AI should not supplant the role of the teacher

Yesterday, as I was scrolling my LinkedIn feed I saw a post by a regional sales manager for an edtech company. The post asked “Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) supplant the role of teachers in the future?” My skin began to crawl when I read it. One of the things I often see with edtech companies is sales people who have no educational background. To him, this seemed like a money saving possibility that districts would like. I answered, “I think the word should be support, not supplant. To lose the human touch of education would serve no student well. Teachers are so much more than the curriculum they teach. They are nurturers, encouragers, the eyes of potential, the safe place for strugglers, and the witnesses of milestones reached.”

He then said, “oh yes, we believe AI should be used to support and never supplant the role of teachers.” But he changed the post to read, “Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) support or supplant the role of teachers in the future?” It was one of those, “I can’t hear what you say because I see what you do” moments for me.

Several thoughts came to me:

1. To educational decision makers- There are times when a stand alone teaching platform is the only option. I get that. A student wants French 3 and there are no teachers available in a rural district to offer this, it makes sense. There are often educational situations that call for not the best case scenario because need overrules. availability of.
2. To edtech companies- If you want educators to use a platform, don’t hint at the fact they could be replaced by it.
3. To educators- It’s time for educators to pivot. You have been in the world of clunky data for a few years, but data is going to become more hands on and usable. How you respond to this sets the tone for how you will be viewed.
4. To the world at large- There is a reason why the world still applauds the teaching of the great masters of years go by. It has less to do with their philosophies and more to do with their desire to mentor, grow, and develop the minds of their students. Even an AI that can show empathy and respond to “feelings” cannot replace the hug of a teacher at just the right moment, the grin of acknowledgement. when a student struggles through a problem and succeeds, the quick look that says “cut it out” to a student off task that allows learning to continue, the personal connections for the months a teacher is granted access to their students’ lives.
5. To the makers of AI: Pandora’s box is open, please do good.