Plan the Way You Want Them to Learn

Plan the Way You Want Them to Learn

In this episode we explore how teachers can use AI during lesson planning without outsourcing the thinking that helps them grow as educators. We look at why teachers should do the difficult thinking first, how AI can be used to pressure-test a lesson, and why revision and reflection are essential when evaluating AI suggestions.  Topics covered: • Why lesson planning is a learning process for teachers• The difference between using AI as a thinking partner and outsourcing the work• Productive struggle and its role in developing teacher expertise• How pedagogical content knowledge is built through planning• Why AI-generated lesson plans require substantial revision• Metacognitive reflection as an alternative to cognitive surrender Sources: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41539-025-00311-8#citeas https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6097646

The Claude Before the Storm

In this episode we explore two major developments shaping AI in K-12 education: Anthropic’s launch of Claude for Teachers and the fragmented policy environment surrounding AI adoption in schools. Claude for Teachers promises to reduce teacher workload, but the product’s integrations raise important questions about student data, classroom recordings, vendor agreements, and FERPA compliance. Topics covered: • What Claude for Teachers offers K–12 educators• How AI could support lesson planning and instructional coaching• The privacy risks of sharing classroom audio and student data• Why vendor integrations require district-level review• The difference between “FERPA-aligned” and FERPA-compliant use• New state laws governing student data and automated decisions Sources: https://www.chalkbeat.org/2026/07/14/anthropic-launches-claude-for-teachers-as-ai-companies-battle-for-classrooms/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-OOEC5RNaQ

The Cost of AI Shortcuts

In this episode we explore what happens when teachers use AI to save time, and whether those shortcuts can come at a cost for students. Drawing on a statewide survey of more than 13,000 Georgia teachers, we examine a troubling tension: Teachers often believe AI improves their work, while emerging evidence suggests that certain patterns of AI use may reduce student motivation, confidence, and, in some classrooms, academic performance. Topics covered: • Why teacher AI adoption is accelerating• The gap between perceived productivity and student outcomes• Findings from Georgia’s statewide teacher survey• What a randomized controlled trial found about student motivation and confidence• Cognitive offloading and the “skill substitution” problem• How generic AI-generated materials can weaken a teacher’s personal voice• The difference between using AI as a shortcut and using it as a thinking partner Sources: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=7007339 https://www.the74million.org/article/more-than-half-of-georgia-teachers-now-use-artificial-intelligence-to-prepare-for-class/ https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-teachers

When AI Helps Teachers but Hurts Students

In this episode we explore what happens when teachers use AI to prepare lessons, assessments, discussion questions, and other classroom materials, and whether working faster actually leads to better learning. As OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Anthropic race to integrate AI into educators’ daily workflows, the promise is straightforward: save teachers time. But emerging research suggests that when teachers rely too heavily on AI-generated materials, students may find classes less interesting, feel less motivated, and, in some cases, perform worse. Topics covered: • The rapid growth of AI-assisted lesson preparation• The difference between faster content and better instruction• Research linking passive AI use to lower student motivation and engagement• Why students notice when classroom materials feel generic or impersonal• The launch of Claude for Education and integrations with teacher productivity tools• How time pressure and limited training influence teacher AI use• Why revising and personalizing AI-generated materials matters Sources: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=7007339 https://www.the74million.org/article/more-than-half-of-georgia-teachers-now-use-artificial-intelligence-to-prepare-for-class/ https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-teachers

Maggie Roberts on When Students Should Use AI in the Writing Process

In this episode we explore how AI can support student writing without bypassing the difficult, necessary work of learning to write. We speak with literacy expert Maggie Roberts about the foundational skills beneath strong writing, from handwriting and oral language to working memory and executive function. Together, we examine where AI can serve as a useful scaffold, where it may short-circuit learning, and how teachers can make thoughtful decisions based on a student’s age, needs, and instructional goals. Topics covered: • The foundational skills that support writing development• Why “thin” student writing may reflect barriers rather than disengagement• How AI can help teachers identify and respond to those barriers• The risks of using AI to generate writing for younger students• Using AI to support brainstorming, planning, and executive function • How teachers can decide when AI is a scaffold and when it becomes a shortcut• The importance of preserving productive struggle in the writing process• What students may gain or lose by using, or avoiding AI• Why AI literacy should include ethics, metacognition, and student agency• How schools can balance technology use with screen-free learning Maggie Beattie Roberts is a national literacy consultant, author, professional learning facilitator, and writing development specialist. She is the co-author of Foundational Skills for Writing [https://www.corwin.com/books/foundational-skills-for-writing-292970?srsltid=AfmBOopOdS2_D23bAO0CmMlD5_MjZ74BocN0eqV1HOpxXVzaE-kldZdX] with Melanie Meehan, which explores the cognitive, linguistic, motor, and executive-function demands of writing. Her forthcoming book, Unboxing the Curriculum [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1032883413?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback], helps educators and school leaders navigate prepackaged curriculum and tailor it to their students’ needs. Learn more about Maggie's work at kateandmaggie.com [http://kateandmaggie.com/]