Are Our Top Math Students Most at Risk from AI?

21st Century Skills in the Maths Classroom

Over the past few days, I’ve had some great discussions with people in the “maths world” who value equity in mathematics and creating classrooms where grappling, thinking and understanding are placed above simply performing. These conversations have been unfolding alongside the fast-paced and continuing advancement of AI.

My good friend Phil Jury just wrote an article on the role of AI and how we can prepare students for a world where none of us really knows which jobs will survive, or what the job market will even look like. It was an interesting read, and it reminded me again that I’m on the right track with my work in mathematics and Concept-Based Inquiry.

Phil’s article highlights the importance of 21st-century skills like collaboration, creativity and communication (they don’t all start with C!). These have often been called ‘soft skills’, which, to be honest, doesn’t do them justice. Nor does it honour those who show agility and leadership through them. The word soft often implies something feminine which, from a traditional patriarchal view, might suggest weakness. That implication can make these skills seem less valuable or less appealing, especially to those who’ve been conditioned to prioritise dominance and control. But as many of us already understand, it is precisely these skills that will be essential in the world ahead.

The Shift in Maths Education

My work centres around helping all children find a place for themselves in the broad and creative subject that is mathematics. Traditionally, mathematics classrooms have valued speed and performance. They often shift to the abstract too quickly, leaving those who need concrete and visual representations behind, relying on tricks just to get the right answer. My teaching heart has always been with the students navigating the labyrinth of maths and groping their way through, hoping not to encounter the Maths-minotaur. Those children are me. They are the ones I want to help build resilience, confidence and a sense of belonging in a system where maths is often seen as a beast to be conquered or avoided altogether.

The “Computer Kids”

I’ll be honest. I’ve always had to dig deep for the “computer kids.” These are the students who just seem to know the answer, they perform calculations quickly, like computers. They often resist inquiry because if the answer doesn’t come immediately, they don’t see the point. Vulnerability isn’t something they’re comfortable with, and their self-image as fast and accurate mathematicians needs to stay untouched. They often do well on tests but struggle to explain their thinking.

AI has changed this dynamic completely. Ironically, it’s these students I now worry about the most. I suspect that those who have thrived in the old style of maths, with its focus on speed and right answers, are exactly the ones most at risk of being replaced by AI. If all we’ve taught them to do is produce answers quickly, and now a machine can do that better, where does that leave them?

Intellect vs Intelligence: A Metaphor

Dr. Lynn Erickson once said, “Information without intellect is meaningless.” I recently unpacked that quotation for a workshop, and it made me stop and think. I’ve often used intellect and intelligence interchangeably, but there’s a difference. The best metaphor I came across is this: if your brain were a car, then intelligence is the engine, the power, how quickly you pick up new information. Intellect is how well you drive that car. How you steer. How you navigate. That helped bring Lynn’s quote to life. I’ve seen a few folks with a powerful sports car who didn’t seem to know how to drive it very well!

So back to our “computer kids.” If they have a strong mathematical engine but don’t know how to steer it thoughtfully, how well are we really preparing them for the future? Differentiation in mathematics is often seen as something we do for struggling students. Many teachers are often skilled at this, but are often unsure how to do this for our high flyers. However, I am often met with scepticism when I suggest including skills like communication, collaboration and creative problem-solving as a form of differentiation for those students. Teachers often want them to just work with bigger numbers. However, if a student is a mathematical isolate, someone who can’t share their knowledge, connect with others or adapt their thinking, are we truly helping them? They may get the grades, but what happens in the workplace, or in life?

Real Equity in Education

Equity in mathematics is about more than passing exams. It helps more people see themselves as mathematicians, whatever their level of understanding or background. But it also gives those who believe they’ve got maths “all wrapped up” a healthy moment of pause. It invites them to consider that perhaps theirs is not the only way, and that the voices of others might hold value or even spark new ideas.

A Turning Point: The Moment of Equity

One of the best things I’ve ever heard during my time teaching Concept-Based Inquiry mathematics came from one of those high-flying “computer kids.” This student had real ability when it came to calculation in mathematics, which gave him great confidence. Sometimes that confidence crossed into arrogance. He would unintentionally belittle others in class through his tone or reactions. One day, during a low-floor, high-ceiling inquiry, he paused and said, “Mr Patrick, I have never had to think about Maths in this way before.”

He looked frustrated. He was grappling, just like the rest of the class. And that moment brought me joy. It was a rare moment of equity. For the first time, he was feeling what many of his peers had felt their whole lives in maths. It was a turning point. He began to ask others for ideas, to listen and learn.

AI & Art: A Surprising Connection

Just recently, while teaching in a German-speaking school, I discovered that in German, AI is called Künstliche Intelligenz (KI). The word Kunst means art in German and it suddenly hit me that the word artificial also contains art. There’s creativity already built into the very idea of AI. It reminded me that if we treat AI only as a tool for efficiency and speed, we miss its potential to amplify humans. And in our classrooms, that’s where our focus needs to shift from replicating knowledge to nurturing the art of thinking, questioning and creating.

As AI continues to shift the landscape of education, it’s not just knowledge or speed that will matter. It’s the human capacity to question, to collaborate, to reflect and to grow. Equity in mathematics doesn’t mean lowering expectations. It means widening the frame so that every student, no matter where they start, sees themselves as a mathematician. And maybe, as machines take over more of the what, it’s time we invest even more in the why.