LeeHawkins

🤖 AI in Education: A Tool to Embrace, Not Fear

When we hear about Artificial Intelligence in education, the conversation often splits into two camps: excitement about new possibilities, or fear that technology will replace teachers and make students lazy.

But the truth lies somewhere in between. AI should not be seen as a threat — instead, it’s a tool. Just like a calculator didn’t replace the need to understand mathematics, AI won’t replace teachers or real learning. It can, however, transform how efficiently teachers work and how creatively students learn.

🧑‍🏫 How Teachers Can Benefit from AI
Teaching is one of the most rewarding — and demanding — professions. Much of a teacher’s time is spent not on teaching itself, but on planning, grading, and administration. Not what I really want to be doing. AI can help with this:

Lesson Planning: Tools like ChatGPT can generate sample lesson plans, discussion questions, or reading comprehension activities in minutes. Teachers can then adapt them for their students. By using the right prompts, ChatGPT can create very specific activities.
Grading Assistance: AI can help give quick, formative feedback on essays or assignments, freeing teachers to spend more time on personal guidance. It’s also useful for turning notes into feedback. Just make sure you read it before sending. 😊
Differentiation: Every class has students at different levels. AI-powered platforms can suggest tailored exercises to support struggling learners or challenge advanced students.

The result? Teachers gain back time — and can reinvest it where it matters most: in motivating and guiding their students.

🎓 How Students Can Use AI as a Learning Partner
For students, AI is not about cutting corners — it’s about enhancing understanding. Used wisely, it can:

Clarify Complex Topics: Stuck on a concept? AI can explain it in simpler terms, or give examples until it “clicks.” I find this particularly useful for complex grammar explanations.
Practice Presentations & Writing: Students can rehearse with AI by asking for feedback on tone, clarity, or vocabulary. Of course, a real audience is better, but not always available. For some, using AI feels less intimidating than practicing in front of peers. The fear of “looking stupid” is removed.
Boost Creativity: From brainstorming ideas for projects to generating outlines for essays, AI helps students get started — while still leaving the thinking and writing to them.
Language Learning: For non-native speakers, AI can act as a conversation partner, correcting grammar and suggesting more natural phrasing.

The key is using AI as a guide, not a shortcut. Just as a dictionary doesn’t write an essay for you, AI shouldn’t either — but it can make the journey smoother.

🌍 Changing the Mindset: From Fear to Empowerment
Instead of fearing that “AI will take over,” we should ask: How can AI empower us?

Teachers can focus on human connection, creativity, and critical thinking.
Students can take more ownership of learning, using AI as a supportive tool.

The future of education is not about humans vs. AI, but humans with AI. Together, they can make learning more efficient, engaging, and personal.

✨ Final Thought
AI is here to stay, whether we like it or not. The question is: will we resist it out of fear, or embrace it as a tool to unlock new possibilities?

👉 My advice: experiment, explore, and see how AI can support your teaching or learning journey.
💬 How do you see AI shaping the future of education — as a threat, or as an opportunity?

What Your Body Language Is Saying When You Present

When you’re presenting, your audience starts “listening” to you before you speak — through your body language.

The way you stand, move, and make eye contact can make your message more powerful — or more forgettable.

👁️ 1. Eye Contact = Connection

Look at your audience — not your slides or notes.
In small rooms, try the “triangle method”:
👀 Look left, right, centre — and repeat.

In online presentations, look into the camera, not your own image.

Cultural note:
In some cultures (e.g. Japan), extended eye contact can feel aggressive. Adjust based on your context.

🧍 2. Posture = Confidence

Stand tall. Shoulders back. Feet shoulder-width apart.
Avoid swaying, slouching, or crossing your arms.

Tip: Practise in front of a mirror or on video — posture makes a bigger impression than you think.

✋ 3. Gestures = Emphasis

Use your hands to highlight key ideas — but don’t wave them constantly.

