Tools and training to help teachers cope
by Michael Mino
An overwhelming majority of teachers (96%) believe AI will become an intrinsic part of education within the next decade. Yet even more (97%) lack the necessary resources to integrate AI and other technologies into their preparation or instructional practice. Less than 50% are currently using AI, but over
70% identify professional development and updated curriculum resources as crucial needs. (These numbers come from Samsung’s “Solve for Tomorrow” survey of 2/18/25.)
An explosion of AI education applications and platforms are already available or under fast-track development specifically for K-12. One web site alone is offering over 80 different administrative and teaching tools for education. Meanwhile, incumbents like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are building AI applications and tools right into their legacy platforms. Yet these proliferating technologies with their promises of improved pedagogy are not making their way into the classroom, where student performance is locked in a long-term decline. Teachers say they want the help. But how can teachers make sense of all the new AI options available when they are overwhelmed by the tsunami of choices, while coping with the day-to-day, minute by minute demands of the actual analog classroom?
JFYNetWorks has been involved with the development and application of educational technology since the 1980s. Since the sudden emergence of OpenAI two and a half years ago, we have been monitoring the fever chart of AI developments. We have moved to harness the potential power of generative AI to enhance actual teaching and learning in the time-honored pursuit of educational excellence and equity. With our pragmatic student-centered approach, we are developing a suite of teacher tools called the JFY AI Teacher Assistant System.
This system is a platform that uses AI to streamline teachers’ administrative processes, much like the human assistant every teacher would like to have. The first tool available for teachers is the JFY Writing Assessment Tool (WAT). WAT is designed to enhance writing instruction by providing detailed analysis, constructive feedback, and predictive scoring of student essays. WAT generates detailed feedback on the standard components of writing such as idea development, evidence, grammar, coherence, argument structure, and any elements chosen by the teacher.
Key features of JFY’s WAT include:
- Detailed diagnostic analysis to identify strengths and areas for improvement by providing feedback aligned with state standards.
- Batch essay submission to accept individual or batch uploads, delivering individualized feedback for each student and overall class recommendations.
- Comprehensive educational resource integration including MCAS practice prompts, scoring rubrics, and sample essays to ensure standards-aligned assessments.
- Predictive scoring to evaluate essays based on MCAS or teacher-specified criteria, with previews of potential scores.
JFY’s Writing Assessment Tool gives teachers detailed feedback on student essays to help identify areas for improvement. This feedback supports effective writing instruction by helping teachers focus on areas where students need the most help. The Tool reduces teachers’ workload by streamlining the time-consuming process of evaluation and enabling teachers to focus on qualitative feedback and personalized instruction.
The second application in JFY’s AI Teacher Assistant System is a lesson planner and instructional resource generator called the Academic Content Generator (ACG). ACG is an AI-powered tool that helps teachers quickly create high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials. Within a simple interface, teachers can generate lesson plans, assessments and resources for diverse learners—including EL, SPED, SEL, and GT students—all aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
The core of this tool is a simple form to input key determinants such as topic, grade level and curriculum standards. The Generator allows users to select from a wide array of content types including lesson plans, rubrics, assessments and quizzes. It provides specific resources for diverse needs such as English Learners (EL), students with special needs (SPED), social-emotional learning (SEL), or gifted and talented (GT) programs. Educators can also define the type of learning activity they wish to focus on— individual, collaborative, small group, or whole class—and provide additional instructions to tailor the output to specific classroom needs. The ACG’s integration of technology-enhanced functions promotes digital literacy and engagement.
The JFY AI Teacher Assistant System substantially reduces the time teachers must spend on assessment and content creation while maintaining instructional quality and compliance with state standards. It is both a time-saving solution and a professional development support tool, allowing teachers to focus on student interaction and learning outcomes. This latest JFY initiative builds on our long history of innovation and support for teachers and students.
To learn more about the JFY AI Teacher Assistant System or to discuss piloting it in your school or district, send an inquiry to info@jfynet.org. And please visit our website at www. JFYNet.org.
In the meantime, to learn more about WAT, the JFY Writing Assessment Tool, please click on the button below.
Michael Mino is an AI Education Development Specialist currently working with JFYNetWorks.
Other posts authored by Mike can be found here.
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