I’ve been more concerned about AI use lately so I’m glad I got to chat with Dr. Tony Frontier about his new book, AI with Intention: Principles and Action Steps for Teachers and School Leaders — a book that John Hattie calls “the best book I have read to introduce all to optimize the power of AI.”
Rather than offering quick tips or flashy tools, Frontier’s book and this conversation focus on something deeper: how educators and leaders can use AI ethically, thoughtfully, and intentionally to support — not undermine — learning. Together, Jenn and Tony explore how school leaders can guide their communities through one of the most transformational technological shifts in education.
We talked about how school leaders can:
Lead by learning — understand AI’s power and limits before adopting it.
Pursue transformational (not transactional) change by aligning AI use with core values.
Emphasize integrity through transparency and explainability in student work.
“Just because a tool can make learning faster doesn’t mean it makes it better.”
Actions for School Leaders
Model learning. Engage with AI tools yourself and share your learning transparently.
Ask big questions. Don’t start with “Which tools should we use?” Start with “What do we value?”
Revisit assessment design. Include questions that test for explainability and transparency.
Foster open dialogue. Encourage conversations with staff and students about how AI should and shouldn’t be used.
Prioritize ethics and purpose. Make sure every use of AI aligns with your school’s mission and students’ best interests.
Walk away with MAIN IDEAs…
1 MAIN IDEA: AI tools are created to process everything more quickly. Good learning happens when we slow down. Think about how we can use AI tools to slow down the more effective so we engage in more effective teaching and learning.
1 HIGH-LEVERAGE ACTION FOR LEADERS: Jump onto an AI tool like Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT and just interact with it like you are a teacher. Ask it to plan some lessons, upload some standards. Ask for feedback on the quality and assignment or an assessment. Then jump in there like you are a student, and engage an AI tool as a tutor to help coach and teach you about some specific academic content.
1 RESOURCE: Ethan Mollick’s Substack, One Useful Thing
Connect with Tony Frontier: https://tonyfrontier.com/
Get the Book: https://www.ascd.org/books/ai-with-intention?variant=124032
Connect with Jenn
Jenn@TheMainIdea.net
