Innovating Teachers Academy - ENG

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01/09/2026

I almost never ask AI:
“Differentiate this lesson.”

I prefer to start with my students.
What do they need to access the same learning?
Only then do I ask AI to help me.

It’s a small difference in the way we phrase things, but pedagogically, I think it makes a huge difference.

In this short video, I explain why.

And I’d really like to know:
✍ When you use AI to differentiate, where do you start?

P.S. On September 24, I’ll be demonstrating this approach live during my free masterclass on AI and differentiation.

If you’d like to join us: https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/landing-pages/ai-for-real-classrooms

I’ve decided to offer a new free masterclass on using AI in the classroom.And this time, the topic didn’t really come fr...
30/08/2026

I’ve decided to offer a new free masterclass on using AI in the classroom.
And this time, the topic didn’t really come from me.

During my last AI masterclass, one participant asked if I could dedicate a future session to differentiation.
And I thought: yes. Because this is a reality we all know.

We all have students in our classrooms with different levels, different needs, and different ways of accessing learning.
◾ One student understands the concept perfectly but struggles with the text.
◾ Another needs more vocabulary support or an example to help them get started.
◾ Another finishes quickly and needs to go further.
And as teachers, we generally know what our students need.

The problem is finding the time to prepare everything:
▫️ Adapting a text.
▫️ Creating questions with more scaffolding.
▫️ Preparing vocabulary support.
▫️ Thinking of an extension activity.
▫️ Adapting an assessment...
And very quickly, it can start to feel as though differentiation means preparing three or four different lessons.

That’s exactly what I want to explore with you in this new masterclass.
And most importantly, I don’t just want to tell you what AI could do.
I want to show you.

On Thursday, September 24, I’ll start with one lesson and show you, live, how I use AI to create different levels of support while keeping the same learning objective.

The masterclass is free and online.
If you sometimes feel that differentiation means preparing three or four different lessons, come and join us.

🔗 Register for the masterclass: https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/landing-pages/ai-for-real-classrooms

And in the meantime, I’d really love to know:
✍ Which part of differentiation takes you the most time

WHAT IF BECOMING A BETTER TEACHER DOESN'T MEAN DOING MORE?As teachers, we're constantly being encouraged to improve.Try ...
29/08/2026

WHAT IF BECOMING A BETTER TEACHER DOESN'T MEAN DOING MORE?

As teachers, we're constantly being encouraged to improve.
Try a new strategy.
Use a new tool.
Differentiate more.
Give better feedback.
Engage every learner.
Try something new.

And when you care about what you do, it's easy to turn all of that into: “I should be doing more.”

But better teaching doesn't always come from adding something else to an already very full plate. Sometimes, it comes from one small change.
◾Waiting a few seconds longer after asking a question.
◾Giving students time to talk before asking them to share.
◾Putting a sentence starter on the board for the student who needs a little support getting started.
◾Asking “What would help you?” before stepping in.
◾Removing an instruction that isn't really necessary.
◾Taking two minutes at the end of the lesson to ask your students what helped them learn.

None of these things feels transformational. But small changes can have a surprisingly big impact.
One small change might help a quiet student participate.
One might make a learner feel more confident.
One might make your classroom feel calmer.
And one might make your day as a teacher feel a little more manageable too.

We talk a lot about transforming education. But transformation doesn't always have to mean redesigning everything. Sometimes it's simply noticing something that isn't quite working and asking: “What's one small change that could make next week a little better,for my students AND for me?”

You don't have to change everything to make a difference. Sometimes, small is enough.

So tell me,
✍️ WHAT'S ONE SMALL CHANGE THAT HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN YOUR CLASSROOM?

Share it in the comments. And join us in the InTA community to see what small changes other teachers do. 🔗 https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/community

I'VE SAVED HUNDREDS OF TEACHING RESOURCES OVER THE YEARS. MOST OF THEM I'VE NEVER USED. HERE'S WHAT I ACTUALLY NEEDEDHow...
27/08/2026

I'VE SAVED HUNDREDS OF TEACHING RESOURCES OVER THE YEARS. MOST OF THEM I'VE NEVER USED. HERE'S WHAT I ACTUALLY NEEDED

How many resources have you saved over the years?
Articles. PDFs. Posts. Downloads.
You see something interesting and think:
“I'll come back to that.”
And then… you don't.
I've certainly done it.