Open palms = honesty
Pointing = too aggressive (in some cultures)
Repetitive gestures = distracting

Watch:
👉 Amy Cuddy – Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are
Cuddy explains how body language affects not just others — but you.

🧠 4. Facial Expressions = Emotion

A smile adds warmth. Raised eyebrows show surprise.
Let your face match your message — or the audience won’t trust you.

Tip: Practise reading your face in a short video recording.

✨ Final Thought

Body language doesn’t replace what you say — it reinforces it.
Be aware of how you come across, and you’ll build trust without saying a word.

The Power of Pauses: Speaking Like Obama

When Barack Obama speaks, people listen. One of the reasons? He knows when to stop talking.

In a world full of noise, silence is powerful — and underused by most learners.

🎯 What Makes a Pause So Effective?

It creates suspense
Audiences lean in when you pause before making a key point.
It gives your message time to land
When you say something important, pause to let it sink in.
It shows confidence
Rushing sounds nervous. A pause tells the audience, “I’m in control.”

🎙️ Watch This:

👉 Barack Obama’s 2004 DNC Speech (YouTube)
Notice how he pauses before and after key points.

Also check out:
👉 Julian Treasure – How to Speak So That People Want to Listen

🛠️ How to Practise Pausing

Highlight key points in your notes
Add a pause before and after each point
Use a timer — literally practice 1–2 second pauses
Record yourself and play it back: Does it feel confident or rushed?

A pause is not empty — it’s full of meaning. Use it well, and your words will carry weight.

How to Sound Natural When Presenting in English

We all want to sound natural when speaking English — especially during a presentation. But for many non-native speakers, this feels out of reach. You’re not alone if you worry about sounding robotic, too formal, or unsure of yourself.

The good news? You don’t need to be perfect to sound fluent. You just need to focus on intonation, tone, and phrasing — the building blocks of natural speech.

🎯 5 Tips for Sounding More Natural

Use everyday phrases to start and end
Instead of:

“This presentation is structured as follows…”
Try:
“So, what I’d like to talk about today is…”

2. Keep your sentences short and clear
Long academic-style sentences make you sound stiff. Try:

“Here’s the problem.”
“Let me show you what I mean.”
This mirrors how native speakers present.

3. Emphasise key words with intonation
Raise your pitch slightly on important words:

“This really matters.”
“It was a huge mistake.”
(Record yourself and listen — you’ll hear the difference.)

4. Use pauses instead of fillers
Silence feels scary at first, but it’s more natural than “uhhh” or “sooo…”
Try saying a short sentence, then pause and breathe.

5. Smile — your tone will follow
Smiling when you speak adds warmth and softens your voice. Even on Zoom, it makes a big difference.

Remember: sounding natural isn’t about using big words — it’s about sounding human.

What Makes a Presentation Memorable? And How You Can Apply Those Secrets Yourself

We’ve all sat through presentations that felt like a slow drip of PowerPoint slides. And yet, once in a while, someone stands up and speaks — and something clicks. You’re hooked. You remember it. You repeat it to a friend later.

So, what’s the difference?
Why do some presentations stay with us, while others vanish the moment we leave the room?

In my experience teaching presentation skills, the most memorable talks share five key ingredients — and you can learn to use all of them.

🎯 1. A Clear Message — Not Just Information

Memorable presentations don’t just dump data or list bullet points. They have a core message — something the audience can take away and repeat in one sentence.

If you can’t summarise your message in a sentence, your audience won’t either.

Watch:
👉 Simon Sinek – Start with Why
Sinek doesn’t talk about marketing theory — he delivers one big idea: “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

🎭 2. Storytelling and Emotion

Facts fade, but stories stick. A good presentation draws you in with a story you care about, something that makes you feel — whether it’s laughter, surprise, or empathy.

Watch:
👉 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – The Danger of a Single Story
She doesn’t just make a point — she tells powerful, personal stories that bring it to life.

