Making Gemini Your Tech Coach Partner

Outline

A. Introduction: The Coach, The Problem, and The Partner (5 Minutes)
Content:
Introduce my context: One coach supporting 23 PreK-12 buildings.
Frame the core challenge: Limited capacity for high-touch, impactful coaching.
Crucial Element: Introduce the Custom Gemini ("Gem") as the solution—a personalized AI partner trained on my specific job scope.
Engagement Tactics:
Quick Hook & Poll: Initiate with a "Hands-up" poll to identify common pain points.
Establish immediate relatability and intrigue by introducing the concept of a tailored AI assistant.

B. Hack 1: Building Your "Gem" Partner
Content: Training the AI Partner
A) The Input: Detail the essential information I used to train your Gem (e.g., job description, district technology list: Dell, Chromebooks, Canvas, Infinite Campus, SMART Panels).
B) The Output: Demonstrate how asking my Gem high-level questions (e.g., "What's the best way to support a 5th-grade teacher struggling with Canvas/Infinite Campus integration?") yields tailored, contextual advice.
C) Efficiency Gain: Focus on how the Gem eliminates the need for me to search through district policy every time you need guidance.
Engagement Tactics:
Visual Walkthrough: Use a laptop/tablet to briefly show the structure or settings of my custom Gem, focusing on the instructions/knowledge I uploaded.
Quick Q&A: Engage the audience by asking, "What's the one piece of district knowledge you'd upload to your Gem today?"

C. Hack 2: Administrative Automation via The Gem
Content: High-Leverage Workflows
A) Newsletter Drafting: Show how my Gem drafts weekly updates (Canvas/Google Workspace) using the specific tools and communication style it was trained on.
B) System Summarization: Showcase my Gem summarizing a new Infinite Campus policy or a curriculum guide into actionable bullet points for staff.
C) Communication Templates: Demonstrate my Gem creating professional emails for specific faculty or parent groups, maintaining the district's preferred tone.
Engagement Tactics:
Live Prompting Demo: Show the exact prompt and the resulting high-quality output. Since the Gem is trained, the output is instantly more relevant.
Peer-to-Peer Interaction: Implement a brief "Turn and Talk" for attendees to share an administrative task they will try to automate.
Actionable Takeaway: Direct attendees to a QR code on the poster to download a "Top 5 Prompts for Your Custom Coaching Gem" handout.

D. Hack 3: The Instructional Designer Multiplier
Content: Differentiated Resource Creation
A) Text Re-leveling: Demonstrate my Gem re-leveling a text for different grade levels on the relevant student device (Chromebook vs. Dell desktop).
B) Assessment Generation & Accessibility: Show my Gem generating a quick, accessible rubric while automatically addressing WCAG 2.1 compliance (since that was part of its training/prompt).
Engagement Tactics:
Visual Contrast: Use poster visuals to contrast a generic AI output with the Gem's highly customized, on-point output.
Focus on Impact: Discuss how my Gem accelerates the process of achieving high-quality, equitable learning design.

E. Ethical, Systemic, and Wrap-Up
Content:
Data Security: Reiterate the rule: Never input confidential student data (Infinite Campus/Canvas) into the Gem. Only input non-confidential policy and workflow information.
The Human Element: Conclude with the idea that the Gem saves time to focus on the essential, human side of coaching.
Engagement Tactics:
Dedicated Q&A: Open the floor for a final round of questions on implementation and ethical use.
Networking: Encourage attendees to connect to share ideas and further refine their own custom "Gems."

Outcomes

After this session, participants will be able to...

Develop specific Gemini prompts (utilizing prompt engineering best practices) to automate repetitive administrative tasks, such as drafting weekly coaching newsletters or summarizing policy updates for faculty.

Generate differentiated lesson content (e.g., re-leveling a text or creating a modified assignment for a Chromebook environment) in less than five minutes using Gemini as a personalized co-planning partner.

Create high-impact communication templates (e.g., parent emails, cabinet reports) that leverage Gemini to streamline information flow across multiple school buildings.

Design a personal AI-integrated workflow for reclaiming a minimum of two hours per week, allowing the coach to pivot from administrative tasks to high-touch, in-person instructional support.

Supporting research

https://iste.org/standards/coaches
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2025/05/29/using-artificial-intelligence-to-enhance-instructional-coaching-and-teacher-reflection/#:~:text=According%20to%20John%20Hattie's%20research,can%20significantly%20impact%20student%20learning.