Microsoft is proud to welcome more than 43,000 Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Experts and 900 Microsoft Showcase Schools into our global education empowerment community for the 2025–2026 academic year. The MIE Experts 2025-2026 cohort and this year’s Showcase Schools distinguish themselves through their visionary leadership, embracing AI transformation and fostering AI literacy to reimagine learning.

Across education institutions, educators, and students, AI use is surging. MIE Experts and Showcase Schools play a crucial role in their communities by integrating Microsoft technologies and championing learning. With 70% of skills used in most jobs expected to change by 2030, these educators and schools are at the forefront of preparing students for the future.¹ We’re excited to work alongside these changemakers, and we anticipate a year filled with meaningful connections, shared learning experiences, and transformative impact.

Championed by Microsoft Elevate

The MIE Expert and Showcase School programs are set to benefit from a deeper commitment to people-centered AI innovation through Microsoft Elevate, Microsoft’s initiative to empower educators, nonprofit organizations, and workforce partners with advanced AI capabilities. By connecting the MIE Expert and Showcase School programs to Microsoft Elevate, we are renewing our focus on educators to ensure that individuals remain at the center of progress, while fostering community engagement and driving meaningful impact across global learning communities.

During the launch of Microsoft Elevate, MIE Expert Eleanor Jenkins expressed her enthusiasm about the transformative potential of AI in education:

The future of what students are going to be working in, the careers they’re going to have, don’t exist at the moment…we have to define the way the world works and the way the world is going to change.

Eleanor Jenkins, Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert

The benefits of joining these communities are substantial. Educators gain access to exclusive resources, leadership opportunities, and recognition for their impact. Through Microsoft Elevate, participants also receive support in using AI to enhance teaching and learning. Whether through coaching, presenting at conferences, or collaborating across the world, these educators are empowered to lead change, inspire others, and shape the future of education. Together, they form a vibrant community committed to equity, innovation, and lifelong learning.

MIE Experts 2025-2026

MIE Experts are visionary educators who utilize Microsoft tools to create inclusive, student-centered learning environments. Participation begins with completing professional learning paths which equip educators with future-ready skills and tools to personalize learning. They engage actively in Microsoft technology integration, build connections through both global and local networks, and inspire innovation within their schools and communities. We honor their passion for growth and proudly welcome the 2025–2026 MIE Experts!

MIE Fellows 2025-2026

MIE Fellows are distinguished leaders within the MIE Expert and Showcase School community, personally nominated by Microsoft team members. They have demonstrated excellence in the MIE Expert or Showcase School program—or both—through coaching, mentoring, sharing their knowledge broadly at conferences, and providing rich professional learning to other educators. As part of this program, MIE Fellows take on leadership roles within their region and work closely with the Microsoft Elevate team to offer support and growth within the MIE Expert community.

Microsoft Showcase Schools 2025-2026

Microsoft Showcase Schools serve as trailblazers in educational transformation, leading the way in the integration of AI and future-ready skills. These schools use Microsoft technology and AI solutions to boost student engagement, foster collaboration, and prepare learners for the evolving demands of the modern world. As models of innovation and leadership, they demonstrate how purposeful use of technology can empower students to thrive in an increasingly digital society.

How to join: Become an MIE Expert

If you’re interested in joining this vibrant community, get started today:

• Learn more about the MIE Expert community.
• Complete the AI for Educators learning path through Microsoft Learn.
• Complete the Reading Coach learning module through Microsoft Learn.

How to join: Microsoft Showcase School Program

If you’re a school leader ready to lead transformation, here’s how to get started:

• Learn more about the Microsoft Showcase School program.
• Review the Microsoft Showcase School criteria.
• View the Microsoft Showcase School rubric.

All schools begin on the Incubator path and can apply to become a Showcase School once they meet the criteria.

Elevate education together

As we welcome the 2025–2026 cohort of MIE Experts, MIE Fellows, and Showcase Schools, we celebrate a shared vision: to elevate education through innovation, collaboration, and purpose. These educators and institutions are not just adopting technology—they’re leading transformation, empowering students, and redefining what’s possible in learning. Together, we’re building a global community that uplifts every learner and educator, driving forward a future where education is inclusive, impactful, and inspired.

Stay connected with us

• Join the Microsoft Learn Educator Center.
• Follow Microsoft AI Skills on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Follow Microsoft Education on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Pinterest, and YouTube.
• Bookmark the Microsoft Education Blog and visit frequently for news that inspires and resources that support learning.

¹ AI and the Global Economy: Unlocking Growth and Reshaping Work, LinkedIn, 2025

The post Celebrating the 2025–2026 MIE Experts and Showcase Schools appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Back-to-school season is more than a calendar milestone—it’s a moment of anticipation, reflection, and opportunity. For educators, administrators, and staff, it’s a time to reconnect with purpose, reimagine what’s possible, and prepare to meet the evolving needs of students. But it’s also a time of complexity. Rising demands, limited time, and rapid technological change are reshaping education in real time.

At Microsoft Education, we believe AI in education is more than a technological shift—it’s a human opportunity. It’s a chance to empower inclusive, student-centered learning and help educators reclaim time for what matters most: creating impactful learning experiences for all.

Getting started with Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat, and AI-powered tools can be easy—and we’re here to support your journey with ideas, resources, and real-world examples to help you build confidence along the way.

1. Streamline your day with Copilot Chat

Educators and education leaders have a wide range of responsibilities—from instructional planning to strategic communications. Copilot Chat is designed to help you simplify those tasks with secure, AI-powered chat.

Not sure where to start? Here are ways to use Copilot Chat to assist you with everyday tasks:

• Create and differentiate lesson plans based on grade level, learning preferences, language needs, or curriculum goals.
• Design rubrics and formative assessments aligned to educational standards.
• Translate Individualized Education Program (IEP) accommodation justifications into plain language to help parents and caregivers understand complex concepts.
• Brainstorm ideas and build assets like agendas, communication strategies, and social media flyers for school events.
• Draft professional communications in multiple formats to keep faculty, staff, families, and school communities informed.
• Build onboarding guides and professional learning agendas to support staff transitions and skill-building goals.
• Write grant proposals and board presentations using clear, structured language for diverse audiences.

Whether you’re personalizing instruction, communicating with stakeholders, or rolling out new technology, Copilot Chat offers ways to reclaim your time and integrate AI into your daily workflow.

2. Empower teen students with Copilot Chat

Copilot Chat is available for students aged 13 and older, opening new opportunities for learning, creativity, and support in and beyond the classroom. With thoughtful implementation, you can empower students to explore ideas, ask questions, and build confidence using AI as a thought partner.

With clear guardrails and intentional integration, Copilot Chat can also support critical thinking, digital literacy, and curiosity—skills that are increasingly valuable in both academic and professional settings. By guiding students in responsible AI use, you can help prepare them to navigate a digital world with confidence.

3. Personalize learning with AI-powered Learning Accelerators

Every student learns differently. Microsoft Learning Accelerators bring AI-powered support into the classroom, helping you deliver more personalized learning experiences. These tools are designed to strengthen foundational skills—such as reading fluency and math proficiency—and promote future-ready skills. They also help simplify lesson planning and offer real-time coaching and feedback to support both teaching and learning.

Reading Progress, Reading Coach, Math Progress, Speaker Coach, and more are seamlessly integrated into Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams for Education, helping you and your students get started quickly. Learning Accelerators offer insights and data visualizations to track progress at both the student and class level—helping to make it easier for you to tailor your instruction to individual needs.

