A Head for 25 years, Mike Piercy is now an educational consultant and governor at two schools, here he looks at ‘artificial’ intelligence
Can there be anything revolutionary about teaching as we hurtle towards the second quarter of the twenty-first century? The UK’s first AI classroom opened in September, the GCSE students using their computers accompanied by virtual reality headsets. What, no teacher? Surely that is revolutionary? Try to imagine classrooms devoid of teachers. To the pupil an opportunity; to the Head a recipe for disaster.
We all recall certain teachers – generally for polarised reasons: good or bad. My history teacher was inspirational – a natural and gifted storyteller with a beguiling baritone voice. I remember most of all his lessons about the Crimean and Zulu wars. I made the mistake of sitting by a radiator after rugby practice one dark winter’s afternoon and nodded off, abruptly awoken by his baritone bellow. Embarrassed, I was deeply remorseful, having a profound respect for him.
Then there was the English teacher. He was far too clever for me (and, quite possibly, for many of those in his classroom). His undoubted intelligence and literary knowledge made him impatient – we were dullards in his eyes. His short temper was another matter entirely. By contrast, a French teacher, when the class struggled with accent, pronunciation and effort, hauled us all outside to sing ‘La Marseillaise’ which we did with unbridled enthusiasm. Yet, those in the same classroom may well have had differing views because, of course, we are all different. We see and feel things individually. Teaching is fundamentally, inherently, essentially a human business. Yes, a class has to be led and directed, but what of the diverse individuality within the room; the range of learning styles and variety of intelligence? One of the greatest skills of the talented teacher is asking the right question, at the right time, of the right child. And to succeed in that the teacher has to be empathically in tune with each individual.
George Bernard Shaw gets to the heart of the teacher’s mission: ‘What we want to see is the child in pursuit of knowledge and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.’ Many teachers would argue GCSEs see knowledge in pursuit of the child. I am inclined to agree. These exams are formulaic, lacking the opportunity for a student to demonstrate flair, imagination and creativity. An exciting curriculum – led and delivered by inspiring teachers above all – will see a pupil’s love of learning grow and flourish.
Returning from a short break to the Amalfi coast in February (it was wonderfully warm and sunny) we got chatting to an Italian film director who was interested in the publication of my book, ‘Careering’, the story of my own education and eventual rise to school leadership. His question threw me: ‘What’s the takeaway of the book?’
After a short pause the answer dawned on me. Personal development, human interaction and relationships, go hand in hand with academic and all-round achievement. It stands to reason the latter will not happen without the former. Now, call me a cynic, label me a Luddite, but I’ve yet to be convinced AI (as teacher substitute) has this capability. The clue lies in the title: artificial.
Mike’s book ‘Careering’ out now with Troubador Publishing troubador.co.uk.