OpenAI has just rolled out ChatGPT for Teachers, and if you’re a verified K–12 teacher in the U.S., you can use it for free until June 2027. But here’s the thing: teachers aren’t waiting around. Three out of five are already using some kind of AI tool in their classrooms, and those who use it every week say it’s saving them hours.
So what does this look like in real life? Take Tripp Reed, a science teacher, who asks ChatGPT to map out a 20-day unit, with each 55-minute class getting its own guiding question and hands-on activity. Or an English teacher who wants seven sample paragraphs, ranging from brilliant to, well, not so brilliant, each with an explanation of what makes it strong or weak. And then there’s Coral Riley, who simply asks for all the ISTE standards that fit her curriculum. These are the kinds of prompts teachers are already using, right now.
What’s interesting here isn’t just the prompts themselves, but the patterns behind them. Want to plan a big project? Break it down into daily questions. Need examples for your students? Ask for a range, from the best to the worst, and get explanations for each. Trying to make sure your lesson ticks all the right boxes? Just ask for the standards. The more specific you are—about time, format, or what you want—the better the results you’ll get.
