3 AI Skills Everyone Needs in 2025 (Teacher Edition)

Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of AI apps and models available? It seems like a new one pops up every day! But before we even worry about which app to use, we need to master the essential skills for using generative AI effectively in education.

In this article, I'm breaking down my go-to AI framework, smart ways to improve AI responses, and the best strategies for citing AI use transparently.

Master these three skills, and you'll be using AI in your classroom like a pro in no time!

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Mindset > Skillset

Before we get into the skills, we first must adopt the correct mindset for using AI tools in the classroom. My brain works in analogies, here's mine for teachers: if you had a student teacher who read every book in the library, every blog online, every textbook about everything, who didn't sleep, who always wanted to make you happy and did things way faster than you could, what jobs would you give them?

Sounds like a great student teacher to have, right? Well, a few downsides: it "knows" so much it can be hard to give them instructions, they always want to make you happy, they communicate in a tone that makes them sound confident (even when wrong), and they don't ask clarifying questions.

How would we utilize such an assistant? We would start with our own domain of mastery. Tasks that we know what "good" looks like. Things we are confident in our own ability. We wouldn't give them a lesson topic we have no understanding of and let them plan it on their own, with no feedback or overview from us. This is exactly how we conceptualize AI, and it's just as important as any skill!

                Give your overly-eager student teacher a job! *image generated by Flux1

Skill #1: Prompting

The first skill we need to master is prompting. The best way to learn prompting quickly is to start with a framework that's simple enough to remember, but detailed enough to improve the output. I use a framework called RAFT:

• Role: Who would you go to for help on this task? (e.g., a master level history teacher, an expert instructional coach)

• Audience: Who are you creating this content for? (e.g., your students, a co-teacher, a mentor)

• Format: What format do you want the output in? (e.g., graphic organizer, narrative, bulleted list, table, email)

• Topic: What are you talking about? (e.g., the curriculum, the unit, the theme, a certain perspective)

Here's an example of a rafted prompt:

Role: Expert instructional coach and curriculum designer

Audience: An eighth grade algebra teacher

Format: A clear, step-by-step workshop outline

Topic: A project-based learning unit on linear equations where students understand real-world applications

When you raft a prompt, just like you would talk to a human, you get a very specific and useful output.

Skill #2: Iteration

No matter how precise your prompt is, don't think the first output is all your gen AI tool can do. Think of it like a first draft from your students.

Here are three iteration strategies to improve AI outputs:

• "And What Else?" Before generating a response, ask the AI tool, "What else do you need to know from me to execute this successfully?" This helps you provide important context you may have missed. Works even better if you have an exemplar, pasted example, or rubric.

• Guardrails: Tell the AI what not to do. For example, "Don't use academic words," or "Don't search the internet, just use this source." This further limits the context and improves the output.

• Split Testing: Ask the AI for multiple different approaches or versions. This gives you a menu of options to choose from, not just one "right" answer.

Skill #3: Research and Citing

Now that we can generate high-quality content, we need to teach our students how to research and cite AI responsibly.

Here's the golden rule: Don't cite the tool itself. Citing "chatgpt .com" is like citing the public library. It's not a specific source.

Instead, use an AI tool with internet accessibility that provides links to websites in real-time. Then, share a link to your chat log. This shows exactly what you asked the AI and what it outputted, ensuring transparency.

By mastering these three skills, you'll be well-equipped to use AI effectively and responsibly in your classroom.

The next article in the AI Teacher Toolkit will cover: tools. Which apps and models are best for which purposes? Which ones are my students using? I look forward to sharing my experiences with you next week, thanks for reading!