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Hi Tracey,
I completely agree with your plan for introducing OSMO. Keeping it simple and pitching it as a “magic game” is a brilliant way to hook them right from the start. That self-correcting feature is the real selling point for me too, especially when you are trying to manage multiple children at once. It builds up their independence and takes the pressure off them entirely since they can learn through trial and error without worrying about getting a red mark on a page. Getting them away from just tapping a flat screen to moving physical blocks around on the table is fantastic for their engagement.I can see AI tools completely transforming the teaching and learning experience in my classroom by taking the heavy lifting out of daily preparation and admin. For example, during our English or History slots, I can use a tool like Gemini or ChatGPT to instantly adapt a reading text into different levels of difficulty. This means my struggling readers can access the exact same topic and core information as everyone else without feeling isolated or left behind. I also plan to use Copilot Image Creator to generate custom visual prompts tailored exactly to our class themes, which is an amazing time-saver for oral language lessons.The massive benefit of this is pure efficiency. When you are run off your feet trying to manage thirty children, having an AI helper to spit out tailored worksheets, vocabulary lists, and quiz questions in seconds saves hours of evening planning.However, the implementation challenges are definitely a worry. Data privacy is a massive deal, and we have to be so careful never to type real student details or names into these public tools. There is also the issue of “hallucinations,” where the chatbots simply make things up, meaning we always have to keep our own professional judgment at the center of it and check everything before it reaches the pupils. It is a fantastic assistant to make our lives easier, but it will never replace the real human connection of a teacher.
Hi Barbara. Yes AI , can do the mundune paper work that can feel souless, freeing us up to be more creative on the tasks that matter
That panda lesson plan is absolutely fantastic and so thorough. I love the idea of linking it across English, Science, and Art—it really ties the whole theme together for the kids. Using Copilot to generate the text and then moving onto Quizz for their Chromebook slot is brilliant. It sounds like a great way to keep 4th class fully engaged while saving yourself a mountain of preparation time
For my lesson plan, I decided to use Copilot to put together a Science and English lesson for 3rd class on Irish wildlife, focusing on the Red Fox. Usually, trying to find a reading text that is exactly the right level for the class—and then adapting it for the weaker readers—takes up a huge amount of my evening. I asked Copilot to write a lovely, clear informational text about foxes, and then I asked it to simplify the vocabulary for a couple of my struggling readers so everyone could access the same lesson without feeling left behind.
I also used Gemini to quickly generate a list of literal and inferential comprehension questions for the text, as well as a quick vocabulary matching game for their notebooks. Having these tools handle the heavy lifting of drafting the texts and questions is an absolute lifesaver when you are already run off your feet.
In the future, I see these AI tools becoming a permanent fixture in my weekly planning. It is obviously never going to replace the actual teaching or the connection with the pupils, but it means I can walk into the classroom with perfectly tailored resources without having spent hours cutting and pasting things the night before. It simply makes a teacher’s life so much easier.I can see myself getting massive use out of Copilot and Gemini to help clear the mountain of lesson prep and paperwork that usually eats into my evenings. First off, I plan to use Copilot to generate tailored reading texts and worksheets. If I have children at completely different reading levels, I can ask it to simplify the exact same topic into easier vocabulary in seconds so nobody feels left behind.Secondly, I’m definitely going to use Copilot Image Creator for oral language and creative writing prompts. Instead of spending ages trawling through Google looking for the right picture for a class theme or novel, I can just type in what I need and get a brilliant, stimulating visual straight away to get the kids talking.Part 2Looking at how these tools will impact the future of our classrooms, the biggest plus for me is how much time they can save us on the daily grind. When you are run off your feet trying to manage a hectic class, having a chatbot helper to spit out quizzes, vocabulary lists, or lesson ideas in seconds is an absolute lifesaver. It lets the tech handle the time-consuming paperwork so we can focus on the actual teaching and interacting with the pupils.However, it is going to completely change how we handle continuous assessment down the line. With technology being able to write paragraphs so easily, we won’t be able to rely on traditional take-home written homework to see what a child actually understands. Future assessment will have to adapt, focusing much more on what the children can do right in front of us, like hands-on project work, group presentations, or simply asking them to explain their thinking out loud. As long as we are sensible about data privacy and never put real student details into these programs, I think AI has fantastic potential to make a teacher’s life easier.
I love the idea of using AI to see where children are at, and using it to plan a curriculum to suit thier specidic needs. I also love the idea of getting advice from AI. The Immersive Reader also sounds great for modelling reading and supporting struggling readers.
OSMO is GREAT for SET, but for me, the real selling point is how it can make my life easier during our literacy or maths lifts. Trying to manage four or five groups at once when you are run off your feet is no joke, and you are constantly being pulled away to help children who get stuck.To introduce it, I’d set Osmo up as one of our independent stations. I’d gather the whole class on the carpet first, show them how the little red mirror works on the iPad, and do one quick sample round together so they see how it checks their work.Because it’s completely self-correcting, I can leave that station to run itself entirely. The children are getting that vital hands-on, tactile learning with the physical pieces, but they don’t need me standing over them to tell them if they’re right or wrong. It gives them independence and gives me the peace of mind to focus properly on my guided group without constant interruptions. It’s a win-win for a hectic classroom.
AI tools coming into the classroom is a fantastic development, and I think it has great potential to make our lives so much easier as teachers. On the practical side, it could be a brilliant help for managing the heavy workload. It can assist with lesson planning, generating worksheets, and sorting out administrative tasks, which takes a massive amount of pressure off us when we are already run off our feet. For the pupils, if a child is finding maths or reading tough, the software can adapt to their pace and give them extra support right when they need it.However, it is certainly going to change how we handle continuous assessment. We won’t be able to rely on traditional take-home essays or written homework in the same way, because we simply won’t know if a student did the work themselves or used a computer program. We will have to adapt our grading methods, perhaps focusing more on project work done right in front of us in the classroom, or asking students to explain their thinking out loud.At the end of the day, a computer can never replace the heart and soul of teaching—the genuine connection a proper teacher has with their pupils. But if we use it sensibly, AI can handle the repetitive, time-consuming parts of the job, freeing us up to do the things we enjoy.