In This Issue:
• Lesson Planning: Collaborative Digital Storytelling
• Classroom Management: Planning for Early Finishers
• Parent Communication: Study Group Formation
• Teacher Health & Wellness: Practice Positive Thinking
• Bonus Prompts: Teacher Side Hustle Prompts & Differentiation Prompt
• Homeroom Swag: World Geography Easy Cut Bulletin Board Letters and Numbers
• Laughter Lounge: When That One Parent Actually Answers The Phone
• Poll Position: Which Type of Concert is Your Jam?
Happy Friday Y’all,
Conrad Hall once said, “You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward.” As teachers, that’s a truth we live every day. Education doesn’t stop with a diploma, a classroom key, or a lesson plan… it’s a continual process of learning, adapting, and growing.
Every class we teach offers new lessons, not just for our students, but for us as well. Whether it’s finding better ways to engage learners, learning to balance time, or discovering how to inspire creativity through digital storytelling, we’re all still students… constantly refining the craft of teaching.
This week’s newsletter celebrates that forward momentum. From finding meaningful activities for early finishers to cultivating positivity in your own mindset, each section is designed to keep your flame of learning burning bright. Remember: mastery isn’t a destination… it’s a direction.
Now, let’s look at how we can leverage ChatGPT (or your favorite generative AI platform) to help turn your classroom into an optimal learning environment…
Scenario:
Ms. Nguyen teaches 5th-grade social studies and wants her students to create digital stories about famous explorers. She uses ChatGPT to design a project where groups script, record, and edit short narrative videos showcasing key discoveries… combining creativity, history, and technology.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Create a lesson plan for [subject/topic] that includes collaborative digital storytelling to enhance student engagement and creativity.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Encourages creativity: Students express knowledge through storytelling and media.
• Builds teamwork: Collaboration fosters communication and shared responsibility.
• Enhances digital literacy: Students practice 21st-century technology skills.
Scenario:
Mr. Johnson teaches middle school math and finds that some students finish their assignments far ahead of others. He turns to ChatGPT to develop a plan that includes enrichment puzzles, peer tutoring options, and digital challenge activities aligned with current lessons.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Create a plan for students who finish their work early, including activities and tasks that are meaningful, engaging, and reinforce our lesson on [lesson/assignment].
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Maintains engagement: Keeps fast finishers productive and focused.
• Encourages mastery: Deepens understanding through meaningful extensions.
• Promotes peer learning: Early finishers can support classmates constructively.
Scenario:
Mrs. Carter teaches high school English and notices students struggling with Shakespeare. She uses ChatGPT to draft a letter to inform them about an after-school Shakespeare study group, explaining how collaborative learning will help students understand the text more deeply.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Draft a letter to [student's name]’s parents, [parent or guardian name(s)], suggesting the formation of a study group on the topic of [detail study group’s topic/purpose]. Explain how the study group will reinforce learning, and provide details about how their child can participate or form a group with peers.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Builds collaboration: Strengthens teamwork beyond the classroom.
• Involves families: Encourages parents to support structured peer learning.
• Reinforces learning: Students solidify understanding through group study.
Scenario:
Coach Rivera wants to shift his focus away from negative thinking that sometimes follows a tough school day. With ChatGPT, he creates a short daily reflection routine that includes gratitude journaling, affirmations, and a “small wins” tracker.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I want to cultivate a more positive mindset. Provide techniques and daily practices to help me focus on positive thinking and overcome [list any specific negative thoughts or challenges].
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Boosts resilience: Positive thinking fosters better coping strategies.
• Improves mood: Encourages gratitude and emotional balance.
• Promotes growth: Helps teachers approach challenges with optimism.
🎨 Teacher Side Hustle Prompts: Art Classes
Scenario:
Ms. Delgado, an art teacher, wants to start teaching weekend art classes at her local community center. She uses ChatGPT to design engaging lesson ideas, find marketing strategies, and plan future workshops that could grow into an online business.
ChatGPT Prompts:
Start: “I want to start teaching art classes to children or adults. What should my first set of classes cover, and how do I find students?”
Build: “What are some creative ways to keep students engaged and coming back for more art classes?”
Grow: “How can I expand my art class offerings to include workshops, online classes, or art camps?”
The Benefits of These Prompts:
• Expands income potential: Leverages teaching expertise outside school hours.
• Builds creativity: Fuses passion with entrepreneurship.
• Connects communities: Inspires creativity beyond the classroom walls.
🧠 Differentiation Prompt: Differentiated Instruction with
Limited Resources
Scenario:
Mr. Grant teaches science at a Title I school with limited supplies. Using ChatGPT, he develops low-cost differentiation ideas: such as online simulations, interactive discussions, and peer-led demonstrations… to keep every student engaged and challenged.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Suggest low-cost or no-cost resources and strategies that I can use to support differentiated instruction in my classroom, particularly for my unit on [topic].
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Maximizes creativity: Proves differentiation doesn’t require big budgets.
• Supports equity: Ensures all students can access quality learning.
• Encourages problem-solving: Inspires teachers to innovate with what they have.
This week’s bulletin board set is the World Geography Easy Cut Bulletin Board Letters and Numbers Set! 🌎 Each letter, number, and special character showcases a beautiful world map background — perfect for global studies, travel themes, or geography classrooms.
Perfect for:
• 🗺️ Social Studies and World History classrooms
• 🌏 Hallway or library displays on culture and diversity
• 📚 Travel-themed classroom decor
• 🎉 Geography Bees and International Nights
Bring the world to your classroom with a colorful, easy-to-cut set that inspires global curiosity!
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Bottom Line Y’all…
Conrad Hall’s words remind us that teaching is a journey, not a destination. We’re all still learning, experimenting, and discovering what works best… for our students and ourselves. Each week offers a new opportunity to refine, rethink, and reignite our passion for learning.
This week’s prompts are a perfect reflection of that journey: storytelling to connect students, study groups to deepen understanding, and positivity to keep your energy alive. Keep moving forward, not because you haven’t mastered it yet, but because growth is what makes this calling so rewarding. YOU ROCK!!!
Teach Forward! Improve Daily! Inspire Always!
Warm regards,
Mitch Fairchild
Founder, The Classroom Newsletter
