The Best AI Tools Teachers Should Be Using in 2025

Let’s be real: in 2025, AI isn’t just for coders in hoodies or sci-fi movie villains anymore — it’s for us, the teachers juggling lesson plans, grading marathons, and finding new ways to keep 2nd period from falling asleep after lunch.

The good news? AI isn’t here to replace teachers — it’s here to empower us. To give us time back, spark creativity, and maybe even make grading slightly less soul-sucking.

Here are the AI tools I think every teacher should have in their digital toolbox this year:

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1. MagicSchool.ai – Your AI Teaching Assistant

Need a rubric in 30 seconds? A scaffolded lesson plan for your ELL students? A parent email that doesn’t sound like a robot wrote it? MagicSchool has your back.

It’s built by educators, for educators. It even has a “de-burnout” tool, which I’m pretty sure should come with a cape.

Use it for:
✔️ Lesson planning
✔️ Differentiation ideas
✔️ Email drafts and behavior reports
✔️ Sparknotes for teachers

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2. Curipod – Interactive Lessons, Instantly

Imagine Pear Deck, Canva, and ChatGPT had a baby. That’s Curipod. You type in your topic (say, “supply and demand” or “Shakespearean insults”) and it creates interactive slides, polls, and drawing prompts your students can engage with live.

Use it for:
✔️ Bell ringers and exit tickets
✔️ Live student feedback
✔️ Low-prep, high-engagement activities

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3. Diffit – The Differentiation Dream Tool

Got a killer article, but your students read at 3 different levels? Diffit automatically rewrites content at varying reading levels, adds glossaries, comprehension questions, and more. It’s like having your own personalized reading coach.

Use it for:
✔️ Special education and ELL accommodations
✔️ Content area reading
✔️ Current events in accessible formats

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4. Eduaide.ai – AI for Curriculum Creators

This one’s perfect for us teachers who love designing meaningful lessons from scratch. Eduaide.ai helps you brainstorm activities, design projects, build rubrics, and even write essential questions that don’t make your brain hurt.

Use it for:
✔️ Project-based learning
✔️ Unit design
✔️ Assessment ideas

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5. ChatGPT - Your Brainstorm Buddy

Whether you’re stuck planning a unit on entrepreneurship, writing a graduation speech, or figuring out how to explain compound interest to freshmen without them falling asleep — ChatGPT can help you think it through, write it out, and make it sound human.

Use it for:
✔️ Drafting documents
✔️ Creative brainstorming
✔️ Student feedback ideas
✔️ Personal reflection prompts

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A Few Pro Tips for Using AI Like a Pro:

• Start small. Use one tool to solve one problem.
• Keep it human. AI can help you write it, but your voice, your instincts, and your connection with students matter most.
• Stay curious. The best teachers are lifelong learners — treat AI like a new strategy in your teaching playbook.

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Final Bell: AI doesn’t make you any less of a teacher. It helps you be more of one — more creative, more present, and maybe even more rested. In a world that’s asking teachers to do more with less, these tools just might be the edge we’ve been waiting for.

So go ahead — explore, experiment, and don’t be afraid to ask your new robot friend for a hand.

📵 Pocket-Sized Distractions or Digital Lifelines? The Great Cell Phone Debate

It's 9:28. Second period. The lights are dimmed just enough to project a crisp slide titled “Opportunity Cost in Everyday Life.” I’m mid-sentence, delivering what I feel is a pretty slick analogy about Netflix and productivity, when I notice a student smiling—not at me, not at the screen, but down at their lap. Classic move. One quick thumb flick and the screen vanishes into a hoodie pocket.

The phone strikes again.

This is the reality in our high schools today. Cell phones are allowed in the building but not during class. It’s a simple rule in theory—but enforcing it is like playing digital whack-a-mole. We’ve got students who will write essays and check TikTok with the same device, sometimes within the same five-minute window.

So here’s the question: Should we just ban phones altogether?

After all, they have laptops. Isn’t that enough?

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The Case for the Ban

Let’s not sugarcoat it: cell phones are the MVPs of distraction. Their algorithms are finely tuned to hijack attention and deliver tiny hits of dopamine. They don’t care about our perfectly planned lessons. They care about engagement metrics.

And when phones are out, here’s what we lose:

• Focus. Even the most diligent student can fall into the scroll.
• Academic integrity. Snap a pic of the quiz? Done.
• Social development. Lunchtime looks more like a silent scroll-a-thon than a cafeteria.
• Learning momentum. Every buzz, ping, or phantom vibration chips away at the flow we work so hard to create.

