Every few months, a new debate breaks out about technology in education. Some celebrate artificial intelligence as the future. Others worry about students losing focus, originality, and independence. Recent reports, from Singapore to the US, show a growing trend: students relying on AI to complete homework, polish assignments, and even “think” on their behalf.

AI is here to stay. It will shape and is already shaping every industry our children enter. But just because a tool exists does not mean it should replace the very process it was meant to support, thinking.

A Tool Is Not a Teacher
Walking is good for you. Having a car does not mean you should drive everywhere. Cake tastes great, but eating it three times a day would be foolish. The same logic applies to technology. Its existence does not justify constant use. Balance matters, and balance changes with age.

At a young age, the brain needs friction. It needs struggle, mistakes, questions, uncertainty. These are not inconveniences; they are the conditions that build judgement and character. Neural pathways strengthen when effort is applied, not avoided.

The Cost of Convenience
The danger with AI is not the tool itself, but the temptation to outsource the hard parts of learning. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent writing cannot be downloaded. They must be built. If shortcuts become habits, they become identity. And then we are raising children who can answer questions, but cannot ask their own. Asking questions is the way the brain grows and learns.

The world does not reward sheep. It rewards those who can see clearly, question assumptions, and form their own perspectives. That does not come from copying answers generated by a machine. It comes from wrestling with ideas and learning to stand on your own intellectual feet.

Foundations First, Technology Later
At elc, we believe the early years should be free from the noise of constant devices. No phones. No AI. No shortcuts. Not because we are anti-technology, but because we understand timing. Children need space to think deeply, read widely, write independently, and develop a sense of who they are before they are asked to navigate a world filled with distraction and automation.

We teach core skills first. We lay foundations. We build confidence through challenge, not convenience. When students have earned their independence, when their values and thinking are firmly anchored, then technology becomes a tool, not a crutch.

There Are Many Roads to Rome
We are realistic. There is no one perfect model of education. If you truly believe that early, constant integration of AI and devices is the best pathway for your child, there are many schools that will support that philosophy, and we wish you well.

But this is the road we have chosen. It is a slower road, a more disciplined road, and perhaps an unpopular one. Yet it is a road that prepares young people to face the future with clarity, resilience, and purpose.

We welcome families who believe that a strong mind is built, not automated. We welcome those who see the value of effort, patience, and thinking for yourself. We will walk this path together, keeping each other’s eyes open, and building a future that is secure because it rests on something solid.

At elc, there are no shortcuts. And we are unapologetic about it.