Zak's Weekly Musings (March 17, 2023)
I asked a few teachers what they needed generative AI to help them with when it comes to report writing. The unanimous response was “templates.” What has been generated below should be seen as a template. The hope is that this will save you hours and hours of work, not that it will reduce the amount of time spent on reports to 0. AI is all about modifying and simplifying tasks down to their most central and human core.
Step-by-Step
Go to platform.openai.com
In the upper right-hand corner, click on your avatar
Next click on “View API Keys”
Now, please select your “Secret Key” or, if you already have one, select “Create new secret key
Next, copy the secret key that is generated in the pop up
Go to typingmind.com
When prompted paste your API key
Voila!
Comments
Follow my prompt templates below. You’ll have to personalize them just a touch in order to fit your department. For the prompts below, just copy and paste them into the text box. These are designed to be a plug and play for you, with the modifications already mentioned.
As a FYI: A “Quick Reminder” popup is going to appear every couple of searches. Just wait it out (there’s a countdown clock for 10 seconds) and then click “I’ll do it later.”
First prompt
Pretend you are a middle school teacher writing report card comments for your students. I am going to share with you the skills that we covered this quarter in class. You are going to generate a one-sentence glow, a one-sentence grow, and a one-sentence goal for each of these skills. Your writing should be sophisticated, but clear; professional, but accessible. They should also be somewhat detailed and not generic.
Importantly, narratives should be written for and to the student; moreover, you should never use words like “excellent” or “bad.” We don’t want value statements as adjectives. Additionally, we are on quarters, not semesters. Finally, these comments needs to be accessible to a middle schoolers. This is where balancing sophistication and clarity comes in. Please work on this.
You can incorporate the bullet points as descriptors, as well. This should help you to lend more detail to your glow, grow, and goals.
1) Critical thinking
2) Communication
3) Research
4) Takes ownership for learning
Advocates for self and learning needs
Reflects on learning
Sets learning goals
Remains open to support and coaching
Manages time, assignments, and materials
Demonstrates planning, organization, and prioritization skills
5) Exhibits a growth mindset
Applies strategies to overcome challenges in their learning
Shows resilience in the face of setbacks in their learning
Demonstrates a willingness to learn from their mistakes
Displays a motivation to pursue learning when they do not know
Responds to challenges in an appropriate manner
Focuses on what they can control, as opposed to what they cannot
6) Collaborates and interacts respectfully with others
Listens with understanding and empathy
Displays a willingness to learn from peers
Invites and considers other perspectives
Seeks to support the learning of others
Contributes to an inclusive learning environment
Cultivates a respectful learning environment
Second prompt
Now, please assign a letter and number to each glow, grow, and goal. In other words, the glow for critical thinking should be 1a, the grow should be 1b, and then goal should be 1c. Do this for all 6.
Third prompt
Now, I am going to list your class roster. For each student, I am also going to share their glow, grow, and goal. Your job is to generate a cohesive three-sentence comment that always start with a glow, then grow, then goal.
You will draw your comments from the corresponding number and letter combinations below. You must make sure that there is coherence from one statement to the next by using transition words or signal phrases.
1a. Critical Thinking Glow: Your critical thinking skills have been outstanding this quarter, as you have shown the ability to analyze arguments and evaluate evidence in a thoughtful and reasoned manner.
1b. Critical Thinking Grow: Moving forward, I would like to see you expand your critical thinking skills by exploring different perspectives and considering alternative hypotheses before drawing conclusions.
1c. Critical Thinking Goal: By the end of next quarter, I would like you to be able to identify bias and assumptions in different types of arguments and evaluate their validity accordingly.
2a. Communication Glow: You have demonstrated excellent communication skills this quarter, consistently articulating your ideas and opinions in a clear and well-organized manner.
2b. Communication Grow: In order to further develop your communication skills, I would like to see you work on actively listening to others and incorporating their perspectives into your own thinking.
2c. Communication Goal: By the end of next quarter, I would like to see you develop your public speaking skills by practicing delivering presentations with confidence and clarity.
3a. Research Glow: Your research skills have been impressive this quarter, as you have shown the ability to identify credible sources and synthesize information from a variety of different texts.
3b. Research Grow: In order to further develop your research skills, I would like to see you work on diversifying your sources and considering multiple perspectives before drawing conclusions.
3c. Research Goal: By the end of next quarter, I would like you to be able to conduct research in a structured and systematic way that incorporates a range of different sources and perspectives.
4a. Ownership of Learning Glow: You have taken complete ownership of your learning this quarter, consistently reflecting on your progress and setting goals to improve.
4b. Ownership of Learning Grow: In order to further develop your ownership of learning, I would like to see you work on seeking out feedback and support from your peers and teachers.
4c. Ownership of Learning Goal: By the end of next quarter, I would like to see you develop a strong self-evaluation process that will allow you to more accurately identify what you need to work on to improve.
5a. Growth Mindset Glow: Your growth mindset has been evident this quarter, as you have approached challenges with resilience and positivity, viewing them as opportunities to learn and grow.
5b. Growth Mindset Grow: In order to further develop your growth mindset, I would like to see you work on embracing the discomfort of not knowing and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.
5c. Growth Mindset Goal: By the end of next quarter, I would like you to be able to identify areas where you are struggling and to use your growth mindset to persevere through these challenges.
6a. Collaboration and Respectful Interaction Glow: Your ability to collaborate and interact respectfully with others has been impressive this quarter, as you have consistently shown empathy and understanding towards your peers.
6b. Collaboration and Respectful Interaction Grow: In order to further develop your collaboration skills, I would like to see you work on recognizing and valuing the different perspectives that others bring to the table.
6c. Collaboration and Respectful Interaction Goal: By the end of next quarter, I would like to see you take a leadership role in cultivating a supportive and inclusive learning environment in your classroom.
Mark:
Glow: 5A
Grow: 6B
Goal: 6C
Shelly:
Glow: 6A
Grow: 1B
Goal: 1C
Patrick:
Glow: 4A
Grow: 3B
Goal: 3C
Result
Mark: Your growth mindset has been evident this quarter, as you have approached challenges with resilience and positivity, viewing them as opportunities to learn and grow; in order to further develop your collaboration skills, I would like to see you work on recognizing and valuing the different perspectives that others bring to the table, because by the end of next quarter, I would like to see you take a leadership role in cultivating a supportive and inclusive learning environment in your classroom.
Shelly: Your ability to collaborate and interact respectfully with others has been impressive this quarter, as you have consistently shown empathy and understanding towards your peers; moving forward, I would like to see you expand your critical thinking skills by exploring different perspectives and considering alternative hypotheses before drawing conclusions, because by the end of the next quarter, I would like you to be able to identify bias and assumptions in different types of arguments and evaluate their validity accordingly.
Patrick: You have taken complete ownership of your learning this quarter, consistently reflecting on your progress and setting goals to improve; in order to further develop your research skills, I would like to see you work on diversifying your sources and considering multiple perspectives before drawing conclusions, because by the end of the next quarter, I would like you to be able to conduct research in a structured and systematic way that incorporates a range of different sources and perspectives.