by Piotr Popiel-Machnicki ‘26

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a distant idea—it is here. It reshapes how teachers teach and students learn. At Sherwood, teachers are exploring platforms like Magic School AI and Diffit that they are trying out in their own instructional planning and materials, coming across both the perks and pitfalls of this speedily evolving technology.

Last school year, Sherwood’s teachers received training from MCPS on AI, though they didn’t really care for it since the facilitators spent too much time simply explaining what AI was. This year, during a January staff meeting, Christine McKeldin, the head of the social studies department, took the reins, giving teachers a hands-on introduction to Magic School AI—a tool that many now swear by.

Think of Magic School AI as a digital Swiss Army knife for teachers. Staff Development Teacher Sarah Pruchniewski raves that it’s like a “one-stop shop… It has essentially everything that [teachers] need.” Whether it’s whipping up lesson plans, generating test questions, or even drafting recommendation letters, this AI powerhouse does it all. Need to write a mastery objective for the board? Type in the topic, and Magic School AI delivers it instantly. Some teachers have also explored Diffit, another AI tool with similar capabilities to Magic School AI, which they use to craft reading guides, refine lesson material, and even build interactive learning activities.

Of course, there are ethical responsibilities when using technology. “It’s just like with students—you type it in, and then you just submit whatever AI does. Are some teachers doing that? I hope not,” Pruchniewski said. AI can obviously save time, but it should not replace human judgment. AI-generated content must be carefully reviewed to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Social studies teacher Scott Allen, who has taken graduate-level training from MCPS and did his own research and experimentation with AI software, views it as an assistant rather than a crutch. “AI has the ability to help teachers be more equitable in their teaching because it makes our ability to differentiate topics, content, assignments, and feedback much less labor-intensive and time-consuming,” he explained. In addition to Magic School AI, Allen has experimented with platforms like Snorkel and ClassCompanion that make it possible to provide instant feedback to students, which made the learning process much more efficient and interactive.

However, AI is not flawless—it can misinterpret and falsify facts, or even churn out generic responses. “AI can’t be trusted, so teachers cannot make the assumption that whatever it spits out is true or correct,” Allen warned. This is why teachers must double-check materials generated by AI and ensure they’re factual. AI is definitely not a replacement for human expertise; it can be only a tool to enhance it.

So, is AI going to stay in education? It clearly seems that way. “AI is becoming a crucial part of the workforce and life in general, so it also must become important in education. We need to teach students how to use AI responsibly and productively,” Allen emphasized. That means treating AI only as a partner, not a shortcut for laziness. Of course, AI has the potential to revolutionize, but teachers at Sherwood need to remain cautious, keeping in mind that overdependence could be counterproductive.

Allen said the message for teachers is the same as for students. “Use AI for good! It can be a powerful partner, but you still have to be in the driver’s seat and be educated enough to use it correctly. Otherwise, it is the user, and you are the tool.”