The Ten-Second Struggle: How AI is Transforming Learning at Emery

Students sit silently together in a row of teacher-facing computers, with the collective glow of a lockdown browser replacing the individual tapping of keyboards at home. In many classrooms at the Emery/Weiner School, essays that once involved outside research and writing are now accounted for entirely in class under strict supervision. However, this is not a reality solely for English classes. AI use in schools has risen to extreme levels, and teachers are still deciding on the best response.

Besides English class, math classrooms have had equally visible change. Emery's math teacher, Dr. Kesten, first noticed students using AI when he would “catch [them] in the back of class on ChatGPT.” However, rather than taking the common approach of adopting strict anti-AI policies, Dr. Kesten has adopted a method of caution. “I want AI to be a good tool,” he explained. “But if the calculator is any indication, students need to learn how to use it. I think you need training before it’s effective for learning.”

A common thread between AI use in all subjects is a shift in students’ attitudes. While AI can be used to generate practice problems, Dr. Kesten is worried about what it may be replacing. “Students look at a problem, struggle for 10 seconds, and then use AI to get the solution,” he says. “That struggle is part of learning.” According to Dr. Kesten, AI has made students less willing to deal with difficult tasks and more likely to rely on it as a crutch. 

The effects extend beyond homework. With AI being used to produce solutions in seconds, traditional homework and assignments now require trust. “I believe students have to accept that they need to do the homework to prepare for AI-free assessments in class,” Dr. Kesten notes. “I don’t grade homework, but I grade tests. That’s how I know who’s actually doing the work. It becomes obvious who has used AI.”

For Emery junior, Noah Chelius, who loves to write, he believes AI use in school is a nuanced topic, stating how AI can “create a risky advantage” in the short term. “AI might help you pass one paper, assuming you don’t get caught, but you don’t actually develop the skills to write,” he says. Noah also pointed out that AI reliance can create problems down the road. “If you have to present your essay or explain your thinking, you probably won’t be able to fully understand what you turned in.”

Noah believes Emery “has done a decent job [at mitigating AI], especially with teachers who use Digiexam to shut down AI use.” However, he also acknowledges that some students continue to use AI undetected by teachers, highlighting the ongoing challenges schools face while attempting to identify it.

While AI is unlikely to disappear and will cause many conversations regarding ethical use, there is also the possibility of transforming AI into a tool for students. For now however, Emery has found itself in a transitional period, balancing responsible use with autonomous thinking.