Last month, OpenAI, Microsoft, Anthropic (Claude), and the American Federation of Teachers, announced a $23 million dollar investment in AI education through the launch of an academy for AI Instruction in New York City, with the plan to train 400,000 K-12 educators. This collaboration reflects the shifting landscape of K-12 education toward the widespread use of generative AI in the classroom.
Similar to many of those New York educators, I teach a diverse student population in an urban school. In my own experience in bringing AI to the classroom, there are best practices that apply whether it’s a large training program backed by corporate partners or a small school like mine. With these principles in mind, over this upcoming school year, we all can ensure our students are using AI appropriately and successfully in the classro0m.
As an ELA teacher, I am always looking to provide more feedback to my students on their writing. With 20+ students in each of my classes, there is never enough time to meet with every student and discuss their writings in depth. Generative AI provides the opportunity to amplify my feedback in the classroom during our writing blocks. Rather than wait for me, students can use a chatbot to help them clarify their main points, strengthen thesis statements, or even catch some of the little spelling and grammar mistakes that can confuse their meaning.
To make this happen, first I had to become familiar with generative AI through prompting and exploring different chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude. I discovered how to improve my own writing and workflow, and then I could figure out how to bring it into my classroom. According to a recent poll from the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup, 60 percent of teachers are already using AI to save time; as this percentage inevitably increases, teachers like me will need additional time and training to familiarize ourselves with student-facing AI platforms.
Every day, I benefit from an incredible team of colleagues with whom I can brainstorm ideas, ask questions, and seek feedback. Last year, a fellow 8th grade teacher discovered and recommended a chatbot specifically for ELA classrooms. Designed through Playlab, an AI site for educators to create their own AI tools, this chatbot mimics the way ELA teachers give feedback. The tool gives suggestions for students on how to revise and keep working on their writing. Whether it’s a monthly department meeting, informal watercooler chat, or district-wide professional development, teachers can, with collaboration, learn more quickly and unlock new possibilities for using AI in the classroom.
One of my students used the chatbot to help him identify spelling mistakes. Another realized that she needed to add a conclusion paragraph. Looking around the classroom, I saw students with their heads together reading and giving feedback on each other’s work, some using the chatbot and others working independently. Meanwhile, one student at a time conferenced with me. Our classroom reflected what real writers do: write and revise through multiple drafts.
When I spoke with students, I learned that they still prized my feedback; they preferred to talk quietly with me rather than use the chatbot exclusively. However, they found that real-time, quick suggestions from the chatbot, Project Toni, improved their writing and helped them figure out the next steps in the writing process. As we move forward, student voices are crucial to finding what works, identifying challenges, and improving AI tools we use in our classrooms. As we look ahead to the future of AI in schools, it is crucial to keep teachers and students in the conversation.
My students needed more real-time feedback on their writing. I sought out a solution, vetted Project Toni, and decided when and how to implement it in the classroom. In my classroom, we do not rely solely on AI for feedback but have incorporated it as one of several options. As we expand the use of AI in schools, teachers like me should be at the fore in the decision-making and implementation of its programming. With ongoing training and collaboration, we can and should be trusted to know when to use AI and when to use a different tool or approach.
As we return to school this month, teachers in New York, Boston, and many other districts across the country are tackling generative AI at a large scale. This shift brings new promises and possible pitfalls for students. The time-tested principles of training, collaborating, seeking and implementing student feedback, and making space for teacher leadership and autonomy, can inform the future of AI in education. The best path forward is carved out alongside teachers in the classroom with students every day.
Caroline Rose is an 8th grade English language arts teacher at Boston Collegiate Charter School in Dorchester and Teach Plus Leading Edge Fellow.
