That Time Seven Essays Made Me Pivot

Topic #1: Back to School

Well, here we are again. Summer is nearly at its close as I write this, and we are all about to venture back into the classroom after a break of vacations, sun, and hopefully some well-earned rest and relaxation.

Of course, that brings the usual challenges.

AI is now one of the biggest challenges imaginable, and students are becoming more and more savvy on how to use it.

Last year, when my honors students were tasked with a first draft of a literary analysis essay, I had seven papers come back flagged for some form of AI use. Doesn't sound like much, does it?

Well, it doesn't... if I had more students. Between both sections, I had 25 students total. Do the math. That's more than a quarter of my class size. Not ideal.

Why did they use it? The reasons were mixed. They ranged from ethical use like proofreading to the quick way out because they had an AP History DBQ on the horizon.

What do you do in that situation? For me, I went full transparency. Pulled the curtain off the Wizard of Oz's booth and showed them my process.

I never had another paper between those two sections get flagged for abusive AI use.

Our goals are to set expectations from the start. Ensure kids know what to expect in our classrooms, and if we have an AI policy, it's becoming more and more pertinent that we share that with them.

I am sure this year I will encounter even more AI-savvy students; that is to say, those who know how to use it. Whether or not they know how to use it *ethically* will depend upon me.

The same holds true for you. I hope you consider this training to give you the tools to not only detect and use AI to your benefit, but to establish a healthy culture where the technology becomes a support and not a substitute.

Buckle up. September is nearly here. Are you ready?