I spoke at Stanford about AI in the classroom—here’s what I learned👀

Author

Merissa Sadler-Holder
September 29, 2025

✨ Hi besties! Recently, I had the privilege of speaking at Stanford University’s Challenge Success Conference.

What stood out to me was that teachers are no longer asking “What can AI do for me?” Instead, they’re asking “How can I guide my students to use AI ethically, while still learning the foundational curriculum they need?”

This shift is powerful.

It shows that educators are thinking both about preserving essential skills and about preparing students for a future where AI will be part of their lives and careers.

That’s why two years ago I created two free resources for classrooms:
✅ AI Classroom Norms to set clear expectations & boundaries
✅ AI Flexible Toolbox to integrate AI into existing projects and assignments

Exploring these tools and adopting the mindset behind them is often the first step in discovering how AI can meaningfully fit into your teaching craft.

💡 If your school or district is ready to move from curiosity to action, I’d love to partner with you. Through my consulting and professional development, I help educators and leaders design intentional, ethical AI practices that strengthen, not replace, foundational learning.

Let’s build the future of teaching and learning together. https://tidycal.com/merissa/twmcoffeechat

We got this!

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I love reading your feedback, it helps me design effective solutions for others. I respond to all my emails. Just hit reply to this email. Rooting for you and your students! Love, M.

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