I want you to be more like a buffalo this school year.
Yes, a buffalo. Let me explain.
🗣️👂 You can also hear this post in my podcast or, with additional visuals, on YouTube.
The Buffalo and The Cow
I first heard about being like a buffalo in a podcast interview with Rory Vaden, an accomplished speaker, author, business coach, and podcaster. Vaden shared a fascinating insight from his upbringing in Colorado, a place where both buffalo and cows roam.
When a storm approaches from the west, cows naturally run east, attempting to outrun it. Inevitably, the storm catches up with them, and they end up running with the storm, prolonging their discomfort. Buffalo, on the other hand, charge directly into the storm, minimizing the time they spend in it. This metaphor brilliantly illustrates how we often handle challenges.
The AI Storm in Education
Speaking of storms, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in education can feel like a brewing storm. Heck, it’s not even brewing anymore. It’s here. There are legitimate fears about the implications of AI: Will it replace teachers? Will students use it to cheat? How will it impact student privacy? These concerns are valid and deserve our attention.
However, just as a storm provides much-needed water for plants, AI holds immense potential for enhancing education. From personalized learning experiences to efficient administrative tools, the benefits are substantial.
Facing the AI Storm Head-On
As educators, it’s crucial to acknowledge both the scary and valuable elements of AI. There will probably be lightning. There may be flooding and there’s a remote possibility of a tornado. But there are also benefits. The key is not to run away from the AI storm or, like an ostrich, bury our heads in the sand.
We must face it head-on like the buffalo. Here are a few potential steps to adopt the buffalo mentality when it comes to AI and education:
Steps to Embrace AI in Education
1. Educate Yourself
Stay informed about the latest AI developments and their applications in education. If you’re like me, you sometimes cringe when you hear about a new AI tool. It’s exciting but also overwhelming. It’s a challenge, but we have to stay informed.
2. Plan for Implementation
Consider how AI can be thoughtfully integrated into your teaching practices and curriculum. In what ways will you use it? In what ways will you not use it?
3. Establish Guardrails
Set clear boundaries for AI use to ensure it aligns with your educational values. Freedom within fences is key. Where are your fences regarding AI use? Figure that out before your students ask about them.
4. Develop Policies
Create guidelines and policies for AI use in your classroom, and share your voice at the school and district level about your system’s policies. We need these policies in place, regardless of whether they are prohibitive or permissive.
5. Discuss Shared Norms and Procedures
Engage students in conversations about how AI will and will not be used in your classroom. Avoid using the words “rules” and “prohibited.” Instead, talk about norms and standard operating procedures.
6. Embrace Change
Be open to experimenting with AI tools and learning from the experience, both successes and setbacks. It’s time to put on that growth mindset hat.
Where can you learn more?
While there are a multitude of sources for learning about AI in education, I would like to suggest the Educational Duct Tape Podcast and this website. If I want you to be like the buffalo, I want to be the one that supports you as you do that. In the coming months, my podcast guests and I will explore AI’s potential and address its challenges.
Make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast or my newsletter so you can learn alongside me.
Let’s face this storm together, head-on, and emerge stronger on the other side.
