Why the WAY Game Belongs on the List of Top AI Education Tools (Even if It’s Not Built by Silicon Valley)

the WAY Game Rules!

In the age of AI-powered learning tools, it's easy to feel like the future of education is being written by engineers in tech hubs. But what if some of the most potent solutions come from classrooms, community centers, and kitchen tables?

I'm Brian McCarthy, a retired teacher and the creator of thewaygame.ca. This grassroots initiative combines face-to-face connection, gamified learning, and AI support to help students grow into confident, creative, and compassionate people.

In recent years, we’ve seen a wave of AI-supported education tools—from Khanmigo’s AI tutor to Magical’s lesson plan generator. They’re efficient, fast, and promising.

But here’s the truth: speed isn’t the same as depth. And automation isn’t the same as understanding.

The WAY Game — part of a broader framework I call SWAY (A SMART WAY to Learn, Earn & Play) — uses AI differently. Instead of replacing the teacher, it empowers them. Instead of automating students’ thinking, it amplifies it.

It doesn’t just help students complete tasks. It helps them ask better questions, share their stories, and reflect on gratitude, service, and respect.

I use ChatGPT and CAP Notes to draft lesson guides, edit Game Card instructions, or generate prompts to improve SWAY. But the soul of the WAY Game — the connection between teammates, the laughter in the room, the quiet moment of self-awareness — that’s human. And that’s what matters.

So while the world marvels at AI-generated lesson plans and adaptive quizzes, I’m inviting educators, parents, and lifelong learners to try something different:

• A classroom game that builds empathy

• A notebook system that captures real learning

• A collaborative tool that turns classmates into teammates

• And yes — a blog that shows you how it’s all being built, right here, with the help of AI

I may not have Silicon Valley's budget, but I do have something better: real classrooms, real stories, and a real plan.

Want to see how it works? Explore the site, download the free tools, and read the prompts I used with ChatGPT. Better yet, try a round of the WAY Game with your students, family, or colleagues.

This is education, not as a product, but as a practice worth sharing.

Please "Pass the Play," and I approve this message.

Brian McCarthy

Retired Teacher & Creator of SWAY