As I reflect on my conversations with residents this past week, a few in particular have stayed with me and given me a lot to think about.
I spoke with a young father whose baby was only five days old. He asked me where I stand on the use of AI in schools. I shared that while AI can make knowledge and information more readily accessible, effective teaching involves so much more. It requires a deep understanding of content standards, sound instructional practices, and the ability to use data to recognize and respond to the individual needs of each student. AI is not yet able to effectively replace these essential aspects of teaching, and it remains far from meeting all of these criteria.
Our conversation then took an interesting turn. He told me that he realized he needed to pay more attention to our elected city officials and the work they do for our community. I told him how wonderful it would be to see his little one eventually attend one of our neighboring TUSD schools. What a beautiful reminder that the decisions we make today can shape the educational experiences of children who are not even old enough to walk yet.
Another conversation that stayed with me was with a mother who shared her children’s experience attending Stonefields School in Auckland, New Zealand, when her family relocated there for a year for personal reasons.
She described a very different approach to learning. Stonefields uses an innovative, collaborative, open-plan learning environment with multi-age “Learning Hubs.” One concept especially caught my attention: when students become stuck or struggle with something, they can tell others that they are “in the pit.” Their classmates then collaborate, support one another, and help each other work through the challenge.
What struck me most was the mindset behind it — being stuck is not viewed as failure, but as part of the learning process. That idea of creating a classroom culture where students feel comfortable saying, “I don’t understand this yet,” and where classmates are encouraged to help one another, really intrigues me.
These conversations remind me why listening matters so much.
Every door I knock on brings a different story, perspective, and experience. Some conversations challenge me to think differently; others introduce me to ideas I had never considered.
And I believe that is how we continue to learn — by listening, asking questions, and remaining open to new possibilities.
