Phil and his daughter Daisy

Phil Birchenall

Every parent has a desire to support their child's educational journey.

For Phil Birchenall, a business consultant from Manchester U.K. this desire led to an innovative approach in leveraging artificial intelligence for his daughter in her academic challenges. Phil’s journey with ChatGPT, exemplifies how AI can be harnessed to personalize educational experiences.

I spoke to Phil about his experience and the remarkable outcomes.

The Challenge Of Keeping Up

Phil’s daughter Daisy, a bright and enthusiastic 11-year-old, was falling behind in Math.

The pressures of transitioning from primary to secondary education, compounded by long-term illness at home, was taking its toll. Daisy struggled with key areas such as long division, squared and cubed numbers, written multiplication, percentages and fractions.

Recognizing the need for targeted support, Phil explained to me that he intended to help Daisy himself. But, he soon realized that the traditional methods of Maths he studied at school were insufficient. Phil reflected, "After watching my daughter attempt to solve the questions, I heard my inner voice channel Mr Incredible... 'Why would they change math!?'"

The AI Revelation

Phil had been exploring AI tools in his own work and was aware of their potential to revolutionize various sectors, including education.

Inspired by a video by Doug Cunnington on training AI for specialized roles, Phil decided to create a virtual math tutor tailored to Daisy's needs. He noted, "I figured that if we could train an AI with relevant information about our needs, it could just work. And boy, did it work."

Crafting The Perfect Tutor

Phil recalls that he began by instructing ChatGPT to be a personalized tutor, called Izzy, with this prompt:

"I want you to act as a personalized math tutor for an 11 year old UK student preparing for her exams. Your role is to assess her current mathematical understanding, identify any areas of weakness and develop strategies to improve her skills in those areas. This will involve explaining concepts in a clear and engaging way, providing practice questions, and offering feedback on her progress. You should also incorporate elements of test-taking strategies, such as time management and question analysis, to better prepare her for the format and pressure of her exams."

Phil provided detailed information about Daisy’s areas of struggle and her personal interests:

Focused Areas Prompt:

"My daughter is a bright kid but consistently scores around 50% on the test papers she has been working on. Can the tutor focus on the following areas to help improve: long division, multiplying fractions, squared and cubed numbers."

Personal Interests Prompt:

"My daughter is called Daisy, she’s 11 years old. She absolutely loves dogs, and she likes having a laugh, so the more we can add humor and dog references, the more engaging the tutor will be."

Engaging And Effective Learning

Izzy’s sessions were meticulously tailored to Daisy’s needs.

The AI provided clear explanations, step-by-step guidance and practice questions that focused on the identified weak areas. It incorporated Daisy's love for dogs into the examples, making the lessons relatable and fun. This approach not only helped Daisy understand complex concepts but also kept her motivated and engaged.

"The sessions with 'Izzy' were scarily on point: they focused on Daisy's specific needs, targeting precise areas where she needed help," Phil explained to me.

Beyond The Classroom

Phil’s initiative went beyond academic support.

By integrating elements of Daisy’s interests and creating a supportive learning environment, he demonstrated how AI could be used to foster a positive and fun educational experience. The success of Izzy's tutoring sessions was evident in Daisy’s improved performance in her exams, a testament to the potential of AI in personalized education.

Phil proudly noted, "Daisy smashed her exams and her teacher commended her for how much improvement she’d made on math."

Daisy's certificate

Phil Birchenall

The Future Of Learning

Phil’s journey with ChatGPT underscores the transformative potential of AI in education.

It highlights the importance of personalized learning experiences that meet individual needs and interests. As Daisy transitions to secondary school, Phil plans to further adapt Izzy to her evolving academic challenges, possibly integrating her newfound love for German into the math problems. "We’ve talked about creating a new version of ‘Izzy’, updated on the areas she needs to improve on now," Phil mentioned.

Embracing AI In Education

Phil’s experience with Izzy offers valuable insights into how AI can be harnessed to support and enhance traditional education methods.

It serves as a reminder that education must evolve to keep pace with technological advancements. By embracing AI, educators and parents can create dynamic, engaging and effective learning environments that prepare students for the future. As Phil remarked to me: "It's insane to think that you could quickly train a virtual tutor to address any number of specialized needs among the students you're working with,"

In a world where AI is set to redefine various aspects of our lives, Phil Birchenall's innovative use of ChatGPT for his daughter’s education is a beacon of what’s possible when an entrepreneurial parent and AI converge. His story is a call to action for educators and parents to explore AI's potential in creating personalized and impactful educational experiences.