Whatever this blog post’s title summons to mind for you, it is probably not the fashion show that I recently experienced at Pillar High School (NJ), a Middle States accredited school. But this fashion show reminded me of what the best schools do.

Dan Meyer, who is something of an AI Cassandra, has consistently said that students want to learn with and from people who show those students that their thinking matters. AI cannot show a student that their thinking matters. AI can only simulate that kind of feedback.

If you’re a classroom teacher, you might not look forward to professional development days– and I can’t blame you. But I can try to convince you that PD can be more than just a necessary fact of life—it can be powerful, effective, and good for you and your students.