Prompt Engineering: Why Teachers Are the Original (OG) Prompt Engineers

If you’ve ever spent time explaining directions to students, you know this truth: Clear instructions are everything. Say “do your homework,” and you’ll end up with half the class asking, “Wait, what do we need to do again?” So, you revise: “Complete the worksheet on fractions. Show your work, answer all the questions, and turn it in on Monday.” And just like that, the results improve.

Sound familiar? That’s because teachers are the original prompt engineers. Long before artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT took the world by storm, educators were mastering the art of rephrasing and refining instructions to get students on the right track. Prompt engineering is just a fancy name for what you’ve been doing all along.

Crafting AI Prompts Is a Lot Like Giving Directions to Students

AI, like your students, needs clear instructions to perform at its best. Think of ChatGPT as the overachiever in your class—smart, fast and eager to please, but it won’t read your mind. Just like you wouldn’t say to a student, “Write an essay,” and expect a masterpiece, you can’t ask AI to “generate a lesson plan” without giving it the details it needs.

Here’s what that process looks like:

Broad Instructions: “Write an essay.”

• Students: You’ll get essays ranging from a sentence to five pages, depending on how much effort they feel like putting in.
• AI: You’ll get a vague, one-size-fits-all response that doesn’t meet your needs.

Refined Instructions: “Write a 500-word essay on the causes of the Civil War. Include at least three historical examples and a clear thesis statement.”

• Students: Suddenly, they know exactly what’s expected—and their work reflects that.
• AI: Now you’re getting a well-structured essay with the level of detail you wanted.

The more you clarify, the better the results. Teachers know this instinctively.

Where It Gets Fun: AI Prompts and Coffee Orders

Think of crafting AI prompts like ordering your favorite Starbucks drink. Specificity is everything.

The Broad Request: “Coffee.”

• Starbucks: You get plain black coffee—fine, but not what you wanted.
• ChatGPT: You ask, “Create a lesson plan,” and it gives you something generic.

The Slightly Better Request: “Latte.”

• Starbucks: It’s espresso and milk, but is it hot? Iced? Almond milk?
• ChatGPT: You ask, “Create a lesson plan for middle school science,” and it improves, but it’s still missing key details.

The Perfect Request

• Starbucks: “I’d like a tall, iced caramel latte with almond milk, light on the ice and an extra shot of espresso.”
• ChatGPT: “Create a 45-minute lesson plan for seventh-grade science on ecosystems. Include a warmup, visuals, group activities and an exit ticket. Add differentiation strategies for Level 2 English language learners.”

When you get specific, you get exactly what you’re looking for.

What About Differentiating for ELL Students?

One of the best moments from our recent AI Educator Brain webinar was learning how to adapt lesson plans for English language learners. Using trusted strategies from Colorín Colorado, we explored how AI can make differentiation faster and easier.

Here’s a Real-World Example:

• Generic Prompt: “Adapt this history lesson for ELL students.”
• Refined Prompt: “Rewrite this seventh-grade lesson on the Industrial Revolution for Level 2 ELL students. Use scaffolding strategies like sentence frames, visuals and group discussions.”
• AI Output: A detailed plan with simpler language, engaging visuals and tools to support comprehension.

One teacher summed it up perfectly during the session: “AI doesn’t replace what I do—it helps me do it better.”

Iterate Until It’s Just Right

If your first prompt doesn’t yield the results you want, treat it like editing a first draft. AI thrives on iteration.

Example:

1. First Output: A generic lesson plan with little detail.
2. Refined Prompt: “Add specific ELL strategies, like sentence starters and visual aids.”
3. Final Output: A polished, differentiated plan that meets your classroom’s needs.

Iteration isn’t new to educators—it’s something you do every day to fine-tune lessons, manage behavior and adapt to students’ unique learning needs.

Teachers: The OG Prompt Engineers

Teachers have been refining their communication skills since the days of chalkboards. Prompt engineering? That’s just a modern name for what educators have been doing for decades.

The next time you work with ChatGPT, think of it as a highly capable assistant who needs clear guidance. Be specific, refine as needed, and don’t stop until the results match your expectations.

Whether you’re scaffolding lessons for ELL students or corralling kids for hockey practice, you’ve been a prompt engineer all along—you just didn’t know it had a name.