Amir Taron Ayres

Setting Up an Engaging Launch for a New Unit in Middle School By encouraging students to think deeply at the beginning of units, teachers can help them see why the material is relevant to their lives.

I just wrote an @edutopia.org piece about this. I like to start ELA and social studies units by connecting a theme in the unit to a big question and deep thinking.

www.edutopia.org/article/them...

AI is not a silver bullet. If you are an educator who is content to plop a prompt into Chat and accept the first thing that comes out, I’m just letting you know…there is a stain on your shirt.

#EduSky #AIinEducation

"Hold students to high expectations. It isn't easy. They will feel like it isn't fair. But over time it will become intrinsic. They will have a newfound belief in themselves and set their own high expectations." —Educator Kareem Farah

Your high expectations can be transformative, reminds educator Kareem Farah:

Setting Up an Engaging Launch for a New Unit in Middle School By encouraging students to think deeply at the beginning of units, teachers can help them see why the material is relevant to their lives.

Next time you launch a new unit, try this: engaging students with big, exciting themes instead of going straight to vocabulary! @amirtaron.bsky.social explains how. 🚀

#EduSky #MiddleSchool #ITeachSocialStudies #HistoryEducation

When engagement and relevance break bread together, kids generate electricity. #EduSky

Setting Up an Engaging Launch for a New Unit in Middle School By encouraging students to think deeply at the beginning of units, teachers can help them see why the material is relevant to their lives.

Teachers and admin: as we approach a new marking period and new unit, check out my new @edutopia.org piece on launching into deep thinking from day one. #EduSky

www.edutopia.org/article/them...

A deficit mindset will always rob you of contentment and peace of mind.

Frustration is a thief of progress.

When you are a problem solver, understanding your locus of control is a necessary skill set in order to nullify the inevitable moments, people, and systems that can frustrate your work and your purpose.

Ultimately, if you as an educator are using AI to check compliance boxes, you are missing out on key opportunities to leverage a powerful tool to enhance your practice for the benefit of your students and colleagues.

Using AI as a Thought Partner, Not a Shortcut Engaging in a back-and-forth with AI programs to refine the prompt and the output can help educators generate high-quality learning materials.

Our discussion came about from this piece I did for @edutopia.bsky.social on thought partnering with AI.

www.edutopia.org/article/ai-t...

AI Strategies from an Instructional Supervisor with Amir Taron Ayres - Easy EdTech Podcast 338 - Class Tech Tips Elevate lesson planning & leadership with Amir Taron Ayres! Explore practical AI strategies to design lessons & support diverse learners.

#aiineducation is bigger than time saving and reducing workload. The question is, are you using AI to maximize your effectiveness as an educator? I recently had a great discussion with @classtechtips.com about this. #EduSky check it out.

classtechtips.com/2025/09/23/a...

Thank you for listening and sharing, Bryon. 🙏🏾

It was my pleasure. Thank you for inviting me on! 🙏🏾🙏🏾

NEW today! #EduSky

🎧 How can AI support teachers and streamline lesson planning?

🧠 Amir Taron Ayres (@amirtaron.bsky.social) shares practical strategies in this Easy EdTech Podcast episode.

🎙️ Perfect for educators and coaches looking to use AI with intention. classtechtips.com/2025/09/23/a...

AI Strategies from an Instructional Supervisor with Amir Taron Ayres - Easy EdTech Podcast 338 - Class Tech Tips Elevate lesson planning & leadership with Amir Taron Ayres! Explore practical AI strategies to design lessons & support diverse learners.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with Monica Burns (aka @classtechtips.com) about AI strategies for educators on her Easy EdTech Podcast. You can listen on the web or on any podcast app. Be sure to listen and share your thoughts. 🙏🏾

Stream right here:
classtechtips.com/2025/09/23/a...

2/2: In my experience, few students arrive in class with conscientiousness. I use relevance to cultivate curiosity and interest in order to dive deep with purpose. Otherwise, the rigor is just compliance attached to a grade.

