From zero to ChatGPT: A middle school teacher's registration and usage tutorial

I compared the Free version and Plus version, actually ran through the registration process, and dragged a few students along to try it. Honestly, the "1 billion users" number is impressive, but for beginners, the first step is just opening a browser. Today's tutorial tries to use plain language, breaking down every step so you can follow along and get started.

Preparation Before Registration

You don't need to know programming or English. You only need three things: an email address (Gmail or Outlook recommended; QQ Mail sometimes blocks verification emails), a web-capable browser (Chrome or Edge both work), and a usable phone number (for receiving verification codes; most domestic numbers work, but some carriers might be restricted).

Note: OpenAI's services currently have restrictions in certain regions. If you can't open the official site, you might need network tools—I won't elaborate on that; figure it out yourself. If you encounter a "region unavailable" prompt, try switching network environments.

Step 1: Register an Account

1. Open your browser, type chat.openai.com and hit Enter. You'll see big "Log in" and "Sign up" buttons. Click "Sign up".

2. Enter your email address and click "Continue". Be careful not to make typos; you'll need to verify it later.

3. Set a password. Password must be at least 8 characters, including uppercase, lowercase, and numbers. E.g., MyPass123. Click "Continue" after entering.

4. Your email will receive a verification message titled "Please verify your email". Open it and click the blue button "Verify email address". If you can't find it, check your spam folder.

5. After successful verification, the browser automatically redirects to the personal info page. Enter your name here (anything goes, e.g., "John Doe") and click "Continue".

6. Next is phone verification. Select country (choose "China +86" for China), enter phone number, click "Send code". You'll receive an SMS with a 6-digit code. Enter the code and click "Continue".

7. Done! You'll see the chat interface. There's an input box at the bottom saying "Message ChatGPT". You can start typing questions now.

Pitfall Warning: Many beginners get stuck at phone verification. If your number doesn't receive SMS, try another number or wait and retry. Some students used virtual numbers, got flagged as bots by OpenAI, and had their accounts banned immediately. So don't use SMS reception platforms; use a real phone number.

Step 2: Difference Between Free and Plus Versions

Registration defaults to the Free version. Free version uses the GPT-3.5 model; speed is okay, but there are queues during peak hours (e.g., 8-10 PM) and slower responses. Plus version is $20/month (~140 RMB), giving priority access to GPT-4 (smarter, handles images and files), plus web search, code interpreter, custom GPTs, etc.

Here's a pros and cons list to help you decide.

Free Version

• Pros: Zero cost, good for trying it out. Perfectly sufficient for daily questions, research, and essay writing.
• Cons: Queues during peak hours; older model version (GPT-3.5); cannot upload images or files; no internet access (unless manually enabled, but Free doesn't have this feature); message limit (approx. 40 messages per 3 hours, usually enough).

Plus Version

• Pros: Priority access, no queues; use GPT-4 (smarter, stronger logic); multimodal support (upload images for analysis, e.g., snap a math problem for it to solve); web search support (click "Use web" button); create custom GPTs, e.g., a "Physics Teacher Assistant" specifically answering your questions.
• Cons: $20/month is expensive for students; some features (like DALL·E drawing) require extra credit purchases; if you use it rarely, it might not feel worth it.

Step 3: Start Using It

1. Type in the input box, e.g., "Explain machine learning in simple terms", and hit Enter. ChatGPT starts generating answers, usually taking seconds to tens of seconds.

2. If you want more detail, ask "Can you give an example?". It remembers context, so you don't need to repeat previous questions.

3. To start a new conversation, click "New chat" in the top left. Note: Previous conversations are saved and can be found in the left sidebar.

Pitfall Warning: Beginners often make two mistakes. First, asking vague questions like "Help me write an essay" and then complaining about the result. You should be specific: "Write an argumentative essay about environmental protection, 600 words, with arguments and evidence." Second, assuming ChatGPT knows everything. Its knowledge cutoff is 2025 (time varies), so it doesn't know recent news. If you need latest info, manually enable web search (Plus only).

Summary of Pros and Cons

• Registration Process: Free version registration is simple, but phone verification might stall. Plus version requires upgrading within the account: click avatar bottom left, select "Upgrade to Plus", bind credit card or PayPal. Domestic users without PayPal can try virtual credit cards, but there's some risk.
• User Experience: Free version is sufficient for daily use, but if you're guiding students on projects, like having ChatGPT write code or solve math problems, GPT-4's accuracy is significantly higher. I tried solving a middle school physics problem with both; Free used the wrong formula, Plus solved it in one step.
• Learning Value: For middle schoolers, Free version lets them experience AI dialogue and understand what "large models" are. Plus version is better for teachers or deep users, e.g., creating teaching cases, generating courseware, analyzing exam papers.

My Judgment: If you're a beginner, play with the Free version for two weeks first, then consider upgrading. If you just ask occasional questions, Free is totally enough. But if you're leading students on AI science projects or writing lesson plans yourself, I recommend biting the bullet and getting Plus; efficiency improves a lot.

Conclusion: What to Try Next

You now know how to use ChatGPT. Next, try letting it help you with these three things:

1. Have it write a "self-introduction" and tweak it to your preferred style.

2. Ask it to explain a concept you recently learned, like "friction", and see if it explains it clearer than your teacher.

3. Try chatting in English to practice speaking.

If you want more, check out OpenAI's documentation center (platform.openai.com/docs) for API introductions, but that's the next step. Remember, tools are just tools; the key is how you use them.