Because as teachers, we don't necessarily need more resources.
- We need resources that help us strengthen our practice.
- Something that helps us understand why a strategy works.
- A practical approach we can adapt to our own classroom.
- A tool that helps us reflect on something we're already doing.
- Or a good teaching practice that makes us stop and think: “Could I do this differently?”

That's what I want the InTA Resource Hub to offer. A place where you can find:
◾ Good teaching practices grounded in pedagogy
◾ Practical teaching strategies you can adapt to your context
◾ Downloadable resources to support your practice
◾ Professional inspiration to help you reflect, experiment and grow

Not another collection of worksheets to download and forget about. Resources that help you think about your teaching, and then do something with that thinking.

Because a good resource shouldn't tell you exactly what to do. It should give you something worth bringing back to your own classroom.

✍️ WHAT AREA OF YOUR TEACHING WOULD YOU LOVE TO FIND MORE PRACTICAL RESOURCES FOR?

Tell me in the comments. It might help shape what we add to the InTA Resource library next. 🔗https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/resources

WHY DO WE STILL TREAT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AS SOMETHING TEACHERS RECEIVE RATHER THAN SOMETHING THEY HELP CREATE?Every d...
26/08/2026

WHY DO WE STILL TREAT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AS SOMETHING TEACHERS RECEIVE RATHER THAN SOMETHING THEY HELP CREATE?

Every day in your classroom, you're learning. You're experimenting. Adapting. Solving problems. Observing students. Trying things that work, and plenty that don't.

That experience is professional knowledge too. And yet, professional development is still often built around a familiar model:

An expert shares. Teachers listen. The session ends.

Of course, we need experts who introduce us to research, challenge our thinking and open doors to new approaches.

BUT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SHOULDN'T STOP THERE.

You go back to your classroom. You test the idea. You adapt it. New questions emerge.

Then you talk to another teacher: "Have you tried this?"
"Yes, and here's what worked for me."

Someone else offers a completely different perspective. That's professional learning too.

And imagine what happens when hundreds of teachers bring that knowledge together.
That's one of the reasons I created the InTA Community.

Today, more than 700 educators from over 50 countries are part of InTA, not simply to consume professional development, but to contribute to it.
- To ask.
- To question.
- To share.
- To challenge.
- To learn from one another.

Because sometimes the person who changes the way you teach isn't standing at the front of a conference room. They might be another teacher who understands exactly what you're trying to figure out.

✍️ WHAT'S SOMETHING ANOTHER TEACHER SHARED WITH YOU THAT CHANGED YOUR PRACTICE?

Share it below. Your experience might help someone else.
And if you'd like to be part of these conversations throughout the year, come and join us. Join the InTA Community: 🔗 www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/community

3 BACK-TO-SCHOOL PROBLEMS AI CAN HELP YOU WITH, WITHOUT MAKING THE PEDAGOGICAL DECISIONS FOR YOUAt the beginning of the ...
24/08/2026

3 BACK-TO-SCHOOL PROBLEMS AI CAN HELP YOU WITH, WITHOUT MAKING THE PEDAGOGICAL DECISIONS FOR YOU

At the beginning of the school year, you're making decisions about students you're still getting to know.
AI can help.
But should AI decide what your students need?
I don't think so.

You know your students. You observe them. You understand your context. You make the pedagogical decisions.
AI can help you explore possibilities.

Here are 3 back-to-school challenges where you can put AI to work while keeping your expertise firmly in the driver's seat.

1️⃣ GETTING TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS AS LEARNERS
How do I understand my students without labelling them?
TRY THIS PROMPT:
“Create 6 age-appropriate questions that will help me discover what makes my students feel confident when learning, what they find challenging, how they like to participate and what helps them when they get stuck. Avoid questions that could label students or put them into fixed ‘learning style’ categories.”

