Teacher Spotlight: Dionna Rogers
Some teachers come to AI out of curiosity. Some come out of necessity. Dionna Rogers came to it with a question that drives everything she does: how do we make sure all students are prepared?
Dionna is a lead teacher serving both East Harlem Elementary School and East Harlem Middle School in New York. For the past two years, she's also been the AI Champion at her campus (that title isn't honorary). She's been in the room leading professional development, designing student pilots, and pushing her colleagues to think critically about what it actually means to teach in an era where AI is already everywhere. When she joined the aiEDU Trailblazer Fellowship, she wasn't a newcomer to this work. She was someone ready to go deeper.
We sat down with Dionna to hear what that journey has looked like.
What was your experience with AI before you joined the Trailblazers Fellowship?
Before joining the Trailblazers Fellowship, I already had a strong foundation with AI in education. Through my network, DREAM, which focuses on forward thinking instructional practices, I regularly used AI to support lesson planning, create instructional and supplemental materials, and reflect on student work. AI was part of how I thought about improving instruction, not just a tool I was experimenting with.
For the past two years, I have also served as the AI Champion at my campus, leading professional development for teachers on how to use AI effectively and responsibly. Last year, I helped lead our first fifth grade literacy pilot where students used AI to receive feedback on their writing aligned to New York State standards. Just as important, students learned how to prompt AI thoughtfully and have conversations about privacy and appropriate use. That experience showed me how powerful AI can be when it's introduced with intention and was definitely the reason I was drawn to this fellowship!
What was the most meaningful insight you learned from a fellow educator during your time as a Trailblazer?
One of the most meaningful takeaways from fellow Trailblazers was learning how others are teaching students about AI, not just using it as a tool. Hearing how educators approach AI instruction at different grade levels pushed my thinking and gave me new ways to frame AI literacy in the classroom.
I was also reminded through these conversations that many schools are still at very different starting points with AI. That made our discussions around access and AI literacy even more important. We talked openly about how fast this space is moving and the responsibility we have to make sure all students are prepared to understand and navigate AI, not just a select few.
How has your classroom practice benefited from AI?
AI has made my classroom practice more focused and responsive. As I've continued to integrate it into my workflow, I've seen some of the strongest student growth of my career. I use AI to help analyze student performance, identify patterns, and plan instruction that directly targets what students need based on standards.
It has also helped me create more timely interventions and adjust instruction quickly, instead of waiting until gaps grow larger. Having that level of insight has allowed me to be more intentional with my teaching and more effective in supporting student progress.
Would you recommend the Trailblazers Fellowship to your colleagues?
Yes, absolutely. I would recommend the Trailblazers Fellowship to any educator who wants to engage with AI thoughtfully and responsibly. The fellowship offers space to learn alongside educators from across the country, share real classroom experiences, and think critically about how AI fits into education now and in the future.
What comes through in everything Dionna describes is intentionality; a word she uses herself, and one that shows up in her practice at every level. She's not using AI to shortcut the work of teaching. She's using it to get closer to what students actually need, faster.
That's the distinction that matters. And it's exactly the kind of leadership the Trailblazer Fellowship is built to find, support, and spread.
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week, Dionna. East Harlem is lucky to have you.
Want to bring this kind of practice to your school? Learn more about the aiEDU Trailblazer Fellowship and how educators across the country are leading AI readiness from the classroom up.