If they’ve got laptops` for research and classwork, why let the phones linger at all?

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But... Not So Fast

On the flip side, banning phones outright might create more problems than it solves.

• Safety and communication. Parents want quick access to their kids. Emergencies do happen.
• Responsibility. If we never let students use phones in a supervised, structured way, how do they learn balance?
• Workarounds. Let’s not kid ourselves. If students want to sneak a phone, they will. We've all seen the "double phone" move.

And let’s face it: phones are part of their world. If we want to teach real-life skills, shouldn’t tech management be one of them?

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The Biz Teacher Perspective

As a business teacher, I think in terms of company culture. If this were a workplace, would we ban smartphones? Not likely. Most employers trust their teams, set boundaries, and build a culture of respect and accountability.

I want to help build that same kind of culture in my classroom.

This isn't about being anti-phone—I'm anti-zombie. I want my students alert, present, and actively building the habits that will carry them into the workforce, college, or wherever their journey leads. That means we have to talk about tech, not just block it.

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So, What’s the Move?

Instead of dropping the ban hammer, maybe we need to redesign the system:

• Phone lockers or drop zones. Out of sight, out of mind. Literally.
• Tech boundaries, not bans. Be intentional. Have conversations about why.
• Enforce consistently. A rule only works if it's applied fairly and firmly.
• Teach the skill. Managing technology is a life skill.

Heck, maybe we even have a “Tech Talk Tuesday” where we explore digital wellness, distractions, and screen time habits. Make them part of the solution.

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Final Thought

If our goal is to raise thoughtful, disciplined, and responsible young adults, then banning phones might actually rob us of a teachable opportunity.

Let’s not treat the phone as the villain. Let’s treat it like the powerful tool it is—a tool that needs guidance, not just rules. After all, we don’t teach students to succeed by locking away every challenge. We teach them to navigate it.

So, should we ban phones in school?

Maybe. Maybe not.

But more importantly, we should be asking: how do we teach students to be smarter than the screen? What are your thoughts? 

Navigating the Seas of Education: Six Time-Tested Success Tips

Embarking on the journey of teaching is an adventure filled with challenges, triumphs, and a constant quest for growth. As a 13-year veteran in the field, I've distilled my experiences into six invaluable tips that have guided me through the ever-changing tides of education.

1. Genuine Care as the Foundation

A fundamental truth in education is that students must know you genuinely care before they can truly learn from you. Empathy forms the bridge that connects educators and students. By meeting them where they are, understanding their challenges, and showing authentic care, we lay the groundwork for meaningful learning experiences. 

2. Unwavering Belief in Every Childs Potential

Regardless of their ability, background, or upbringing, believe that ALL children can learn. A teacher's role is to nurture and cultivate the unique potential within each student. This unwavering belief sets the stage for a transformative educational journey.

3. Teaching as an Art: Acting, Storytelling, Magic, and Psychology

Teaching is a multifaceted craft that combines acting, storytelling, magic, and psychology. The best educators breathe life into their content, making it tangible and relatable. Armed with a repertoire of tricks, they inspire and motivate students in diverse ways, ensuring that learning is not just a process but an experience.

4. Embrace Lifelong Learning

Great teachers are perpetual learners. Recognizing that education is a dynamic field, they constantly seek new ways to evolve and improve. Staying abreast of changes in pedagogy, technology, and methodologies ensures that they remain effective captains guiding their students through the seas of knowledge.

5. Captain of the Ship: Efficient Classroom Leadership

Teachers are the captains of the ship, and their students are the mates on board for the educational journey. Effective classroom management and engaging activities are the compass and sails of this ship. Great teachers design efficient procedures that create a conducive environment for learning, making the educational voyage smooth and enjoyable.

6. Balancing Work and Life

In the midst of the demands of teaching, it's crucial to remember to separate work from personal life. A successful educator knows the importance of finding balance. Don't be so absorbed in the work that you forget to create a life outside the classroom. Make memories, cherish moments, and find the equilibrium that ensures both personal and professional fulfillment.

In conclusion, teaching is both an art and a responsibility. These six tips, born from 13 years of experience, serve as guiding stars for educators navigating the vast seas of education. May these insights inspire fellow teachers on their quest to make a lasting impact on the lives of their students.

