Staff at Rochester charter school weigh in on using AI to create lesson plans

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A Rochester charter school is using artificial intelligence to help teachers and social workers create lesson plans, aiming to help them spend less time planning and more time with students.

Uncommon Schools Rochester Prep is using Lenny Learning, an AI platform. James Dill, director of special education at Rochester Prep, says the platform helps to create engaging material while protecting student privacy.

“It protects student privacy, and it allows our teachers to sort of create their own lesson plans and adapt those as they see fit,” Dill said.

Social worker Delilah Murray has been using the platform to create lessons for her students. She recently led a session focused on friendships and kindness for fourth graders preparing to transition to middle school.

“The reason is because we’ve had some challenges across fourth grade. And I just really wanted to dive, like the importance of being kind to one another,” Murray said.

How instructors have used Lenny Learning

Murray said the AI tool gives her a framework, but she personalizes each lesson based on the relationships she has built with students over the years. She has worked with some of her current fourth graders since they were in first grade.

“The information that I get from Lenny, I will usually just take it like, oh, this is a great idea, how can I make this fit my group?” Murray said.

Murray said the platform has significantly reduced planning time. She can now create two or three lesson plans in a morning or afternoon, rather than spending two or three days on research and planning.

“I can spend my mornings or my afternoons creating 2 or 3 plans. That way, when the next day comes, we’re right into it,” Murray said.

The school takes steps to protect student information. Social workers use general circumstances rather than specific student details when using the platform.

“We’ll just take the circumstance of a child, understand what they’re going through, throw it into any, personalize it to that specific kid, and then bring that kid in,” Murray said.

Murray used the platform to create a school-wide lesson on grief and loss after a student passed away. The lesson helped teachers build relationships with students and brought the school community together.

Aiming to support educators, not replace them

Dill emphasized that the AI platform is a tool to support educators, not replace them. The school needs strong teachers and adults delivering content directly to students.

“It is a tool. It is a resource. It is not the end-all, be-all,” Dill said.

The platform also helps create family communication resources. Social workers can send home newsletters explaining what students worked on in group sessions and strategies parents can try at home.

The program has evolved over the years to include more visually appealing and engaging content suitable for students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The school recently expanded the program to include special education and general education teachers. They can now create supplemental content for students who need additional support.

The school is tracking academic and behavioral data to measure the platform’s impact. Dill said they are seeing positive results in student engagement and classroom participation. You can learn more about Lenny Learning here.

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