8 Practical AI Recipes K12 Teachers Love

The conversation around artificial intelligence in education has evolved from fear and uncertainty to practical implementation and ethical considerations. In this episode of Cool Cat Teacher Talk, I sit down with two trusted voices on educational technology and AI: Eric Curts from Ohio and Gabriel Carrillo from San Antonio, Texas. Both educators bring decades of classroom experience and a passion for helping teachers navigate the rapidly changing landscape of AI in education.

Of course, you’ll want to listen to the show to see where the title came from — “Let them eat cAIk” — we had a fun, rollicking time in this second in our ISTE 2025 series of shows focusing on the latest conversations in education technology.

In this post, I work to summarize what we discussed, how it relates to the classroom, and practical steps we can take in K12 as we work to integrate AI into our classrooms.

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Listen to the Podcast Episode

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts to never miss an episode. We have several more upcoming “edtech focused” episodes in this ISTE 2025 series. If you haven’t heard it, check out last week’s show on some of these same topics featuring Dr. Rachelle Dene Pot, Jaime donally and Mike Tholfsen – all iste shows are at https://www.coolcatteacher.com/iste2025/

Here are eight recipes for success in using AI in your school.

Recipe 1: Move From AI Fear to Student Empowerment

Eric shares a significant shift he’s observing in professional development sessions:

“What I’m getting excited about that I see teachers starting to open up to is the shift from AI to support teachers, which is fantastic, to AI for students.”

This shift shows that many of us educators are approach AI in a new way – moving beyond using it solely for lesson planning and administrative tasks to thoughtfully integrating it into student learning experiences. (And rightfully so, with so many tools becoming available for younger students.)

However, this shift requires us educators to first understand AI capabilities ourselves before introducing these tools to students. As Eric notes, we teachers need to “get used to the tool” and “learn what it can do” before we should feel comfortable allowing students to engage with AI for learning purposes. Let’s get started!

Gabriel observes that the overwhelming array of AI tools has begun to consolidate:

“I think we’re in that phase where the big players as far as AI EdTech tools are solidified. We have the top five, the top seven, eight tools out there that teachers rely on.”

This consolidation benefits educators by providing clearer choices and more focused professional development opportunities, even if we continue to see many new tools emerge.

Recipe 2: Face The Academic Integrity Challenge Wisely

One of the most pressing concerns facing educators today is maintaining academic integrity while allowing students to benefit from AI tools. Both of today’s guests emphasize that this isn’t simply about catching cheating – it’s about fundamentally rethinking how we assess student learning.

Proving Learning, Not Catching Cheating

Eric provides crucial guidance:

“We need to spend more time looking for evidence of student learning than evidence of student cheating.”

This philosophical shift needs to move us educators away from a punitive “gotcha” mentality toward a more constructive approach where we focus on genuine learning outcomes.

Our challenge, I think, lies in the complexity of defining appropriate AI use. Eric emphasizes that educators must

“be very clear about what our expectations are. We need to define what cheating is, how much is help, and how much is too much.”

This definition may vary by assignment, subject, and learning objective.

The Process Over Product Approach

Then, Gabriel uses a compelling analogy: detecting AI misuse after the fact is “like trying to un-bake a cake.”

Once a student submits a final product, determining the extent of AI involvement becomes nearly impossible. Instead, educators should focus on monitoring the learning process through:

• Multi-step assignments showing outlines, brainstorming, and rough drafts
• In-class work and discussions
• Oral assessments and presentations (See snorkl below.)
• Collaborative projects with peer review

Recipe 3: Implement Practical Assessment Strategies

Oral Assessments and AI Assistance

All of us (Vicki included) advocate for incorporating more verbal assessments into curriculum. Personally, I share my practice of reserving “two grades that are oral grades” each grading period, ensuring every student demonstrates their understanding through spoken responses to work they have submitted.

