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Don’t Ask How I Finished… Just Thank ChatGPT
That was the caption beneath a beaming graduate’s Instagram post, balloons, cake, and two bouquets in hand. It wasn’t just a passing comment. It was a public testament to how deeply AI has embedded itself into the daily academic lives of today’s students.
That graduate was Mariam, a former student of mine from Sacred Heart School in Ghamra and now a proud university graduate. After seeing her post, I reached out to congratulate her and gently asked if I could share her words. Her response was not only supportive but eye-opening:
“All the teenagers nowadays are using ChatGPT for literally everything, school, life, and many topics. It’s available on WhatsApp, so everyone has it in hand anytime.”
—Mariam, university graduate
Her message confirmed what many of us in education are beginning to grasp. For some, this sparks concern about academic integrity or the nature of learning itself. But the more we listen to our students, the clearer it becomes: AI is not on the sidelines of learning anymore, it’s at the center. Students are using it not just to survive school, but to navigate it, shape it, and, at times, lean on it to succeed.
AI in the hands of digital natives
Mariam’s words echo a growing trend, one supported by fresh data. According to a 2024 Common Sense Media survey, nearly 70 percent of U.S. teenagers have used generative AI tools like ChatGPT, and almost half admitted doing so without telling their teachers (Common Sense Media, 2024).
What’s striking isn’t just that they’re using AI, but how naturally it fits into their lives. For this generation, AI isn’t a revolution, it’s routine. Whether it’s schoolwork, texts, research, or college applications, it’s all fair game.
As educators, we can view this as a threat, or as an invitation.
Bridging the gap between use and understanding
Mariam’s post illuminated a critical tension in today’s classrooms: Students are embracing AI, but often without guidance, structure, or ethical awareness. They’re resourceful, but frequently on their own.
This is our moment to lean in, not to ban AI, but to build AI literacy.
We need to help students understand when and how to use AI responsibly, to think critically about its outputs, and to apply it ethically to real-world tasks. According to L’IA en éducation: Cadre d’usage (2023), a responsible AI approach should include:
Framing: Students need clear guidance on when and how AI may be used, with strong emphasis on transparency and integrity.
Critical Distance: AI-generated responses are not facts; they are predictive outputs. Students must learn to question, cross-reference, and refine them.
Valuing the Process: Learning is not just about the final answer. Teachers should reward the thinking, drafting, and reflecting that precedes it, whether AI-assisted or not.
Assessment Rethink: If the learning process is valued over just the final product, AI becomes a legitimate tool, not a shortcut. When students document their steps, reasoning, and revisions (with or without AI), the focus shifts to deeper learning.
Let’s also remember: AI literacy isn’t just about school. It’s a life skill. In a world where AI shapes everything from job markets to healthcare, students need the ability to evaluate AI, spot bias, and understand limitations.
This is especially important for multilingual learners and students from under-resourced communities–those who stand to benefit most from equitable access to personalized support tools. As noted in recent insights on AI in education, “ensuring that all students have access to AI tools and, more importantly, the literacy to use them effectively, is paramount to prevent exacerbating existing educational inequalities.” Equity isn’t just about having tools, it’s about knowing how to use them well.
Practical tips for educators
Here are five ways to turn students’ intuitive AI use into intentional learning:
Set expectations early: Introduce an AI use policy, even if your school doesn’t have one. Define what’s allowed and what constitutes overreliance.
Make the process visible: Ask students to submit screenshots or drafts showing their AI use. Let them reflect: What did AI help with? What went wrong? What did you change?
Model AI thinking aloud: Use tools like ChatGPT live in class. Ask a question together and evaluate the response: Is this accurate? Is it biased? What’s missing?
Teach prompt crafting: Show how well-crafted prompts lead to better AI output. This builds both language and metacognitive skills.
Build ethical awareness: Discuss plagiarism, bias, fairness, and data privacy. Help students see AI as a tool, not a shortcut, and certainly not a truth-teller.
Moving beyond survival mode: AI as a learning partner
While many students use AI just to “get through” assignments, its potential is far greater. Thoughtfully used, it can transform learning:
Differentiation: AI can scaffold or challenge based on students’ needs.
Creativity: Story starters, poetry generators, and design tools inspire original thinking.
Research Support: Students can ask AI to compare viewpoints, summarize texts, or organize ideas, if they’ve been taught to question its output.
Real-Time Feedback: Tools like Grammarly or Quill help students revise as they write.
Accessibility: AI can explain complex ideas in simpler terms, boosting comprehension across languages and ability levels.
The goal isn’t to eliminate effort, but to amplify learning.
A call to lead–together
When a student publicly thanks ChatGPT for helping her finish school, she isn’t being lazy, she’s being honest. And it’s time we match that honesty with support.
AI isn’t going away. It’s already the silent partner in many students’ academic journeys. As educators, we can either pretend not to see it or step up and shape how it’s used.
Let’s walk beside our students, not to stop them, but to help them think, write, and grow in an AI-powered world.
And maybe one day, they’ll post:
“Don’t ask how I finished. Just thank my teachers… for showing me how to learn, with ChatGPT by my side.”
The future of learning: Where could we go from here?
Imagine a classroom where AI is not an add-on, but a partner in real time. Where students collaborate on chatbot design, debate ethical dilemmas, and refine prompts as part of their assignments. Where assessments value process, thinking, and ethical AI use, not just final answers.
New educator roles emerge: AI coaches. Prompt mentors. Ethics facilitators.
This is not a future we must brace for; it’s one we can help build.
With intention, collaboration, and equity at the center, we can empower a generation of learners not just to use AI, but to lead with it.
Nesren El-Baz, ESL EducatorNesren El-Baz is an ESL educator with over 20 years of experience, and is a certified bilingual teacher with a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. El-Baz is currently based in the UK, holds a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Houston Christian University, and specializes in developing in innovative strategies for English Learners and Bilingual education. Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)
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