Writing in Education Week, Dennis Magliozzi and Kristina Peterson, high school English teachers in New Hampshire, discuss generative AI’s effect on teaching English students. The article has been edited for length and clarity.
“For a number of years, we have used in our classrooms the workshop model where the emphasis is always on process and discovery. Whether our students are drafting a personal narrative or crafting a polished argument, we guide them to embrace the messiness of writing. The workshop model is an educational philosophy that centers student ownership and authentic voice. In that frame, we present AI as another tool within the workshop, one that offers insights that may or may not be applicable.
“We have established a set of rules for writing with AI. (These can be found in our book AI in the Writing Workshop: Finding the Write Balance.)
“1) Write without any AI first. We want students to connect to their writing and to know what they are asking for feedback on rather than just asking AI to do the writing for them.
“2) Allow students to struggle on their own before turning to AI.
“3) Prompt the bot. One of our students, Lexi, spent the weekend how to end of her poem, and when she returned to school, she was still undecided. We loaded her poem into an AI bot, asking for feedback on her ending. After going over the list of suggestions provided by AI, we picked our favorite words or phrases to apply to her ending.
“4) Question AI results. When Lexi reflected on the use of AI in developing her poem, she wrote: “AI did help with my poem’s title and ending suggestions. I do not like to use AI, especially if I’m copying exactly what it states because, for lack of a better term, it feels too robotic and not organic. Whenever I use AI, I use it for inspiration and not to complete the assignment because I like how I write.”
“Suggestions from AI are just that, suggestions. We want our students to be aware of themselves as writers. Many, like Lexi, like how they write and don’t want to end up with what she calls a “robotic” voice.
”We don’t seek to pit human authorship against AI; rather we aim to show how the two can work together.
“We also challenge the misconception that AI tools serve merely as shortcuts, bypassing critical thinking and creativity. We can embrace AI as a thought partner, a means to enhance critical thinking and encourage deeper engagement with texts.
“An example: In her essay on “Macbeth,” another student, Cadence, was provided with an AI-generated essay on liquid imagery in the play. She noted both strengths and gaps in the response. One surprising insight for her came when ChatGPT connected the witches’ cauldron with the play’s themes of chaos. “I didn’t have any notes about the witches’ scene with the cauldron,” she reflected, “but ChatGPT noted the liquid imagery … and what it could symbolize.” This prompted her to expand her analysis, recognizing how liquid imagery in the witches’ scenes further conveyed Macbeth’s unraveling fate.
”Other students haven’t embraced AI. Lauren feels strongly about holding onto her own writing voice. In a class survey, she stated, “To me, writing is something that is purely made from passion and interest. I feel that this is what AI misses … . Although AI can be helpful in minor ways, such as finding a word that sounds just right in an assignment, I feel that I would be just fine without AI.” While some students thrive with AI’s push, others remain skeptical and choose to push back. Both responses are valid in our classrooms.
“By shifting the image of AI from shortcut to scaffold, we encourage students and educators to engage with technology in ways that deepen learning and elevate authorship. Students can interrogate, question, and ultimately refine what AI provides.
“Teachers must resist the siren song of instant grading using AI. If we teach our students throughout their writing lives what the grading robot says matters most, then we are teaching them that their audience doesn’t matter. Similar to our rule of writing first, teachers need to engage with student content before they consider using AI to help them provide feedback.
“When we teach our students that their voices matter, their perspectives are unique, and their work is their own, we empower them to push their thinking, defend their ideas, and refine their craft. Meaningful integration of AI into our classrooms challenges us to prioritize critical thinking and creativity over mere convenience. “
Education Week
