Jocelyn Gecker, AP Education Writer
For her sixth grade honors class, Mathematics teacher Ana Sepúlveda wanted to make geometry fun. She believed that “people who live and breathe soccer” were interested in learning how mathematical concepts apply to sports. She asked ChatGpt for help.
Within seconds, the chatbot provided a five-page lesson plan and theme. “Geometry is everywhere in soccer – the field, the ball, and even the stadium design!”
We explained the shape and angle of the soccer field. It proposed a starter for classroom conversations: Why are those shapes important to the game? A project was proposed in which students design their own soccer field or stadium using rulers and long term factions.
“Using AI has been a game changer for me,” said Sepúlveda, who teaches at a dual language school in Dallas and translates everything into Spanish. “It helps to plan lessons, communicate with parents, and increase student engagement.”
All over the country, artificial intelligence tools are changing education professions as educators write quizzes and worksheets, design lessons, help them with grading, and use them to reduce documents. By freeing up time, many say that this technology has made them better in their work.
A poll released Wednesday by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation found that six in 10 US teachers working in K-12 public schools have used AI tools in past grades, which are used between high school educators and early career teachers. In April, we surveyed more than 2,000 teachers across the country.
Respondents using AI tools estimated they store around six hours a week, suggesting that the technology can help reduce teacher burnout, said Andrea Malek Ash of Gallup Research Consultant, who wrote the report.
The state is publishing guidelines for using AI tools in classrooms
As schools navigate concerns about tech student abuse, some have implemented guidelines and training for educators, so teachers are aware of avoiding shortcuts for students.
Maya Israel, an associate professor of educational technology and computer science education at the University of Florida, has about 20 states with school-level AI guidance, but the degree to which it is applied by schools and teachers is uneven.
“We want to make sure that AI will not replace teacher decisions,” Israel said.
If your teacher uses a chatbot for grading, it should be noted that the tool is suitable for “low-level” grading, like multiple choice tests, but is less effective when nuance is required. There should be a way to warn teachers whether grading is too strict or inconsistent, and whether the final grading decision should remain with educators, she said.
Approximately 8 in 10 teachers using AI tools say they save time on work tasks like worksheets, assessments, quizzes or administrative tasks. Also, about six in ten teachers using AI tools said they are improving the quality of their work when it comes to changing student material and providing student feedback.
“AI changed the way I teach. It changed my weekends and improved my work-life balance,” says Mary McCarthy, a social science teacher at a high school in the Houston area, using AI tools to help with lesson planning and other tasks.
McCarthy said the training received from the school district with the AI tool would help students use their models properly.
“If I’m in the soapbox, I’m like, ‘AI’m going to be bad, kids are going to be stupid,’ and I haven’t taught them how to use the tool,” McCarthy said. “I feel my responsibility as an adult in the room helps them find a way to navigate this future.”
Teachers say this technology is best used sparingly.
Views on the role of artificial intelligence in education have changed dramatically since ChatGpt was launched in late 2022. Schools across the country initially banned it, but many have since sought ways to incorporate it into classrooms. Concerns about student overuse and misuse remain common. About half of teachers worry that AI students’ use will reduce the ability to think critically and independently, or persistently when solving problems, according to research.
One of the benefits that teachers can see of being familiar with artificial intelligence is the ability students find when they are using it too much.
Clues that assignments are written by AI tools include the absence of grammar errors or complicated phrases in writing, said Darren Barkett, an English teacher at Colorado High School. He said he relies on ChatGpt itself to create lesson plans and evaluate multiple choice tests and essays.
In suburban Chicago, middle school art teacher Lindsay Johnson said she only uses AI programs that have been vetted by her school and are believed to be safe to use with minors due to data privacy and other concerns. To help students gain confidence in their skills, she said that technology will only be brought to the later stages of the project.
For her final ratings for eighth grade, Johnson asked them to create portraits of those who are influential in their lives. After students put a final touch on the subject’s face, Johnson introduced the generated AI for those who wanted to help with background design. She used AI tools within Canva after confirming with the district’s IT department that the design software had handed over the privacy screener.
“As an art teacher, my goal is to let you know the various tools out there and teach you how those tools work,” she said. Some students were not interested in helping. “Half of the class said, ‘I have a vision and I’m going to keep it going.’ ”
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Original issue: June 25th, 2025 10:55am EDT
