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2 min read
Balancing technology and creativity for impactful student experiences.
Donnie Piercey, an elementary school teacher and Kentucky Teacher of the Year, discusses his experiences and teaching methods. He emphasizes the importance of having male role models in the classroom and the impact it can have on students. Donnie also talks about the value of storytelling and performance in teaching, as well as the integration of technology and cross-curricular activities. He shares examples of using AI tools in the classroom and the benefits of both physical books and digital resources. Donnie Piercey discusses the use of AI in the classroom and the importance of maintaining a personal connection with students. He shares his favorite activity of having students write and present their own poems, emphasizing the value of personal connection and creativity. Donnie highlights the presence of AI in education and the need for teachers to embrace it while also teaching students about its limitations and the importance of critical thinking. He provides examples of how AI can be used to save time and enhance student learning, such as generating rubrics and examples for assignments. Donnie emphasizes the role of teachers in verifying AI-generated content and guiding students in their understanding of AI.
Links:
Resources for teachers: resources.mrpiercey.com
Socials:
X --> twitter.com/mrpiercy
Instagram --> instagram.com/mr.piercey
TikTok --> https://www.tiktok.com/@mrpiercey
ABOUT DONNIE
Donnie Piercey is the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year and teaches fifth grade in Lexington, Kentucky. After graduating from Asbury College and earning his master’s from Auburn Montgomery, he has been teaching in Kentucky since 2007. Donnie specializes in using technology to promote student inquiry, learning, and engagement.
Over the past seventeen years of teaching, these interests have given him the unique chance to represent Kentucky and his students around the world. He runs a podcast called Teachers Passing Notes that is produced by the Peabody Award winning GZMShows. He also runs a podcast that combines his love of pop-culture and education called Partial Credit. He was the recipient of a National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship to Antarctica, and he also represents Kentucky on the inaugural National Geographic Teacher Advisory Council. He is the North American lead for the Google Earth Education Experts Network, and he was the first teacher in Kentucky to become both a Google Certified Innovator and a Google Certified Trainer.
Donnie's recent work in AI and Edu has not gone unnoticed, earning him multiple appearances on Good Morning America, the Associated Press, and PBS. His upcoming book, "50 Strategies for Using AI in the Classroom," published by Teacher Created Materials, is written for educators looking for practical classroom approaches to using AI to revolutionize their teaching methods and enrich their students' learning experiences.
Donnie has been invited to keynote and present at schools in thirty-three states and on five continents. In 2017, he co-authored The Google Cardboard Book: Explore, Engage, and Educate with Virtual Reality based on virtual experiences he created for his students. The Bluegrass always calls him home, however, and he regularly leads professional development at school districts around the state.
Over the past seventeen years of teaching, these interests have given him the unique chance to represent Kentucky and his students around the world. He runs a podcast called Teachers Passing Notes that is produced by the Peabody Award winning GZMShows. He also runs a podcast that combines his love of pop-culture and education called Partial Credit. He was the recipient of a National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship to Antarctica, and he also represents Kentucky on the inaugural National Geographic Teacher Advisory Council. He is the North American lead for the Google Earth Education Experts Network, and he was the first teacher in Kentucky to become both a Google Certified Innovator and a Google Certified Trainer.
Donnie's recent work in AI and Edu has not gone unnoticed, earning him multiple appearances on Good Morning America, the Associated Press, and PBS. His upcoming book, "50 Strategies for Using AI in the Classroom," published by Teacher Created Materials, is written for educators looking for practical classroom approaches to using AI to revolutionize their teaching methods and enrich their students' learning experiences.
Donnie has been invited to keynote and present at schools in thirty-three states and on five continents. In 2017, he co-authored The Google Cardboard Book: Explore, Engage, and Educate with Virtual Reality based on virtual experiences he created for his students. The Bluegrass always calls him home, however, and he regularly leads professional development at school districts around the state.