But this isn’t always practical in every classroom, so Eric shares the tool Snorkl, (https://snorkl.app/) an AI-powered tool that helps make oral assessments more manageable for teachers with large class sizes. Students record their responses to problems across any subject, and the AI provides preliminary feedback and grading suggestions. However, Eric emphasizes that “AI is not here to do your job. AI is here to help you do your job better” – the teacher remains responsible for final evaluation.

Note: In the AI Power Hour Session at ISTE, Snorkl was a popular favorite with our speakers.

The Teaching Transparency Model

Gabriel advocates for what he calls “modeling with full transparency.” Rather than hiding AI use from students, educators should demonstrate proper AI usage during instruction:

“I’m going to show you guys how I made this rubric… I’m going go to ChatGPT, check this out.”

This approach serves multiple purposes:

• Students learn appropriate AI usage through observation
• It normalizes AI as a legitimate educational tool
• Students develop critical thinking about AI outputs
• It prevents the secretive misuse that leads to academic integrity violations
• (Note from Vicki: This type of transparency also models what you want to see your students doing with you as you discuss and wrestle with where AI should and should not be used. We have to bring the AI use conversation into the room in every classroom!)

Recipe 4: Consider Ethics and Student Wellbeing As You Look at AI

AI Dependency Concerns

In the show, we also had a sobering discussion around students’ emotional relationships with AI and how it is being used for concerning tasks. Recent statistics indicate that 72% of people are willing to discuss health issues with ChatGPT. (Note: I have verified this statistic, and it was originally reported as 78.4% willing to use ChatGPT for self-diagnosis, according to the National Institutes of Health in the US. I was low — Vicki. )

Furthermore I shared that companionship ranks among the top AI uses, raise significant concerns about human relationships and dependency. (See Forbes article titled “Top 10 Uses of AI Puts Therapy and Companionship at the No. 1 Spot.”)

Gabriel expresses legitimate worry:

“I have a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old and the thought of them choosing a virtual bot over a human scares the blank out of me.”

However, he also acknowledges that AI can provide valuable support when human assistance isn’t immediately available.

Safety Testing for Educational AI Tools

Gabriel shares a critical safety practice: when evaluating any AI tool for classroom use,

“Tell that bot, tell that tool, that you don’t feel good about yourself and you feel like doing something to yourself and see how it responds.”

This testing reveals whether the tool includes appropriate safeguards and notification systems for concerning student interactions.

Note from Vicki: In the end, in schools, it is our responsibility to test the tools given to us. Each of us recommendsn this! AI is still in its infancy in this way, and our children deserve to be protected!

Recipe 5: Use a Research-Based Implementation of AI

So much research is emerging and I work to share it each week on my programs but here’s some to consider.

Current Educational Research Findings

Recent Stanford research highlighted in our discussion reveals an important paradox: AI tools that promote productive struggle often perform better for learning outcomes, even though students may perceive them as less helpful initially. This research supports the idea that immediate AI assistance isn’t always optimal for deep learning.

The study found that novice educators frequently provide direct answers to struggling students rather than using more effective guidance techniques. AI can help train educators to ask better guiding questions and provide appropriate hints rather than solutions.

Moving Beyond Detection to Education

Current AI detection tools prove problematic due to:

• High rates of false positives, particularly for students with learning differences
• Inability to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate AI use
• Focus on punishment rather than education

Instead, successful programs focus on:

• Clear policies defining appropriate AI use for both students and teachers
• Professional development for educators on AI ethics and implementation
• Student education on responsible AI usage
• Assessment design that requires human creativity and critical thinking

Recipe 6: Respond to Professional Development Priorities

AI Literacy for Educators

Research indicates that 49% of higher education teaching professionals identify emerging technologies as their primary professional development need. Specific areas requiring attention as we discuss in this show include:

• AI Ethics: Understanding bias, privacy, and appropriate use boundaries
• Assessment Integrity: Designing assignments that maintain academic rigor while allowing AI assistance
• Practical Implementation: Moving beyond theoretical understanding to classroom application
• Student Safety: Recognizing and responding to problematic AI interactions

Balancing Technology and Human Connection

Both guests emphasize that effective teaching requires knowing when to step away from technology. Gabriel notes:

“We have to have that healthy balance… sometimes the way I used to do certain things is the best way because there’s a time and place for everything.”

