“Ask us what’s working. Ask us what’s not.”

These were the words I heard from high school students during a recent panel I moderated on how AI is impacting their education. It was a powerful reminder to treat our students not as mere participants in our classrooms, but as partners in learning. Mountain View High School Principal Kip Glazer, pictured with students in the featured image, consistently honors student voice and encourages student leadership at her school site. And the benefits to the learning environment are substantial. When students own the learning process, the content is better sustained and motivation increases. And in an AI-infused world, where so much is shifting quickly, their perspective matters more than ever.

As a K-12 student in the 20th century, I didn’t grow up with ChatGPT or AI writing assistants. In fact, co-author Adam Juarez and I, in our new release History Matters in an AI Era state, “As high school students we experienced teachers’ trepidation regarding student use of the internet and witnessed peers printing out blatantly plagiarized online content to pass off as their own writing on assignments.” Now, decades later, teachers have similar concerns about AI. As educators, we are learning to navigate generative AI tools while attempting to simultaneously consider the best way to guide students through their own learning journeys. The truth is, we don’t have all the answers, but our students can help us ask better questions.

Feedback Matters More Than Ever

Student voice is essential. The students on the panel were not asking for less structure or accountability. I heard students comment about how simple it can be to use AI to complete assignments, to use it to take shortcuts in learning. But what these students are looking for most is transparency and meaningful assignments that make them actually want to learn the material, not just worry about getting a passing grade. These students were asking to be heard. They want us to check in, to notice when something clicks, to change course when something falls flat. Students indicated they would much rather learn from a teacher than from an AI chatbot, and that they are most likely to turn to AI when they are struggling to learn material from a teacher alone. Students are using AI tools for more than we may realize, whether as a tutors or to create quiz questions to help them study. We may not be aware of this unless we ask. And this information, in turn, can help us to refine our teaching to best meet the needs of those we serve, the students themselves.

As we head into a new school year, let’s start with curiosity. Let’s build feedback loops that give students a say in how they learn, so we can better meet the needs of today’s learners in a fast-paced continually changing world. And rather than assume students will use AI to cheat, let’s honor their perspective and lead with an asset based approach, asking the students themselves what they believe are appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI.

It can feel daunting to talk about AI when many of us are still learning how to use it ourselves. This is why giving students thoughtful reflection prompts about not merely AI tools, but about the thinking behind their choices, is a key first step. In younger grades, this begins with asking students to honor the process of learning, not just the product. When we focus on the learning itself rather than the grade received, we help students value more than an assignment’s end product. And this makes them less likely to turn to AI to complete assignments for them.

The following prompts can help encourage metacognition and responsible AI use across grade levels.

Primary Grades (K–2): Starting with Simple Language

Focus on how students solved problems, what they noticed, and what they liked.

• “What helped you do your best work today?”
• “Did you use a tool to help you write or draw? What was it?”
  • Note: Edtech tools used by K-2 increasingly embed generative AI. These include image generation in Canva, video generation in Adobe, and more.
• “If something felt tricky, what did you try to make it easier?”

Use pictures, sentence stems, or think-alouds to support these reflections. You can also model them during read-alouds or class meetings.

Upper Elementary (3–5): Beginning to Think Critically

Engage students in practicing language around tools and choices.

• “What tech tools or websites helped you today? How did they help?”
• “What did you learn on your own, and what did a tool help you do?”
• “Would you use that tool again? Why or why not?”
• “If you used AI (like a chatbot or generator), how did it change your work?”
  • Note: Generative AI is often embedded within edtech tools that students are already using in the classroom. (AI is more than just ChatGPT)

Prompt students to describe their thinking, not just their actions.

Middle and High School (6–12): Reflecting with Depth

These students can reflect more critically on ethics, effectiveness, and learning outcomes.

• “Did you use any AI tools this week? What did you use them for?”
• “What made you decide to use or not use AI on this assignment?”
• “What do you think are the benefits of using AI for learning? What are the risks?”
• “Did AI help you understand something better, or just finish faster?”
• “What is something you created that felt like your voice, even if AI helped?”

Encourage short writing reflections, digital logs, or class discussions.

Power of Reflection

Reflection turns AI from a shortcut into a learning partner. When we create space for students to pause and think about how they use (or choose not to use) AI, and to consider what it means for their learning, we build digital agency, not just digital skills.

Asking students to reflect also reminds them (and us) that they are still the driver. AI may assist, but the learning belongs to them. We need humans in the driver seat, not AI.

May we listen to students. May we ask questions. May we keep wondering, exploring, and learning, together.