2️⃣ CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING
Does every student feel that they have a place in my classroom?
TRY THIS PROMPT:
“I teach [AGE/LEVEL]. Suggest 5 simple activities or routines that could help every student feel seen, included and valued during the first weeks of school. Avoid competitive activities or activities that require students to share personal information publicly. Explain the purpose of each idea.”

3️⃣ SETTING EXPECTATIONS
How do I establish high expectations without spending the first weeks listing rules?
TRY THIS PROMPT:
“I want my classroom to be a place where students feel [SAFE / RESPECTED / CHALLENGED / INCLUDED] and take responsibility for their learning. Create 5 questions I can discuss with my students to explore what these expectations would look, sound and feel like in our classroom. Don't create the rules for us.”

Notice the pattern?
AI suggests. You observe. You interpret. You choose. You adapt. YOU decide.
And that's exactly why your professional judgement needs to remain at the centre of how you use it.

✍️ WHICH OF THESE 3 WOULD YOU TRY WITH YOUR STUDENTS?
Save the prompts for later, and share them with a colleague who might find them useful....................................................................................................
Join us in the InTA Community and continue the conversation with educators from around the world. 🔗 https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/community

WHY AM I SO EXHAUSTED AFTER A WEEK WHERE I HAVEN'T EVEN COVERED THAT MUCH CONTENT YET?It's only the first week. Why am I...
22/08/2026

WHY AM I SO EXHAUSTED AFTER A WEEK WHERE I HAVEN'T EVEN COVERED THAT MUCH CONTENT YET?

It's only the first week. Why am I already feeling exhausted?

Because teaching this week wasn't just about delivering lessons.
I was:
◾ Learning names, personalities and needs.
◾ Noticing who felt confident and who needed reassurance.
◾ Establishing routines, expectations and boundaries.
◾ Reading the room and constantly adapting.
◾ Responding to emails and attending meetings.
◾ Keeping track of new procedures, deadlines and requests from administration.
◾ Making hundreds of small decisions throughout the day.
And while doing all of that, I was trying to be fully present for my students.

We often measure our week by how much content we've covered. But content doesn't measure how much energy teaching required. Teaching asks for much more than our time. It asks for our attention, patience, emotional energy and presence.
So if you're ending your first week thinking:
“Why am I already this tired?”
Maybe ask yourself instead:
“How much have I actually been carrying this week?”

✍ WHAT TOOK MORE ENERGY THAN YOU EXPECTED DURING YOUR FIRST WEEK BACK?

Share it below. I have a feeling many of us will recognise ourselves in the answers..............................................................................................................................................
Sometimes, the people who understand a teaching week best are other teachers. Come and share the realities of teaching with a community that gets it. 🔗 Join the InTA Community: https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/community

“I JOINED MY FIRST INTA LIVE MASTERCLASS BECAUSE THE TOPIC INTERESTED ME. I CAME BACK BECAUSE I COULD ACTUALLY USE WHAT ...
20/08/2026

“I JOINED MY FIRST INTA LIVE MASTERCLASS BECAUSE THE TOPIC INTERESTED ME. I CAME BACK BECAUSE I COULD ACTUALLY USE WHAT I LEARNED.”

Over the past few months, I've joined several InTA Live Masterclasses, and what I've appreciated most is how practical they are.
I've attended professional development before where I've come away thinking: “That was interesting…" but then struggled to see how I could actually use it in my classroom.

The InTA masterclasses feel different. The experts leading the sessions clearly know their subject, but they also understand what it's like to be in a classroom.
There's time to ask questions.
To hear what other teachers are doing.
To reflect on how an idea might work with your students and in your context.
And I often leave with strategies and ideas I can genuinely imagine trying in my classroom.

Another thing I really value is the international dimension. You're learning alongside teachers from different schools, countries and educational contexts. Sometimes, a question or experience shared by another teacher gives you just as much to think about as the masterclass itself.

And there's another important thing to know: InTA Live Masterclasses are FREE.

