Expertise in the Age of AI
Download MP3In this episode, Matthew sits down with Merissa Sadler-Holder, founder of Teaching with Machines and the person he credits as a catalyst in his career. They dig into what it really takes to bring AI into schools—from building student-facing AI literacy curricula to navigating the resistance, fear, and identity shifts educators face. Along the way, they explore AI as a mirror of what we value, why we're shifting from paying for time to paying for expertise, and how teachers with zero coding experience are building interactive games in minutes. It's a conversation about curiosity, change management, and why your expertise matters more now—not less.
In this conversation:
- The critical distinction between AI literacy and AI fluency—and why students are skipping the foundation
- How Merissa co-designed an AI curriculum with students at an alternative ed school (and what happened when lessons completely flopped)
- A historical analogy that reframes the entire AI-and-creativity debate
- Why a consulting client pushed back on paying full price when AI made the work faster—and what that means for the future of your expertise
- Teachers vibe coding interactive games on day one with zero prior training
- A 45-minute parking lot conversation that reveals what AI resistance is really about
Video Chapters:
- 0:00 — Introduction & Meeting Merissa
- 2:49 — Teaching with Machines Today
- 3:55 — AI Literacy vs. AI Fluency
- 6:17 — Social Media Lessons & Critical Thinking
- 9:41 — Building an AI Curriculum with Students
- 20:38 — AI, Art, and Creativity
- 27:06 — Paying for Expertise, Not Just Time
- 29:09 — Vibe Coding & Empowering Teachers
- 32:23 — Light Bulb Moments
- 39:11 — Navigating Change & Resisting Optimization
- 50:48 — Closing Thoughts & What's Next
Connect with us:
- (00:00) - Introduction & Meeting Merissa
- (02:49) - Teaching with Machines Today
- (03:55) - AI Literacy vs. AI Fluency
- (06:17) - Social Media Lessons & Critical Thinking
- (09:41) - Building an AI Curriculum with Students
- (20:38) - AI, Art, and Creativity
- (27:06) - Paying for Expertise, Not Just Time
- (29:09) - Vibe Coding & Empowering Teachers
- (32:23) - Light Bulb Moments
- (39:11) - Navigating Change & Resisting Optimization
- (50:48) - Closing Thoughts & What's Next
We’re thrilled to be sponsored by Renaissance and IXL.
Learn more about Renaissance:
Learn more about Renaissance:
As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.
IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:
- Simplify and streamline technology
- Save teachers’ time
- Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
- Improve student performance on state assessments
🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.
