Teach-Secondary-Issue-14.5

could see whole classes constantly attached to screens. I’mnot trying to be overly dramatic – these changes are taking place already, and when implemented well, can really enhance learning. Yet relationships must continue to form the foundations of learning and growth. There has to be a balance. We need to cultivate skills of presence; of being comfortable with one another, listening deeply, making eye contact, noticing silence and attending to emotion. These aren’t soft skills. They’re survival skills for a relational species. Schools that intentionally teach children oracy skills, such as leadership, debating or presentation, are offering a vehicle for this, as hinted at by the government’s recent interimCurriculum Review. Perhaps this is something that more of us can and should be grasping with both hands? Creative and ethical imagination Tomorrow’s challenges – climate change, technological advancement, population displacement – will require young people who can imagine different futures, not just optimise the systems we use already. Imagination isn’t a luxury, but a moral necessity. We must teach children to think beyond the given, to ask ‘ What if? ’ and realise their own sense of agency in shaping the world anew. At the same time, however, creativity untethered from ethics is dangerous. That’s why moral imagination is key. It’s not just an ability to envision the ‘new’ that’s needed, but a willingness to anchor that vision in justice, compassion and the common good. AI excels in certainty (and is often exceptionally polite with it), but human life is lived in the grey. We need to help young people become comfortable with uncertainty. Not to fear it, or flee from it, but to navigate it with grace. That means teaching skills of emotional regulation, reflective thinking and adaptive learning. It means modelling vulnerability as educators. It means holding space for questions that don’t have answers. Our young people don’t need all the answers; what they need is the resilience to live with that tension. Thewisdomof slowness Speed is the idol of the age. The faster the system, the better the score – but wisdom often comes slowly. We need schools where reflection isn’t a luxury, but a rhythm. Where stillness isn’t idleness, but invitation. The very human skills of listening, creating, empathising and thinking deeply all require time – which is why perhaps the most radical thing we can do in a digital world is slow down . To create time for wonder, for conversation, for connecting the dots and asking, ‘ What really matters here? ’ It’s said that sometimes, the most creative people only need a bit of boredom. As things stand currently, I’mhopeful. Across the schools I work with, I see leaders and educators wanting something more than just efficiency. They want meaning. They want wholeness. They want to prepare their students to not just use technology, but to live well in a world shaped by it. To be clear, I’mnot anti-AI. I am pro-human, and believe the two can co-exist – indeed, must co-exist – if we’re to build a future worth inhabiting. But to do so, we must shift the centre of gravity in the conversations we’re having. The question isn’t simply about what AI can do, but about what it means to live wisely, relationally and justly within the digital world we’re creating. The answer, I think, begins with remembering who we are. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthony David is an executive headteacher in London and author of the book Education, AI and Human Thought IN BRIEF In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, the most vital skills aren’t technical but human.We need to move beyond the question of how to use AI and begin asking why we use it, and what kind of people we’re becoming in the process. As both an AI ambassador and an educator, I believe that relational, ethical and imaginative capacities must be central to how we prepare young people. The future of work will demand adaptability, creativity, discernment and moral courage – all qualities that can’t be replicated by machines. Students need more than proficiency in prompt engineering or digital literacy. They need the wisdom to judge when and why to use a tool. They need the resilience to hold space for ambiguity. They need the presence to build real human relationships in an increasingly virtual world. If we want to live humanly in a digital world, then our curriculummust reflect that.We must cultivate deep, rather than simply functional skills, habits of attention, imagination and moral reflection. These aren’t optional extras but are, in fact, the very foundations of a meaningful future. 41 teachwire.net/secondary E D T E C H