Private Tutor
This interview by Patrick O’Schaughnessy of Joe Liemandt on Invest Like The Best (video version here) was so captivating that I listened to it twice so that I could take notes. Liemandt is Principal of Alpha School, a private school that is leaning heavily into generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to support student learning.
Researchers have long known that one-on-one tutoring is pretty much the best way to teach students. The best homeschoolers among us validate this, I believe. This insight has been kind of meaningless, given that there has been no practical way to achieve this one-to-one student ratio at society-level scale.
But what if a GenAI can accurately assess any student’s knowledge, and help them to efficiently build on that knowledge over time? The scalability of this technology opens up the real possibility of every student having their own private AI-based tutor.
Some benefits of a GenAI tutoring to consider:
No Skipped Lessons: The student catches a cold, has an orthodontist appointment, or simply plays hooky? No problem, the AI simply picks up teaching them right where they left off previously. In the current model, students can fail to absorb key lessons, which makes learning future lessons more difficult.
Staying In “The Zone”: Like any good video game, a well-designed GenAI will keep the student engaged in the “Zone of Proximal Development” - where it is never so easy that it becomes boring, nor so difficult that the student feels overwhelmed. So, student engagement in the process is higher.
Pacing & Outcomes: The AI will allow students to progress through lessons at whatever pace is right for them. And regardless of a student’s pace, every student can achieve the same learning outcomes. (The phrase “No Child Left Behind” comes to mind here.)
Configured properly, this AI-based approach to instruction has a lot of potential.
At Alpha School, students currently only have two hours of AI-based instruction each day, and their standardized test scores are through the roof. This high performance of the students does not appear to be due to coming from privileged backgrounds. Yes, this cutting-edge alternative approach to education has attracted lots of wealthy households, which could skew their results. But Alpha School has plenty of examples of students who come to the school behind their age-based peers, and the GenAI instruction efficiently gets these students caught up to them.
The efficiency and effectiveness of the instruction creates time for the students to engage in lots of other activities. This typically takes the form of content that students love. Examples include Alpha Animation Studio (teaching public speaking and storytelling skills), How To Buy Stuff (personal finance), and Alpha Mad Scientists (emphasis on the meta skill of learning to learn).
The Alpha Model shifts the role of the teacher significantly. Instead of grading papers and writing lesson plans, Alpha’s teachers become more like guides, offering motivational and emotional support to each student. They find what makes their students tick, and create enrichment experiences accordingly. By reclaiming time that students historically have spent sitting at desks, the Alpha School model gives them the time and space to explore things of specific interest to them, fostering a growth mindset and a higher degree of self-directed learning.
I have no doubt that the Alpha School approach is imperfect. But it seems to have the potential to disrupt what I call the “Starting Line” problem that we have historically observed - Children that are born into households that are unwilling or unable to support their early development are left behind the proverbial “8 Ball,” always playing catch-up to learn at the pace of their grade-level peers, typically falling further and further behind.
If GenAI-based tutoring could both allow our brightest children to flourish, while at the same time lifting up the performance floor for students on the other end of the performance spectrum, this would be a massive step forward for humanity.
Sunday Supper
This Labor Day weekend, this Grilled Za’atar Chicken w/ Garlic Yogurt and Cilantro would be great. Or these Hot Dogs w/ Pico de Gallo. Nothing says summer like Zucchini & Corn Fritters.
Sunday Music
This set by Nate Smith + KINFOLK a the NPR Tiny Desk will make your toe tap. This concert by City & Colour is beautiful. This jam session by Toshiki Soejima at POMPOSO will put a smile on your face. Enjoy!
If you know anyone who might like this essay, please share it with them.
Have a great week ahead! You can do anything you set your mind to. Let me know how I can help.
Peace & Love,