5 Ways Teachers Can Use ChatGPT Today to Make Life Easier

I recently spoke to a 25-year-old about using large language models like ChatGPT and realized something surprising: many people still haven’t explored even the most basic features that make the tool so powerful.

Things like Projects, file uploads, and memory are features I take for granted every day but most users have never touched them.

That conversation got me thinking about a group who could benefit tremendously from this technology: teachers. As an homage to my wife, a retired teacher, I decided to write a simple, step-by-step guide showing how educators can use ChatGPT today to make their jobs easier, their lessons richer, and their evenings a little less hectic.

If you’ve ever wished you had an assistant who could help plan lessons, grade work, or write parent updates while keeping your tone and style consistent, this post is for you.

Before We Begin: The Secret Skill - Prompting

Think of ChatGPT like a student: it does best when given clear instructions, examples, and context. The quality of what you get back depends almost entirely on how you ask.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet for writing great prompts:

1. Be specific.
   

   • Instead of: “Write a lesson plan.”
     

   • Try: “Write a 2-week Grade 8 science lesson plan about ecosystems with daily learning goals, one hands-on activity per day, and formative assessments.”
     

   Give context.
   Tell ChatGPT who it’s acting as:
   
   “You are a high-school English teacher preparing students for essay writing on Macbeth.”

2. Include constraints.
   
   “Keep the reading level around Grade 7 and limit each response to under 500 words.”
   

3. Iterate.
   Treat it like a conversation. If the first answer isn’t right, say “Try again with simpler language” or “Add examples for visual learners.”
   

4. Ask ChatGPT to help you prompt it.
   If you’re unsure where to start, literally type:
   
   “I’m a teacher and I want to plan a project on renewable energy. What’s the best prompt I can give you to get the most useful output?”
   ChatGPT will walk you through what to include and even generate the ideal prompt for you.
   
   A strong prompt turns ChatGPT from a Q&A chatbot into a collaborative teaching assistant that understands your goals and works within your framework.

Part 0. What You Need

1. A ChatGPT account.
   Free is fine, but the Plus plan (around $20/month) unlocks Projects, file uploads, and memory — all of which make this workflow shine.
   

2. Privacy first.
   Never upload identifiable student data. Remove names or initials from samples. You can also turn off memory or use a Temporary Chat for sensitive work.
   

3. A few minutes to experiment.
   Once you’ve done it once, it’ll feel like second nature.
   
   

Part 1. Set Up Your First Project

Why: Projects keep all your class context together so every new chat “remembers” your files and instructions.

Steps

1. Open ChatGPT → click New Project on the left sidebar.
   

2. Name it something like “Grade 9 English 2025.”
   

3. Inside the Project, click Instructions and add a few notes:
   

• “You are my planning assistant for Grade 9 English in Ontario.”
  
  

• “Keep feedback positive, specific, and actionable.”
  
  

• “Write to a Grade 9 reading level unless I say otherwise.”
  

4. Click Files and upload your rubric, curriculum guide, sample texts, or lesson plans.
   (You can upload PDFs, Docs, and even CSVs.)
   

5. Optional: If your school has a shared workspace, use Shared Projects so colleagues can collaborate.
   
   

Part 2. Turn Memory On or Off

Why: Memory saves time by remembering your tone and preferences like “always include one positive note in feedback.” You can also disable it for sensitive work.

Steps

1. Say:
   
   “Remember this: For this class, always use a warm, encouraging tone and include one concrete next step.”
   

2. To review or clear later: go to Settings → Personalization → Memory.
   You can delete memories or turn the feature off anytime.
   
   

Part 3. Five Copy-Paste Workflows Teachers Can Use Today

Workflow 1: Automate Lesson Planning

Goal: Create detailed, standards-aligned lesson plans in seconds.

Steps

1. Upload your curriculum standards or course outline.
   

2. Prompt:
   
   “Using the uploaded Grade 9 English curriculum, create a 2-week unit on narrative writing. Include daily objectives, a 10-minute opener, guided practice, independent practice, and an exit ticket.”
   

3. Follow up with:
   
   “Differentiate the activities for students who need extra support.”
   “Map each lesson to the provided curriculum codes.”
   

Free plan alternative: Paste the curriculum text directly into the chat.

Workflow 2: Design a Project with Your Rubric

Goal: Build student-ready projects and checklists from your own rubrics.

Steps

1. Upload your rubric and any example work.
   

2. Prompt:
   
   “Read the uploaded rubric and create a 10-day project plan on persuasive essays. Include a student handout, daily checkpoints, and a teacher scoring checklist.”
   

3. Ask for a printable version or one formatted for Google Classroom.
   

Workflow 3: Speed Up Feedback and Build Personalized Learning Plans

Goal: Provide individualized feedback and micro learning plans for each student.

Steps

1. Remove student names before uploading.
   

2. Upload the student’s work and the rubric.
   

3. Prompt:
   
   “Use the uploaded rubric to assess this student’s writing. Give three strengths, three growth areas, and a 7-day micro plan with 15-minute daily tasks.”
   

4. Optional:
   
   “Remember my preferred feedback tone for this class.”
   
   

Workflow 4: Draft Parent Emails and Report Comments

Goal: Communicate consistently and warmly without rewriting from scratch.

Steps

1. Add your tone and school details to Project Instructions (e.g., “Keep tone professional but friendly”).
   

2. Prompt examples:
   
   “Write a short parent email about missing assignments. Include one positive note, the missing items, and a clear make-up plan.”
   “Generate three report card comments for a student who improved in participation but needs help staying focused.”
   
   

Workflow 5: Eliminate Admin Time

Goal: Let ChatGPT handle repetitive paperwork and templates.

Steps

1. Prompt for a sub plan:
   
   “Create a one-day sub plan for Grade 6 math. Include class routines, timing, and three review activities.”
   

2. Prompt for a newsletter:
   
   “Draft a one-page monthly newsletter with highlights, upcoming dates, and a ‘What we learned this month’ section.”
   

3. Prompt for a tracking sheet:
   
   “Generate a CSV with columns for student name, assignment, rubric category, points, comments, and parent contact.”
   
   

Part 4. Explore Add-On Apps

You can now connect ChatGPT to third-party apps like Canva or Wolfram Alpha (depending on your region).
For example:

“Canva, design a classroom poster with the uploaded rubric.”
These integrations are rolling out gradually but are worth keeping an eye on.

Part 5. Best Practices and Safety

• De-identify student work before uploading.
  

• Use outputs as drafts, not final truth.
  

• Check your school’s privacy policy before storing data.
  

• Clean up old Projects periodically to stay within plan limits.
  

Quick Start Summary

1. Create a Project for your class.
   

2. Add Instructions (tone, grade level, preferences).
   

3. Upload Files (rubrics, curriculum, sample work).
   

4. Turn Memory on or off as needed.
   

5. Use the five workflows to plan, grade, and communicate faster.
   
   

Closing Thought

Teachers spend too much time doing work that isn’t teaching: grading, planning, writing updates. ChatGPT won’t replace your voice, but it can free up the hours you need to use it where it matters most: connecting with your students.

Start small. Upload one rubric. Run one workflow. You’ll be amazed how quickly it feels like a second brain in the classroom.