Guide for teachers
Getting started with TeacherBot: plan a week of lessons in one evening
By the XAG founder, 27 years in education, 6 min read
Most teachers do not need a tool that plans everything. They need a good first draft on a Sunday evening, so that planning becomes editing. That is the job TeacherBot is built for, and this article walks through a first session so you can see what to expect.
Before you start: decide what you are planning
Write down three things on paper before you open any tool: the class (age, level, how many students), the time you have (TeacherBot plans for 45, 60 or 90 minute lessons), and the one thing a student should be able to do by the end. A single clear outcome makes the AI's draft better and makes your editing faster. "Students can ask and answer three questions about daily routines" is a better outcome than "practise speaking".
Step 1: set up your class
After you choose a plan and start your free trial, you get a personal access code. Add your class first. You can import a class list from Excel or CSV, so you do not retype names. A class on screen is what powers the seating plan, the group and pair maker and the timers, so this ten-minute job pays back for the rest of the term. Use first names or initials if you prefer not to put full names into any online tool; the tools work the same way.
Step 2: ask for a plan, and be specific
Ask for a full lesson plan and give the AI your three facts. A request like the following works well:
- "A 60 minute lesson for 24 students aged 12, elementary English. Outcome: ask and answer questions about daily routines. Include a warm-up, controlled practice, a freer speaking task and a stretch task for fast finishers."
TeacherBot returns a plan with a warm-up, practice and a stretch task. Read it as you would read a plan from a new colleague: useful, but not yet yours.
Step 3: edit before you teach
This is the step that matters most. AI can be wrong, and it does not know your students. Go through the plan with four questions:
- Timing. Does each stage fit the minutes you have? Cut the least important task rather than rushing all of them.
- Language. Is the language level right for this group? Replace any example that would puzzle your students.
- Accuracy. Is every fact and every answer key correct? Check, do not assume.
- Your voice. Would you actually say this? Rewrite instructions in the words you normally use.
Step 4: make the materials
Once the plan is right, ask for the printable parts: a worksheet, pair-work cards, an exit ticket or feedback slips. Ask for them one at a time and say what they should contain. An exit ticket with two questions linked to your outcome is more useful than a long quiz. Print a copy of everything and read it once as a student would.
Step 5: run the room
On the day, the seating plan, the group and pair maker and the lesson timers sit on the same screen as the plan. Setting a visible timer for each stage helps students settle into a rhythm, and the pair maker saves the awkward minute of deciding who sits with whom. If a question comes up mid-lesson, type it to the co-pilot and ask for a short explanation, a quick drill or a check question you can use straight away.
A realistic first week
- Sunday: set up one class, plan two lessons, edit them properly.
- Monday and Tuesday: teach them, and note in the margin what you changed on the spot.
- Wednesday: plan the next two lessons, using your notes to ask for better drafts.
After a week you will know whether it saves you time. The free trial is there for exactly this test. If you are cancelling, do it before the trial ends and you are not charged; the refund policy explains the rules in plain words.
AI can make mistakes. Please check everything before you use it. TeacherBot helps you plan and organise; it does not measure your students' skills for you.