Smooth sailing on your educational odyssey!

3 Ways to Stay Sharp This Summer as an Educator

In May, most educators would tell you that they can't wait for summer break. Once it arrives, many choose to travel a lot, rest, recover, read, spend time with family, take up a hobby they enjoy, etc. For others, they work to stay busy or add other income. Hopefully, it is a time to recharge and refresh before the next school year arrives. It is no secret that the past two years in education have been some of the hardest and longest. I am sure this summer is feeling pretty sweet to many this year! 

For the past eleven years, I have had a love/hate relationship with summer. The time off and vacations are wonderful, but the idle time not producing at a job gets to me towards the middle and end of it. I find it hard to have the same discipline that I have during the school year due to being out of my routine and working off a different schedule. I am sure that if you are an educator, you can somewhat relate if you aren't working full time during the summer. So, the question then begs itself, how do we relax yet stay sharp at the same time? Here are three things I am doing this summer that have really helped deal with the change in routine that keep me sharp

1. Each night before bed, I create a daily plan for the next day. I write down the things I am going to accomplish and the times I am going to do them. Things that I like to schedule are exercise, meditation, reading, prayer, activities with my kids, and writing/reading. When we write down our plan for the day before, we are more likely to stick to it and it gives us a sense of purpose and accomplishment for each day. I even got a part-time job this summer helping my neighbor cut lawns 1-2 days a week which has been really good for me to keep busy. 

2. I have been trying to find 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week to challenge my brain in some way. Examples are playing chess, Tetris, Wordscapes, trivia, and completing puzzles that I bought a book for. Our brains need stimulated in challenging ways and these help me think and stay sharp throughout the week. 

3. Rediscover a passion/hobby that is relaxing to you. I like finding things on Facebook Marketplace for cheap and fixing them up. Some examples of things I have bought and fixed as a desk, lamp, nightstand, and chair. I also am getting back into writing both for the blog and weird joke ideas I have. Lastly, poetry helps me think and relax. 

I encourage you to use the remaining time left of the summer to get in shape for what the year will bring. Kids need and deserve our best. It is up to us how we take care of ourselves both mentally and physically. Have another tip for educators to stay sharp this summer? Please comment below!

Incorporating Entrepreneurship Into Any Class

I have had the privilege of teaching entrepreneurship to high school students for nine years now. It is a subject that is constantly changing and never stays the same due to the nature of problems that need solved around the world. Entrepreneurship is both exhilarating and refreshing to teach. It is way of thinking and living life. Many of the students whom I teach will never start their own business, but they will have ideas in life that could turn into legit opportunities. Companies in 2021 and beyond don't just want people who can memorize formulas or ace a 100-question test. They want problem solvers who are creative and who can turn ideas into action! All teachers, no matter what subject they teach, can incorporate entrepreneurship into their curriculum by using these three simple ideas that better increase student creativity and innovation!

1. Encourage vertical or design thinking on assignments or projects. Ask students to look at a problem, reading, project, etc. and brainstorm ways by themself or with a partner on how it can be done a different or better way. Some examples: 

History = Have students explore a new app or software that showcases the timeline of the Civil War. 

Math = Show students how to solve it two different ways and allow them to practice in that way. 

Science = Allow students to create their own experiment and find solutions to problems they care about. 

English = Provide multiple choices on how students can showcase their learning of a book or topic they learned. 

2. Idea journal. Have students set-up in Google Keep or another digital note taking app. In this digital journal, carve out time once or twice a week for students to brainstorm things that bug, annoy, pain, or problems they want to solve. If time, discuss and share how the things they brainstorm could solve problems or create new opportunities in the subject area you teach. 

3. Bring the world into class. Whatever subject you teach, you have the power to make your class current and relevant. Sometimes it can be hard for students to see the relation between solving a math problem and how it impacts their life. Find ways as a teacher to share current events, news, and stories about your subject matter with students that keep them engaged and relating to the world around them. You could use Flipgrid to have students find a current event about what is going on in the science field and have students share their findings in under a minute via video. If you are teaching a unit on short stories, encourage students to go and find a current story that inspires them and utilize that for their story. 

By challenging our students to practice creativity and innovation throughout their day, we are setting them up for what the future will ask and demand of them. The future will need problem solvers who can think outside the box and turn ideas into action! Let's continue to encourage our students to be creative and let their ideas shine bright. 