4. Build AI confidence with educator resources

With the right guidance, you can try new tools, build confidence, and use AI in ways that benefit you and your students. Use these free resources designed to support your growth and foster successful outcomes for everyone:

• Microsoft Education AI Toolkit – Get practical guidance on responsible AI use, implementation strategies, and professional learning. The AI Toolkit is designed to help K-20 educators, IT leaders, and decision-makers build confidence and clarity around AI use in education.
• Microsoft Education Resource Center – Explore a curated collection of flexible, easy-to-use technology quick start guides, how-tos, and expert tips to support your next steps with AI. Whether you’re building AI literacy, getting started with AI-powered tools, or scaling adoption, these resources can help turn momentum into meaningful progress.
• Microsoft Learn Educator Center – As part of Microsoft Elevate, we’re putting people first—equipping educators with the skills, knowledge, and tools to thrive with AI through professional development and training that prepares them to lead in a changing world.

5. Learn from schools innovating with AI

Across the world, schools and institutions are using Microsoft AI tools to reimagine learning, teaching, and operations. These real-world examples show how AI can support transformative change—helping education professionals individualize instruction, reclaim time, and operate more efficiently:

• Fulton County Schools, Georgia, in the United States, uses Copilot Chat to empower teen students, streamline lesson planning, and enhance collaboration.
• Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School (EdUJCPS), in Hong Kong, developed chatbots and AI assistants that personalize educational materials.
• Tecnológico de Monterrey, in Monterrey, Mexico, created TECgpt, an AI-powered ecosystem built on Azure OpenAI Service, to transform learning experiences.
• Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, in the United States, uses Microsoft 365 Copilot to prepare students with career readiness skills.

What’s next: Enhancing instruction with AI innovation

Microsoft Learning Zone is now available in public preview—a free, AI-powered learning app built for educators to create personalized, adaptive learning experiences.¹ Launching on Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft Surface, and across the Windows ecosystem, this hub combines AI innovation, learning science, and educator feedback to support professional growth.

Microsoft Learning Zone offers tools for lesson creation, customizable learning goals, and data-driven insights to help boost student engagement. Learn more about Microsoft Learning Zone and explore updates to other Microsoft Education tools on the Tech Community blog.

Here to help you thrive with AI

A new academic year marks a fresh chapter—an opportunity to refocus, explore new possibilities, and prepare to meet the changing needs of students. Educators lead this journey with dedication and impact, and we’re committed to supporting your work through innovative tools that help make learning more engaging and outcomes more meaningful. Together, we can elevate education and empower every student to participate in the opportunity of AI.

¹ Microsoft Learning Zone is available with a Copilot+ PC and Microsoft Education license (A1, A3, A5). Initial availability will be English only.

The post 5 ways to use Copilot and AI tools to spark curiosity this school year appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

From creating personalized practice problems to identifying learning gaps, Math Progress offers insights designed to complement your instruction while keeping students engaged. Whether you’re reinforcing key concepts or identifying areas for growth, Math Progress helps make it easier to support the needs of every student.

Educator benefits:

• Saves time by streamlining assignment creation while providing powerful performance insights to help accelerate learning.
• Tracks student progress and performance at both the student and class level to make informed instructional decisions.

Student benefits:

• Improve math skills with targeted, personalized practice.
• Share feedback on question difficulty so that educators know how to adapt instruction.

How to use Math Progress and generate math problems

Math Progress helps build math skills through educator-led assignments, activities, and insights. You can use the problem generator to create sets of math problems based on a specific topic or design your own. Available in a number of languages, Math Progress is a flexible and inclusive Learning Accelerator for developing math proficiency.

Get started with Math Progress:

1. Launch Microsoft Teams for Education and sign in with your school-issued credentials.
2. Choose a class and select Assignments.
3. Create a new assignment.
4. Select Learning Accelerators and choose Math Progress.
5. Select the Generate tab.
6. Choose a category and topic from the dropdown menus.
7. Select the Generate button.

Use Math Progress to create problems in four categories: numbers and operations, fractions, expressions and equations, and algebra. Each category includes specific topics so that you can target concepts that need more focus.

Tip: Want a different set of questions? Simply select the Generate button again for a new set of questions.

Selecting questions to include

Math Progress can help you save time by making it easier to build assignments tailored to your students’ needs.

After generating questions, select the types of questions and number of problems that best suit your students—challenging them without overwhelming them. The questions you pick appear in the sidebar beneath Selected questions. To remove one, select the “X” next to the problem to remove it from the list.

Tip: Choose a few questions, then select the Generate button again. Math Progress keeps your selected items and provides a fresh set, making it easy to build the ideal assessment.

Creating your own math questions

Need a custom word problem or exit ticket? Write your own questions with Math Progress and mix and match them with the generated items for more personalized, flexible assignments. This option can be used in a variety of ways—whether you’re reinforcing key concepts, differentiating for student needs, or aligning with classroom events. For example, you might tie assignments to themes like Pi Day.

To write your own items for a Math Progress assignment:

1. Select the Create your own tab.
2. Select the Add question button.
3. Choose an option from the Category and Topic dropdown menus.
4. Choose Multiple Choice or Short Answer.
5. Type a question.
6. Add a point value.
7. Type the equation or select the blue icon to open a Basic calculator or Formulas.
8. Select Save to add the problem to the Selected questions list.

Tip: For multiple choice questions, Math Progress automatically creates answer options from your equation—saving you time and letting you focus on supporting your students.

Customizing math assignments and sharing with students

Math Progress gives you control over how assignments are presented and the types of student feedback you collect. After you’ve generated or written questions and selected Next, you’ll see three customization options in the sidebar:

• Show your work – Ask students to upload a photo showing how they solved a problem. Images can be uploaded from Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, or their own device by taking screenshots or using their device’s camera.
• Student rating – Encourage students to rate each question from easy to hard, giving you insights about the challenge level.
• Shuffle question order – Randomize questions for students while keeping the original order in place for your review.

When you’re finished customizing your questions, select Done to open the Microsoft Teams assignment screen. There, you can add a title, description, due date, and additional options before sharing it with students.

Tip: From the Customize settings window, you can also edit questions and response options. This is helpful for spotting and refining assignment details before publishing.

Tracking student progress and performance

Math Progress gives you rich insights to support each student’s growth in math. After students submit their assignments, you’ll see automatically reviewed results to help you address student misconceptions and adjust your instruction. Pinpoint areas of opportunity by analyzing trends at both the individual student and class level.

To review assignment submissions:

1. Go to Assignments and select Ready to grade.
2. Choose the Math Progress assignment.
3. Select a student in your class to review their work.

Each submission includes the student’s assignment grade, point total, and question rating for at-a-glance review. Compare to class provides a convenient way to link examining an individual’s performance in relation to the class and over time. Student misconceptions are also listed, helping you identify areas for growth and target your instruction more efficiently.

When you review student math assignment submissions, you’ll find color-coded correct and incorrect answers along with a drop-down menu where you can change the grade to correct, incorrect, or incomplete. You can even select a thumbnail of each student’s work to better understand their problem-solving process.

When you’re ready, add written feedback and choose how you want to return the assignment. Returned work includes a breakdown of the student’s grade, point total, question ratings, misconceptions, and feedback along with automatically generated steps for solving incorrect problems. This means students can learn from their mistakes and keep improving—while helping you save time on providing individualized feedback.

Tip: Select the paperclip icon in the feedback box to attach a tutorial video, help guide, or a Word file with extra problems, making it easy for students to revise and reinforce skills.

Get started with Math Progress

Engage your students in deliberate practice with real-time coaching on math concepts. Use Math Progress to free up your time with tools that streamline assignment creation, review, and analysis. Gain insights to personalize math instruction, strengthen foundational skills, and boost student confidence—one problem at a time. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to deepen your impact, this guide to Math Progress is designed to help you make the most of every learning moment.

