How educators are using Adobe Express & MagicSchool
Recent surveys show over 90% of educators are seeking new tools to support differentiated learning and student engagement. This is where Adobe Express and MagicSchool shine. These two tools enable more time for teachers to engage with students in the classroom alongside improving critical thinking skills, supporting more authentic expression, and preparing students with future-ready skills.
Turning reading into a visual experience
Brendan Swider, a reading specialist in New York, works with 4th and 5th graders who need extra support to build confidence in their reading. Using MagicSchool to simplify grade-level texts and Adobe Express for Education to bring the texts to life visually, he found a new way to help students engage.
“Before Adobe, I’d ask, ‘What do you see in your mind?’” Swider explains. “Now we generate the image and compare it to what they imagined. It sparks incredible conversations.”
From creating visual poems to designing illustrated adaptations of full books, Swider watched participation and confidence soar. Together, MagicSchool and Adobe Express helped his students access grade-level content in a visual way that felt exciting and empowering.
Bringing history to life
Ilka Stoessel, a middle school social studies teacher, brought early human history to life with a fully tech-integrated time capsule project. Students used MagicSchool to research and generate ideas and Adobe Express for Education to design, script, and animate historical artifacts — right down to tone and texture.
“They were genuinely excited to see their projects come to life,” Stoessel says. “Once they started adding their own designs and animations, it became something they really cared about.” The process gave students more than just creative freedom — it gave them confidence and agency over their learning by making history feel personal and relevant.
Stoessel scaffolded every step to build confidence and design fluency — and now she’s helping other teachers do the same across subjects like math and science. With Adobe Express for Education and MagicSchool, students weren’t just learning about history, they were creating it.
Giving every student a voice
Melissa Stark, an Instructional Technology Coach at P94M (District 75, NYC DOE), supports students with special needs, many of whom are non-verbal or reading far below grade level. With Magic School, her teachers simplify complex texts to meet students where they are. Then , with Adobe Express, students bring their stories to life through visuals, labels, animations, and voice recordings.
“I was able to make learning relatable and real,” Stark says.
In one project on Anne Frank, students created a digital time capsule. Non-verbal students labeled visuals, while others wrote or recorded reflections. And for older students, Adobe Express helped build digital portfolios that showcase vocational skills and work-based learning.
“Our students leave with confidence and proof they’ve learned, have value , and are ready,” Stark explains.
By combining MagicSchool and Adobe Express, Melissa’s students are learning to express themselves in new ways and shaping how their school thinks about inclusive, student-centered learning.
Conclusion
Whether you're supporting emerging readers, multilingual learners, or students with disabilities, Adobe Express for Education and MagicSchool help you deliver creative, inclusive, and personalized instruction — while saving time.
With these tools, students gain confidence, voice, and agency. And teachers? They get back precious time and see deeper engagement with their students in every subject.
This school year, let students create, imagine, and thrive.
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Ready to bring your lessons to life?
Try the Adobe Express Image Generator, now available right inside MagicSchool! Instantly turn ideas into powerful visuals that spark imagination.