Teaching with ChatGPT: Balance AI Use Without Losing Student Thinking

We all want students to learn how to write, but all they want to do is skip the hard parts and use AI to write their papers. Could this be the worst thing in the world? Maybe not.

A Conversation That Sparked Reflection

My brother, also a high school English teacher, asked me during a family outing, “Do you have a problem with kids using ChatGPT to write their essays?” I told him I didn’t—and that the one time I suspected a student had used the tool, I turned it into a teaching moment rather than a punishment.

As I was reading the student’s essay—let’s call her Emily—I noticed a word that didn’t sound like something she would use: dichotomy. The essay also had a suspicious lack of spelling mistakes, perfectly structured paragraphs, clear topic sentences, and neatly embedded evidence. So, I asked her, “Do you know what this word means?” Trying to keep up the act, she replied, “It’s like when… you know… when something is… I can’t explain it.”

At that moment, I had two options. I could’ve publicly called her out, taken away her computer, deleted the essay, and made her start over by hand. Sure, that might’ve sent a strong message to the class. But it also would’ve embarrassed Emily, created an adversarial relationship, and possibly sparked complaints from her parents.

Instead, I took a different approach.

I said, “This doesn’t sound like you. It doesn’t sound like your voice is coming through in this piece. I’m not sure where you found this word, but it doesn’t really fit the context. And these paragraphs feel a little disconnected.” Emily listened as I pointed out areas she could revise and offered a few strategies to help her express her own ideas more clearly.

Not the Essay Police

Over the next few days, I addressed the issue with all my classes. I told them, “If you use ChatGPT to write your essays, I’ll probably know—and I’ll say something. But I’m not the essay police.” I reminded them that I wasn’t the one taking the end-of-course assessment that required a written response—they were. If they relied on AI, it wouldn’t affect me—but it would absolutely affect them.

I explained, “When I come around to check your work and see a perfect essay, I’ll assume you don’t need help. I’ll think, ‘Wow, I must be a great teacher!’ and move on to the next student. That means you miss out on feedback and a chance to grow as a writer.”

That conversation with my students made something clear: I can’t control every decision they make, but I can control the structure and culture of my classroom. Instead of trying to catch every instance of AI use after the fact, I started thinking about how to reduce the temptation in the first place.

These are a few strategies I’ve found helpful—ones that shift the focus back to learning, build student confidence, and make ChatGPT just one tool among many, not a replacement for their own thinking.

What Teachers Can Do About ChatGPT

1. Grade the Process, Not Just the Product

Use 50/50 grading: Give 50% of the grade for process (reading annotations, outlines, planning) and 50% for the final essay.

Why it works: If you suspect cheating, a student might get a perfect essay but only earn a 50 overall. More importantly, students thinking about using AI might still complete the planning process themselves. That investment of time and thinking builds confidence—and confidence is often what students are really lacking when they turn to AI in the first place.

2. Use AI to Model Outlines, But Handwrite the Draft

If your school doesn’t block AI, have students generate outlines with ChatGPT as a class. Then, require handwritten essays in class.

Why it works: Students learn what AI can and can’t do. You can point out where the outline is generic, flawed, or misses the nuance of the prompt. This is also a great opportunity to reinforce sentence structure through sentence frames, which I use with all students—not just English learners. When students practice sentence construction by inserting their own ideas into clear frames, they internalize academic syntax over time.

3. Write in Class, Revise with AI

Have students write their essays in one class period. Then, allow them to plug their drafts into ChatGPT afterward—for revision only.

Why it works: Writing quickly builds fluency and stamina. Using AI afterward teaches students to see it as a tool, not a crutch. They can evaluate the suggestions, decide what to accept or reject, and learn to revise thoughtfully. That’s a far more valuable skill than simply pasting in a prompt and submitting whatever comes out.

Final Thoughts: We're Not Going Backwards

AI isn’t going anywhere. It can be a time-saver for repetitive tasks (looking at you, annual performance reviews), but in education, we have to teach students to use it critically. They need to understand both its power and its limitations.

Some may say I’m being too lenient by not cracking down harder on suspected academic dishonesty. I get that. If I had solid proof, of course I would act on it. But more often than not, I see these situations as moments to guide—not punish. We’re not the essay police. We’re educators. Our job is to build a culture of trust, clarity, and growth—and that includes helping students learn to navigate the digital tools that will shape their future.