The post An educator’s guide to Math Progress appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

These new features in Reading Coach help make it easier for educators to build reading skills to support each student’s needs with:

• Guided practice features – Suggest reading practices tailored to individual students.
• Time goals – Set specific time goals for students, fostering disciplined practice.
• Progress tracking – Monitor student achievements and adjust learning strategies based on individual needs.

Take the next step in improving student reading skills with guided practice in Reading Coach. Start exploring today and see the difference it can make in your classroom.

Guided practice features in Reading Coach

As an educator, you know that every minute counts. Whether you’re supporting a student who needs extra practice or attempting to differentiate reading levels across your class, introducing tools that adapt to your needs is essential. With Reading Coach, educators can create reading practice sessions for students to join using a unique code—making it easy to launch targeted, independent reading practice sessions.

Used by half a million learners in over 190 countries worldwide, Reading Coach can help make reading more fun, engaging, and accessible with built-in tools like Immersive Reader to provide an opportunity for students to boost their potential and confidence. If you’re new to Reading Coach, check out the educator’s guide to Reading Coach to learn how to get started.

Toggle between teacher and student modes

One of the first things you’ll notice when you sign into Reading Coach with a school account is a toggle that lets you switch between Teacher and Student modes. This small but powerful feature gives you the ability to preview exactly what your students will encounter—before they ever log in.

For example, if you’re assigning a custom passage for independent practice, you can toggle into Student mode to experience Reading Coach firsthand. This helps you catch any confusing instructions or formatting issues ahead of time. It’s also a great way to model the student experience during whole-class instruction or small group demonstrations.

For a deeper dive into Reading Coach capabilities and features, take the Reading Coach learning module on Microsoft Learn.

Create practice session and share with students

With Reading Coach, you can deliver guided reading support quickly—without increasing your preparation time. For example, imagine you’re preparing a small group intervention for students who need extra support with multisyllabic words. In just a few steps, you can paste in a custom passage from your curriculum, set a 10-minute goal, and send out a join code. Students can complete the practice independently while you work one-on-one with other students—no additional setup required.

You can set a time goal for independent, student-led reading, share a custom passage, or select an existing one from the built-in ReadWorks library. The experience is flexible and inclusive, helping each student build confidence with targeted support. Students join with a simple link or code, making it easy to get started.

Get started by creating a custom practice assignment:

1. Select the Teacher role and then New.
2. Add a Title and a Due date.
3. Choose a Practice type—either Open reading, where any reading in Reading Coach counts, or Single passage, where you attach or select a passage from ReadWorks.
4. Share with students using a join code or link.

Track student progress with Reading Coach

Reading Coach lets you monitor progress toward a time goal or the completion status of a shared passage—offering you real-time visibility into your students’ reading fluency development. This level of insight is especially helpful during parent-teacher conferences or individualized education program (IEP) meetings. In just a few steps, you can pull up a student’s reading trends and show how their fluency has improved over time—with real data, not just observations.

You’ll see at-a-glance data such as:

• Progress toward a time goal in open reading
• Percentage completed in single passage reading
• Average correct words per minute (WPM)
• Average reading accuracy

Follow these simple steps to start exploring student reading fluency progress:

1. Select a practice on the Teacher home page to open Practice view.
2. Choose a student’s profile to access Learner view.
3. Review their historical data across all practices you’ve shared with that student.

This data helps you identify patterns, celebrate growth, and pinpoint where personalized support may be needed. And because all reading activities—whether guided or self-directed practice—count toward the “My progress” tab, you get a holistic view of each student’s journey.

Reading Coach is designed to make reading personal, inclusive, and fun—helping students build confidence and a lifelong love of learning. Start your journey with Reading Coach today and empower your students to achieve their reading goals.

The post Personalized reading practice made easy with AI-powered Reading Coach appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Enhance classroom instruction and student engagement

Copilot availability for students 13 and older

Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot availability for students aged 13 and older is coming this summer with enterprise data protection and IT controls. A study from Microsoft Research found that most students demonstrated remarkable curiosity when using AI, asking sophisticated questions that extended beyond their task at hand and led to deeper understanding.

Feedback from schools in our preview emphasized the value of training, clear guidelines, and space for students and educators to learn together. As we move forward, we’re focused on providing tools and support that help schools use AI in ways that work best for their communities. We’re optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead to help students advance their learning and build skills to prepare for success in their future.

Empowering everyone with agents in Copilot Chat

Specialized AI assistants, known as agents, expand the capabilities of generative AI by allowing customization and the ability to work for you or alongside you. Agents can be tailored to support you with expertise in instructional design, unique student preferences, institutional data analysis, and many other tasks. You can build an agent using natural language and additional configuration in Copilot Chat or get started with an agent template.

With Copilot Chat, agents can be accessed and managed directly in the chat and enterprise data protection helps keep your experience safe and secure. Whether you’re building a custom agent or taking advantage of agent templates, there are numerous ways that agents in Copilot Chat can make a positive impact on your day-to-day activities. Get started and discover how agents in Copilot Chat can enhance the way you learn and teach.

New educator features in Reading Coach

Reading Coach, a Microsoft Learning Accelerator, now includes features designed to support educators in guiding and monitoring student reading practice. Educators can create and share custom reading practice, set time-based reading goals, and select passages from the built-in ReadWorks library or allow students to choose from AI-generated stories.

Here’s what’s new:

• Create and share reading experiences – Share your own passages or choose from the robust ReadWorks library to bring high-quality content designed to improve effectiveness and student achievement to your students. They’ll also have the option to explore AI-generated stories that match their interests.
• Encourage independent practice – Encourage students to increase their reading endurance by setting personalized, time-based goals.
• Simplify access – Students can join practice sessions using a link or code, depending on what works best for your classroom.
• Stay connected to progress – Teacher mode offers visibility into how students are engaging with each practice and how their reading is developing over time.
• Use data to guide support – Track time spent reading, passage completion, correct words per minute, and reading accuracy to help inform instruction.

These features are available to educators and students using school-issued Microsoft credentials. Explore the new features and get started today.

Professional learning opportunities

A collection of AI literacy resources

Educators across the world are using AI to streamline lesson planning, personalize instruction, and enhance accessibility. There’s a strong opportunity to boost understanding and use AI more intentionally through professional learning and thoughtful practices. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your AI capabilities, we have free training and resources to help you build AI skills and integrate AI in meaningful and responsible ways.

These resources will help you build confidence in using AI and discover innovative ways to support student learning and save time. Continue growing your expertise by experimenting with AI tools and collaborating with peers to share best practices. Explore our collection of AI skilling resources for you and your students.

Equipping learners with essential AI skills

Over the past few years, companies around the world have seen a paradigm shift in how individuals consume content and attain new skills—changes that will only continue to accelerate and evolve. This shift highlights the need for continuous adaptation to emerging technologies and collaborative efforts to bridge the AI skills gap. Microsoft and Pearson, the world’s lifelong learning company, announced a strategic collaboration to help organizations realize the full value of AI through reskilling.

The partnership extends the efforts of both Microsoft and Pearson to provide AI skilling to people across the globe. Whether you, your team, or your students are just getting started or looking to refine your capabilities, discover learning opportunities to support your journey.

Possibilities for innovation

Become an MIE Expert or Showcase School

The opportunity of AI is here, empowering educators and institutions to drive innovation and redefine possibilities in education. We recognize and support leading educators and schools through the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Experts and Showcase Schools programs. If you’re leading education innovation for your students, this is your opportunity!

Nominations for the 2025-2026 academic year are open until July 31, 2025. Learn how you can empower your entire community—students, educators, and staff—to achieve better outcomes today and prepare for the opportunities of tomorrow.

