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I like this reflection, Claire. You’ve brought it back to the kind of conversations that genuinely come up in 5th and 6th class, where children are starting to notice things: in the news, online, at home and they want somewhere to talk them out. I’d agree that Development Education helps pupils see beyond their own school or community while still keeping it tied to their own lives. Topics like climate change, equality and gender can lead to some really good discussions with the senior classes, especially once they feel their opinions are actually being listened to.
This is a really good example of using Gemini in a practical way, Kevin. The three activities it came back with sound useful, but I like that you’d narrow them down based on what you’ve actually got to hand and what’s realistic for your class. The kick sample activity is a great place to start, especially if you already have the equipment and have done similar work through GLOBE before. It gives the children a proper hands-on bit of science, which always stays with them far more than reading about pollution or stream health ever would. Your point about adapting it to the school pond is very sensible too. The local stream mightn’t always be safe or easy to get to, so making use of what’s there on the school grounds could make the whole thing a good deal more manageable.
I think this is a really sensible way to use Copilot Pol. It sounds like it gave you a good starting point for the fractions lesson, but you still did the important part yourself by checking it against your class needs and the Maths Curriculum. I agree with you about needing to check the content carefully though. AI can sound very confident, even when the language is too difficult or the activity doesn’t quite match what we want the children to learn. I liked your point about pupils still doing the thinking. Its important to remember that. Copilot can be so useful for planning, but the children still need to explore, discuss, and work through the maths themselves.
I don’t think you’re showing your age at all Ciara, I think you’re saying what a lot of teachers are thinking. AI is great if it can help us make classroom resources that support what we teach. I also liked your point about workbooks becoming less useful with curriculum changes. Being able to create something more tailored could save time and make the work much more relevant for the children. But I completely agree with your caution too. A beautiful worksheet, image or video is only useful if it supports good teaching. The teacher still needs to know the curriculum, the learning outcome, and the children in front of them. AI might be a brilliant support, but it’s not the main resource in the room. The teacher is still the one making the decisions, asking the right questions and bringing the learning together.
I can see why these tools stood out to you Caroline. The time-saving side alone would make a big difference, especially for things like presentations, differentiated activities and assessments. I liked your suggestion of using Image Creator for vocabulary and writing. A good image can be a great way to get children talking, predicting, describing and then writing, especially if they struggle to get started.
Reading Coach and Speaker Coach are really very helpful too, particularly for children who are nervous speaking in front of others. Giving them a chance to practise in a lower-pressure way could really build confidence.
This is a nice practical use of Google Forms, Deirdre. Ancient Rome is a fair-sized topic, so a short form after the lesson is a handy way to see what’s actually stuck with the children. Your point about the quieter pupils is a good one too. Some of them know far more than they’d ever put their hand up and say, so a form gives them a way to show what they understand without the pressure of speaking out in front of everyone. Images or a mix of question types would suit this topic well: the Roman soldiers, the houses, the roads, daily life. It lifts the quiz a bit and takes the pressure off any child who finds a page full of text hard going. The SSE link makes sense as well. Google Forms is such a straightforward way to gather views from pupils, parents or staff, and it hands you information you can actually put to use when you’re planning the next steps.
This is a very fair take on AI, Anthony. The time-saving side is probably the first thing most teachers will notice: the quizzes, the lesson ideas, and the differentiated resources. Even a rough first draft can be a real lift on a busy week. The point about children needing AI literacy is a relevant one. They have to learn that just because something comes out quickly or sounds sure of itself doesn’t mean it’s actually right. I’d say that’s going to be a big part of digital learning from here on.
This is a very detailed SETT outline, Christina, and it gives a clear picture of Frankie as a learner, not just a list of difficulties. I like that you’ve included what he enjoys as well, especially the social side and his love of play, because those are important starting points. The now/next chart sounds like a really useful support for him. Dividing his school day down into linear steps would make things much easier, especially if he finds it hard to retain new information. I also like the mix of tools you’ve suggested. The magnetic blending box, visual supports, touchscreen laptop, and interactive games all sound very appropriate, particularly if he is working around a preschool level but is in a 2nd class setting.
I know exactly what you mean, Christina. I think a lot of us probably ignore the accessibility settings because we assume they’re only for very specific needs, but there is actually so much there that could help lots of children. Immersive Reader would work really well in station teaching, especially if pupils had time to try out the settings themselves. Things like line focus, syllable breaks, read aloud and changing the background colour could make a big difference, and I like that the children could choose what helps them best.
This is a really nice reflection, Chloe. The Irish Refugee Council is such an important support, especially because their work goes beyond the immediate needs and looks at things like education, housing, employment, and helping people settle into the community.
This is a great use of the Brainstorm Gem Tim. Percentages can be a tricky topic for 6th class, so linking it to match analysis is a clever way to make it feel a bit more real for them. The group work element would work well too, especially if the children enjoy sport or data. Children who don’t normally get excited about maths might be more motivated and eager if they feel like they’re taking on the role of sports analysts.
I think this goal is a really good choice for 6th class Siofra. They’re at that age where they are starting to hear more about what is happening in the world, and they often have big questions about fairness, conflict, and why some children don’t have the same chances as others. I like the way you would bring it back to children’s rights, and the idea of looking at rights in your own classroom is a lovely starting point too. It keeps it close to home before moving out to wider global issues.
I like that you’ve picked out very practical ways the tools could actually fit into what you’re already doing, Fiona, rather than adding something completely separate. The Literacy Lift-Off example makes a lot of sense. Those independent stations can be hard to keep fresh, especially when the tasks need to be meaningful but also manageable without constant teacher input. Using Forms for quick quizzes, Immersive Reader at the iPad station, or AI-generated picture tasks could be a great help there. I also liked the idea of using AI for morning brain teasers. That should allow you to source challenges linked to whatever topic or theme you’re covering that week.
I think this is something most teachers will recognise, Chloe. Children can pick up ideas very early about what boys and girls are “supposed” to like, even when nobody has directly taught them that. The examples you gave around construction, arts and crafts, and comments like “that’s for boys” are very real. They might seem small at the time, but they can definitely affect what children feel confident trying. It’s often the small things in the room that are worth a second look. The words we use without thinking, the pictures the children see in their books, and whether it’s always the same few getting asked to take on certain jobs. Tweak and change those, and the classroom starts to feel a bit more open to everyone.
I like how you used the ai tool here, Angela, but still kept your own judgment at the centre of it. The “Pulse Check” is a good starter for respiration because it links straight into the children’s own bodies and gives them something simple to notice before getting into the science. Checking the information yourself and adjusting it for 5th class is an important step too. AI still needs the teacher to decide what is useful, accurate, and suitable for the class.
