Key Takeaways:
- Learn how ChatGPT enhances lesson planning, grading, and communication.
- Discover ready-to-use prompts for daily teaching workflows.
- Get practical advice to safely and ethically integrate AI in your classroom.
- Understand how to guide students in responsible AI use.
From One Teacher to Another
If you’re like most educators I know, you wear a dozen hats before lunchtime: planner, counselor, facilitator, communicator… and sometimes even copywriter.
ChatGPT is not here to replace you. It’s here to support you. To take a few hats off your head so you can focus on the ones that matter most, like actually teaching.
This guide will walk you through practical ways to use ChatGPT in your day-to-day teaching. I’ve included specific prompts, student strategies, and best practices that balance productivity with ethical awareness.
Table of Contents
How Teachers Can Use ChatGPT: Workflows & Best Prompts
Lesson Planning
Save hours each week by generating detailed lesson plans, objectives, and activities.
Prompt Example:
“Create a week-long lesson plan for a 10th grade English class on persuasive writing aligned with Common Core standards.”
Tip: Add constraints like time, resources, or specific student needs.
Differentiated Instruction
Get variations of content to suit different student levels, from ESL learners to gifted students.
Prompt Example:
“Simplify the Gettysburg Address for 5th grade ESL students and create comprehension questions.”
Assessment & Grading
Generate rubric-based feedback, quiz questions, and model answers.
Prompt Example:
“Create a multiple-choice quiz with answer key on the causes of World War I for 8th grade history.”
Prompt for Feedback:
“Give constructive feedback on this paragraph written by a 7th grader about climate change.”
Communication with Parents & Staff
Write clear, professional messages quickly.
Prompt Example:
“Write a positive update email to the parent of a student who improved their math scores.”
Classroom Management & SEL
Generate scripts and support for behavior management or social-emotional learning (SEL).
Prompt Example:
“Give me three restorative practice prompts I can use after a student conflict in middle school.”
How to Integrate ChatGPT into Teaching with Students
While using ChatGPT as a teaching assistant is powerful, involving your students thoughtfully can be even more transformative.
Productive Uses for Students
- Writing Support: Brainstorming, outlining, or revising essays.
- Debates & Discussions: Simulate expert or opposing perspectives.
- Research Practice: Use ChatGPT as a starting point to explore topics, followed by fact-checking.
Student Prompt Example:
“Explain photosynthesis to a 6th grader using a food analogy.”
Risks of Overuse or Misuse
Be proactive in addressing potential issues:
- Plagiarism: Students using AI to write assignments verbatim.
- Over-reliance: Inhibiting development of original thinking.
- Misinformation: ChatGPT can “hallucinate” facts—always cross-check.
Best Practices for Teachers Using ChatGPT
1. Set Classroom Norms
Clearly define what’s acceptable AI use in your class. Discuss academic honesty and the difference between help and replacement.
2. Verify and Edit Outputs
ChatGPT is helpful, not infallible. Always review for accuracy, age-appropriateness, and bias.
3. Model Ethical Use
Use ChatGPT live in class to show how to brainstorm ideas or outline arguments responsibly.
4. Emphasize Critical Thinking
Have students critique AI outputs or compare them to human-written texts. This builds media literacy and analytical skills.
- Custom ChatGPT For Research: A curated selections of GPT tools to facilitate any kind of research (e.g: subject calendars prior scholar year).
- Extended ChatGPT Courses: to master ChatGPT then apply advanced techniques to teaching.
- Custom ChatGPT For Students – A list of Custom GPTs that students use the most. It will help you understand their learning evolution, be in sync and empathise.
