For the last two years, conversations about AI in education have tended to fall into two camps: excitement about efficiency or fear of replacement, writes Timothy Montalvo, a middle school educator, in an eSchool News essay. Teachers worry about losing authenticity; academic integrity concerns leaders and schools everywhere are trying to sort out a technology that seems both promising and overwhelming.
As a middle school assistant principal and a higher education instructor, I’ve found that AI is most valuable not as a productivity tool, but as a perspective-taking tool. Used thoughtfully it supports the emotional labor of teaching and leadership–the part of our work that cannot be automated.
Schools do not thrive because we write faster emails or generate quicker lesson plans. They thrive because students feel known. Teachers feel supported. Families feel included.
The real potential for AI lies in the way it can help us:
- Reflect on tone before hitting “send” on a difficult email
- Understand how a message may land for someone under stress
- Role-play sensitive conversations with students or staff
- Anticipate barriers that multilingual families might face
- Rehearse a restorative response rather than reacting in the moment
One of the ways I’ve leveraged AI is by simulating difficult conversations before they happen. For example:
- A student is anxious about returning to class after an incident
- A teacher feels unsupported and frustrated
- A family is confused about a schedule change or intervention plan
By giving the AI a brief description and asking it to take on the perspective of the other person, I can rehearse responses that center calm, clarity, and compassion.
Empathy improves when we get to “practice” it.
Schools like mine welcome dozens of newcomers each year, many with interrupted formal education. AI tools can support staff in ways that deepen connections, not diminish them:
- Drafting bilingual communication with a softer, more culturally responsive tone
- Helping teachers anticipate trauma triggers based on student histories
- Rewriting classroom expectations in family-friendly language
- Generating gentle scripts for welcoming a student experiencing culture shock
For teachers, AI can support empathy in similarly grounded ways:
1) Build more inclusive lessons: Teachers can ask AI to scan a lesson for hidden barriers–assumptions about background knowledge, vocabulary loads, or unclear steps that could frustrate students.
2) Rewrite directions for struggling learners: A slight shift in wording can make all the difference for a student with anxiety or processing challenges.
3) Anticipate misconceptions before they happen: AI can run through multiple “student responses” so teachers can see where confusion might arise.
4) Practice restorative language: Teachers can try out scripts for responding to behavioral issues in ways that preserve dignity and connection.
These aren’t shortcuts. They’re tools that elevate the craft.
The heart of education is human. AI doesn’t change that — it makes it more obvious.
- When we reduce the cognitive load of planning, we free up space for attunement.
• When we rehearse hard conversations, we show up with more steadiness.
• When we write in more inclusive language, more families feel seen.
• When we reflect on our tone, we build trust.
The goal is to create relationship-centered classrooms where AI quietly supports the skills that matter most: empathy, clarity, and connection.
Schools don’t need more automation. They need more humanity. AI, used wisely, can help us get there.
eSchool News
