After more than 40 years in education, I have watched schools change in countless ways. Technology has transformed the classroom, curricula have evolved and our understanding of how children learn has grown considerably. But perhaps the greatest change is happening now. Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing what computers can do and, consequently, what human beings will need to do exceptionally well in the future. For schools, this creates an important question: What should we be teaching children today to prepare them for a future we cannot predict? I believe the answer goes well beyond academic knowledge. The best schools of the future will develop the whole child: intellectually curious, emotionally resilient, socially capable, adaptable, creative and able to manage increasingly complex challenges.
One of the most important responsibilities of a school is helping children develop the executive skills that allow them to become independent learners and effective adults. Children need to learn how to organize their thoughts, manage their time, prioritize tasks, maintain attention, regulate their emotions, make decisions and persist when something becomes difficult. These abilities do not always appear on a report card, yet they influence virtually every aspect of a child's ability to learn. A talented student who becomes frustrated whenever an answer does not come easily may avoid challenging work. A highly creative child who struggles to manage time may never complete an otherwise outstanding idea. Schools should therefore intentionally provide opportunities for students to plan, make decisions, solve problems, revise their work, manage setbacks and take increasing ownership of their learning.
The development of social and emotional skills is equally important. Children need to learn how to listen, communicate, disagree respectfully, understand another person's perspective, resolve conflicts and contribute to a team. They need to recognize their own emotions and understand how their behavior affects others. These are not secondary or “soft” skills; they are fundamental life skills. Schools should create environments in which children practice these skills every day. Some of the most meaningful learning can occur when students work through a disagreement, recover from disappointment, help a classmate or discover that their first approach to a problem did not work. These experiences build resilience, empathy, confidence, self-awareness and leadership.
Artificial intelligence makes these human capabilities even more important. AI can already retrieve information, summarize material, generate written content and assist with increasingly sophisticated tasks. As these capabilities expand, simply possessing information will become less distinctive. Knowledge will remain essential because children cannot think deeply about subjects they do not understand, but knowing information will no longer be enough. Students will need to ask insightful questions, determine whether information is accurate, recognize bias, identify problems, develop original solutions and communicate those solutions effectively. They will also need to understand when technology is appropriate, when human judgment is necessary and how to use AI responsibly and ethically. Critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, communication, collaboration, empathy and sound judgment will become increasingly valuable.
Developing these qualities requires more than telling children about resilience. They must experience it. Students need opportunities to encounter appropriately difficult problems and discover that the first solution may not work. STEM education provides an ideal environment for this kind of learning. Engineering naturally asks students to design, build, test, analyze what went wrong, modify their approach and try again. That process teaches far more than engineering. It teaches children that failure is information, frustration is manageable and persistence can produce results. The same philosophy should extend across the curriculum, giving children meaningful challenges that require independent thinking, collaboration, decision-making and perseverance.
This is why the best schools of the future will need to think differently about educational excellence. When we imagine the young adults our schools are trying to develop, we should ask questions that go beyond academic performance. Will they be able to manage themselves? Can they communicate and collaborate effectively? Can they navigate conflict? Will they have the confidence to tackle unfamiliar problems? Can they adapt when circumstances change? Will they have the resilience to experience disappointment, learn from it and try again? Will they know how to use artificial intelligence responsibly rather than simply depend upon it? Most importantly, will they remain curious enough to keep learning long after they leave school?
Schools preparing children for the AI era should not simply ask how to incorporate the newest technology into their classrooms. They should ask what uniquely human capabilities children need to develop and how to intentionally practice those capabilities every day. A truly outstanding education should give children knowledge, but also the ability to use that knowledge wisely. It should develop thinkers who solve problems, teammates who collaborate, leaders who understand others and resilient individuals who can adapt when the world changes. AI may transform the future of work, but our responsibility as educators is to ensure that children are prepared not merely to participate in that future, but to lead it.
One of the most important responsibilities of a school is helping children develop the executive skills that allow them to become independent learners and effective adults. Children need to learn how to organize their thoughts, manage their time, prioritize tasks, maintain attention, regulate their emotions, make decisions and persist when something becomes difficult. These abilities do not always appear on a report card, yet they influence virtually every aspect of a child's ability to learn. A talented student who becomes frustrated whenever an answer does not come easily may avoid challenging work. A highly creative child who struggles to manage time may never complete an otherwise outstanding idea. Schools should therefore intentionally provide opportunities for students to plan, make decisions, solve problems, revise their work, manage setbacks and take increasing ownership of their learning.
The development of social and emotional skills is equally important. Children need to learn how to listen, communicate, disagree respectfully, understand another person's perspective, resolve conflicts and contribute to a team. They need to recognize their own emotions and understand how their behavior affects others. These are not secondary or “soft” skills; they are fundamental life skills. Schools should create environments in which children practice these skills every day. Some of the most meaningful learning can occur when students work through a disagreement, recover from disappointment, help a classmate or discover that their first approach to a problem did not work. These experiences build resilience, empathy, confidence, self-awareness and leadership.
Artificial intelligence makes these human capabilities even more important. AI can already retrieve information, summarize material, generate written content and assist with increasingly sophisticated tasks. As these capabilities expand, simply possessing information will become less distinctive. Knowledge will remain essential because children cannot think deeply about subjects they do not understand, but knowing information will no longer be enough. Students will need to ask insightful questions, determine whether information is accurate, recognize bias, identify problems, develop original solutions and communicate those solutions effectively. They will also need to understand when technology is appropriate, when human judgment is necessary and how to use AI responsibly and ethically. Critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, communication, collaboration, empathy and sound judgment will become increasingly valuable.
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AI may transform the future of work, but schools must ensure children develop the uniquely human capabilities to think critically, adapt, collaborate, create and lead.
Developing these qualities requires more than telling children about resilience. They must experience it. Students need opportunities to encounter appropriately difficult problems and discover that the first solution may not work. STEM education provides an ideal environment for this kind of learning. Engineering naturally asks students to design, build, test, analyze what went wrong, modify their approach and try again. That process teaches far more than engineering. It teaches children that failure is information, frustration is manageable and persistence can produce results. The same philosophy should extend across the curriculum, giving children meaningful challenges that require independent thinking, collaboration, decision-making and perseverance.
This is why the best schools of the future will need to think differently about educational excellence. When we imagine the young adults our schools are trying to develop, we should ask questions that go beyond academic performance. Will they be able to manage themselves? Can they communicate and collaborate effectively? Can they navigate conflict? Will they have the confidence to tackle unfamiliar problems? Can they adapt when circumstances change? Will they have the resilience to experience disappointment, learn from it and try again? Will they know how to use artificial intelligence responsibly rather than simply depend upon it? Most importantly, will they remain curious enough to keep learning long after they leave school?
Schools preparing children for the AI era should not simply ask how to incorporate the newest technology into their classrooms. They should ask what uniquely human capabilities children need to develop and how to intentionally practice those capabilities every day. A truly outstanding education should give children knowledge, but also the ability to use that knowledge wisely. It should develop thinkers who solve problems, teammates who collaborate, leaders who understand others and resilient individuals who can adapt when the world changes. AI may transform the future of work, but our responsibility as educators is to ensure that children are prepared not merely to participate in that future, but to lead it.
