News Resources for Educators: Using AI in the Classroom
AI can help you differentiate faster and teach with more intention-if you keep your goals front and center. The guidance below draws on strategies from Laura B. Fogle, Krista Glazewski and Scott Summers, each with deep classroom and instructional tech experience.
1) Question your pedagogical goals
Start with clear outcomes. What should students learn, show and practice by the end of the lesson? What kinds of thinking and interaction do you want to see?
- Set the learning goal and success criteria first.
- Check AI outputs against your students' level and context.
- Ask: Does this support the objective, or just make work look polished?
- Cross-check AI ideas with trusted materials before you implement.
2) Carefully craft prompts for AI tools
Context, role, grade level, standards and constraints matter. The more specific you are, the better the draft you'll get. Also, don't stop at the first reply-multiple rounds usually lead to stronger results than accepting the first output.
Use this quick framework:
- Role: "You are an instructional coach/7th grade ELA teacher/Algebra I co-teacher."
- Learners: "Mixed-readiness class, two newcomers, IEP with read-aloud."
- Goal: "Students will compare theme across two texts and cite evidence."
- Standards: "CCSS RL.7.2; RL.7.9."
- Deliverables: "3-tiered texts (800, 950, 1100L), a 10-minute mini-lesson, and a rubric-aligned exit ticket."
- Constraints: "No more than 15 minutes prep. Provide teacher and student directions."
If you're building your prompting skills, explore curated prompt libraries and integration guides for math and literacy. A practical starting point: Code.org's AI resources for age-appropriate activities and teachable moments.
3) Collaborate to set expectations around the use of AI
Align with your PLC or department so students hear the same message across classes. Most districts or technology teams offer guidance; use it to set norms, note allowed uses and clarify what counts as original student work.
Co-create guidelines with students. Build AI literacy first, then discuss benefits and risks-speed vs. understanding, assistance vs. over-reliance. Be explicit: when AI is allowed, when it's not and how it supports (not replaces) the learning objective.
Ready-to-use classroom moves
- Differentiate texts: ask AI to generate three readability levels of the same passage with the same core ideas.
- Scaffold tough tasks: request sentence starters, vocabulary previews and worked examples.
- Warm-ups and checks: create 3 entrance tickets and 3 exit tickets aligned to the same objective.
- Feedback bank: generate comment stems tied to your rubric to speed up grading without losing specificity.
- Accommodations: produce read-aloud friendly scripts or bilingual glossaries for key terms.
- Assessment variety: ask for alternative demonstrations of learning (audio reflection, visual summary, short explanation) while keeping the same criteria.
Additional resources for using AI in the classroom
- AI For Education (prompt libraries and classroom ideas)
- AI with the FI: From Awareness to Advocacy (professional learning)
- International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) AI resources
- N.C. Department of Public Instruction's AI Use Continuum and AI resources for teachers
- Complete AI Training: Courses by job for structured, educator-focused AI upskilling
Keep it simple: define the learning goal, engineer a precise prompt, iterate, and align your class norms. That's how AI becomes a practical assistant, not a distraction.
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