AI’s role in the classroom
As we tune in to public discourse around the increasing use of AI in classrooms, the experiments with teacher-less learning models and more, Rebecca Clements, a tutor with Tutorfair Foundation since 2023, shares a nuanced perspective.
Teachers read the room
Technology is a huge support but the heart of teaching is human connection. A good teacher reads the room, connects to a student’s interests, spots when the learner is confused and adapts in the moment. That kind of responsiveness matters even more for disadvantaged students, who may already be carrying extra barriers into learning.
AI as support
AI has real value. Used well, it can help prepare better materials and support independent learning, should students choose to pursue it. It eases learning for students with SEND needs. In that sense, it can be genuinely useful. It can save time for tutors and teachers, and it can help make learning more accessible. For some young people, that extra support makes a big difference.
Risk to young children
There has to be some containment. We do not fully understand how young children use technology, or what they may do with it when no one is watching closely. Generative AI also raises questions about safety, privacy, and control. Once material is entered into a system, it is not always clear what language, image, or information is being shared or stored. That is a serious concern when the users are children.
Connection is human
For me, the best use of AI is not as a replacement for teaching, but as a tool behind the scenes that frees up the tutor to focus on connection. AI can help create the right materials, but the human adult should still decide how those materials are used and how the child is supported. The student- machine interaction may grow, but the relationship with the student should remain firmly human.
This is especially important for young students. They do not need another distraction. They need clarity, consistency, trust, and someone who can see beyond the screen. Technology should help us teach better, not make us less present.