Control the Controllables

The past year and a half in education has been like that of no other I have ever seen or experienced in my lifetime. Educators, students, and administrators have had to deal with so many new variables and changes in such a short amount of time. Many in education had hoped to start this school year as normal as possible but as it looks across America, it is anything but that. Heated debates over masks, vaccines, and curriculum content have come full circle across communities and board meetings. Many are still getting sick with the virus. It is easy to feel burnt out, split, and overwhelmed by it all. We can CHOOSE to let the current circumstances we face daily bring us down and or we can RISE above it by choosing to do one thing; CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES! 

Things you and I can do and control to make a daily difference in our lives

1. ATTITUDE. Instead of saying I HAVE TO do this or that, change your mindset to I GET TO or I CHOOSE TO. The way we talk to ourselves is SUPER powerful. 

2. JOURNAL daily and reflect on your WINS from each day. 

3. Find ways to SERVE and make a DIFFERENCE in the lives of others.

4. Don't let yourself get stale. Find things that INSPIRE and MOTIVATE you inside and outside of school. This year I have been teaching myself physics and writing a novel on the side. It has been a lot of fun and a great distraction.

5. Find a mentor and meet with them once a month. We GROW when we COLLABORATE and SHARE with others!

6. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WORKOUTS. Find time to be with your thoughts, meditate, and get that heart rate up a few times a week! 

7. Take GRATITUDE walks and get out in NATURE. 

8. Find people you can LAUGH and GROW with. If they aren't at your school, find a community online, church, the gym, or take a class. 

9. Stay CONNECTED with family, friends, and peers. It can be easy to stay isolated but if you feel comfortable, make time for others. Human connection is something that we need and thrive off. 

10. SMILE more...even if it has to be through a mask right now. 

Find time to control the controllables this school year so the uncontrollables don't dominate your life. Your daily attitude and actions matter. I wish you a terrific school year whatever challenges it brings. Choose to RISE above the negativity and BRING IT!

Your Entrepreneurial Window of Opportunity is NOW!

Anytime there are problems, recessions, or pandemics in life, there are opportunities to innovate and create something new! If you have always had that IDEA in the back of your head but haven't acted on it, NOW is your window of opportunity. Many great businesses such as Uber, WhatsApp, Instagram, Pinterest, Square, Groupon, and Venmo were all started during the 2008 Great Recession. Read more about each of the companies in the article "10 Successful Startups Founded During the Great Recession of 2008."

What you will notice as you look at each of the companies is that they all SOLVED a need that wasn't being met at the time. Groupon was able to better connect businesses and brand to consumers through amazing online deals. Uber was created because two guys couldn't find a taxi on a cold night in Paris. WhatsApp was needed because more people around the world wanted to message but didn't have the same cell plans. WhatsApp enables people to send messages by only using Wi-Fi!

In the time of Covid-19, there are a lot of uncertainties. Many will wish it away and want to return to normal ASAP. Entrepreneurial minded people will take time to reflect on what is needed and capitalize on the opportunity! Check out these "16 Great Business Ideas For Fighting The Covid-19 Pandemic." Are there any that you could work with, start, or capitalize on?

There are some ideas that have been going through my head during this time that I have been thinking through such as how do I make a better version of the app Houseparty? They have done a great job providing a Zoom-like game experience to those who use it, but how could we offer more creative, innovative, digital games that connect our friends and family more often to have fun? Online shopping sales have skyrocketed; could you buy things at a cheaper price at say a Marshalls and resell online through Poshmark? What about mental health? How can we set-up better support for those not able to get the face-to-face treatment that they need? Is talking on the phone with a therapist really working for everyone? Lastly, with many restaurants still being closed to dine-in seating, how they are using social media and engaging with customers is so important. Are you able to offer your experience or expertise to any local businesses?

Anytime I have an idea I always run it through this thought process and ask myself these questions before considering pursing it as an opportunity:

1. What consumer need does it meet?
2. Do I have the resources and skills needed to create the business?
3. Can I supply the product or service at a price that will be attractive to the customer yet will be high enough to earn a profit?
4. Can I get it up and running before the window of opportunity closes?
5. Is it sustainable?
6. Will it work in my community or online?

If you want a very practical and helpful brainstorming tool, check out the Business Canvas Model. It allows you to think through any idea using a digital model to ask and answer the tough questions. What opportunity will you capitalize on during these changing times? DREAM BIG AND BE AWESOME!