artificial intelligence in the primary classroom: 101 ways to save time, cut your workload and enhance your creativity

Artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked a huge debate among teachers and school leaders. Many questions arise about the trajectory of this new technology and where it will take us. How will we differentiate between student-authored work and AI-generated content? Will it lead to a loss of creativity and critical thinking skills? What impact will it have on the dynamics of learning and teaching within schools? These are all crucial topics for discussion, yet AI has already become part of our reality, and Gemma Clark firmly believes that embracing its potential is in our best interests.

In an era defined by technological advances, Artificial Intelligence in the Primary Classroom stands as an indispensable resource that holds the key to transforming teaching and learning. For educators burdened by bureaucratic tasks that divert precious time from actual teaching this book offers a lifeline. It demonstrates how AI-powered tools can alleviate administrative burdens, enabling teachers to focus on the important job of nurturing young minds and to channel their energy and resources into higher-impact activities, such as crafting tailored learning experiences, giving children personalised feedback, and improving engagement. From time-consuming tasks like lesson planning, assessment, marking and automating report-writing processes to facilitating content creation, the book details tangible ways in which AI can streamline workflows, improve teaching and restore work-life balance. Other examples include:

• Spelling Lessons: Save time when planning your spelling lessons by using AI to automatically generate a comprehensive list of phonemes or ’sounds suitable for teaching young children.’
• Mindfulness in the Classroom: If you are interested in incorporating mindfulness games and activities to assist children in relaxation and focus, AI can provide valuable suggestions for fostering pupil (and staff) wellbeing.
• PE Lessons: You don’t have to be an expert in sports to teach PE. Whether it’s tennis, football, rugby or running, AI can offer suggestions for activities, warm-ups and cool-downs to use in your PE lessons.
• Art Lessons: AI can be an excellent resource for planning art lessons, especially when seeking suggestions to emphasize one of the eight elements, such as line, shape, form, colour, value, texture, space, and value.
• Maths Lessons: As with spelling, AI can significantly reduce the time spent on creating maths questions and simplify the process of differentiation.

Artificial Intelligence in the Primary Classroom is filled with practical strategies, engaging activities and useful tips and tricks that will save teachers time and energy. Gemma provides transferrable ideas and lesson plans with step-by-step instructions that can be adapted and used in secondary settings, as well as primary. Backed up by real-world examples throughout, this book empowers teachers to embrace AI as a tool in fostering enhanced learning experiences, while also reclaiming invaluable time for pedagogical creativity.

Suitable for primary school teachers of all levels of experience.