Post by Renate Macpherson

We all have people in our lives who quietly shape how we think about the future. For me, one of those people is my father in law, George Andrew Macpherson. George is one of my greatest role models. Not because of the remarkable career he has had- although that alone would be impressive enough. He has worked across Africa, advised governments and international organisations, produced programmes for the BBC, written award-winning journalism and published books. What inspires me most is how he lives today. In retirement, in the beautiful village of Villetoureix in France, George continues to embrace life with curiosity, generosity and purpose. He plays cello in the local orchestra, contributes to his community, writes books, learns new things and never seems to stop asking questions about the world around him. George is also a Quaker, and I often see that influence in the way he approaches life: with humility, deep reflection, respect for others and a willingness to sit with uncertainty rather than rush towards simple answers. Recently he shared a reflection titled My Brain and I. At first glance it is a personal essay about ageing, memory, belief and human consciousness. But reading it through the lens of education and artificial intelligence, I found something surprisingly relevant. George writes about discovering that he does not have to agree with every suggestion his brain gives him. He can listen, reflect, challenge and choose. In many ways, this feels like one of the defining challenges of our time. As AI becomes a constant companion in our lives and schools, perhaps our task is not to become more machine-like, but more human. To learn how to think with intelligent systems without surrendering our judgement to them. The future may not depend on having all the answers. It may depend on asking better questions. At an age(87) when many people are expected to slow down, he continues to explore, create, contribute and learn. He reminds me that curiosity has no retirement age and that a life well lived is a life that remains open to new ideas. #LifelongLearning #Education #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #Curiosity #Learning Andy Hargreaves Sean Slade Stig Johannessen Marlen Faannessen Tore Skandsen Yngve Lindvig Kristine Østbye Mukesh Sharma Jack Durkan 🇺🇦Andrew Wambua, Dr.phil.Jenny Avon