Teachers unto eternity!

Today the Nation celebrates Teacher's Day. How scared should I be? Am I in that breed of people who are fighting technology and feel outdated because students always have a 'smarter' option to go to? 'Am I in that group of people who can see what's happenning and wants to ask, 'Yes, Tech can do this - wow - but do we really want it to?'

Consider this story : ?

The assembly hall of Chandanpur's local school buzzed with anticipation as Nirvaan, a young tech enthusiast, unveiled a sleek smart board to the gathered teachers. "Imagine," Nirvaan said, his fingers dancing across the screen, "bringing planets to life in 3D while teaching about the solar system, or generating interactive diagrams for photosynthesis." As he described personalized learning paths and virtual field trips, an uneasy silence fell over the room. Nitu ma'am, a teacher of over two decades, whispered to her colleague, "Will this replace us?" Sensing the discomfort, Vijayalakshmi, the school Principal, asked, "Where does the content come from? Who decides what AI teaches?"

Nirvaan smiled. "The content comes from teachers. Your knowledge and understanding of what students need is what powers this technology."

Vijayalakshmi's eyes twinkled. "So, you mean to say that ultimately my teachers are the smartest in their classrooms?" Chuckles filled the hall as Vijayalakshmi addressed her teachers. “This tech-marvel is enticing. But it cannot encourage a child who feels like a loser nor can it understand the glimmer in a student's eye when they finally grasp a difficult concept. Each of us can recall countless moments when a gentle word or a patient explanation made all the difference. Students may seek information from AI, but it is only a teacher who can train a student to be able to seek the right information. You hold their hand and open their mind. Hence your influence remains eternal and un’substitutable’.” With her tactfulness, Vijaylakshmi had managed to address pertinent fears.

So, while I do conclude that I will never become redundant, I wonder where this tech-wave will take us. Every morning isn't just a new day anymore - it's a new tech-way! As newer 'smarter' ways emerge at dizzy speeds is it not wise to practise the pause and ponder, "'Yes, Tech can do this - wow - but do we really want it to?'

Like a friend said ... In a classroom, the question isn't anymore 'What can AI do?' - It probably is, 'Should AI do this?'