What Do You Understand Better Now?

Written by ISZL Director Barry Dequanne

When a child is struggling with something, it can be tempting to step in with the answer. Knowing when to help and when to give them time to work it out is a familiar challenge for parents and teachers alike. Sometimes the pause, the second attempt or the conversation that follows is where the deeper learning happens. AI adds a new dimension to that judgement.

At a recent governance conference hosted at ISZL, we drew on three readings (listed below) to explore what AI means for the future of learning.

AI makes help available almost instantly. It can offer another explanation, suggest a starting point or help bring an ambitious idea to life. There is real value in that. We also need to help children recognise when that support moves their thinking forward and when it does the thinking for them.

Thoughtful questions can help students recognise their interests, build confidence and take greater ownership of their learning.

Across the readings, I was particularly struck by the importance of human relationships. A teacher who notices uncertainty behind a confident answer. A classmate who challenges an assumption. The trust that allows a student to say, “I don’t understand.” Being known and supported gives children the confidence to ask questions, make mistakes and try again. Working with others teaches them to listen, navigate disagreement and take responsibility. Teachers’ professional judgement remains essential in knowing when to offer support, when to encourage independence and how AI can contribute meaningfully to learning.

These questions about learning and relationships are already shaping work at ISZL. Our AI Working Group is reviewing our approach to AI policy and practice. Our guiding principle is that AI should support, rather than replace, the thinking, relationships and experiences that make learning meaningful. At the Human Factor of AI conference, hosted at ISZL, our students joined educators and business leaders to discuss AI’s implications. Their perspectives should help shape the decisions that affect their learning.

Listening to students matters at every age. Whether a young child is explaining a discovery or an older student is working through a complex idea, taking time to listen helps us understand how they are thinking and what support they need. Across the school, thoughtful questions can help students recognise their interests, build confidence and take greater ownership of their learning.

As ISZL continues to learn and evolve, we need to be clear about what we want to preserve as well as what we want to change. Children need time to think for themselves, opportunities to learn through experience, and relationships in which they feel known and supported. Teachers, students and parents all have a part in shaping how we use AI to strengthen that learning.

Perhaps there is a useful place to begin in our everyday conversations with our children. Alongside “Have you finished?”, we might ask, “What do you understand better now?”

Further Reading/References

• Hau, I. C. (2026, Spring). Welcome to the era of relational intelligence. Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://doi.org/10.48558/py66-ah68
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2026, August 13). Report of MIT’s Ad Hoc Committee on AI Use in Teaching, Learning, and Research Training.
• Sahlberg, P. (2026). Trust: The missing link in educational change. Journal of Educational Change. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-026-09568-1