Defend against cyberthreats with student SOCs

The Microsoft Student SOC (Security Operations Center) initiative aims to bridge the significant skills gap in the cybersecurity sector and education. This initiative includes the Microsoft Student SOC Toolkit and implementation guide as free resources, along with training and certification to assist leaders at high schools and universities in addressing the cybersecurity challenges faced in education.

Student SOCs are becoming increasingly popular across the US, largely because of the need for an extra set of hands on security teams. With a student SOC, educational institutions can strengthen their cybersecurity defenses while also offering students invaluable hands-on training that equips them with the skills to step confidently into the workforce.

Optimizing AI strategy in higher education

As generative AI is increasingly embraced in higher education, school leaders are rethinking how they teach, conduct research, and support students and staff—driving innovation that’s reshaping the future of higher education. Define your institutional strategy and innovate with confidence by using the Cloud AI Adoption for Higher Education e-book. It offers structured guidance that helps prepare organizations to adopt AI at scale.

To fully harness AI’s potential, it’s important to develop cohesive strategies that align AI adoption with the core mission of your institution, ensuring long-term impact and responsible evolution. Get started with the Cloud AI Adoption for Higher Education e-book to develop an AI strategy and implementation plan.

These are just a few of the latest updates and features available—and we’re not stopping there. Microsoft Education supports educators with tools, features, and resources designed to simplify workflows, enhance student engagement and professional learning, and foster innovation. Explore these tools and updates today—and check back often for more ways to reimagine education with Microsoft.

The post Extend your teaching toolkit with the latest updates from Microsoft Education appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

School breaks are a powerful time to dream, explore, and tinker with new ideas, tools, and approaches. What could next year look like with a fresh perspective and a little inspiration?

With Microsoft’s suite of tools—especially the ease and power of Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat—you’re well-equipped to refresh your approach, spark creativity, and return with renewed confidence. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing differently—with tools to support your creativity, flexibility, and joy.

Still mid-year where you’re located? These ideas are just as useful when your own break arrives. Whenever your season of rest comes, we hope you’ll take time to reflect and recharge.

Reflect and embrace educator self-care and inspiration

School breaks are a time to slow down. Before diving into anything new, take a moment to reflect on all you’ve accomplished.

• What energized you this year?
• What did your students love?
• What might you want to try differently next time?

Based on these questions, use one of these prompts in Copilot Chat to create a fun memento of your school year:

• Write a rap that summarizes the most valuable lessons I’ve learned this year including [lessons]. Make it fun and inspiring.
• Draft a letter to my future self about what I want to remember from this school year, including [lessons learned, great moments, challenges, and things to do differently next year].

If you have access to Microsoft 365 Copilot, copy and paste these prompts to deepen your reflection:

• Summarize the top themes from my meeting notes this school year so I can reflect on what worked well.
• Create a gratitude journal entry using my Microsoft Planner or OneNote entries from this year.

However you process—journaling, walking, talking with peers—we invite you to pause and celebrate your impact. You’ve earned it.

Play with new ideas

Learning during breaks doesn’t have to be formal. Think of it as a creative sandbox: open-ended, low-stakes, and even fun.

Curious about what’s possible with the tools you already use? Try out Learning Accelerators—free tools included in Microsoft 365 Education that personalize learning, provide real-time coaching, and help students build both foundational and future-ready skills.

Want to experiment with AI? Here are a few prompts to try in Copilot Chat to help you experiment, imagine, and try something new—on your own terms. No grades. No deadlines. Just space to explore.

• Write three “what if?” questions to help me rethink my classroom setup or daily schedule.
• Help me explore a new theme or concept I could center my teaching around next year—something that brings joy and meaning to my [grade level] students.
• Generate three simple ideas I could try next year that make learning more engaging and creative in my [grade level] class. They should be very low-prep and adaptable to different concepts.

Even one small idea can reshape how next year feels. Let Copilot Chat be your creative assistant to help you imagine, test, and create with freedom.

Grow your skills your way

Professional growth can happen anytime—it doesn’t need to wait for a workshop or professional learning day. Whether you’re diving deep or just browsing, Microsoft has flexible, on-demand resources to support your goals. Pick what feels useful now and save the rest for later.

• If you’re helping to shape your organization’s AI strategy or policies, the Microsoft Education AI Toolkit offers guidance and strategies designed for K-20 leaders to support effective and responsible AI integration.
• If you’re looking to introduce AI to students, the AI Classroom Toolkit uses storytelling and activities to help students aged 13–15 understand AI in an engaging, age-appropriate way.
• If you’re an educator looking to collaborate and grow your AI skills, the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert program connects you with a global community of educators leading the way in transforming learning with technology.

Professional learning should feel energizing, not overwhelming. These resources are here to help you explore what’s out there and see where it leads.

Dream big for a new school year

Whether you’re designing new lessons, rethinking your classroom setup, or imagining a more joyful next term, this is a perfect time to plant seeds. Educators who explore new tools in low-stakes environments are often more likely to foster innovative, student-centered classrooms. Your playful experiments today could shape a more joyful, engaging year ahead.

Use this quiet stretch to ask, “what if?” What if grading felt easier? What if students could create in new ways? What if you had tools that worked for you? Let this be your season of curiosity.

With your school or work account, you can build an agent using natural language right in Copilot Chat. Explore and customize agents to perform a variety of tasks, working alongside you to offer suggestions, automate repetitive tasks, and provide insights. Simply open Copilot Chat, select “Create an agent” from the panel on the upper right, and describe what you want the agent to do.

Note: If you’re creating a student-facing agent, be sure to check with your institution’s policies around AI tools and student data first.

Tailor these agent ideas in Copilot Chat to help you lighten your workload and inspire fresh inspiration. Add specific publicly available websites or any relevant SharePoint files to help the agent provide the most accurate information.

• Welcome agent: Build an agent to help eligible students navigate classroom routines, schedules, and where to find key materials during the first week of school. The agent should provide daily reminders, a class schedule, and a guide for finding supplies and materials.
• Reading buddy agent: Develop an agent to guide students through independent reading. The agent should offer book suggestions based on reading level and interests, provide daily reflection prompts, and present vocabulary support relevant to the book students are reading.
• Unit planner agent: Craft an agent that supports curriculum organization by suggesting pacing and supports. The agent should recommend a weekly plan for lessons, propose formative assessments, and include resource links to enhance student learning.
• Individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan accommodation reminder agent: Design an agent that summarizes student accommodations and provides differentiation ideas in lesson planning. The agent should list students with specific accommodations for upcoming lessons or tasks and suggest modifications for tasks based on their needs.
• Morning message agent: Create an agent that generates cheerful, reflective prompts or quotes to start the day. The agent should offer positive greetings, suggest mindfulness activities, and ask reflective questions to foster a positive classroom environment.

Ready to turn your ideas into reality? Use the “Configure” tab to refine your agents’ instructions, add knowledge sources, or adjust starter prompts. Breaks are a great time to experiment, so let your creativity lead the way.

Here’s to you

We see you. We’re grateful for everything you’ve done this year—whether you’re wrapping up your school year or still moving through it. As you rest, reset, and reimagine what’s next, we’re here when you’re ready—with tools, ideas, and possibilities for the year ahead.

