“Learning by example” is paramount to leading by example.

In a recent family engagement workshop that I had the privilege to lead in Kilgore, Texas, I shared one way that you could use AI to connect with individuals in your community when English is not their first language.

I used the website Rask.Ai and recorded a quick video at the Starbucks I was sitting in. I then uploaded the video to the site, which converted it to the languages of my choosing (Spanish and Greek). It was a mind-blowing use of technology that was new to me, and there are endless possibilities for how we could use it not only to connect with our community but also for learning in schools.

Here is the video and the translations (I used CapCut to do the auto-captions in English and Spanish, but you could do that in Rask.AI with the paid version):

 

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A post shared by George Couros (@gcouros)

Here are a couple of things I wanted to share about creating this video:

1. I was asked to speak at the parent engagement conference, and although I have been presenting on this topic for years, I am still a learner. I hate the idea of being considered an “expert” in anything, as there is more that I don’t know than I do.

But often, by default, if you speak at a conference, you are considered the expert by many. Yet, becoming an expert is daunting and unattainable in many fields. Being a learner in any field is attainable by all.

That is why I didn’t do this video with fancy lighting; I did it right where I was.  So many videos on social networks are more about hoping to go “viral” rather than sharing ideas and learning. I am a bit old-school in my thinking about social media (as old-school as you can be with such a new technology).

How can you use these spaces to show your willingness to learn and grow to those you serve?

I wrote about this in “What Makes a Great Principal” on the importance of being a “Continuous Learner”:

“We often ask our staff and students to do something that they do not see us doing ourselves. Not that we aren’t, they just don’t see it. People are more likely to take steps forward on a path if they see footprints from others on the ground.”

There is a difference between being willing to learn and being willing to learn in front of others.

Learning by example is paramount to leading by example.

2. I often share that we have a narrative that “kids are way better at using technology than adults.” Not me.  The only difference between many kids and adults is their willingness to push buttons to see what happens. Does school almost kill that willingness with a focus on “perfection” over “progress”? For example, if you shared some insights on what I am writing, it could spark me to write more. I might not want to continue if you just wrote a grade in the comments.

A joke I make about education, which holds some truth, is, “Learning is your job; it is literally your job.”

To become better at teaching you have to continuously grow as a learner.

I also share the following in “What Makes a Great Principal”:

The same curiosity, wonder, and willingness to explore new ideas to understand their benefits (and negatives) we hope from our students is something we need to model in ourselves.

Process over product every day.

Some information and tools will change over time, but our ability to learn is something that will last forever.