Treasuring Student Voice and Discernment in the Age of AI

When machines can generate text, a uniquely human voice becomes more valuable than ever, and increasingly polarized views on AI demand that students develop real discernment. This session, led by a high school English teacher who works with student writers every day, shows how honoring student voice can shift classrooms and systems from an AI culture of enforcement and mistrust to one of artful possibility, thoughtful dialogue and meaningful learning. Explore actionable, scalable classroom practices, including live AI demonstrations with teacher think-alouds, lesson plans that balance analog and digital tools, conversations that reward curiosity and AI transparency surveys. Together, these practices help students raise, grow and value their own voices while building the discernment this new era requires. Teachers will leave with clarity and fresh ideas they can apply tomorrow. School and district leaders will gain a new vision for bringing together teams with conflicting viewpoints on AI, with approaches that innovate with AI while truly treasuring the unique qualities each student brings to their writing.