The post Recharge and reimagine your next school year appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

AI in education professional learning resources

Integrating AI in education is a journey that takes time, practice, and professional learning. With the right support you can explore new tools, build confidence, and use AI in ways that make a real difference to you and your students. These free resources are here to help you grow, and help your students thrive:

• AI for educators learning path – Discover how to enhance teaching and learning with Microsoft 365 Copilot, along with AI-powered tools in Microsoft Edge browser, Word, PowerPoint, Minecraft Education, and more. You have the option to complete the entire learning path or focus on individual modules based on your goals.
• AI for education – Learn how to use AI for educational purposes with a collection of training and professional learning resources for educators on Microsoft Learn.
• AI skills for educators – Prepare yourself and your students with AI skills for the future with free, ready-to-use AI training, resources, and programs from Microsoft.
• Microsoft Education AI Toolkit – Navigate AI frameworks, guidelines, and examples quickly with a toolkit tailored for education leaders and educators.

Integrating AI into your teaching can support student learning, streamline routine tasks, and help build digital fluency. Continue developing your knowledge, collaborating with colleagues, and lead the way in responsible AI use in your school.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat professional learning resources

Copilot Chat is the AI chat experience you can use every day. It’s powered by broad knowledge from the web, built on the latest AI models, and designed to be safe and secure. Enhance teaching and learning with Copilot Chat by personalizing learning, boosting creativity, and simplifying administrative tasks.

Learn how you can maximize the potential of AI in education with these Copilot Chat resources:

• Enhance teaching and learning with Copilot Chat – Learn how to use Copilot Chat, along with basic concepts, modes, features, and strategies to create effective prompts.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat resources for education – Access resources to help you, your colleagues, and your school community get started with Copilot Chat.
• Copilot Scenario Library – Discover how to integrate AI into your daily workflow with day-in-the-life examples tailored to your role in education.

Try a few AI ideas out now and bring fresh collaboration, creativity, and engagement strategies to your classroom later.

Minecraft Education professional learning resources

Use Minecraft Education to engage students in immersive lessons, group projects, build challenges, and e-sports programs. Students can build digital skills while practicing critical thinking and collaboration in creative worlds. Check out these trainings and resources to help bring Minecraft Education to life in your classroom:

• Minecraft Education Teacher Academy – Learn how to incorporate Minecraft Education into your teaching practice no matter your level of experience in game-based learning. Explore free, on-demand content where you can learn alongside others.
• AI Foundations: Teaching AI Literacy – Discover how to integrate Minecraft Education’s AI Foundations lessons and tools into your classroom, equipping students with the skills to understand and use AI responsibly.
• Minecraft Teachers’ Lounge – Connect with more than 10,000 fellow educators in the Minecraft Teachers’ Lounge on Facebook—a vibrant, moderated space to find inspiration, share your wins, and discover creative ways to use Minecraft across subjects.
• Minecraft Lesson Crafter – Try your hand at creating a custom lesson plan for Minecraft Education with this AI-powered lesson generator tool. The tool offers a straightforward way for educators to use generative AI to create practical teaching resources, build confidence with using AI, and introduce Minecraft Education in their classrooms. Get started by signing in with your school-issued Microsoft credentials.

Minecraft Education helps you spark creativity, encourage collaboration, and build essential digital skills—preparing students for success in an evolving world.

Additional professional learning resources for educators

Your passion for teaching shows in everything you do—and Microsoft Education has the tools to help you go even further. Whether you want to learn more about literacy skill building, accessibility in educational environments, or cybersecurity best practices, you’ll find free, ready-to-use resources to support your goals and your students.

Explore resources to strengthen key skills:

• Build reading fluency with Reading Coach – Learn how to use Reading Coach, a free, standalone Learning Accelerator that uses AI to personalize reading content and practice for students. This learning module includes a new unit on the educator features in Reading Coach.
• Accessibility: Build the foundation for inclusive learning – Discover how to create an inclusive learning environment with accessibility principles and the Microsoft tools to support it.
• Build cybersecurity resilience in K-12 classrooms – Understand cyberthreats, implement security best practices, and foster a culture of cybersecurity to protect students and educators.
• Microsoft Learn Educator Center – Explore additional professional learning resources for educators and find programs that help meet your goals.

Take this opportunity to cultivate your passions and expand your professional skills. No matter your focus, Microsoft solutions and resources are designed to help you drive innovation, foster inclusion, and prioritize security.

Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert program

Take your professional growth to the next level by joining the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert program. MIE Experts share a common vision: They inspire students with creative thinking and collaboration, using Microsoft technology across their curriculum and in their classrooms. If this describes your experience, we’re looking for visionaries like you! As a member of the MIE Expert global community of 30,000 educators, you’ll connect with colleagues around the world to share insights, learn from each other, and shape the future of education.

By exploring these professional learning resources now, you can gain new strategies and deeper skills to support your students’ success. As you learn, know that Microsoft is here to support you—helping you navigate change, implement new tools, and stay focused on what matters most: your students. Bookmark this post, share it with your peers, and revisit it anytime as you plan for a fresh start, whether it’s a new term, semester, or school year.

The post Boost your skills with flexible learning for educators appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Every student—whether they have a permanent disability, a temporary challenge like a broken hand, a situational disability such as difficulty reading in bright sunlight, or simply needs extra support with reading or writing—can benefit from greater accessibility to digital tools to support their learning experience. At Microsoft, we believe accessibility isn’t just a feature—it’s a foundation for empowering all students and educators to reach their full potential. Built-in accessibility features across Microsoft software and hardware can amplify everyone’s success, regardless of learning differences or physical abilities. Explore Microsoft accessibility tools and see how you can make learning more inclusive, engaging, and equitable for your school community.

Building an inclusive learning environment

Every student’s learning needs are unique. Some may have a disability, while others might be learning English, recovering from an injury, or trying to focus in a noisy home environment. Microsoft accessibility tools are designed to empower every student to engage independently and confidently in their learning. These tools come with built-in accessibility features, eliminating the need for extra downloads or stigmatizing third-party applications. Students get the help they need, right when they need it.

Get started with Microsoft accessibility tools today and learn how to create a more inclusive classroom experience with professional learning from Microsoft Learn.

Immersive Reader

Available in Microsoft products like Reading Coach and Microsoft Edge, Immersive Reader can help students improve reading comprehension, while also supporting learning differences. Students can use line focus to concentrate on one part of the text at a time. They can break words into syllables, adjust font size, and increase line, word, and letter spacing to reduce visual crowding to improve readability. For educators in Kent School District in Washington, US, using Immersive Reader helps make sure that all students are empowered to share their voices and participate.

I think when we’ve got kids that need different support mechanisms to learn, the Microsoft assisted learning tools become really, really vital. Last year, I had a student that had dysgraphia and dyslexia and so being able to listen to the audio was necessary and the Immersive Reader was essential for the success of this student.

Amber Raftery, sixth-grade teacher, Kent School District, US

As teacher-librarian and technology integration specialist Amber Gonzalez shares, the power of Microsoft 365 is that accessibility and assistive learning features like Immersive Reader are just one click away—helping to make it easy for every student to get the support they need, when they need it.

Reading Coach

Reading Coach is a free, standalone Learning Accelerator that uses AI-powered stories and personalized practice to help students improve their reading fluency. Used by half a million learners in over 190 countries worldwide, Reading Coach can help make reading more engaging and accessible with built-in tools like Immersive Reader, providing an opportunity for students to boost their potential and confidence. Educators can also suggest reading practices and track student progress with new educator features in Reading Coach.

After three weeks of Reading Coach, we saw students gain one reading level—sometimes even one and a half. Some jumped two levels in just six weeks. And nearly half the class reached their expected reading level.

Kris Vande Moortel, former teacher and Microsoft education advisor, Belgium

Reading Coach with AI-powered stories helps students take charge of their learning and push themselves further by providing individualized support. Some teachers are seeing remarkable progress in a fraction of the time—giving them more opportunities for one-on-one attention where it’s needed.