😄 3. Personality and Authenticity

People don’t remember perfect delivery — they remember realness. A memorable speaker is human, open, and often a little vulnerable.

Watch:
👉 Brené Brown – The Power of Vulnerability
Brown’s humour and honesty are what make her talk unforgettable.

⏸️ 4. Pauses, Timing, and Presence

How you say something can be more powerful than what you say. Pacing, pauses, and silence create drama and help your audience absorb key points.

Watch:
👉 Julian Treasure – How to Speak so That People Want to Listen
Treasure uses rhythm, voice, and pause like a musical performance.

A pause lets your message land. Rushing robs it of power.

🖼️ 5. Simple, Visual Support

The best presentations don’t rely on slides — but when they’re used, they’re visual, clean, and memorable.

Watch:
👉 Hans Rosling – The Best Stats You’ve Ever Seen
He transforms dry data into visual storytelling with energy and impact.

💡 Takeaway: You Can Learn This

Being memorable isn’t about talent or luck — it’s about intention and practice. You can:

✔ Structure your message
✔ Tell stories
✔ Be yourself
✔ Use silence
✔ Support your ideas with visuals

Want to get better at presenting? Choose one of the TED Talks above and watch how these techniques come to life — then try using one of them in your next presentation.

Let me know what you think — and if you’d like more tips, reflections, or real examples, follow along here on the blog.

Cheers,
Lee

🎨 Creativity: Are We Educating It Out of Ourselves?

This first blog post is inspired by a TED Talk I watched years ago — and I keep returning to it, both in my thoughts and in my classes. It’s not exactly a hidden gem; in fact, it’s one of the most watched TED Talks of all time.

I’m talking, of course, about Sir Ken Robinson’s iconic presentation:
👉 “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”

Why this talk still matters

There are two reasons why I keep sharing this video with students.

1. The message: creativity and how we lose it

Creativity is something we all talk about. We want to be more creative, we wonder where our creative spark went, or we assume it’s something only artists and musicians have. But what if — as Sir Ken argues — we’re actually educated out of creativity?

He shares a powerful example of a young girl who couldn’t sit still in class — today, she might be diagnosed with ADHD and medicated. But instead, someone recognised she was a dancer. She went on to found a world-renowned ballet company. The story is funny, moving, and deeply important.

Sir Ken blends personal stories with thoughtful critique, and he backs it up in his books like Creative Schools and You, Your Child, and School. If you’re a parent or educator, both are well worth reading.

But let’s be honest — this isn’t just about kids. It’s about all of us.

2. The delivery: how to give a talk that matters

I recommend this video to my students not just for what it says, but how it says it. Sir Ken Robinson delivers serious content with warmth, humour, and timing that makes you lean in and want more.

He tells stories that make you laugh and pause for thought — and just when you’re caught smiling, he drops a point that hits home. He doesn’t give you an outline at the start or a rigid structure. Instead, he leads you in gently, builds your trust, then challenges you to think differently.

It’s a masterclass in public speaking.

Some personal reflection

Looking back at my own school experience, creativity wasn’t exactly encouraged. The focus was often on ticking boxes, racing through topics, and sorting students into categories. Not because teachers didn’t care — far from it — but because the system didn’t give them much room to do otherwise.

I now see that many teachers were as much victims of that system as students were.

When I talk to my students — teens and adults from all walks of life — I hear similar stories. It makes me wonder: what is the true purpose of education? Is it economic? Personal? Both? Can we really nurture both ends at once?

I’ll let you think about that.

Final thought

If you’ve never seen this TED Talk, I encourage you to watch it — not just as an educator or student, but as someone who was once a child with boundless imagination. And if you have seen it, maybe it’s time to watch it again, with fresh eyes.

Let me know what you think — leave a comment or get in touch.
Cheers,
Lee

🎥 Watch: Do Schools Kill Creativity?

Author: LeeHawkins