Congratulations! Judith: Thank you! It’s been an exciting journey. For me, the collaboration with Deepbrain.io really validated the potential of human-AI chatbot interactions. I gained innumerable insights for ways to integrate AI into customer service and educational settings — both of which are particularly relevant for my work as cuteenglishteacher LLC.
You really are an AI aficionado, Judith! How did that come to be? Judith: Oh, yes, I am quite passionate about using AI; not just to run my business more easily but also to help my students — for some of them, their lives depend on what they learn with me.
There’s so much information about AI, everywhere. I’ve said it before, it’s like a firehose. How do you cut through the hype? Judith: The Community! I get all my ideas from there.
I would never find anything if it weren’t for the Lenovo Pro Community. It’s been a crucial resource for learning about the practical applications of AI for my business and, more specifically, AI chatbots. I watch every post and follow the links.
The Community also provides me with a platform to connect and share knowledge with other members and learn from their experiences. Their insights using AI definitely helped me accomplish my goal of setting up, coding and standing up robust websites that run AI chatbots.
Your new AI Human Educational Consultant is such a great use case — not just for AI but for the Community as well. I’m curious though, you mentioned using AI to help run your business — can you elaborate? Judith: I use several AI tools to help run my business, from content creation to quality assurance and marketing.
Some of my go-to AIs are:
● HeyGen.ai for creating video content to advertise my services.
● Claude for content creation, including generating teaching materials and blog posts.
● Grammarly checks for plagiarism and ensures my content is original and maintains academic integrity.
And then there’s the hardware. I’m a Lenovo-only shop and they have AI-enhanced features that I count on to improve my productivity.
Oh, say more about that please, Judith. How are you benefitting from Lenovo’s focus on AI-ready Thinkpads? Judith: Microsoft Copilot (an AI-powered productivity tool) came installed on one of my Thinkpads and while it can be used for many things, I appreciate how the it gives me ideas about how to create swifty and incorporate AI into my teaching methods. My Yoga 9i does even more — it will remind me to use more academic words, for instance.
You have multiple Thinkpads? Judith: I currently have three, including a Yoga I won from the Lenovo Education group on the Community.
Everything I have is Lenovo, I wouldn't fool with anything else because of the customer service. They email me often, asking, “Do you need anything? Can I help you? Your warranty's about to expire.”
And then, as a Community member, I earn Lenovo points that I can use towards purchasing an extended warranty or even a new PC. That’s another reason why the Community is so great — the points you can earn.
Final question, Judith: What words of advice do you have for fellow business people interested in using AI? Judith: I suggest just trying an AI tool and getting accustomed to it. And join the Lenovo Pro Community. You will be happy you did!
Thank you for your time, Judith. Please keep the Community posted about your new educational AI.
Would you like to be a featured member of the Community? We’d love to have you! Please reach out to me (Stephanie Hlavin) at [email protected]. When you’re in the Lenovo Pro Community, be sure to say hello, and by all means, start posting. We’d love to get to know you.
Stephanie has worked in tech for more than 20 years. During that time, she's held various marketing roles but has retained a passion for writing, and specifically, storytelling. She recently left the corporate world to launch her own writing business - Hired Gun Writer - so she could do more of what she loves for brands she believes in.
When she's not using her words to help build better business outcomes for her clients, she's working on a memoir and making moves to live part time in Barcelona. You can find her on LinkedIn.
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