Microsoft Translator

Translator offers real-time translation of text and speech in over 60 languages, helping to make communication easier for students, parents, and caregivers who speak different languages. For educators in Texas City Independent School District, the embedded support of Translator in Word and mobile devices helps ensure that multilingual students have assistance when they encounter an unfamiliar word.

We found that Microsoft Translator is key to enabling English as a second language (ESL) students to keep up and to learn along with the rest of the class. When they are hung up on a word or a phrase or want to learn how to say something in English, they can transition back to their native language and use Translator to quickly contextualize in English.

Hope Smalley-Jackson, business teacher, Texas City Independent School District, US

Students can use Translator at school, home, or whenever they need language support. It can help bridge communication gaps, supporting accessible classroom learning with cross-language understanding and even multilingual casual conversations to help students and families.

Additional tools

If typing is tough—whether due to learning challenges, a temporary issue like a broken arm, or even fatigue—students can use dictation to turn speech into text effortlessly. Tools like live captions also help by converting speech to text or translating languages in PowerPoint, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams meetings, providing support for people with hearing disabilities, auditory processing disorders, or language needs. Plus, live captions fully supports multiple languages, making content accessible for multilingual speakers, too.

Support accessibility with AI

Additionally, AI-powered tools can help you address specific student needs. For instance, a 2024 study commissioned by Microsoft from professional services firm EY highlights how AI can help address the specific challenges faced by employees who are neurodivergent or living with a disability. The study found that Microsoft 365 Copilot helped:

• Remove barriers that arise like drafting communication and organizing thoughts.
• Reclaim time and energy by simplifying tasks like summarizing and proofreading.
• Boost confidence and sense of inclusion by enhancing performance and work quality.

While the study focused on workplace settings, the insights can be applied to educational environments. Just as AI tools can support diverse employee needs, they can also be instrumental in addressing diverse learning needs. Copilot helps educators personalize instruction, making it easier to tailor lessons to individual student requirements. Educators in Northern Ireland saw this firsthand when the Education Authority of Northern Ireland (EANI) adopted Copilot.

EANI initially rolled out AI-powered learning tools on a small scale, selecting key innovative educators to pilot the free version of Copilot Chat in their classrooms. They also introduced training sessions focused on effective prompt writing, showcasing Microsoft 365 Copilot capabilities. Educators quickly discovered the practical benefits of upgrading to Microsoft 365 Copilot for tasks like creating PowerPoint presentations, generating questions in Microsoft Forms, and developing differentiated classroom resources. The substantial time savings and enhanced ability to meet diverse student needs drove widespread staff adoption and growing enthusiasm.

Make your classroom more inclusive by using AI to differentiate materials for students. Try using the dedicated IEP assistant tool in Khanmigo for Teachers or use Copilot Chat and your own prompts and files to help you draft parts of an individualized education program (IEP).

For Copilot Chat, be sure to sign in with your school’s Microsoft account to ensure your data is protected, then copy and paste this prompt:

You are a special education teacher drafting an IEP for a [grade level] student who [describe student’s needs]. Write a goal for [area/topic] that is specific, measurable, attainable, reasonable, and time bound.

Whether you’re exploring AI, excited to try Reading Coach, or looking to make your classroom more inclusive with tools like Immersive Reader and Translator, GAAD 2025 is the perfect time to dive in. Get started and explore Microsoft accessibility tools to help every student thrive.

The post Making learning more accessible with Microsoft Education appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Healthy classrooms—where students understand their emotions, educators feel empowered, and empathy is a shared value—often create the best conditions for success. There are many ways to support wellness across your school community, including tools and resources from Microsoft Education. We’re here to help make it easier to prioritize mental health for both you and your students—for Mental Health Awareness Month 2025 and throughout the school year.

The global well-being crisis demands a bold shift in education—one that recognizes emotions as central to learning, decision-making, and achieving goals. Emotional intelligence is the foundation for life’s most essential skills: clear communication, good judgment, resilience, and strong relationships—key drivers of personal well-being and success in any career.

Marc Brackett, Ph.D., Author of Permission to Feel and Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

Cultivate collaboration and connection with Minecraft Education

Minecraft Education is a game-based learning platform that promotes skill building, teamwork, and problem-solving. It provides students with a safe space to express themselves, collaborate and practice empathy, and navigate their emotions in a low-stress environment. With Minecraft Education, you can help your students develop essential skills with immersive and engaging educational experiences.

Spin the Wheel of Steve and discover the magic of teamwork in this fun, skills-based adventure inspired by A Minecraft Movie! Students will venture through the Overworld competing in five team-based challenges designed to strengthen creativity, communication, connection, and critical thinking. Witness the wonder of collaboration when precious gems are at stake!

Use these additional Minecraft Education activities and worlds as they are, or as a starting point to adapt to your students’ needs:

• Reflect World – Students practice emotional processing strategies, encourage teamwork, and visualize emotions to develop empathy and self-awareness.
• Building Community – Students work together to discuss what resources and services help people thrive and then build a community together within Minecraft.
• Empathy Train – Explore what it means to think about other people’s feelings by constructing a diorama that captures a peer’s thoughts and feelings.

Build social, emotional, and academic skills with Reflect

Reflect, a Learning Accelerator, can make it easy to bring emotional check-ins and SEL into your daily practice. With Reflect, everyone has the opportunity to feel heard while learning to identify, understand, and manage emotions. Reflect offers:

• Intentional emotional check-ins – Quickly survey students about their feelings and help them develop their emotional vocabulary with age-appropriate reflection.
• Ready-to-use activities – Explore a variety of fun activities for you and your students to practice well-being skills.
• Data-driven insights – Understand the emotional patterns and needs for each student and the whole class so you can better support their well-being and academic success.
• Easy access and seamless integration – Access Reflect through your web browser (sign in required), via the Windows app, Microsoft Teams for Education, and through integrations into learning management systems (LMS).

Additionally, Reflect Compass is a tool within Reflect that helps you navigate student check-in results with evidence-based strategies to enhance well-being, engagement, and a sense of belonging. It’s built on the expertise of Challenge Success and grounded in over 20 years of research at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education.

Enhance educator well-being and connection

Reflect isn’t just for students, it supports your wellness, too. You can access breathing exercises, meditation, and mindfulness activities from Reflect—great for moments when you need a mental reset or want to model self-regulation for your students.

Reflect also helps school leaders foster a healthier, more connected work environment. Staff check-ins in Reflect give colleagues a safe space to share how they’re feeling—creating opportunities to be heard, supported, and seen.

Create a staff check-in with Reflect

If you’re a team owner, follow these steps to get started:

1. Open your staff team in Microsoft Teams for Education.
2. Navigate to the General channel.
3. Select the Reflect tab.
4. Choose a question from the gallery.
5. Publish your check-in to give staff space for personal and community reflection.

Focusing on your own wellness not only contributes to a positive learning environment, but it’s also a meaningful investment in yourself. Nurture yourself by taking a moment to recharge. Calm, the leading mental health brand, integrates mindfulness and movement activities into Reflect. Use a variety of engaging activities from Calm to foster a happier, healthier, and more balanced school community. As a bonus, educators and students can enjoy an exclusive 40% discount on a subscription to Calm, providing a wealth of activities designed specifically for personal rejuvenation.

Balance your workload with AI

We understand that your time and energy are precious. AI can assist you by streamlining everyday tasks and freeing up your time so you can stay focused on what matters most—whether spending time on individualized instruction or taking time to support your own well-being. By reducing the administrative burden, AI can help you to dedicate more attention to your students, their learning experiences, and your needs.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is your AI assistant for everyday tasks, helping you support student learning outcomes, boost productivity, and save time. No matter your role, Copilot can help securely empower everyone at your institution, making it easier to work smarter and stay organized. Schools using Copilot have seen tangible benefits, with educators in Brisbane, Australia, reporting an average savings of 9.3 hours per week on routine tasks.

