"It's not going to take the place of teachers, it's just going to empower them" - How AI is being used in Maryville Elementary Schools

"It's not going to take the place of teachers, it's just going to empower them" - How AI is being used in Maryville Elementary Schools

WBIR 10News Today

Author: Aaron Velasquez

August 5, 2025

MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Artificial Intelligence is one of the biggest talking points as kids return to school this year, with many school districts having adopted its use. 

10News spoke to educators from Maryville City Schools at Foothills Elementary to hear their thoughts on how the new technology will be used in classrooms. They say when talks of AI first began, educators had many questions and concerns, but the teachers say they are always adapting to new ways to teach their students, so AI was just another tool at their disposal. 

"It started out as a fearful thing what will happen next," Kristin Bosco, Principal at Foothills, said. "What will become of AI and what will become of our jobs and what is this going to look like in the classroom?"

This year, the district is giving its staff access to a program called Magic School AI.  

"How are we going to keep it safe but also how are we going to bring this to our students and our teachers so that they have access to it, because inevitably we are going in the direction of AI," Bosco said. 

Foothills Elementary third-grade teacher, Kara Matthews, says the program isn't meant to replace teachers but to assist them in their everyday work. 

"I have always been able to create my own curriculum, and so for me, not having scripted curriculum, I am used to coming up with ideas and you know lessons that can help my kids," Matthews said. "Now they gave me a platform to be able to help me with that I think I was really excited about." 

STEM Teacher Alyson Colclough says while AI can help assist teachers, it is still up to them to put their lessons together. 

"AI can give the bare bones or the skeleton of lessons or emails but it really comes down to the teacher giving their personal touch to things," Colclough said. 

Mrs. Mathews says she expects AI will be used more by teachers than students.

"For me, I take that standard, and then I know my kids and I think about how they are and I think about the year and the season we're in, and there's so many different things to where I come up with the idea, and then AI helps implement that," Matthews said.

She explains the common misconceptions surrounding how students will use AI, saying it's not something that kids will immediately use to cheat on their homework. 

The educators at Foothills know that AI is the future for their young students and ensure students' privacy is the top concern in this new digital landscape. 

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/10news-today/how-ai-is-being-used-in-maryville-elementary-schools/51-c7b2c5bf-2be7-4fe1-bb1f-2fcea9b7e5c7