Episode Summary:

Michelle Culver, Founder of The Rithm Project and longtime educator, joins host Katie Martin to explore what it means to be deeply human in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. With over two decades of experience spanning classrooms, Teach For America leadership, and social innovation, Michelle shares how her own learning journey—from high school leadership programs to teaching in Compton and parenting her daughters—has shaped her commitment to fostering connection, curiosity, and belonging in education.

Michelle describes her ground-shifting realization when enrolling her daughter in a learner-centered school, where a five-year-old was empowered to design and direct her own play. That moment prompted her to question school-centered systems that limit curiosity and to imagine a future where all children can access learning experiences grounded in agency and relevance.

Through The Rithm Project, Michelle convenes diverse groups of educators, technologists, policymakers, and youth to examine the intersection of AI and human connection. She emphasizes the importance of designing spaces that embody relational trust and joy while confronting how emerging technologies shape belonging, identity, and equity.

Key topics covered include:

• 🤖 Understanding the rise of AI “companions” and their impact on youth relationships

• 🧠 Teaching AI literacy as both technical and relational learning

• 🪞 Encouraging bi-directional learning between students and adults about technology use

• 💬 Creating spaces for meaningful dialogue across generations and disciplines about the future of human connection

• 🫶 Reclaiming schools as places of belonging where students practice empathy, collaboration, and authentic relationships

Related Resources:

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• Tool: When to Leverage AI
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• Podcast: Keeping Humanity at the Center of Assessment with Buffy Cushman-Patz
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