This time savings is especially crucial—and hopeful—in a profession where burnout is common. As St Francis College Principal John Marinucci highlights, Copilot can transform education by streamlining administrative tasks that often overwhelm educators. This means teachers can now devote more energy and time to their core mission of helping students be successful and grow.

To help you and your team build competency with AI and Copilot, check out the AI for educators learning path which walks you through AI uses and tools in education.

Prioritizing mental health and wellness isn’t just a moment, it’s a movement. This Mental Health Awareness Month, and throughout the year, you have the opportunity to lead a classroom where emotional intelligence, empathy and well-being are foundational to learning. Make mental health awareness and SEL a natural part of your day—supporting your students and yourself in meaningful, lasting ways.

The post Prioritizing mental health for successful school communities appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

Discover four ways to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month 2025 and foster a broad perspective on the contributions and achievements of AAPI communities. These resources help inspire curiosity, support critical thinking, and connect students to the powerful stories of AAPI individuals who have shaped our world.

1. Immerse your classroom in the culture of Ngā Motu

Use Minecraft Education to explore vast worlds outside of your classroom. In Ngā Motu (The Islands), students learn about the indigenous culture of the Māori people, from language to architecture, arts, and economics. Take an immersive visit from the maunga (mountain) to the ākau (shore) and everything in between to learn about the Māori language and culture. Embark on an unforgettable adventure to Ngā Motu and discover the wonders of Māori culture!

Classroom connection: Before getting started, review the supporting resources on the Ngā Motu lesson page. You’ll find a lesson plan, an introductory video, and a resource pack that includes traditional pā (settlement) and ride waka hourua (boats) to enhance the experience for students.

2. Explore AAPI topics through targeted reading practice

Reading Coach is a free, standalone Learning Accelerator that helps students develop reading fluency skills through personalized, AI-powered reading practice. When students read aloud, Reading Coach provides real-time feedback on pronunciation, syllabification accuracy, and reading progress.

Use Reading Coach to seamlessly blend AAPI topics into reading practice while supporting each student’s literacy growth. Students can use the “Add your own passage” mode to upload texts, like assigned articles, textbook excerpts, or their own writing. You can tailor practice to individual learning needs and objectives with Reading Coach, while enhancing engagement with AAPI heritage and history. Help learners discover the joy of reading with Reading Coach.

Classroom connection: Browse this collection of AAPI books for inspiration and ideas on finding relevant passages for your students. Reading Coach also has built-in passages for each reading level that students can read to learn more about AAPI cultures.

3. Develop communication skills while learning AAPI heritage

Communication skills are essential for success. As students explore AAPI figures, culture, and history, they can develop multimedia presentations to showcase their findings. Use Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach, two Learning Accelerators, to help develop your students’ public speaking skills.

Use Speaker Progress to create presentation assignments and track your students’ growth at the individual, class, grade, and school levels. Then have your students use Speaker Coach to complete the assignment, while receiving real-time, AI-powered feedback on pacing, pitch, clarity and more. Discover how Speaker Progress and Speaker Coach can help build communication confidence in your classroom.

Classroom connection: Have students present on influential AAPI figures like Suni Lee, Senator Tammy Duckworth, or Shohei Ohtani. They can develop their communication skills and build their confidence by independently practicing their presentation with Speaker Coach before presenting to their class or community.

4. Enhance lesson planning with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

Copilot Chat can help you create customized materials, activities, and lessons. Use it to design engaging content that connects students with the history and contributions of AAPI communities.

Streamline and innovate your lesson planning process by starting with one of these ready-to-use prompts in Copilot Chat and customizing it for your needs:

• Design a STEAM lesson plan for elementary students that explores traditional AAPI art or inventions. Include hands-on activities that connect art and science, step-by-step instructions, and reflection prompts to help students connect culture to creativity and innovation.
• Create a 1-week high school ELA or Humanities lesson plan where students research and analyze the impact of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander artists and writers on contemporary culture. Include learning objectives, suggested artists/authors (e.g., Ruth Asawa, Yo-Yo Ma), and key discussion questions.
• Help me update an existing lesson plan to include meaningful perspectives from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. I want to keep the original learning objectives intact but integrate AAPI voices, content, or activities into the texts, resources, and activities sections. [Attach a lesson plan or provide subject, grade, and learning objectives]

Try using Copilot Chat for lesson planning, brainstorming, creating images, getting quick answers to your questions, and more. Build your competency with AI and Copilot with the Copilot Chat learning module.

Honor AAPI Heritage Month by exploring the remarkable people, vibrant cultures, and significant contributions that have enriched our world. Use the time to design engaging, immersive learning experiences that foster essential skills like literacy, communication, and critical thinking. Inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation both in and beyond your classroom with AAPI Heritage Month classroom activities from Microsoft Education.

The code of us

At Microsoft, we believe different perspectives lead to a brighter future. Discover stories of innovation and inspiration from Microsoft employees and artists. The Code of Us isn’t just what we create—it’s who we are. Employees, their stories, and their truths are what power Microsoft. This Heritage Month, The Code of Us is all about celebrating the vibrant culture and incredible impact of the AAPI community at Microsoft.

The post 4 resources to enrich AAPI Heritage Month learning appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

From coding challenges to immersive Minecraft Education experiences, there are many ways to bring Earth Day themes to life while helping students develop essential skills. Discover six classroom-ready resources to help you celebrate Earth Day 2025 and make a lasting impact on your students.

1. Dive into data to protect the Earth with Data Explorers

Data Explorers is an action-packed Minecraft Education world that aims to build data science and sustainability skills, created by ReWrite Edu in collaboration with NetApp and World’s Largest Lesson. This choose-your-next-path style game takes students across five different ecosystems in search of scientists who help them use data to solve specific environmental problems. Along the way, students can hone their data collection and analysis skills, as well as see how scientists apply data to real-world problems.

At-a-glance:

• Designed for students ages 11-14
• Focused on data collection and analysis skills
• Includes an educator guide for easy implementation

2. Engage in animal adventures with Planet Earth III Worlds

This beautiful lesson collection is the third installment in Minecraft Education and BBC Earth’s series of worlds inspired by the groundbreaking series from BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit. Students will step into wondrous realms of the natural world to experience the struggles and triumphs of survival while playing as a series of incredible creatures, including the great white shark, the Arctic wolf, the musk ox, and more. They’ll explore the way these animals’ lives are intertwined by playing as both predator and prey, parent and offspring, friend and ally, and discover the precarious balance of survival.

At-a-glance:

• Designed for students aged 8-13
• Explores the challenges and victories of survival
• Experience beautiful visuals inspired by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit

3. Build eco-themed games with MakeCode Arcade

Microsoft MakeCode is a free, online learn-to-code platform where students can build games, code devices, and mod Minecraft. Support your students’ programming skills with MakeCode Arcade by quickly creating and modding retro arcade games with Blocks and JavaScript in the MakeCode editor.

This Earth Day, check out these eco-themed MakeCode Arcade experiences:

• Save the Forest – Engage students in an interactive coding challenge where they help control wildfires. Using block-based coding, students program an air tanker and set up technology to support a ground team working to protect the forest.
• Happy Flower – Teach students about the relationship between flowers and pollinators by coding a digital flower that sends bees back to the hive. This activity introduces basic programming concepts while reinforcing key science connections.
• Shark Splash – Take students on an underwater adventure where they code a shark navigating the deep sea in search of food. This skillmap blends game design and computer science with marine ecology.

