Robots, Reflective Practice & Raising Humans
What’s the Appropriate Role of AI and Robotics in K–12 Classrooms?
"The question isn’t whether AI and robotics will be in the classroom—it’s whether we’ll still recognize classrooms as places to grow humans."
As a father, early childhood innovator, and someone knee-deep in designing AI tools for educators, I stand at a unique intersection—where code meets creativity, and future-tech meets the fragile brilliance of childhood learning.
We’re edging closer to a reality where bots tutor, software scores, and dashboards tell teachers who’s “on track.” But it begs a deeper question:
What is the appropriate use of AI and robotics in the K–12 classroom?
And more urgently: How do we ensure we’re still building humans, not just systems?
AI Is Here—Let’s Use It With Intention
AI already writes lesson plans, scores essays, and tracks engagement—faster than any teacher can finish their morning coffee. Robotics kits are becoming classroom staples, not novelties.
These tools hold real power. But power without intentionality is just noise.
At Thinkering Collective, where I mentor educators and fellows, we believe the future isn’t about choosing between humans and machines—it’s about centering the human even as the tools get smarter.
What AI Can’t Replace
The moment a child feels truly seen.
The magic of a teacher’s improvised empathy.
The mentor’s reflective nudge that turns confusion into clarity.
AI can be trained to teach, assess, or suggest.
But it cannot mentor. It cannot listen with heart. It cannot teach purpose.
From Surveillance to Storytelling
Let’s be honest—most AI in education trends toward surveillance: flagging behaviors, measuring “learning loss,” and optimizing outputs.
At Thinkering, we do it differently.
We use Thinkerbot to prompt reflection, capture learning moments, and build narrative portfolios. It doesn’t track students—it learns with them.
Instead of grading for correctness, we ask:
"What did you discover?"
"How did you grow?"
This is the real power of future tech: not to reduce the human experience, but to expand it.
How Do We Promote Human Skill-Building?
If AI will handle routine tasks, then educators must double down on growing the irreplaceable:
Curiosity: sparked through inquiry and exploration
Empathy: built through shared storytelling and listening
Agency: developed when students own their learning
Reflection: practiced when students pause, journal, and evolve
These are not just “soft skills.” These are the future-proof ones.
And our Thinkering Fellows are already making this shift—guiding students to design capstones that explore identity, community, and impact using both analog and digital tools.
So, What Is an Appropriate Use of AI?
YES to tools that…
Support educators without replacing them
Spark student creativity, not just compliance
Strengthen community, not isolate it
Build reflection, not just data
NO to tools that…
Reduce learners to scores
Standardize at the cost of identity
Strip away human connection
Replace relationships with interfaces
Final Reflection: Reclaiming Purpose
As AI becomes part of daily classroom life, the challenge isn’t if we use it—it’s how we use it to stay human.
Let’s bring AI into the classroom,
not to replace human connection—
but to make more space for it.
We gather in classrooms to connect, to wonder, to grow.
That must never change.
About the Author
Garrett Wilhelm is the founder of Creative Gardens and CEO of EdStart, where he designs AI tools and early education models that reflect creativity, curiosity, and learner agency. As a mentor with the Thinkering Collective, he supports educators in building more human-centered, tech-enhanced classrooms.