AI in the Classroom: Tool or Threat?

Aurelio M. Aguite Jr.

Faculty
Nazareth School of National University Inc.

Division of City Schools, Manila

By now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seamlessly embedded itself into daily life—whether we realize it or not. From managing emails to creating lesson plans, AI is no longer a future technology. It’s here. And while its promises are vast, so too are its risks. The speed at which AI evolves is staggering—so fast, in fact, that many educators are struggling to keep up. The critical question is no longer whether we should use AI in education, but how.

In schools and universities around the world, AI is emerging as a powerful instructional tool. But it also casts a long shadow: Will AI eventually replace teachers? That concern may sound dramatic, yet it deserves serious attention. AI-assisted teaching is already being implemented in some institutions. While teachers still oversee these systems, the growing autonomy of machines raises uncomfortable possibilities.

Still, hope lies in adaptation. As highlighted in Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Learning by Jose Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson, the educators who fail to engage with AI risk being left behind. “Those who cannot use AI,” they write, “will be replaced by those who can.” It's a reality we’ve seen before—just as proficiency in Microsoft Office became a basic job requirement, AI literacy is fast becoming a non-negotiable skill.

But AI is not merely a technical challenge—it’s an ethical one. How do we ensure AI is used responsibly in the classroom? How do we prevent it from becoming a shortcut that erodes learning, creativity, and critical thinking?

This is where AI literacy becomes essential—not just for students, but for faculty as well. Bowen argues that “thinking with AI” must include a healthy skepticism of its outputs and a discipline-specific understanding of its limitations. Teachers must model critical engagement with AI tools and guide students through the same process. It's not enough to sprinkle critical thinking across a curriculum and hope students connect the dots. We need deliberate, structured instruction on how to evaluate, challenge, and refine what AI gives us.

The rise of AI should not diminish the role of the teacher—it should transform it. Teachers must now become facilitators of discernment, helping students navigate the flood of information AI delivers. That’s not a step backward; it’s a step toward deeper, more ethical learning.

The future of education is not about choosing between humans and machines. It’s about building a classroom where both can thrive—where human values shape digital tools, not the other way around. The question isn’t whether AI will be part of education. It already is. The real question is: Will we lead its use—or be led by it?

Waiting Costs No Pain: Discovering Your Success Journey

Raymond D. Garcia, MA – Math

Success is not a destination—it’s a journey. It’s about pursuing your passions, overcoming obstacles, and defining what truly matters to you.

Many people chase after money, titles, or social status, only to find themselves feeling empty once they achieve them. Success is not one-size-fits-all. It is personal and defined by the happiness, meaning, and sense of purpose you discover along the way. Real success often involves making a difference, doing what you love, and experiencing personal growth.

If you’re uncertain about how to define your own success, begin by creating your own formula through the acronym SUCCESS:

S – Set Smaller Goals
Success isn’t tied to age. Consider: Oprah was fired at 23; Julia Child wrote her first cookbook at 50; Nelson Mandela became president at 77. Success has no deadline. It unfolds in the rhythm of your soul, not society’s timeline.

U – Understand the Hindrances
Obstacles and life lessons are part of the journey. Often, clarity and transformation follow struggle. Know yourself well—self-awareness is the key to navigating personal dilemmas. Stay open-minded and patient.

C – Collect Good and Bad Advice
Remain humble and receptive. A hardened heart filled with anger and hate will hinder your growth. Measure success by who stands with you in difficult times. Success takes both courage and time.

C – Comply with Your Goals
Believe in yourself. Success does not come from imitating others, but from committing to your personal vision. Authenticity is essential.

E – Eliminate Comparison
Comparing yourself to others leads to dissatisfaction. When you see someone else’s achievements, it’s easy to feel behind. But comparison magnifies your flaws and diminishes your strengths. Focus on your journey—not someone else’s highlight reel.

