Don't Face Generative AI Alone—Building Lessons with Colleagues

Recently, more teachers have been using generative AI to help build their lessons.

Organizing teaching materials.
Brainstorming questions.
Drafting introductory remarks.
Defining evaluation criteria.

For all of these, if you ask a little, you get a decent response back.

It is convenient.
Honestly, it is a huge help.

I use it often myself.

That is precisely why something has been bothering me lately.

And that is—
the fact that "everyone is facing AI all by themselves."

In the staff room,
facing their smartphones or computers,
silently typing prompts,
and silently reading the results.

It looks like they are consulting someone,
but in reality, they are not talking to anyone at all.

I see that scene often.

Generative AI is an excellent "sounding board."

If you throw something at it,
it always throws something back.

It doesn't complain.
It doesn't look busy.

That is why we end up relying on it too much.

But, at one point, I suddenly thought,

If you keep doing this all by yourself,
won't it eventually become quite exhausting?

I wondered.

AI gives you answers.

But it won't tell you if those answers are actually good.

Will this introduction move the students?
Will this question deepen their thinking?
Will this structure truly lead to learning?

It doesn't guarantee anything beyond that.

The final decision is
always up to the teacher.

Moreover, that decision
is something you have to bear alone.

That is why I have been thinking strongly lately.

Precisely because we are in the age of generative AI,
it is important not to "face it alone."

What I mean here is
not just "let's all get along."

Rather, it is about

a relationship where we continue to question each other's "perspectives"
regarding lesson design and AI utilization.

Such a relationship—technically called a "community of practice"—
will become increasingly important from now on.

For example.

Looking at a lesson plan generated by AI,

"This flow is neat, but
it seems like it might stall halfway through in my class."

"Isn't there a bit too much explanation here?"

"I think I'd like to cut this part
and leave it up to the children."

A space where such exchanges are born.

Not a place to decide on the correct answer,
but a place to shake up ideas.

There is value in that.

By the way, I also try to consult with teachers in the field I trust
as much as possible before an important lesson.

"What do you think of this?"
"Is it off the mark?"
"Isn't this too heavy?"

Just by having such short exchanges,
my thoughts get organized once.

It is a small trick
to avoid carrying the burden of judgment alone.

When you have a community of practice,
something mysterious happens.

First, the burden of judgment is distributed.

A sense that
“I’m not the only one who decided this” emerges.

This is not about being dependent.

It is a technique for sustaining things over the long term.

Another major benefit is
that your perspectives increase.

Viewpoints you wouldn't have thought of yourself.
Unease you hadn't noticed.
Unconscious biases.

Peers will subtly point these out to you.

That pays off later on.

And above all,
it becomes harder to go off the rails.

When you use AI,
you start to feel like you’ve become someone who can do anything.

But that is an illusion.

Thoughts that are shown to no one
are usually biased.

A community of practice
acts as a brake on that.

It could be a workshop, a seminar, or within your school.

The form doesn't matter.

What is important is
having a 'circuit for thinking together'.

Don't let it end with a one-off workshop.
Don't make it a one-time presentation.

Make it a relationship that continues.

What is required of teachers from now on is not
the ability to create a perfect lesson all by themselves.

I believe it is the ability to
nurture lessons together with peers, while embracing the uncertainty.

Generative AI is a convenient tool.

However, if used incorrectly,
tools can end up exhausting people.

Don't use it to shoulder the burden alone,
use it to connect with others.

That way,
it will likely be more sustainable.

If, right now,

there is a teacher who is feeling a bit tired
somewhere while using AI.

Start with just a simple phrase like this.

What do you think of this AI suggestion?
Could you take a look at this for me?

From that one phrase,
a community of practice begins.