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HALEDON — Teachers in Passaic County schools are reporting positive results after using artificial intelligence to grade assignments and create lesson plans, but they warn the technology has its pitfalls.
Sean Monteith, a math teacher at Manchester Area High School, called it “a tremendous gift.” He also recognized that it could become a “barrier to education” if not applied in the right way. He said students can answer any math problem ever given to them by having the generative AI solve it for them.
“Yes, I now have a tool that will do all my math homework for me,” Monteith said. “That doesn't mean we have to. Using it responsibly is the biggest thing we can pass on to the next generation.”
Monteith was among a group of high school officials who presented on the topic Dec. 8 to the Passaic County Board of Education's executive committee. Manchester Regional, which serves Haledon, North Haledon and Prospect Park, hosted the meeting.
Teacher sentiment toward AI largely mirrors that of teachers across the country.
More than two-thirds of U.S. educators say AI creates challenges, such as the added burden of understanding whether student work is their own, according to an October report from the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Democracy & Technology.
Still, that didn't prevent them from continuing to use it.
According to the report, 85% of those surveyed completed the survey during the 2024-25 school year.
Manchester Regional Superintendent John Coviello said we need to embrace AI because it is here to stay, just like calculators and computers. He likened high school staff to elevator operators at the Empire State Building.
“We can help our children climb to the top with us, otherwise we will have to climb the stairs on a very long journey,” Coviello said of embracing technology.
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Bernadette Orsita, who teaches Spanish at Manchester Regional School, said she was worried about using AI, but now her impressions have changed. Like her colleagues, she observed that technology saved her time and reallocated that valuable time to supporting students.
She said ChatGPT helps with lesson planning and speech-to-text applications allow multilingual learners to communicate more effectively.
“AI is really the bridge,” says Orsita. “For me, the best thing is that the students feel seen. They feel engaged instead of being left behind. It's scary, but sometimes we're witnessing something powerful.”
The Manchester Regional School Board approved a policy on acceptable use of AI in January. The 13-page document provides guidelines for staff and students.
For example, teachers are expected to clearly indicate when and how the technology can be used in assignment instructions. This policy includes a list of prohibited uses of AI, including accessing restricted information, gaining an unfair academic advantage, and facilitating illegal activities.
Philip Devensentis is a reporter for NorthJersey.com. For access to the most important news from our community, subscribe or activate your digital account.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
