AI Can't Teach Heart: Why we need teachers more than ever

“A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart.” unknown

It seems it's anyone’s guess: Which jobs are up next for extinction by AI? Is it teachers? My resounding response is NO. Yes, you read that right. Despite the advancements in technology, we need teachers now more than ever in an AI world. As a teacher turned instructional coach, I know first-hand the impact that teachers can have on their students. While AI may be able to provide information and answer questions, it cannot provide the human connection and guidance that teachers can offer. Here are just a few reasons why we need teachers in the learning equation:

1. Building Relationships: Humans crave connection and thrive, to a more significant extent, because of our relationships. Teachers have the unique ability to build meaningful communities within their classrooms. Whether it's through a one-to-one conversation or a group discussion, teachers can provide emotional support and guidance that cannot be replicated by AI.

2. Personalization: While AI may be able to provide personalized learning experiences, it cannot differentiate the experience for each student in the same way a teacher can. Teachers can consider a student's learning style, interests, and needs, and adapt their teaching to meet those needs. They can also provide personalized feedback and encouragement to help students grow and improve.

3. Critical Thinking: While AI may be excellent at providing answers, it cannot teach students how to think critically and analyze information. Teachers can provide students with these much-needed 21st-century skills so that they successfully navigate complex issues and develop their own opinions.

4. Creativity: Amazingly, AI can create art and music, but it cannot inspire creativity in the same way a teacher can. Teachers can provide students with the tools and support they need to explore their creativity and develop their unique talents.

5. Collaboration: Teachers understand that collaboration is a key skill that supports teams to thrive and produce high-quality products that individually would be time-consuming and stressful to create. High-functioning teachers have the skills to intentionally develop student teams so that they learn to appreciate each other's unique gifts and talents, and are encouraged to produce excellent work.

6. Flexibility: As we have seen over the past three years, the ability to adapt and be flexible is more important than ever. Teachers can adapt to changing circumstances and provide their students with the support they need, whether in-person or online.

Let’s be clear, a teacher who knows her craft and her students well also knows just the right time to deliver a dollop of humour, an extra-large serving of empathy and grace, or a gentle nugget of encouragement that will shift the dynamics of a classroom or touch the heart of a student and spur them to take the next difficult step.

The next time you hear someone say that technology will replace teachers, remind them of the unique and irreplaceable role that teachers play in the lives of their students. There is no doubt that the use of technology to enhance the learning experience will continue to grow. The latest exciting advancements in AI do support teachers in doing a better job. However, let’s not forget the importance of the human connection and motivation that teachers can provide for their students.

Rita Pierson, a stellar educator, once said, "Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can be." Teachers are those champions that we need now more than ever.

Sasha Robins is an instructional coaching professional who partners with teachers and students to do brave and beautiful work daily.