Freeing Up Teachers to Actually Teach

How Notebook LM AI Can Help Us Get Our Lives Back

You know, those of us with mountains of grading, endless lesson planning, and a desperate need for more time, sleep, and, yes, maybe a little fun every now and then. We love teaching, but sometimes it feels like our jobs are more about paper shuffling than the magic of learning. So today, I want to talk about an AI tool that promises to give us some of that magic—and time—back: the Notebook LM AI app.

If you’re skeptical about AI, I get it. But this little app isn’t here to steal our jobs or turn our classrooms into tech labs. It’s here to enhance what we do and free up our time so we can focus on the good stuff: interacting with students, being creative, mentoring, and—dare I say it?—having a personal life. Plus, it even has a podcast generator feature that I use for this blog’s podcast episodes, which I’ll dive into later. So let’s jump in!

1. Let Notebook LM Handle the Heavy Lifting in Lesson Prep

One of the biggest hurdles in teaching is keeping lessons fresh and engaging, but Notebook LM can turn a few hours of prep into a few minutes. You can input a simple prompt like, “I’m teaching 7th-grade history on the American Revolution,” and Notebook LM will return a full breakdown of engaging ways to teach that, from interactive simulations to discussion prompts.

Trick: Customize! Take that framework, adapt it to your style, and let Notebook LM save the structure, so you don’t have to rebuild the wheel next semester.

2. Speed Up Grading with AI-Generated Feedback

Grading can swallow up your weekend faster than you can say, “Friday night plans.” Notebook LM helps by giving constructive, unique feedback on student assignments. Whether it’s a short essay, project, or journal entry, this app can assess and provide feedback that feels specific and meaningful, and you can then tweak as needed.

Hack: Try grouping similar assignments and let Notebook LM analyze them together. You’ll get tailored feedback faster and more accurately, cutting grading time significantly!

3. Boost Student Interaction with AI-Powered Q&A

Imagine this: It’s a Friday, you’re exhausted, and yet the kids still have about 50 questions each. Notebook LM has a great feature where students can input questions, and the app provides accurate, curriculum-based answers. This doesn’t mean you're not helping; it’s more like giving students a quick resource while you manage one-on-one interactions more effectively.

Tip: Set up a classroom Q&A corner where students can access Notebook LM for basic questions. You’ll spend less time answering routine queries and more time engaging with students on the deeper topics they’re passionate about.

4. Save Time with Ready-Made Resources

From study guides to quizzes, Notebook LM can generate various resources you can easily adapt for your students. Say goodbye to the hours spent on quiz-making or organizing flashcards—Notebook LM can take your core materials and spin them into multiple forms, so you’re always ready with a new approach.

Trick: Use it to create differentiated materials for different student levels! This app can break down content into beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels, so all students are challenged at their own pace.

5. Planning on the Fly with Notebook LM’s Quick Summaries

We've all had those moments where admin drops a surprise request, and suddenly, you’re responsible for covering a new topic tomorrow. Notebook LM’s summary feature is like having a research assistant in your pocket. You can quickly input a topic, get an overview, key points, and even some visuals to use in class.

Hack: Use this for last-minute reviews, too. If you’re behind in a subject and need a crash course, the summaries keep you sharp and ready without adding another late-night research session.

6. Crafting Custom Podcasts with the Podcast Generator

I’ve used Notebook LM’s podcast generator feature to create episodes for this blog’s podcast. It’s like having your own studio and scriptwriter in one! Teachers could use this to record unique lessons, review sessions, or even answer FAQs. Imagine students being able to download a short, personalized lesson recap for a tricky topic—they can review anytime, on their terms.

Tip: Encourage students to create their own podcasts for class projects! It’s a fun way to engage them in the material, develop their speaking skills, and get them comfortable with digital tools.

7. Staying Human Outside of Class

Here’s the best part: Notebook LM helps make teaching sustainable. With grading, lesson planning, and feedback reduced to manageable tasks, you’ll find that there’s still time in the day for you. You can get home a little earlier, enjoy your weekend without that stack of papers, or even pick up a new hobby.

Using AI isn’t about turning your classroom into a computer lab or becoming a “robot teacher.” It’s about preserving what’s best about teaching—being there for students, guiding them, and, yes, staying sane while doing it.

Final Thought: Give Yourself Permission to Lean on AI

We all want to be superheroes, but real superheroes are the ones who find smart ways to save their energy for the things that matter. AI is a tool, not a threat, and Notebook LM is designed to make our jobs a bit easier, so we can focus on what we signed up for: teaching, connecting, and, hopefully, a little bit of living outside of school.

I’ll keep using Notebook LM for my lessons and blog podcasts, and I’ll keep you all posted on any new tricks I find along the way. Give it a try, experiment, and remember—it’s there to support you, not replace you. Here’s to happier, healthier, more balanced teaching lives!

Do you have a story to tell? Tell it!...or at least let me tell it. Reach out to any one of my platforms to expose your experience(s), your truth, as both a human and an educator. I would love to hear from you!