How to Use AI to Build Personalized Learning Tools?

Let me start with the truth: I wasn’t sold on AI at first. I’ve been teaching for over 15 years, mostly in middle school Social Studies. I’ve seen a lot of tech trends come and go, and I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that “innovative” doesn’t always mean “useful" especially within a dynamic classroom environment. So when people started throwing around buzzwords like AI for education and personalized learning tools, I was definitely skeptical. What could a machine possibly understand about the complexity of my students and my classroom needs? And, honestly I feel like a lot of teachers feel this way. Well—turns out, I just hadn’t used the right tool yet. This year, I gave TeachShare a try. And what I discovered? Tailoring your classroom resources into personalized materials doesn’t have to be time-consuming. With the right support, it can actually be powerful, flexible, and realistic.

The Turning Point: My 8th Grade Social Studies Class

We were starting a new unit on civil discourse and democratic principles, and I wanted to kick it off with a conversation, not a lecture (I've seen my kids doze off during lectures, so I might as well let them talk and keep them engaged). I envisioned a discussion-based assignment where students could explore big ideas like freedom of speech, protest, and civic responsibility. But I also knew my students weren’t all starting from the same place.

• Some were reading below grade level.

• Some thrived on debate and discussion.

• Some needed sentence frames to even begin sharing out loud.

What I needed was a worksheet that would spark structured conversation, support differentiation, and allow each student to engage meaningfully. I didn’t want something generic, I wanted something personalized. And this is exactly where TeachShare’s and specifically their Boosts came into play. The one I used specifically was the Discourse Boost.

What Is TeachShare’s Discourse Boost?

Discourse Boost is one of the embedded instructional tools in TeachShare. It’s inspired by research from Project Zero (Harvard Ed School) and Jeff Zwiers (Stanford) and it focuses on helping students make meaning through structured academic conversation. When you activate this boost, TeachShare builds your resource with the intention of promoting dialogue, student voice, peer learning, and perspective-taking. For Social Studies? It’s honestly gold.

Here’s How I Used TeachShare to Build a Personalized Discussion Tool:

Step 1: I Opened the TeachShare Creator

I selected “Create Any Resource” and entered:

• Topic: Civil Discourse in Democracy

• Grade Level: 8th

• Lesson Phase: Introduce

• Boost: Discourse Boost

I didn’t have to plug in a long prompt. I just entered the basics and TeachShare took it from there.

Step 2: The AI Generated a Discussion-Ready Worksheet

Within seconds, I had a resource that included:

• A quote by Abraham Lincoln

• An open-ended discussion prompt

• 6 principles and definitions of Civil Discourse

• A socratic seminar prompt with clear rules applying the topic to current events

• A personal reflection at the end

Step 3: I Customized It Further with the AI Chat

I asked: “Can you simplify the directions for my English learners and add a vocabulary support box?” The AI revised it on the spot with clean formatting.

Why This Felt Like Real Personalized Learning

With one worksheet, I was able to:

• Incorporate peer-to-peer interaction

• Reinforce academic language

• Give students space to reflect on their own values

And because TeachShare saved all my edits and versions, I could later create a higher-level version of the same worksheet for my enrichment group without rebuilding from scratch.

What Makes TeachShare Actually Work for Teachers

• ✅ Built-in Differentiation: Scaffolding, discourse, and inquiry boosts are built on research not guesswork

• ✅ Editable, Exportable, Assignable: I downloaded a PDF for small group work and posted a digital version to Google Classroom

• ✅ Time-Saving: From creation to classroom took me less than 15 minutes

• ✅ Customizable in Real Time: The built-in AI chat acts like a lesson planning assistant

  
  

Final Thoughts: A Personalized Learning Win (Without the Burnout)

AI isn’t going to replace us, and it shouldn’t. But it can make it easier to do what we already know works: responsive, student-centered teaching. TeachShare gave me the kind of tool I wish I had years ago, a way to meet my students where they are, support their growth, and still have time left in the day to think, breathe, and even enjoy teaching again. If you’re hesitant about AI (like I was), start with just one resource. Try out a Boost. Make a Social Studies worksheet (like I did!!). Let your students talk and think and listen. That’s where the real learning lives. And thanks to TeachShare, it’s never been easier to build for it.