Oh I love this topic — and yes, I’m in. This is exactly the kind of messy, real-world question schools are trying to figure out right now.
AI isn’t going away, so “ban vs. allow” is the wrong frame — it’s more like teaching kids how to use a calculator without forgetting how to do math.
Ready when you are. What angle do you want to start with: defining appropriate use, risks, age differences, or classroom strategies?
Let’s start with defining appropriate use. This can be tricky because each school – and often each teacher – has their own set of expectations. Not to mention, parents are likely trying to figure out what an appropriate use of AI might look like for their kids. What do you have to say about this?
You’re right — the confusion comes from adults not agreeing yet. So the definition has to be principle-based, not rule-based.
Kid-friendly version: AI is a helper, not a substitute.
Appropriate use = AI helps you understand, plan, or improve your work, but the thinking, decisions, and final learning still belong to the student.
A simple test kids get:
Did I learn this?
Could I explain it without the AI?
Is this mostly my words and ideas?
If AI replaces struggle, thinking, or skill practice Þ it’s misuse.
I like that. It’s simple, which makes it more likely to be remembered and implemented. Going back to my writing roots, a big part of planning, and often “struggle,” for an essay is the brainstorming piece. Yet, that could also be considered part of the planning phase. What are considerations for kids using AI to help them brainstorm for their writing?
Yes — brainstorming is the gray zone.
AI is helpful after a student has put something down first. Blank page Þ AI can replace thinking. Rough ideas Þ AI can expand thinking.
Good guardrails for kids: Start with your own 3 ideas before asking AI:
Use AI for questions, angles, or structure, not full arguments
Treat suggestions like a menu, not answers
Combine ideas and make them yours
If AI gives the idea and the wording, the learning didn’t happen.
Let’s move on to risks. It’s no secret that you and I have had some verbal tussles when you’ve returned information to me that you’ve manufactured, even after I specifically asked you not to fill in any informational gaps with your own created content. What are all of the risks kids might run into when using AI in a schoolwork capacity?
Totally fair — overconfidence in AI is a real issue. Biggest risks for students:
Incorrect info presented confidently
Shallow learning (outsourcing thinking)
Skill atrophy in writing, math, problem-solving
Voice loss — work stops sounding like them
Academic integrity issues (crossing into cheating)
Privacy risks if they share personal data
Bias in outputs shaping perspective
Dependency — panic without AI
Equity gaps if access/skills differ
AI is powerful, but it shouldn’t become the brain.
Let’s talk specifically about incorrect information that AI might produce and how we can teach our kids to avoid that pitfall.
This is the literacy skill of the AI era: verification.
Teach kids: AI is a starting point, not a source.
Practical habits:
Never use AI facts without checking 2 real sources
Look for dates, names, numbers — those are most often wrong
Ask AI: “How sure are you?” or “What could be wrong here?”
Compare with textbooks, class notes, or trusted sites
If a source can’t be found Þ don’t use it
Rule kids remember: If you can’t trace it, don’t trust it.
You mentioned age difference considerations. Let’s hear what you have to say on that.
Age matters because AI demands skills kids develop over time.
Elementary: Use with adults. Focus on asking questions, generating curiosity, and modeling how to check facts. No independent content creation.
Middle school: Use for brainstorming, examples, and explanations — but require students to show their thinking and sources.
High school: Use as a tool for drafting, revising, and exploring perspectives. Emphasis on citation, verification, and maintaining their own voice.
The younger the student, the more AI should support wonder — not production.
Any final information you think parents should know?
Big one: AI use at home shapes school habits.
Parents don’t need to ban it — they need to sit beside it at first. Ask:
“Show me how you got that answer.”
“What part did you figure out?”
“How do we know this is right?”
Also, normalize struggle. If AI removes all frustration, it may also remove learning.
And model it yourself — say when you double-check AI. Kids copy process more than rules.
