Lightening the load: Using AI in planning and instruction

At dinner recently, I asked a friend for advice about talking to my mom, who has dementia. When my mom is confused or locked into an imagined problem, it’s hard to find the right words in the moment. I want to reassure her without reinforcing the loop she’s stuck in. My first instinct is to explain what’s really happening, but experience has taught me that approach is ineffective and even hurtful.

My friend, who also has a family member with dementia, explained why it’s best to roll with the stories. She suggested I have a few go-to phrases ready before each visit. That way, I can enjoy the visit knowing I have words to lean on.

It struck me how similar this situation is to teaching. Teachers face that reality every day. We may walk in with a vision for where a lesson will land, but in the swirl of a real classroom, we need anchors to steady us. Preparation frees up the energy to focus on what matters most. Sometimes we need ideas for questioning, or for a way to differentiate for our students. That’s where we can use artificial intelligence (AI) as a thought partner. AI can help us plan, reflect, and problem-solve in ways we rarely have time to do alone.

Inside the why

Lesson planning is essential for student learning (van Diggele et al., 2020). But today’s lesson plans go far beyond a simple objective, activity, and assessment. Teachers juggle a spectrum of learning needs, multilingual learners, and social or behavioral considerations while navigating limited resources and shrinking time.

During instruction, we balance differentiation, assessment, engagement, and classroom management while keeping an eye on timing and giving and getting feedback. It is no wonder the work is exhausting. The fatigue does not come from a lack of commitment but from expectations that outpace the time and information teachers have. Researchers call this time poverty, when more tasks are demanded in less time with increasing pressure (Creagh, 2023).

That is why a seemingly limitless toolbox matters. AI tools like ChatGPT can respond to teacher needs in the blink of an eye.

An inside look

Using AI as a thought partner is not difficult. Choose a platform like ChatGPT and try personalized prompts to make it work for your specific subject and students:

Frame the situation. Let AI know what role or perspective you want it to take. For example, I am a third-grade teacher with 26 students, and I only have 30 minutes to teach science. This context helps your AI thought partner offer suggestions that fit your circumstances.

Share details. Be specific about what you need help with. Instead of a general request like Write a lesson plan, give as much detail as possible. For example, I’m a seventh-grade math teacher and many of my students are missing foundational math concepts for our unit on slope. What are some common misconceptions I should be aware of? You can use full sentences or phrases. Don’t worry about getting the language just right; the point is to help your AI thought partner see your instructional needs.

Ask for options, not answers. Any prompt that suggests multiple responses works.

• • I need ideas for…
  • What options can you share…
  • Provide four examples…
  • List choices for…

When you’re provided with choices, you then can refine an idea that’s most likely to work. You’ll also have back up plans to try in small groups, reteaching, or future lessons. Pro tip: If you don’t like any of the initial options, give a reason why the given options don’t work when asking for new ones.

Follow up. AI is not judgmental. You can continue to ask for refinement or specificity, and your AI thought partner will continue to respond. In fact, the more feedback you offer, the better your results. For example:

• That might work, but what about…
• I’ve already tried that, how could I adjust?
• That’s close. I need to consider. . .

Maintain ownership. AI is prone to hallucinations, which are plausible sounding errors. . Keep that in mind as you use it to spark ideas. Always double-check the accuracy of information before using or sharing it.

Help it learn. The more you use some AI platforms like ChatGPT the better they get at understanding the specifics of your classroom, teaching style, and priorities. It will remember previous problem-solving interactions and apply those outcomes to future issues. It saves time sharing the backstory because AI just pulls it from its archived files and remembers your past priorities.

Use AI responsibly. Don’t include sensitive information like student names or private data.

Here’s an example of how a ChatGPT exchange can unfold:

Teacher: Give me fresh ideas for lesson closure besides exit tickets.

ChatGPT: Sure thing. Here are a few quick closure moves you can try:

• One-word whip around: Every student shares a single word that sums up their learning.
• Teach in ten: Students explain the lesson in ten seconds to a partner.
• Sketch a symbol: Draw one image that represents today’s big idea.
• Prediction prompt: Students answer, “What do you think we’ll tackle next?”
• Connection check: Link the day’s learning back to the previous lessons.

Teacher: I like the Teach in 10 but how could I gather data?

ChatGPT: You could listen in on a few pairs and jot quick notes, but if you want something more systematic, here are options:

• Collect samples: After their 10-second share, ask students to write the same idea in one sentence on a sticky note.
• Peer rating: Partners give each other a quick “clear” or “needs more” thumbs signal, so you get an instant sense of clarity.
• Rotate roles: After two shares, ask one partner to report the other’s explanation to you — it shows both understanding and listening.

Teacher: Create a note taking document so I can easily record if they hit the target or not.

ChatGPT: Here’s a simple note-taking document you can use for the Teach in 10 closure check. It has space for student names, a quick ✔ or ✖, and short notes.

Lesson closure is just one example. The same process works for anything that feels overwhelming. Complex lesson planning can feel overwhelming. Here are questions to start the process. Feel free to adapt them to fit your own challenges.

Planning focus	Sample questions
Differentiation	Share options to support multilingual learners in this lesson. What resources would students with memory challenges use?
Engagement	Develop five quick hooks to introduce my lesson on ___. How can I motivate reserved students to interact with peers?
Formative assessments	Offer several questions I should consider to discover misconceptions about ____. Suggest “check for understanding” strategies I can use before, during, and after instruction.
Questioning	Draft some higher order questions will push students thinking about ____. Give ways to improve the quality of questions students ask their partners.
Lesson modification	How can this text be changed for multiple reading levels and still allow all students to engage in the questions? List relevant tasks for a non-verbal student to engage in the lesson?

Whether your AI thought partner helps you brainstorm solutions, develop resources that complement your lessons, or offer fresh strategies to keep instruction engaging, the benefits are many. You save time and preserve energy for what no tool can replace: your connection with students.

Look inside

Consider how a thought partner might lighten your load.

• What parts of planning instruction require the most time or energy?
• Where do you notice student needs but feel short on ways to respond in the moment?
• If you had an extra planning hour, what would you be able to accomplish?

Remember this Inside Instruction insight: AI is not the teacher; it is a thought partner that offers a wellspring of ideas.

Free teacher resources are available from Hamilton’s site at conniehamilton.org/freeresources.

References

Creagh, S., Thompson, G., Mockler, N., Stacey, M., & Hogan, A. (2023). Workload, work intensification and time poverty for teachers and school leaders: a systematic research synthesis. Educational Review, 77 (2), 661-680.

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/

van Diggele, C., Burgess, A., & Mellis, C. (2020). Planning, preparing and structuring a small group teaching session. BMC medical education, 20 (Suppl 2), 462.