AI for Teachers In & Beyond the Classroom: A Guide for Using AI as a Thought Partner
Educators have so much on their plates any given day. Wondering how to save time and enhance your creativity and productivity? Leveraging AI can be a simple way to get more done.
There are so many powerful artificial intelligence tools for teachers and educators, whether you’re a classroom teacher and/or working beyond the classroom. From creating assessments to crafting compelling job application materials, AI can be a powerful thought partner for you.
Ready to tap into the power of AI for educators? In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can leverage AI so you can excel and thrive in your career.
Ways Teachers Can Use AI In and Beyond the Classroom
As the world of artificial intelligence has grown and more AI tools for teachers hit the market, there are many questions about the impact of using AI in education. So, how can teachers use AI in and beyond the classroom?
The key is to not use AI as a replacement for your expertise (such as effective teaching strategies, curriculum development skills, subject knowledge, etc.), but instead to use AI as a thought partner.
AI tools for educators can help you generate new ideas, complete basic tasks, and create content. If you’re pursuing a career beyond the classroom, AI can help you apply for flexible jobs or create materials for an education business.
How to Use AI for Teachers & Educators
Choosing the Right AI Tool for the Job
The AI world is constantly expanding for educators with a wide variety of tools designed to meet different needs. Our Educator Forever Network members are constantly searching for the best tips and tricks, and we’ve found that it’s critical to understand AI tools so we can use them effectively and in meaningful ways.
Here are some of our favorites:
ChatGPT: Perfect for brainstorming, ChatGPT is valuable for exploring ideas, generating text, and refining your thoughts. While this is a great go-to, know that ChatGPT isn’t the best tool for everything.
Canva’s Magic Studio and Midjourney: When it comes to visuals, these tools are helpful but in different ways. Whether you’re creating presentations, social media posts, or instructional materials, Canva’s Magic Studio allows you to enter prompts and generates custom images for you. Midjourney can generate images based on prompts as well, is known for creating realistic images.
MagicSchool, Khanmingo, and Quizziz: These are some of the best AI tools for teachers. Tailored specifically for classroom teachers, these tools offer a suite of AI features to help with tasks such as lesson planning, creating assessments, writing IEPs, and differentiating instruction. Think of them as an assistant to help with a teacher’s workflow and the many unique demands and tasks involved with teaching.
Brisk Teaching and Slidesgo: These AI tools are designed specifically for teachers to create engaging presentations, saving you precious hours.
Gemini: For research and staying current with educational trends, Gemini helps sift through vast amounts of information quickly.
Copilot: If you could benefit from having an assistant, Copilot can support you with a wide variety of tasks. Calling itself “your everyday AI companion,” it can provide advice and help you with writing, productivity, data analysis, and more.
Choosing the right AI tool for your specific needs is key. Try out different ones to determine which are most helpful in saving you time, boosting your creativity, and making your work easier.
Using AI Tools Effectively
Using AI for teachers and educators isn’t quite as simple as choosing a tool and suddenly creating amazing things in less time. It takes practice to use them well. The more you use a specific AI tool, the better you’ll get at generating the results you desire. Asking specific prompts when using your AI tool is key.
Here are some examples of effective AI prompts for teachers:
Need some expertise? Let’s say you want to craft an impressive resume or compelling cover letter. This can seem daunting, especially when trying to tailor them to specific job descriptions. Using ChatGPT (or a similar AI tool) can support you in analyzing a job description and tailoring your application materials.
Use effective ChatGPT prompts for teachers trying to leave the classroom, such as “Be a resume expert, and match my resume to this job description and suggest improvements” or “Explain this job to me in simpler terms.” You can use the results to demystify the application process and to help you create stand-out applications.
Need a thought partner? Whether you’re a classroom teacher or a curriculum developer, let’s say you’re working on developing middle school science curriculum and you need more ideas for science activities in a lesson on ecosystems.
You could prompt AI with: “Generate science activity ideas for middle school students on the topic of ecosystems.” You’ll get a variety of options, from simple experiments to complex projects, which you can then adapt for your lesson.
Need streamlining for efficiency? Let’s say you’re leading a professional development session for educators and need help with finding and summarizing research articles on student engagement.
With a prompt, such as “Find the latest research on effective student engagement strategies” or “Summarize key findings from recent studies on student engagement in elementary classrooms,” the AI tool will gather the information and provide you with a summary. This can save you time and ensure you’re presenting up-to-date, relevant insights.
Generating Ideas and Making Them Your Own
AI’s value is its ability to enhance your own creativity and problem-solving skills. It can be tempting to think of AI as a replacement for your expertise. But a successful approach to AI for educators is to see these tools as collaborators that can support you. Your voice should always stand out front and center in your writing.
When you’re feeling stuck or unsure where to start, AI can give you fresh ideas or a different perspective. Use the content it generates as a jumping board. Infuse your work with your own voice and expertise. By making it your own and tailoring it, your work will be even more effective and impactful.
Looking for More Support in your Journey Beyond the Classroom?
Even with the best AI for teachers, the idea of leaving teaching can be incredibly daunting. If you’re pursuing career opportunities (part-time or full-time) beyond the classroom, having the right support makes all the difference.
Educator Forever has helped thousands of teachers like you identify their unique skills, learn how to apply them to flexible new careers, and get the clarity and confidence to go after what they want. We’re here to support you, too!
The Beyond the Classroom Starter Kit offers you instant access to all of the support and guidance you need to discover the right career for you.
This includes:
✨ Our signature Beyond the Classroom Course
✨ How to Earn More as a Teacher Course
✨ 2 months of membership to the Educator Forever Network
You’ll benefit from:
✅ Step-by-step guidance as you discover your career possibilities, gain clarity, and learn exactly how to find and land flexible jobs in education
✅ Empowering live group calls (every week!) for career guidance and job search support
✅ Exclusive access to ongoing wellness, creativity, skill growth, and co-working sessions, along with special career-related workshops designed for transitioning teachers
✅ Instant access to exciting, flexible job leads on our private jobs board, along with expert support at your fingertips
✅ An incredible, supportive community of like-minded educators cheering you on as you expand your impact and income in education
Sign up now to empower yourself and take your education career to the next level!