Don't Forget the Kids Who Still Need Us

AI is showing up everywhere in education—lesson planning, writing support, even grading. It's fast, impressive, and in many ways, helpful. However, I've recently noticed something that bothers me: some students aren't connecting with the language that AI generates. Not because they’re lazy or distracted—but because they’re still learning how to read "between the lines"… and AI doesn’t always speak their language.

For children who already struggle with reading comprehension, vague vocabulary, or nuanced instructions, AI can exacerbate their difficulties, rather than alleviate them. It’s polished, but it’s also distant. Precise, but often inaccessible.
These students might not say they’re lost—but they are.

This is Where Teachers Still Matter
We’re the ones who can stop, notice the blank stare, and say:
“Let me put that a different way.”
We can rephrase, simplify, and connect the dots.
We can read the room—something AI can’t do.
And while AI is helpful, it doesn’t replace a teacher leaning down beside a student and saying, “You’re not the only one confused. Let’s figure it out together.”

So here’s the message:
As we deploy the new tools, don't forget the old ones—like listening, noticing, and explaining things in a way that makes sense to real kids, in real time.
Some of them still need that human touch. Don’t we all?

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