In this episode of We Should Talk, co-hosts Georgie-Ann Getton and Malcolm Paul are joined by educational consultant Nara Legrand (Founder of Legrand Prep) to dive deep into the impact of Artificial Intelligence on modern education. From high school students relying on ChatGPT for essays to professors grading papers with AI. We discuss the line between smart collaboration and loss of critical thinking. We also dive into unpacking the loss of "friction" in modern learning, the growing literacy crisis, and how parents and educators can foster true resilience and lifelong learning skills in an AI-driven world. In this episode, we cover: ➡️How AI is shifting student learning outcomes from active thinking to passive outputs➡️The difference between using AI as a collaborator versus an easy shortcut➡️Why removing friction from learning impairs critical thinking and resilience➡️The importance of focusing on proof of process over final deliverables in education➡️Actionable ways parents can instill discipline, financial literacy, and problem-solving skills at home GUEST BIO + CONTACT INFO Nara Legrand is an educator, entrepreneur, and the Founder and CEO of Legrand Prep, an education company built around a core belief: when students struggle, the answer is not simply more tutoring. It is figuring out why they are struggling in the first place. Her work combines diagnostic assessment, academic instruction, mindset, and executive functioning support to help students become stronger, more independent learners. With more than 15 years of experience in education and test preparation, Nara has worked with students across K through 12 and college settings and has helped families navigate everything from academic skill gaps to high stakes testing. A two time perfect SAT scorer, she developed the Rhodium Bridge Method, a diagnostic driven approach that addresses not only what students need to learn, but also the mindset, executive functioning skills, and learning habits that influence their performance. More than 92% of Legrand Prep students have reached SAT scores of 1400 or higher, and her students have earned more than $11 million in scholarships. Nara is a graduate of Columbia University, where she studied Political Science on the pre med track, and has continued her education in Women’s and Gender Studies and cybersecurity. Her work sits at the intersection of education, technology, equity, and the future of learning, with a particular interest in how AI can be used thoughtfully to strengthen critical thinking and meaningful instruction rather than replace them. As an educator, speaker, and mother, Nara is passionate about reimagining what education can look like when students are taught how to learn, not simply what to memorize. Her larger mission is simple but ambitious: to help fix America’s homework by creating better systems for how students learn, practice, and grow. Connect with Nara Website https://legrandprep.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081114817890 IG: https://instagram.com/nailingnumbersnara LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naralegrand/ If your child is preparing for the SAT and needs more than random practice questions, check out the SAT Training Lab by Legrand Prep. Students get a structured SAT study system with more than 90 instructional videos, practice and quizzes, full length tests, progress tracking, and support designed to help them identify what they are getting wrong, understand why, and know what to do next. Learn more and enroll: https://digitalsat.legrandprep.com/flagship-hybrid-sat-prep-program-page (00:00) - Teaser: The Podcast Problem & Intro (00:23) - Meet the Hosts & Special Guest Nara LeGrand (02:48) - Is AI Making Students Dumber? (03:36) - Kid 1 vs. Kid 2: Cheating vs. AI Collaboration (04:45) - 80% of Students Use AI for Homework: Where Did Effort Go? (07:44) - Lazy Kids or Lack of Resources and Mentorship? (10:00) - The Middle Schooler Who Wants AI to Write Her Newspaper Articles (12:09) - When Professors Use AI to Grade Papers (14:26) - Rethinking Education: Process Over Output (16:48) - Why We Need "Friction" and Difficulty to Actually Learn (20:04) - The Problem with Protecting Kids from the Struggle (24:32) - Why Boredom and Friction Create Better Brains (27:26) - How Education Begins at Home: Real Life Lessons (30:32) - The Lost Respect for Craft, Technique, and Complexity (35:59) - Final Words: Addressing the Literacy Crisis & Asking Better Questions (38:58) - Bonus Re-Do: Nara's Real Intro & Wrap Up
