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Writer's pictureDr. Jana Lee

AI Can't Replace Good Instruction

Updated: 6 days ago

I sat down with a 9th grade math teacher a few months ago. I was there to support the district with data-driven decisions in secondary classrooms. It was my first time meeting this teacher, and as I began to ask him to share more about himself and his classroom, he was quick to tell me all about the data-driven instruction he was executing in his classroom through IXL. 


I mean, I agree- IXL is great for many things.


However, I also had alarm bells going off. Through our discussion, it was clear that this teacher was relying on the platform to support students during independent work. The even bigger issue was that she truly believed that her classroom was built on data-driven practices because of the platform.


What I wanted to tell her (but didn’t) was that her classroom should be build on data-driven practices because of her.


Is AI Silencing Teacher Voice?

In recent years, the rise of AI-driven and all-inclusive learning platforms has revolutionized how educators access and interpret student performance data. These platforms offer immense benefits, from streamlining assessments to providing real-time insights on student progress. Many educators are excited by the potential of these systems to simplify their workload and give them a clearer picture of where their students stand. However, I argue that these platforms are perpetuating challenges that many teachers are already grappling with, including:

  • Building meaningful student relationships

  • Pulling small groups during Tier 1 instruction

  • Moving away from teacher-centered classrooms

students sitting at a computer

While AI-powered platforms can support instruction, they should never replace the personalized feedback that teachers provide. And until our teachers know how to provide that individualized support, ongoing challenges that are leading to teacher burnout, will persist.


1. Building Relationships with Students

We are seeing an immense increase in volatile student behaviors. Strong student-teacher relationships are needed now more than ever, as they foster trust, help students feel seen, and create an environment where students are motivated to engage and take risks in their learning. AI platforms, while great at processing and analyzing data, cannot form these personal connections. They cannot replace the individualized support and understanding that a teacher provides through daily interactions, particularly as it relates to building confidence in students capabilities- a skill that only a teacher who recognizes what exactly the student is struggling in, can do.


2. Pulling Small Groups During Tier 1 Instruction

We are also seeing a great need for teachers to know how to differentiate in their General Education and Co-Taught classrooms for a variety of needs. One may argue that a platform, like IXL, differentiates real time when students are using it because it populates feedback and questioning based on students' individualized responses…


Okay, but is that truly meeting all student needs? How do we ensure students are reading and applying the feedback? How are we giving an opportunity for students to see and hear the feedback, simultaneously? How are we training our teachers to know how to make real-time adjustments? Teachers need to be able to interpret data quickly and organize small groups to target student needs as they emerge during a lesson. Real-time feedback from the algorithm can’t replace that.


3. Moving Away from Teacher-Centered Classrooms

Many leaders want to see less teacher-talk and more student-led classrooms. This involves giving students more agency, encouraging collaboration, and guiding them through problem-solving rather than simply delivering content. AI-driven platforms can inadvertently reinforce a more passive learning model. Students often engage with these platforms in isolation during the “You Do” or “independent practice” part of the lesson. 


AI as a Supplement, Not a Replacement

Ultimately, AI platforms have a place in the classroom, but their role should be to supplement, not replace, the work of teachers. Teachers need to be explicitly taught how to collect, analyze, and use data immediately during lessons. As leaders, we shouldn’t be okay with teachers using these systems to provide the feedback that really should be coming from their own instructional behaviors. I had a school leader, Donavan Tracey, tell me not too long ago: Nothing can replace good instruction.

 

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