A Private K-12 School In Texas Has No Teachers, Costs $40K Per Year, But Claims To Teach Kids Way More
Many are questioning if this type of learning is beneficial for children.
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock It seems like almost every industry is buzzing with news of how A.I. (artificial intelligence) will affect jobs. Aside from sci-fi and horror movie concerns, many people are worried about their jobs becoming obsolete.
One job that seemed like it would be safe from this technological innovation is teaching, but one private school in Texas is proving otherwise.
A private school in Texas has gotten rid of teachers in favor of A.I.
Austin, Texas-based reporter, Ford Sanders, looked into the new educational option and shared his findings in a TikTok video.
While many private schools are trying to find new ways to innovate and stand out from the crowd, Alpha, which has locations in Austin and Brownsville, takes it a step further.
“Basically, this school… doesn’t have teachers,” Sanders explained. “What they say they have is a lot of adults that act as what they call ‘guides.’ But, these kids are being fully taught by A.I.”
Alpha claims to have a revolutionary methodology through which children are only taught Common Core standards for two hours each day. However, the school says that students learn twice as much as they would in a traditional six-hour classroom.
The rest of the day is spent on “life skills workshops,” where students participate in fun, creative activities that are meant to teach important skills such as attention to detail and problem-solving. The idea is that students can develop these skills in an exciting environment.
Sanders’ TikTok features a clip of a video from the school, which shows various historical figures, including Harriet Tubman and Isaac Newton, explaining the A.I. method of learning. It is presumed that these figures actually lead lessons which they are a subject of.
Although it may sound unbelievable, Sanders reports that Alpha Private School currently has approximately 250,000 students. Tuition for the school is $40,000, and financial aid options are available.
Is it safe for children to be taught by A.I.?
With all of the concerns surrounding A.I., the safety of the students is a legitimate worry.
According to the New York Times, over 1,000 leaders in the technology field familiar with A.I. signed a letter in March 2023 asking companies to pause development of any A.I. technology until more answers can be found. The leaders stated that A.I. can cause problems ranging from disinformation to job loss and loss of control.
A UNICEF report stated that A.I. can be particularly problematic for children. It can compromise safety and security, and endanger children’s privacy.
The effects we are seeing A.I. having on jobs now will likely only continue, and will have an even bigger impact on children’s chances at getting good jobs in the future. A.I. can even affect children’s cognitive and psychological abilities.
Photo: Ibrar from Ibrar Hussain / Canva Pro
All of this leads one to question: is being taught by A.I. really safe for kids — or, at the very least, beneficial? Can a computer really replace the instruction given by a traditional teacher?
Answers to these questions are unclear. But one thing that is obvious is that Alpha School is forging a new path and doing things differently than other schools. This is something that some parents and students will undoubtedly be drawn to, while others will remain skeptical.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, pop culture and news.