James Anderson - Growth Mindsets

When students ask AI for help, are they using it to expand their thinking—or replace it?

As AI becomes more common in classrooms, there’s a quiet risk: students start outsourcing their thinking.

The habit we need to strengthen in response? Thinking Flexibly.
This means teaching students to challenge assumptions, try different approaches, and see AI outputs as just one perspective, not the final answer.

In this new blog post, I explore:
- Why flexible thinking is where humans outperform AI
- How to turn AI into a springboard—not a crutch
- Five practical ways to build flexible thinking in your students

➤ Read it here: https://www.jamesanderson.com.au/thinking-flexibly-the-antidote-to-ai-rigidity-2/

💬 What’s the best example of flexible thinking you’ve seen in your classroom lately?

Some students just seem to pick things up faster. We call them “bright,” “gifted,” even “born learners.”

But what if it’s not about what they have, but what they’ve learned?

In my latest blog, I explore what really sets fast learners apart and how we can teach those same skills to every student.

From mistake fluency to purposeful practice, there’s a learnable path to becoming a more skilful learner.

Curious what that looks like in action?

Read the blog: https://www.jamesanderson.com.au/how-skilful-learners-practise-and-why-it-matters/

How skilful learners practise—and why it matters - James Anderson In many classrooms, students are doing exactly what we’ve asked. They’re focused. Careful. Trying to get everything right. They’re not rushing. They’re not distracted. They’re doing the work.