What Happens to Students When the Tool Is Gone

Maggie Roberts on When Students Should Use AI in the Writing Process

In this episode we explore how AI can support student writing without bypassing the difficult, necessary work of learning to write. We speak with literacy expert Maggie Roberts about the foundational skills beneath strong writing, from handwriting and oral language to working memory and executive function. Together, we examine where AI can serve as a useful scaffold, where it may short-circuit learning, and how teachers can make thoughtful decisions based on a student’s age, needs, and instructional goals. Topics covered: • The foundational skills that support writing development• Why “thin” student writing may reflect barriers rather than disengagement• How AI can help teachers identify and respond to those barriers• The risks of using AI to generate writing for younger students• Using AI to support brainstorming, planning, and executive function • How teachers can decide when AI is a scaffold and when it becomes a shortcut• The importance of preserving productive struggle in the writing process• What students may gain or lose by using, or avoiding AI• Why AI literacy should include ethics, metacognition, and student agency• How schools can balance technology use with screen-free learning Maggie Beattie Roberts is a national literacy consultant, author, professional learning facilitator, and writing development specialist. She is the co-author of Foundational Skills for Writing [https://www.corwin.com/books/foundational-skills-for-writing-292970?srsltid=AfmBOopOdS2_D23bAO0CmMlD5_MjZ74BocN0eqV1HOpxXVzaE-kldZdX] with Melanie Meehan, which explores the cognitive, linguistic, motor, and executive-function demands of writing. Her forthcoming book, Unboxing the Curriculum [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1032883413?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback], helps educators and school leaders navigate prepackaged curriculum and tailor it to their students’ needs. Learn more about Maggie's work at kateandmaggie.com [http://kateandmaggie.com/]

AI, Literacy, and the Productive Struggle

In this episode we sit down with Carey Swanson, Chief Program Officer for Literacy at Student Achievement Partners, to explore what strong literacy instruction should look like in an age of rapidly advancing AI. In this episode we discuss why new technology should not distract schools from what research tells us about reading, writing, knowledge-building, and meaningful engagement with text. Topics covered:• Connecting education research with real classroom practice• The role of literacy in helping students understand themselves and others• Why reading and writing remain essential in the age of AI• Keeping texts at the center of instruction• The importance of knowledge-rich curriculum and background knowledge• Productive struggle, cognitive friction, and meaningful learning• The difference between AI feedback and AI-generated student work• What educators should look for when evaluating AI-powered instructional tools

Why Districts Across the US and the World Are Pumping the Brakes on School AI

In this episode we explore why schools, districts, governments, and families are beginning to slow down AI adoption in education. From Norway’s restrictions on generative AI for younger students to policy delays in New York City, governance concerns in Portland, safety questions in Broward County, and parent-led calls for a pause across the Washington, D.C. region, a broader pattern is emerging: education leaders are asking whether schools are moving faster than they can responsibly govern. Topics covered: • Norway’s ban on generative AI for elementary-age students• New York City’s delayed AI guidance and calls for a moratorium• Portland’s decision to pause AI expansion until oversight is established• Broward County’s concerns about privacy, cybersecurity, and student safety• Parent-led efforts to pause student-facing AI in the Washington, D.C. area• The tension between innovation and responsible governance• What district leaders should consider before approving new AI tools• The growing gap between school policy and students’ everyday AI use Sources: https://www.reuters.com/technology/norway-imposes-near-ban-ai-elementary-school-2026-06-19/ https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2026/06/24/nyc-education-department-delays-ai-guidance-after-backlash/ https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2026/06/amid-concerns-that-ai-is-infiltrating-its-schools-portland-school-board-hits-pause.html https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/broward-school-board-meeting-ai-in-classrooms-june-2026/

When Chatbots Create False Fluency

In this episode we explore “the magenta line of learning” — a powerful metaphor borrowed from aviation to understand what happens when students become too dependent on AI tools before they have built real expertise. Topics covered: * The “Children of the Magenta Line” aviation metaphor * What Air France Flight 447 can teach us about automation dependency * Why students may feel confident without actually understanding * The difference between performance and real learning * Cognitive load theory and why struggle matters * How chatbots can give students fluency without schema * How teachers can test whether students truly understand Dan.CoganDrew@newsela.com Source: https://carlhendrick.substack.com/p/children-of-the-magenta-line

Ask Your Students

In this episode we explore what happens when teachers ask students directly whether AI belongs in the classroom. We look at a classroom conversation led by English teacher Marcus Luther, who asked his students whether he should integrate AI tools into his teaching. Their responses were striking. Topics covered include: * Why student voices are often missing from AI-in-education debates * What one teacher learned by asking students whether AI belonged in his classroom * How students think about accomplishment, effort, and authentic learning * The difference between using AI in school and learning about AI for future work * Why teachers’ own perspectives on AI may shift after listening to students Dan.CoganDrew@newsela.com Source: https://thebrokencopier.substack.com/p/i-asked-my-students-about-ai-again