Can Teachers be replaced by Robots?
A question that seems to have titillated the media at the moment and an excellent one to ask our children – great when something topical comes along to stimulate our thinking in young minds. Do we still have room to ask these spontaneous things? Of course we should.
Philosophy for children is something we utilise at Stobhillgate, not only because it’s educational but because it opens up dynamic discussion, follows rules and reveals so much confidence even in unexpected places. It develops it too.
Usually it prompts the children to proffer questions which they’d like to pursue but here’s a ready-made one we’re all interested in hearing views about.
In Nursery there’s no question that a robot could easily do my job – according to young Sophia: ‘And how could a robot do my job?’ ‘Well it could hand out the bags!’ Too right there Sophia!
My GP would probably agree :
GP: What do you do Mr Richmond?
ME: I’m a headteacher.
GP: Oh, so it’s only admin stuff really, sitting behind a computer!
When thinking about the future and the kind of jobs a robot could do, the news suggested you’d be less likely to lose it if embroiled in something creative or social skills – based.
That pleased me thinking about my son going back to University to do guitar on an applied music course. ‘After all,’ said the course leader, ‘he may as well do something he enjoys.’ Isn’t it funny how in my student days you could study almost anything which never actually led to a career as opposed to nowadays where you almost feel it has to?
Philosophy in Year Four this week covered lots of aspects in answer to my original question. They talked politely, agreeing and disagreeing on aspects such as cost implications, weathering and battery failure – lots of superficialities – but some got to the nub of things like bedside manner, enjoyment, interaction, feelings, behaviour management and even learning.
‘What if it doesn’t make you learn in a way you want to learn?’
The children even made me think. Why are we producing robots to simply be more like us? Did God do that? Why can’t robots do things we can’t?
To sum up the children’s last words – and nearly all had something to say – suggested yes and no, can and can’t. If they would replace a nasty teacher – definitely. A nice one, then no!
Personally I used to love Robot Wars where Razor smashed the hell out of Weeley Big Cheese and just about everything else it came into contact with. Moreover, Robot Wars was fun.
So is teaching. I’m so grateful the children and most parents in our school realise that learning should be fun, enjoyable, exciting and inspiring. I certainly didn’t go to school for tests – I hated them!
Dig your heels in, everyone – and have fun.
Neil Richmond is the Head Teacher of Morpeth Stobhillgate First School