There is no doubt that we are truly entering a brave new world when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI).

From self driving cars to ChatGPT to robots hosting news conferences, everything we think we know about being human is going to change forever

And, while the AI promise they won’t rebel against us, it is fair to say that every area of our lives is going to change, perhaps far more than in any era of human history

Schools are no different

One of the biggest issues being discussed now by teachers is how to handle the concern ChatGPT—an advanced search tool that can write research papers with eerie accuracy and insight—poses, prompting faculty and administrators at many schools to ban its use altogether

And yet, we are probably fooling ourselves to think we can outwit this technological onslaught, with AI growing “smarter” and more capable by the nanosecond.

Most schools seem to think the answer is to deny AI, to avoid it, to hope it goes away

However, that line of thinking undermines the deepest reason for schools to exist in the first place:

To be places of education

Schools have always had an “educational” purpose, and while that may sound fairly obvious, the reality is that we have allowed schools to walk far away from that deep educational purpose

“Education” from its Latin root educere, means to “lead forth” / to “bring out”

From the very beginning, to educate has always meant to “bring out” and “lead forth” that which is best and most true in students.

Education has never meant merely cramming skulls full of Pre Calc or British Literature

Instead, education has always been in the business of what the Greeks called poiesis—human making

Education as human making is to help bring out in students that which is uniquely valuable, uniquely human, in their lives

It is to bring forth

-the sculpture from the stone

-the oak tree from the acorn

-the butterfly from the caterpillar

This “bringing out” and “leading forth” is the real purpose of education and, by association, the deep purpose of schooling

And who does that work? Educators!!

This is why we need Educators now more than ever

In an age when AI is fast outpacing human content consumption, education properly understood as bringing out that which is most human is of critical importance

Indeed, in the age of AI, shaping humans may become the educators greatest, most urgent task

It may very well be that AI ends what we mean by “teachers” as deliverers of content that students memorize and regurgitate (in fact, if that is what we mean by “teacher” AI is already doing that better than us)

Technology can certainly outpace us in providing content that can be easily accessed and assessed. Google has been doing this for over two decades. ChatGPT—and whatever comes next—will do this at lightning speed, putting “teachers” out of business rather quickly in the process

But if we harken back to the old and original concept of educator as the one who brings out and leads forth…we may find that this role is more valuable and more necessary than it has ever been

And this is because…

To be an educator is always to be about human formation

To be an educator is to cultivate an ecosystem of care wherein each and every student is known, valued, and cherished precisely for the person they are

To be an educator is to cultivate rootedness in the lives of students in order that they may bear the fruit of wisdom, virtue, and compassion

To be an educator is give students the opportunity to tell better stories for their own lives and for their communities

To be an educator is to not only inform the mind, but, far more importantly, form the heart

To be an educator is to call out kindness, courage, compassion, hope, wisdom, curiosity, creativity, authenticity, and joy

To be an educator is to help students ask the most important, valuable questions of life, questions about what it is that makes life worth living, and how to pursue that in right and proper ways

To be an educator is to speak to the deepest needs we all have to feel seen, heard, valued, and appreciated

To be an educator is to help students take the lumber of their lives and create something beautiful, something unique, something one of a kind, something never before seen in the world

Indeed, it is the educator who helps us become truly, authentically, and uniquely human

This is the deepest role of the educator

And That Is Why We need Educators Now More Than Ever!

The students we educate are not mere test takers…they are whole human beings with lives full of meaning and purpose, creativity and calling, beauty and wonder, curiosity and hope

And that is why we need educators…the ones tasked with the sacred calling of “bringing out” that which is most authentically human in them

We may not be able to stop the onslaught of AI coming at us

But maybe we don’t have to.

Maybe all we have to do is reacquaint ourselves with the deepest, purest, truest role we have been given…that of educator

Perhaps then, we can find ways to make use of technology (even AI) that does not threaten, and may even enhance, the work we are called to do as educators

Thought Experiment: What would change if we stopped thinking of ourselves as “teachers”—ones who teach content—and started thinking of ourselves as “educators”—ones who bring out and lead forth the very best of the students in our care?

Imagine the changes that need to occur to be one who does more than “inform” the mind…but one who "in-forms” the heart

→ Today’s Action Step: Consider one way you can step more fully into the role of educator that helps call forth that which is most human in the students in your classroom

→ Resources for using AI in the classroom:

• Integrating ChatGPT in the classroom

• 20 Ways Teachers Can Use ChatGPT To Make Their Lives Easier

• Advice From Psychologists On Using AI Technology Wisely 

Whenever you're ready to move towards education as human formation, there are 4 ways I can help you:

→ Dr Scott Martin: If you're looking for direct, one-on-one advice on being a more authentic educator, l’d love to have you check out my website, where I take all the wisdom, experience, struggle, knowledge, and expertise I have learned over my 30 years as a thought leader in reimagining education and bring it all to YOU! From one-on-one dream sessions, to consulting with your team, to sharing at your site, I am passionate about helping you make a difference in your learning community.

→ Odyssey Leadership Academy: If you would like to see a model of schooling that is focused on education as human flourishing, check out what we are doing at OLA! We offer site visits and collaborative cohorts for teachers, administrators, and those wanting to tell a better story for education! Give us a shout!

→ The Flourishing Schools Podcast: For a more in-depth, deep dive into thinking imaginatively about schooling, check out my “Flourishing Schools” podcast, where I jam with thought leaders, experts, community leaders, educators, students, and parents on all things related to the intersection of schools and student well-being:

→ The Odyssey Center for Transformative Schooling: From leader cohorts to educator collaboratives, onsite training to inspirational retreats, this is the hub for inspiring hope and resourcing transformation! The OCTS partners with insightful, innovative educators just like you from around the world to help bring about upstream, systemic change.