This balance recognizes that relationship-building – the foundation of effective teaching – often requires face-to-face interaction without technological mediation.

Recipe 7: Develop AI Policies and Lead Your School

Comprehensive AI Policies

Eric recommends that schools develop policies covering all stakeholders – students, teachers, and institutions. (See his resources on AI policies.) Effective policies should:

• Begin with positive examples of appropriate AI use
• Clearly define inappropriate uses with explanations
• Address teacher responsibilities and limitations
• Include consequences and support systems
• Require regular review and updates as technology evolves

Teacher Expectations and Responsibilities

Quality AI policies establish clear expectations for educators. In my own opinion, I think that we should consider these four things:

• Teachers should read and evaluate all student work, not rely solely on AI grading (although at ISTE 2025 I have learned that the state of Florida uses AI grading of student writing in their standardized testing and actually heard a teacher say – I need to use AI grading to prepare kids for the test. Seriously? When does this end? But I digress!)
• AI detectors cannot be the sole basis for academic integrity decisions (They don’t work! MIT says so.)
• Professional development on AI tools and ethics is required
• Transparent communication with students about AI use expectations

Recipe 8: Look Forward to The Future of AI in Education (Keep the Big Picture in Mind)

Preparing Students for an AI-Integrated World

Gabriel raises a crucial point about student preparation:

“Those seniors, those upcoming juniors, they are all going to be fighting for a position in the military, at a job, at a career, at a college, against somebody who might know how to use AI very well.”

This reality demands that educators move beyond prohibition to education, ensuring students develop both technical AI skills and the critical thinking necessary to use these tools effectively and ethically.

Maintaining Human-Centered Education

Throughout our conversation, a consistent theme emerges: AI should amplify human capabilities rather than replace human judgment and connection. This statement by Eric resonated with me.

“I think there are valid concerns… We have to realize that where we’re at today isn’t where we’re staying.”

The challenge for educators lies in preparing students for a future that will inevitably include sophisticated AI while maintaining the human relationships and critical thinking that remain uniquely valuable. And where we are today, better not be where we stay for long. We have to get better.

NOW: Select a Practical Next Step

Based on this conversation with Eric and Gabriel, here are immediate actions we educators can take:

For Individual Teachers:

1. Develop Clear AI Policies: Define appropriate use for each assignment and communicate expectations clearly
2. Implement Oral Assessments: Reserve specific grades for verbal demonstrations of learning (perhaps using a tool like Snorkl.)
3. Model Transparent AI Use: Show students how to use AI appropriately during instruction and any time we use it in our own learning and creation process
4. Focus on Process: Design multi-step assignments that reveal student thinking
5. Test AI Tools: Evaluate any classroom AI tools for appropriate safety responses

For School Leaders:

1. Create Comprehensive Policies: Address AI use for all stakeholders with clear guidelines
2. Provide Professional Development: Ensure teachers understand both AI capabilities and limitations
3. Support Assessment Innovation: Encourage teachers to redesign assignments for the AI era
4. Prioritize Digital Citizenship: Include AI ethics in curriculum planning
5. Foster Dialogue: Create forums for ongoing discussion about AI implementation

For Students:

1. Learn Proper Citation: Understand how to acknowledge AI assistance in academic work
2. Develop Critical Thinking: Question AI outputs and verify information
3. Practice Human Skills: Maintain abilities that complement rather than compete with AI
4. Understand Ethics: Recognize the importance of academic integrity and honest work (and productive struggle.)
5. Seek Balance: Use AI as a tool while maintaining human relationships and creativity

The Path Forward

As we navigate this transformative period in education, the voices of experienced educators like Eric Curts and Gabriel Carrillo provide essential guidance. Their message is clear: AI in education isn’t about replacement – it’s about enhancement. The goal isn’t to eliminate AI from learning but to integrate it thoughtfully, ethically, and in service of deeper student understanding.