If you've never joined one, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.
You might join because a topic catches your attention. But you may leave with an idea that changes something in your classroom the very next day....................................................................................................................................
WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE NEXT INTA LIVE MASTERCLASSES ARE ANNOUNCED?
Join the InTA Community and keep an eye out for our upcoming masterclasses, events and professional learning opportunities. And while you're there, connect with more than 700 educators from over 50 countries who are already sharing ideas, asking questions and learning from one another. 🔗 Join the InTA Community: https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/community

IF A STUDENT HAS ALREADY MASTERED THE LEARNING, ARE YOU CHALLENGING THEM… OR SIMPLY REWARDING THEM WITH MORE TASKS?You p...
19/08/2026

IF A STUDENT HAS ALREADY MASTERED THE LEARNING, ARE YOU CHALLENGING THEM… OR SIMPLY REWARDING THEM WITH MORE TASKS?

You probably know the situation.
A student finishes quickly. They've understood the concept. They've demonstrated the learning. They're ready to move on.
So what do you do?“Great! Here's something else you can work on.”
Another worksheet. A few more questions. An extra exercise.

Your intention is good. You want to keep that student engaged and challenged. But here's a question worth asking:

IS MORE WORK ACTUALLY MORE CHALLENGING?

If your student has already demonstrated that they understand something, completing five more questions that require exactly the same thinking may keep them busy… but is it really moving their learning forward?

Differentiating for students who are ready to go further doesn't have to mean giving them more. It can mean helping them go deeper.
Instead of asking them to repeat what they can already do, you could invite them to:
◾ Explain why something works, rather than simply demonstrate that it does.
◾ Apply their understanding to an unfamiliar situation.
◾ Find more than one possible solution.
◾ Challenge an assumption or consider another perspective.
◾ Create something new using what they've learned.
◾ Develop their own question to take the learning further.
◾ Make connections with something they've learned before.

Perhaps the question to ask yourself isn't: “What else can I give this student to do?” But: “Where could I take this student's thinking next?”

That's an important distinction. Because when your students understand quickly, they don't necessarily need more work. They need opportunities to think more deeply.

✍ SO, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS HAS ALREADY MASTERED THE LEARNING? Do you have a question, strategy, or extension activity that works particularly well?

You have valuable classroom experience. Why keep it to yourself? Come and share what's working, ask about what's challenging you, and exchange practical ideas with teachers from around the world in the InTA Community. 🔗 Join us: https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/community

ARE WE DIFFERENTIATING LEARNING… OR SIMPLY MAKING THE WORK EASIER?It's a question worth asking.As teachers, when we see ...
17/08/2026

ARE WE DIFFERENTIATING LEARNING… OR SIMPLY MAKING THE WORK EASIER?
It's a question worth asking.

As teachers, when we see a student struggling, our instinct is often to help.
So we simplify the text.
Reduce the number of questions.
Choose an easier task.
Lower the complexity.
We're trying to make learning more accessible.

But sometimes, without realising it, we may also be removing the thinking. And that's where I believe we need to make an important distinction:

DIFFERENTIATION ISN'T ABOUT LOWERING EXPECTATIONS. IT'S ABOUT HELPING MORE STUDENTS REACH THEM.

A student may not need an easier task. They may need a different way into the task.
That could mean:
◾ Pre-teaching key vocabulary.
◾ Breaking complex instructions into manageable steps.
◾ Providing visuals or models.
◾ Using sentence starters or guiding questions.
◾ Giving additional processing time.
◾ Offering different ways to demonstrate understanding.

The cognitive challenge can remain high while the support around it changes.
And that shift matters. Because when we constantly make learning easier for students who struggle, we may unintentionally send them a message: "I don't think you can do this."

But when we provide the right scaffolding while maintaining high expectations, the message becomes: "This is challenging. And I believe you can get there."
Perhaps that's one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves when differentiating: Are we removing the barriers… or removing the challenge?

✍ THINK ABOUT A TASK YOU'VE ADAPTED RECENTLY. DID YOU MAKE THE LEARNING MORE ACCESSIBLE—OR DID YOU MAKE THE THINKING EASIER?

I'd love to hear how you maintain high expectations while supporting different learners in your classroom........................................................................................................................................
The questions that make us reflect on our practice are often the ones worth discussing together. Join the InTA Community to exchange ideas, ask questions, and learn alongside teachers who are continually reflecting on how we can better support every learner. 🔗 https://www.innovating-teachers-academy.com/community

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