4. Foster a sustainable future with FarmBeats for Students

Empower students to explore how technology can drive sustainability with FarmBeats for Students. This hands-on program brings precision agriculture to classrooms, engaging learners in real-world applications of digital sensors, data analysis, and AI. Through interactive activities, students collect and analyze environmental data, build machine learning models, and discover how AI can help optimize farming practices—supporting a future where we can feed a growing population while preserving our planet’s resources.

At-a-glance:

• Combines an affordable micro:bit-based hardware kit with free, curated curriculum
• Features interactive activities that engage students in real-world applications of AI
• Focuses on sustainability in agriculture and environmental stewardship

5. Enhance literacy skills with Earth Day reading assignments

Use Reading Progress to seamlessly blend Earth Day topics into your reading lessons while supporting each student’s literacy growth. With AI-powered passage generation, you can create customized reading passages on environmental themes in just a few clicks. Simply choose the topic, age level, length, and language—and adjust the complexity as needed to meet your students where they are and deepen their engagement with Earth Day.

You can also use AI-generated comprehension questions based on the passage. Specify how many questions you want, review the questions before assigning them, and easily tailor them to fit your students’ learning goals.

At-a-glance:

• Quickly generate Earth Day-themed reading passages with AI-powered passage generation
• Personalize reading passages based on phonics patterns or words students find challenging
• Use AI-generated comprehension questions to check for understanding

6. Design, update, and personalize Earth Day lesson plans

Spark creativity and save time with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. Whether you’re planning an Earth Day lesson, generating engaging content, or creating visuals to bring your teaching to life, Copilot Chat can help—for free.

Need fresh activity ideas or ready-to-use classroom materials? Just ask Copilot Chat! Try these prompts to enhance your Earth Day lessons:

• Create a detailed lesson plan on sustainable farming practices for [grade level]. The lesson should highlight concepts like crop rotation, organic farming, soil conservation, and water management, with real-world examples and student-friendly explanations.
• Generate a list of thought-provoking, open-ended discussion questions for a [grade level] Earth Day lesson. Ensure the questions encourage critical thinking, personal responsibility, and diverse perspectives. They should be designed to spark meaningful conversations about [topic] and connect students’ thinking to their role in protecting the planet.
• List a variety of engaging, hands-on eco-centric activities for a [grade level] class to do for Earth Day. Include indoor and outdoor options with a brief description, required materials, estimated time, and how it connects to [a specific topic like environmental awareness, sustainability, or climate action].

Explore the Copilot Chat learning module on Microsoft Learn to discover practical ways to use it in your daily workflow.

Celebrate Earth Day 2025 by bringing sustainability to life in your classroom. These ready-to-use resources are designed to help you engage students and spark meaningful conversations about our planet’s future. Empower your students to take action for a greener future—one engaging, interactive lesson at a time.

The post 6 ways to create memorable Earth Day experiences for students appeared first on Microsoft Education Blog.

We’ll showcase some of the latest product enhancements and features that can help you increase student engagement, refine your instructional techniques, and simplify your workflow. Additionally, we’ll share professional learning opportunities to help you grow and enhance your skills. Let’s dive in and explore some of the latest developments from Microsoft Education.

Simplify your workflow and enhance student engagement

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and agents

We recently introduced Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, an offering that adds pay-as-you-go agents to our existing free chat experience for Microsoft 365 education customers. Copilot Chat is the experience you can use every day—powered by broad knowledge from the web, built on the latest AI models, and designed to be safe and secure. 

You can customize your Copilot Chat experience with AI agents tailored to your specific needs. Simply provide the agent with institutional files—such as a lesson plan template and language usage guidelines—to create specialized assistants, like a “lesson plan agent” that aligns to your institution’s standards.

Advancements in AI

At Bett UK 2025, we announced AI-powered products and resources to help boost your efficiency, expedite your administrative processes, and enhance student engagement. Some highlights include:

• Copilot+ PCs – featuring enhanced security, optimized performance, and AI-integrated experiences. Now with code name Project Spark—our first education-focused Windows 11 app for Copilot+ PC—to bring on-device intelligence to your classroom.
• Microsoft Education AI Toolkit – new resources and updates help leaders deliver safer AI experiences in their schools.
• Minecraft Lesson Crafter – an AI-powered tool that helps you design custom lesson plans in Minecraft Education, while also practicing how to write effective AI prompts.
• Khanmigo for Teachers – provides over 20 free, AI-powered tools to help streamline class prep with no prompting required.
• Khanmigo Writing Coach – designed by educators, it uses AI to make essay writing an interactive experience and provide students with step-by-step guidance without ever writing a word for them.

Learning Accelerators and Teams Assignments updates

Help your students build foundational and future-ready skills with Learning Accelerators, a set of learning tools included in Microsoft 365 Education. Support ongoing improvement and give your students more opportunities to learn, practice, and receive targeted coaching instantly in an inclusive environment. Check out some of the latest updates to Learning Accelerators:

• Reading Coach is now available as a free, standalone app. Explore how Reading Coach helps students build reading fluency with AI-powered reading practice.
• Math Progress is now available with Microsoft Teams for Education, making it easier for you to create math problems, track student performance, and identify learning needs.
• Speaker Progress now allows students to upload their own PowerPoints and provides real-time feedback on their presentation skills like pacing, pitch, and body language. Also, more languages are now available in Speaker Progress, including Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean.
• Teams Assignments are now integrated with Blackboard by Anthology—bringing Learning Accelerators, MakeCode projects, Reflect check-ins, and other tools directly into the learning management system (LMS).

Whether you’re helping students become more confident readers, strengthening math skills, or improving public speaking, these updates make it easier to support student learning and engagement.

Dig Deeper into the world of AI with Minecraft

The CyberSafe series from Minecraft Education uses game-based learning to help students boost their digital citizenship skills. In the latest installment, CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper, learners develop skills to use AI tools responsibly by tackling real-world challenges and exploring questions of academic integrity, human oversight, data privacy, and deepfakes. Discover this fun Minecraft world and empower your students to think critically and use AI responsibly.

Stay ahead with professional learning opportunities

Level up cybersecurity curriculum with MSLE

Bringing AI, cybersecurity, and digital safety into the classroom is easier with the right support. The Microsoft Learn for Educators (MSLE) program offers professional learning opportunities that help you integrate these important topics into your teaching with confidence. The MSLE Cybersecurity and AI Bootcamp provides:

• Train-the-trainer sessions led by Microsoft experts.
• Flexible resources to help you incorporate AI and cybersecurity into any subject area.
• Support for preparing students for Microsoft Certification exams.

With expert guidance and ready-to-use resources, this program helps you equip students with the knowledge they need for the future.

Tap into possibilities for innovation

Inspiring a new generation of learners

Microsoft welcomed nearly 30,000 Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts (MIEE) and 600 Microsoft Showcase Schools (SCS) for the 2024-2025 academic year. These educators and schools are leading the way in enhancing learning through technology, and they’re poised to make an even greater impact in the year ahead. Interested in joining these inspiring communities? Learn more about the programs and details about the nomination process for each.

Education pricing for Microsoft 365 Archive

In today’s digital landscape, educational institutions require strong information management to fully leverage AI. Effective information governance helps ensure that AI applications use accurate, complete, and reliable data to generate meaningful insights and improve outcomes. Microsoft 365 Archive can help you manage your data and is now available for qualifying education tenants at education pricing.

Whether you want to try new ways to engage your students, boost your professional learning, or tap into possibilities for innovation at your school, Microsoft Education has tools and experiences for you to explore. Dive in and get started today!

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