AI in the Classroom

Choosing an AI activity for my classroom

One AI activity I would use in my classroom is Quick, Draw! In this activity, students draw various objects while an AI program tries to guess what they are drawing. It teaches students that AI learns over time and introduces AI in a way that is fun and easy to understand.

I chose this activity because I recently attended an AI conference through Sault Schools for work, which really opened my eyes to the many ways AI can be used in education. Before the conference, I mostly thought of AI as something like ChatGPT that answered questions. Now I see it as another teaching tool that can help students learn in different ways.

I also like using NotebookLM because it lets me see the sources it uses, making it easier to fact-check information. That’s an important lesson for students too — AI is helpful but not always correct, and they should verify important information.

Using it in a special education classroom

If I were teaching a special education classroom, I would use Quick, Draw! during technology lessons or as a fun brain break. From working as a speech therapy aide, I’ve learned that many students learn best when activities are visual, interactive, and don’t feel like traditional schoolwork. This reminds me of both speech therapy and ABA, where students learn through repetition, practice, and immediate feedback.

• In speech therapy, students often practice naming objects, describing pictures, and building vocabulary.
• In ABA, students practice skills repeatedly while receiving positive reinforcement.
• Quick, Draw! gives students another fun way to practice those same skills while staying engaged.

After the activity, we can also talk about how AI learns by recognizing patterns rather than actually thinking the way people do.

Why this matters

This approach promotes creativity, keeps students engaged, and helps them get comfortable with technology they will encounter throughout their lives. It can help students build communication, vocabulary, fine motor, and judgment skills. For students in special education, it can reduce frustration by making learning feel more like playing while still teaching important concepts.

AI should be used as a tool to support learning — not to replace educators or therapists.

Limitations and honest cautions

AI is not perfect. Sometimes it gives wrong answers or uses outdated information, so teachers still need to guide students and teach them how to fact-check what AI says. I also wouldn’t want students to rely on AI for all of their thinking. When applied responsibly, I believe AI can make teaching more interesting while giving every student another opportunity to succeed.