S – Set Limits and Boundaries
Big goals can feel overwhelming. Break them into manageable steps. Define success in terms of daily, joyful progress. Sustainable achievement comes from consistent action over time.

S – Spend Effort Consistently
Hard work is required, but it should also feel fulfilling. Ask yourself:

• Does this use my strengths?

• Do I enjoy the process?

• Does it make me feel empowered?

• Can I sustain it long enough to see results?

These questions help ensure your efforts are meaningful and aligned with your personal vision of success.

What Success Is Not
Money, status, and possessions are poor indicators. They fade with time and offer only temporary satisfaction.

What Success Truly Is

• Truth – Living and speaking from your soul.

• Strength – Resilience in the face of hardship.

• Focus – Committing to what genuinely matters.

In the end, success comes from your willingness to try again and again, sweating through setbacks until your soul’s strength shines through. It’s not about reaching the top quickly—but about discovering who you become along the way.

Nurse Judith’s Notes: Crossing the Seas for Compassion

Mary Judith U. Hassan

In the southernmost frontier of the Philippines, where the sea kisses remote shores and waves whisper stories of resilience—this is my story. I live as a nurse whose quiet courage brings hope to some of the most isolated communities in my province.

I am Nurse Mary Judith U. H. Hassan, a rural health nurse working in Balabac, Palawan—a municipality composed entirely of islands, some more than an hour away from the mainland by boat. In particular, I serve six outer island barangays: Bugsuk, Bancalaan, Mangsee, Pandanan, Ramos, and Sebaring—each separated by miles of ocean, sometimes rough and unpredictable. For many, the sea is a barrier. But for me, it is a path—one I brave with unwavering determination.

Each week, with a backpack full of medicines, a cooler containing vaccines, and a heart filled with purpose, I board a small motorized boat. Sometimes alone, other times accompanied by a midwife or barangay health worker, we cross open waters under the sweltering sun or looming clouds. There are no roads—only waves and willpower.

During the monsoon months, the journey becomes even more perilous. Rain blurs the horizon. Waves pound against the hull. Yet, the mission does not pause. For patients with chronic illnesses, pregnant mothers due for check-ups, or children waiting for immunizations, my arrival is often their only chance at care.

In Mangsee, the farthest island located near the Philippine-Malaysian border, I once spent three nights stranded due to a sudden storm. With no signal to call my family and only a small clinic for shelter, I stayed calm and used the opportunity to conduct health education with the locals. And I prayed harder.

To the people I serve, I am more than a healthcare provider. I am a midwife, a teacher, a counselor, and at times, a social worker. In Bancalaan, I help train barangay health workers in tuberculosis detection. In Pandanan, I coordinate feeding programs for undernourished children. In Bugsuk, I conduct mental health check-ins with teenagers following a traumatic local incident. I am not just a nurse—I am so much more.

My work is not measured in hours or paychecks, but in lives improved and hope rekindled. One mother from Sebaring once told me, “My son had a fever and could not stand. We had no medicine. Just as I was about to paddle to the next island, Nurse Judith arrived. She saved my child. We owe her our lives.”

Balabac is not without its challenges—intermittent electricity, limited medical equipment, scarce supplies, and dangerous travel. But I face each with the quiet resolve of someone who knows her calling. I laugh gently when asked why I have not transferred to a city hospital. “There, I’d be one of many. Here, I am needed,” I say.

My story has begun to ripple through the healthcare community. Colleagues admire me. Students look up to me. I was born here. I will serve here. I was called to this profession not to acquire wealth—but to promote health.

In a time when many dream of opportunities abroad or city comforts, I hope to remind every nurse of the nobility of staying. Of serving. Of loving your country in the most literal and courageous ways—by crossing seas, village by village, patient by patient. My story is a call to all: that no community is too far, and no service too small when done with compassion.

I may not wear a cape to be called a hero. Sometimes, white uniforms, stethoscopes, and humble boats at sunrise are enough—to bring healing with every wave I cross.

I am Judith, and this is my Nurse’s Notes.