Episode Summary

In this episode, I reflect on the growing conversation around AI in education and why I believe the focus should not be on resisting AI, but on learning how to use it thoughtfully. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding these tools, but there is also real potential when they are used with purpose and intention.

I unpack the idea that AI is ultimately a support tool, not a replacement for teaching. While AI can help generate materials, organize ideas, and save time, it cannot replace relationships, human judgment, or the deep understanding that comes from meaningful interaction between teachers and students. I also share real examples from my own classroom where AI helped support planning, targeted practice, and enrichment activities in ways that saved time and improved efficiency.

This connects directly to what we are seeing in schools because students are already using these tools too. That means educators have a responsibility to guide students in how to use AI appropriately, thoughtfully, and ethically. Students still need to think, process, struggle, and build understanding themselves. AI should support learning, not replace it.

At the end of the day, I believe this conversation is really about purpose. Technology will continue to evolve, but teaching has always been about people, relationships, growth, and understanding. AI may support the process, but human connection and thoughtful instruction are still the heart of meaningful learning.

Show Notes

• AI conversations in education
• AI as a support tool
• Thoughtful vs. careless AI use
• AI for teacher preparation
• Student thinking and productive struggle
• Guiding students in AI use

Key Takeaways

• AI should support, not replace teaching
• Thoughtful AI use matters
• Students still need to think deeply
• AI can reduce workload and save time
• Teachers must guide ethical AI use

This is Mr. Funky Teacher with BeAFunkyTeacher.com. I'm coming you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast. Welcome back, everyone. Today's episode is called Teaching with AI, Not Against It.

There's a lot of conversation right now, now around AI in education. Some of it is excitement. Some of it is concern. Some of it is uncertainty.

And it makes sense because when something new shows up, it can feel like it's either going to help us or replace us. But I don't think that's the right way to look at it. Before we get into it, though, I want to ground myself in gratitude.

Here are three things that I'm thankful for. The first thing that I'm thankful for is a good stretch of quiet time at home.

Those moments where things slow down and you can just think they matter more than we realize. The second thing that I'm thankful for is students who show effort even when it's hard.

That willingness to keep going, that's something worth noticing and appreciating. And the third thing that I'm thankful for is small wins in the classroom.

Those moments where something clicks, even in a small way, they add up over time. Well, let's get back into the main topic, y'. All. AI is here and it's not going away. So the question isn't whether we use it or not.

The question is how? How do we use it? That's the question. So the topic, once again, is teaching with AI, not against it. AI is a tool, not a replacement.

AI can do certain things well. It can generate, it can organize, it can suggest.

But it doesn't replace teaching, it doesn't replace relationships, and it doesn't replace understanding. Students see that distinction. It matters because tools support they don't replace. How we use AI matters more than if we use it.

The conversation shouldn't shouldn't be yes, or no, not at all. It really should be. How thoughtful. Use versus careless use. Because there is a way to thoughtfully use AI. There is a way to carelessly use AI.

Now if you use AI to support planning instead of replace thinking that difference it matters because truly intention shapes impact. And AI, it can support high quality preparation and education. It absolutely can.

Teachers can use AI to generate materials that you can use to work directly with students.

I, I've used it in ways where to help me create some bell ringers for students with some short targeted practice passages along with some questions that go with them aligned to specific learning targets.

And I'm going to tell you right now where I that was just this school year that I, I did that where I brought it into the mix and it saved me hours upon hours. It can save time and it can increase the quality. So when it's used intentionally it, it becomes a support tool.

I've used it also in, in science to really focus on some science topics where to some supportive enrichment type of science topics where students could read and pull in some information and some targeted high level questions too. That's another, another way where it has saved me hours.

So some of those high quality materials that it'll help you create to work with students, powerful stuff and you, you can really use it as a support tool. You can you see it when, when something is created that aligns closely with what students need. That's where AI helps.

That's where it can really be impactful. AI should not replace student thinking. Students still need to think students, they still need to process and understand.

If AI does all the work, learning is lost. Like let's say you have students submitting something without understanding it. See that's not growth, that's just completion.

And we got to get past just the completion stage of learning. It can't just be just submitting something and not having an understanding of it. It's got to be.

It's gotta, we gotta have an understanding of what we're submitting and turning in AI, it can help teachers focus on what matters most. Time is limited, energy is limited. Those two things, time and energy. If we have a way where we can, we can use AI to help with, with time and energy.

Boy, it can be impactful AI. It can reduce some workload. There's no doubt about it. Where teachers then can focus more on students. Teachers can focus on relationships.

Students can receive focused support by the teacher. That's where the impact is not in the busy work. It can create space. But what we do with that Space matters. That's the real opportunity here.

That's the real opportunity where you can lean into, freeing up some time and energy to really make an impact on students. Time and impact students. They need guidance on how to use AI themselves. Teachers I know are using AI more students are using AI as well.

Students use these tools now. That's the reality. That is just the reality. They need to learn how to use them. Students, they need to learn when to use them.

And, and students, they need to know why to use them. Using AI to support learning, not to replace learning. That guidance, it matters.

That is a huge responsibility that we're having to step into to really focus on, guide students through. Because how. What we do with helping students kind of navigate this, this AI state that we're in, that we're moving into.

It matters because it does shape habits. It shapes how students will use AI not just now, but for a lifetime. When it comes to the thinking and teaching still requires human judgment.

Can't get away from human judgment. Decisions in the classroom are not automated. They are based on students. They are based on context, they are based on needs.

And it's so critically important that teachers adjust in a moment. And that requires. It takes work. That's just the bottom line to, to. To adjust in a moment. It takes. It takes work, it takes judgment. And that's.

That's human work, not just something that AI replaces. And AI, it can enhance, not define instruction. Let's stick into that. It can be a part of the process, but it shouldn't be the center.

See, teaching still leads, AI supports. I'm going to say that again. Teaching, it leads. But AI, it supports. Like using it as just one piece of what we're doing in a classroom.

It shouldn't be the whole approach and that balance, it matters. Now there is value in doing the thinking ourselves. Not everything should be optimized. Some struggle is necessary. Some thinking is important.

Not just important, but critically important. Working through ideas manually, building understanding that when you work through ideas manually, it can build growth, it can build understanding.

And that shouldn't be lost. That productive struggle that I've talked about is so important. This shouldn't be where students don't ever struggle to think.

And the goal truly is better learning, not easier output. It's not about making things faster or easier. It's about making learning better, more meaningful, more effective.

That's the focus and that should guide our decisions. A should support learning, not shortcut it. And that's the line we hold.

Well, as I do a reflective close here I do want to say that AI is not going away. That part is clear. But what matters is how we choose to use it. Because this work has never just been about information. It's about people.

It's about growth and connection. It's about helping students to actually understand. So use the tools, but don't lose the purpose, because that's the part that still matters most.

Well, if you found value in this episode, head on over to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcast and hit me up with a five star review and let me know what you think. It helps more teachers define this space. And as you go into your day, I want you to remember to inspire greatness in young people.

And don't forget to be a funky teacher. Bye now.