Avoid Moral Lectures When Teaching Kids About AI 🤖

The mistake a lot of parents and teachers make when addressing AI with their kids and students is leading with a moral argument. They say plagiarism is bad and lying is bad. That is not the point.

*note* as all teachers should, take into consideration any IEP or 504 needs when presenting a lesson

The reason we do not use AI when we are learning is because we have to protect our brains at all costs. Your brain is your most valuable asset as an adult. It is how you land better opportunities, how you build real friendships and communities, how you problem solve, and how you make smart decisions that keep you out of trouble.

Yes, you can buy most of these things with gobs of money. But most of us do not have gobs of money. I tell my kids to imagine the life they want to have as an adult, and then I tell them their brain is their best chance at achieving that.

AI is a tool that can be used, but it has to be used in the right way. As adults we use Google as a tool all the time, and even kids use it to check what movies are out or to answer a curiosity. That is very different than using Google to complete the assignments that are supposed to grow our brain. It is the same with AI.

I think it is important to acknowledge in front of the class that it is not fair for me to tell them that effort alone is going to win them the world. Life is not fair. Some kids face learning difficulties or a hard home life. That is when I will make a commitment to support them to the best of my abilities. I am ready to come alongside them with one hundred percent of my effort to help them learn how they learn and to support them while at school. In return, I need them to tell me when they need help and to give me their best effort too.

And even with this speech to my kids or to my students, I would not just step back and expect them to make all the right decisions. They are still functioning with kid brains, and they will probably be tempted to use AI because they cannot fully understand the long-term implications yet. That is why it is my job as the adult to put very clear boundaries in place, and to set up systems where they cannot access it during learning times so they are forced to use their own brain.

#kelsewhatelse #kidsusingai #aiinschools #howtotalktolittlekids