The Day a Student Spoke Up (With a Nudge from AI)

Earlier this year, I began working closely with my special ed co-teacher and her teacher-in-residence to scaffold assignments for students with special needs.

Let me be clear: these were drastic modifications.

We used AI—and more specifically, a custom chatbot I created with ChatGPT—to handle the heavy lifting. The bot helped simplify language, break down complex tasks, and make content more digestible without watering it down.

And the results?

Incredible.

Not only were my students understanding the material… one of them actually spoke up in class.

Let me repeat that:

A student who had barely said a word before — suddenly, they contributed to the conversation.

That’s a win to end all wins.

Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. But if you’ve ever worked with students who are hesitant to speak because they feel behind or overwhelmed, you know how huge this is.

And by the way, this is now almost every class, not a one-time thing. 

We’re excited to keep going. We’ve seen firsthand how AI doesn’t replace creativity or compassion—it just helps us get to meaningful moments faster.

Still our ideas.
Still our objectives.
But trimmed down in seconds instead of hours.

Participation is engagement. And engagement is everything.

Don’t sleep on this. AI can make a real difference—for you, and for them.