"As soon as people became familiar with the name ChatGPT, they also became familiar with a question that often accompanies talk of AI: Will AI replace teachers? I know my answer to that question (a resounding "Never!"), but people keep posing the question nonetheless. To bring in another voice on the matter, I had the pleasure of interviewing an expert on this topic. Kristy Venne served for 20 years as a K-12 public education teacher, principal, and district administrator."
"As we enter the age of student agency, young people have unprecedented access to information. This shift can feel unsettling, since learning no longer depends on teachers delivering content. However, teaching has never been solely about sharing information. The true value of teachers lies in their ability to build relationships and create safe, supportive environments where students can grow academically, socially, and emotionally."
"Learning is social. Teachers establish safe learning spaces, develop confidence and resilience, and facilitate respectful and healthy behavior between students. They teach students how to learn-not just what to learn. School is not just a place to consume knowledge-it's a place where future citizens are shaped. As artificial intelligence use increases, the value of human relationships, especially those during the formative K-12 education years, will become increasingly valuable."
Students now have unprecedented access to information, shifting learning away from dependence on teachers as content deliverers. Teachers provide essential relational work: creating safe, supportive environments, building confidence and resilience, modeling respectful behavior, and teaching students how to learn rather than just what to learn. Schools must teach responsible AI use to prevent misuse and guide ethical application. Real-world learning with AI cultivates critical human skills—communication, collaboration, and judgment—needed for future workforce success. As AI use increases, human relationships formed during K–12 education become increasingly valuable for social, emotional, and civic development.
Read at Psychology Today
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