From student papers to curriculum software, AI is increasingly present in teachers’ day-to-day lives. While AI can be a powerful time-saving tool when used correctly, there are some common mistakes that you should watch for.
If you plan to use AI when classroom fundraising, we recommend you follow the best practices below. These do’s and don’ts will help protect both your students’ privacy and the human touch donors are looking for.
In this article, we use “AI” to refer to large language models that generate text based on user input. AdoptAClassroom.org does not condone the use of AI on our platform. However, we want to ensure those who do use AI are using it as responsibly as possible.
Do: Write Your Own First Draft
Whether you’re sprucing up your classroom page or writing a grant proposal, always write the first draft of your fundraising materials yourself. You can then use AI as a peer reviewer to help you:
Donors want to feel an emotional connection to your classroom, and no one knows better than you what your students need to succeed. Even if you only write a couple of sentences, try following the tips in our storytelling guide before asking AI for an assist.
Do: Provide AI With Instructions and Context
Just like your students, AI benefits from being given specific instructions. When writing your prompt, provide any context you think will be helpful for the AI to complete the task. This might include information about your intended audience or examples of supplies you plan to purchase.
It can also be helpful to instruct the AI to ask you follow-up questions if more details are needed to fulfill the task.
Note – The information you enter into AI generally isn’t private, so avoid including identifying details like names.
Examples:
Average Prompt:
Proofread this email to *business name*, asking them to donate to my classroom.
Better Prompt:
Proofread this email to *business name*, asking them to donate to my STEM classroom. The email recipient is a technology company, so the STEM subject matter connection should be emphasized. Ask me questions if you need more information.
Do: Take Your Own Photos
When you’re scrolling on social media, what catches your attention? For most of us, it’s pictures or videos showing real people, places, and situations.
If you want the best chance of getting folks to donate, take some photos of your own. Even a quick classroom selfie or a cell phone photo of run-down school supplies can work. We have advice for taking photos that protect student privacy on our blog.
If taking your own photos isn’t an option, you can use one of our downloadable social media image templates.
Don’t: Skip Fact Checking & Proofreading The Information AI Gives You
Before you use anything created by AI, you should always double-check its work.
Please make sure to:
AI is known to create fake facts that sound real; researchers call them AI hallucinations. Dedicating a few extra minutes to double-checking AI’s work can help you catch any errors before donors do.
Don’t: Forget to Remove Your AI Prompt
First impressions can make a huge difference. Don’t let the first thing people read be the prompt you gave ChatGPT!
Need some tips to help you write your first draft? Read our Fundraising Guide for Teachers.