#EduSky

1/2: I read a social media post today on another app that said, “teachers should not have to sacrifice rigor for relevance.”

This is a false dichotomy.
Rigor and relevance are not at odds. No such trade off is necessary.

#EduSky

3/ Here’s the punchline, don’t use code words to highlight what you consider as a skill set. If it’s a skill set, name it with precision. These kind of words function as a paternalistic badge for some and as a dog whistle for others.

#EduSky

2/ “Diverse” as in, “Experienced in diverse classroom settings” or “diverse learners.”

In general, “diverse” is supposed to indicate variety. In practice, “diverse” usually means, “I taught Black and brown kids in a segregated school.”

#EduSky

1/ Two words that don’t often bode well for me on educator resumes:

“Title I” as in, “Teacher at Title I School” or “Title I Teacher.”

What does this even mean? Is this an indicator to Black and brown schools that you are qualified to teach these “Title I” students?

#EduSky

Looking forward to this #ISS session. Mixing and Mastering 101. #InnovativeSchoolsSummit #EduSky

Today is a Fela Kuti day. Conduct your playlist accordingly.

Was just discussing this idea in the world of secondary ed w/ a colleague. Educators use AI to lighten their workload. Students do the same. Yet, the same educators disparage student AI use. The goal for our students should be AI fluency. #EduSky #EduSkyAI

Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task This study explores the neural and behavioral consequences of LLM-assisted essay writing. Participants were divided into three groups: LLM, Search Engine, and Brain-only (no tools). Each completed thr...

New research raises red flags about long-term #LLM use (and confirms what most educators already knew)...

A 206-page study out of Boston tracked student writing across three modes:

1. ChatGPT

2. Google

3. Brain-only

#cognition #AIinEducation #EduAI #AIinEdu #EduSky

arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872

A reminder to some and a caution to others: AI makes mistakes. Don’t become overreliant on artificial intelligence. AI fluency is key. 🔑

#EduSky

Using AI as a Thought Partner, Not a Shortcut Engaging in a back-and-forth with AI programs to refine the prompt and the output can help educators generate high-quality learning materials.

Want to shift your use of AI from mere task delegation to thought partnering? Check out these tips from @amirtaron.bsky.social 👇

#EduAI #EduSkyAI #EdTech #EduSky

“Create a lesson plan using the following standard: Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. Focus on the relationship between claims, reasons, and evidence, with a clear difference between evidence and explanation of evidence.”

A second screenshot of the Brisk interface showing the same base lesson plan prompt, but with an added sentence highlighted in blue: “Use the rap battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake as context for argument to hook students. Here is the second iteration of the same direct instruction revised to leverage student interest and boost engagement.”

Want to learn how to use AI as a thought partner, not a shortcut? 🌟

Educator @amirtaron.bsky.social shares examples that can help you create even more effective learning materials: edut.to/3HeeE5a

#EduAI #EduSkyAI #EdTech #EduSky

Using AI as a Thought Partner, Not a Shortcut Engaging in a back-and-forth with AI programs to refine the prompt and the output can help educators generate high-quality learning materials.

Fellow Teachers & Administrators:

🤖 Just because you use tools like ChatGPT does not mean you use these tools well. What matters most for the success of our students is *how effectively* we make use of the tools we have at our disposal. 🤖

#edusky

www.edutopia.org/article/ai-t...

Using AI as a Thought Partner, Not a Shortcut Engaging in a back-and-forth with AI programs to refine the prompt and the output can help educators generate high-quality learning materials.

Here's a look at how teachers can get better results when using AI for their planning work, by instructional supervisor @amirtaron.bsky.social‬: www.edutopia.org/article/ai-t...

You don't want to hear people saying “Bro used ChatGPT.”

An Asset-Based Approach to Instruction and Assessment A look at how teachers can set the bar high for all students—and provide them with the tools they need to reach that bar.

The students who come into our classrooms with the largest gaps are the children who grow the most when we meet their academic needs. We should approach our work seeking to identify the assets we can build on rather than gravitating to deficits.

www.edutopia.org/article/usin...