2026 AI Educator Summer Institute

AI is not just a shortcut or a search box—it can function like a tireless teaching assistant, thought partner, editor, tutor, and brainstorming companion. This session will introduce practical ways educators can adopt an “AI First” mindset: asking where AI can save time, deepen learning, personalize support, or improve the quality of your work and save time on manual tasks. Designed for non-experts, the session will focus on real examples rather than technical theory, showing how AI can help draft materials, refine assignments, generate feedback, support student inquiry, and strengthen day-to-day productivity. Participants will leave with a deeper appreciation of what AI can do, how to use it responsibly, and how to begin building AI into their teaching practice with curiosity, judgment, and confidence.

Apply an “AI First” mindset by recognizing moments when AI can save time, improve quality, or expand instructional possibilities. Identify practical classroom and workflow uses for AI as a teaching assistant, planning partner, tutor, editor, and productivity tool. Craft more effective AI prompts to generate stronger lesson ideas, feedback, rubrics, examples, explanations, and student supports. Leverage AI’s multimedia capabilities, including text, images, audio, documents, and data, to support instruction, communication, and daily productivity. Understand the major AI model options and recognize which tools are best suited for different teaching and productivity tasks.

This K-12 kickoff session puts your goals at the center. Starting with two guiding questions — What do you want to accomplish? and What do you want to prevent? — we'll explore how MagicSchool can support your real work in the classroom. You'll explore the platform hands-on and leave with a clear sense of where AI fits in your practice.


By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Articulate at least one personal goal and one boundary they want to set for AI use in their classroom
2. Navigate the MagicSchool platform and identify tools relevant to their grade level and content area
3. Apply a purpose-driven framework for evaluating when and how to use AI in their practice
4. Leave with a concrete next step for integrating MagicSchool into an upcoming lesson or workflow

This session explores practical AI applications for educators, from foundational concepts to real-world classroom use cases. Presenters will introduce core AI ideas, discuss responsible adoption strategies, and examine how AI is reshaping teaching, learning, and academic integrity. Through real-world examples and live demonstrations, attendees will see how AI tools can enhance productivity. The session will also highlight approaches to AI enablement, including ambassador programs and cross-functional best practices. Participants will leave with actionable ideas and a clearer understanding of how to begin using AI effectively and thoughtfully in educational settings.

After participating in this session, attendees will be able to:
1. Explain core AI concepts and their relevance to teaching and learning.
2. Identify practical ways AI can support instruction, productivity, and classroom engagement.
3. Apply strategies for integrating AI into education and use by educators.

The AI landscape in education is moving fast, and not all tools are created equal. This session gives educators a clear-eyed look at where legislation and policy stand today, how those decisions ripple down to the classroom level, and what to watch for as districts navigate responsible AI adoption. We'll unpack what makes MagicSchool distinctly different from general-purpose chatbots and consumer AI tools, and explore how purpose-built AI supports meaningful, intentional screen time for students and educators alike.


By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Summarize the current state of AI-related legislation and policy and its implications for classroom practice
2. Distinguish between general-purpose chatbots and purpose-built AI tools designed specifically for education
3. Evaluate AI tools through the lens of purposeful screen time and student safety
4. Articulate why MagicSchool was built for educators and how that distinction shapes responsible adoption in their district

Keynote Speaker: Lilyn Hester, Head of Southeast External Affairs & Government Relations, Google

Housekeeping Bits and Final Farewells