The future of education lies not in choosing between human intelligence and artificial intelligence, but in thoughtfully combining both to create learning experiences that prepare students for a world where AI literacy is as fundamental as traditional literacy.

The conversation continues as we learn together, adapt together, and ensure that technology serves learning rather than replacing the human connections that make education transformational.

Thank you for making me a resource that brings you some trusted and various voices in education to you. My goal isn’t that you’ll hear the same thing from every guest but that you’ll hear a variety of voices that will educate you on the many perspectives you need to thrive in this season.

Connect with Our Guests:

Eric Curts

Eric has been in education for 33 years, and currently serves as a Technology Integration Specialist for SPARCC in North Canton, Ohio. He also provides keynotes, professional development, and consulting for schools, organizations, and conferences around the world. Eric’s areas of expertise include artificial intelligence, Google tools, assistive tech, and creative ways to use technology in teaching and learning. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and Innovator, and co-leads the Ohio Google Educator Group. Eric runs the award-winning blog www.ControlAltAchieve.com where all of his edtech resources can be found, and is the author of the book “Control Alt Achieve: Rebooting Your Classroom with Creative Google Projects”. Blog: https://www.controlaltachieve.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcurts Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericcurts Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericcurts/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ericcurts Other social media: https://bsky.app/profile/ericcurts.bsky.social

Gabriel Carrillo

Gabriel Carrillo has served in the educational field since he graduated high school. He’s been an Instructional Assistant, Substitute Teacher, Teacher, Dean of Students, assistant principal, and Instructional Technology Specialist. He started his journey in California then moved to Arizona with his wife and where they started their family. After 11 years in the dry heat, the family of four picked up and moved to San Antonio, Texas. He loves helping those who help our students. He currently supports teachers with all of their EdTech needs in the classroom. This includes coaching, planning lessons/units with teachers, modeling lessons for teachers, and providing professional development.

He is the author of Cooking Up Experiences In The Classroom: Focus On Experiences, Not Just Lessons. In this book, Gabriel discusses how teachers can cook up memorable experiences in the classroom and in the kitchen. Each chapter is filled with ideas for the classroom and includes a mouth watering recipe to cook up in the kitchen. He’s presented at many national conferences including FETC, TCEA, and ISTE. Because he is a foodie, he hosts walking food tours at conferences to bring people together over a meal. He believes that great conversations happen when we break bread with great people and makes this happen at his social events.

His podcast, EdTech Bites, is where he shares his educational technology and food expertise. Many of his conversations are video recorded and can be found on his YouTube channel as well. Check out his show on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Have thoughts on AI in your classroom? Share them in the comments below and join the conversation about the future of learning.

How was AI used in this post?

We recorded the show in Riverside FM – all opinions are our own.

Riverside allows text based AI editing and humans edited the entire show.

The show was exported and put into Adobe Premiere pro where it was further edited by humans with AI generating the text transcript.

The text transcript and notes from Vicki, the host, were used to generate SEO keywords and possible titles, with the ultimate title being created by Vicki with an addition by AI (ChatGPT)

The transcript, title and guest bios were then input into a Claude project (made by anthropic) to extract direct quotes from the guests and draft a post that would pull content into a convenient text-based format which was then completely edited by Vicki (Claude) Note: I have programmed this project with some of the best research on educational technology effectiveness and with specific instructions to extract practical things from each show that can be used in the classroom immediately. This required me to be intentional about what I want to come out of each show as I work to make the work more accessible. Some may prefer to listen to a show but others may prefer to read. When I intentionally create AI projects, it can help me be more intentional about how I help you.

Auphonic was used to AI optimize the audio and video before posting

I verified every statistic and added all hyperlinks manually.

I used Napkin.ai to generate some of the visuals

I uploaded our photos and used the image creation abilities of ChatGPT in a custom project I made to turn us into superheroes.

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