I spent a decade as an elementary school teacher. My job was simple: help kids pass tests. And by the district’s metrics, I was very good at it. Year after year, my students scored among the highest in our region. Parents were thrilled. Administrators took notice.

But here's the uncomfortable truth: many of my students weren't really learning despite those scores. Not in a meaningful, long-lasting way.

Sure, they could recite facts. They were trained to identify the "right" answer in multiple-choice questions. But when asked to explain their thinking—to connect ideas, apply concepts to new situations, or question what they'd learned—many came up short. We had created a generation of test-takers, not thinkers.

Ten years later, I’m now a university professor working on my PhD in marketing. The shift from elementary classrooms to lecture halls gave me a new perspective. I quickly noticed something familiar: bright, capable students who struggled with open-ended problems. They were hungry for instructions but hesitant to explore. Many were still more comfortable telling me what than wrestling with why.

That's when it hit me — we didn't need a new tool or a curriculum tweak. We needed a paradigm shift.

In my current courses, I work hard to move away from rote memorization. Instead, we explore real-world problems with open-ended solutions. We collaborate, debate, and experiment. Students reflect on how and why they approach problems, not just whether they got the answer "right." The goal is to build thinkers, not performers.

And now, we find ourselves at another crossroads: the rise of artificial intelligence.

There’s no shortage of fear around AI in education. Will students use it to cheat? Will teachers be replaced? Will learning suffer?

These concerns are valid, but they're not the most important ones.

The better question is: What if AI could help us fix what’s broken in education?

When used intentionally, AI can help shift our focus from regurgitating facts to cultivating critical thinking. It can be a powerful tool for exploration, customization, and engagement. But this will only happen if we, as educators, embrace AI as a co-pilot, not a shortcut.

Imagine a student using a generative AI tool to brainstorm arguments for a persuasive essay. Rather than copying the output, they use it to compare perspectives, identify logical gaps, and refine their stance. Or imagine a history class where students "interview" historical figures using an AI chatbot trained on primary sources. Suddenly, the past feels less distant, more human, and much more interesting.

Of course, this requires guidance. We can’t assume students will use AI ethically or critically on their own. That’s where we come in.

We must teach students not just how to use these tools, but how to question them. Who trained this AI? What biases might it have? Can it be wrong? What sources is it drawing from?

In other words, we need to teach students how to be AI-literate and information-savvy, which are essential in today's world.

It also means rethinking how we assess learning.

Traditional assessments — especially standardized tests — weren't built for this kind of education. They reward the quickest answer, not the most profound thought. They prioritize uniformity over curiosity. And they do little to measure what students can do with knowledge in real-world contexts.

What if instead we assessed students on how well they collaborate on group projects, communicate their reasoning, or adapt to complex, unfamiliar problems? These are the skills employers want. These are the skills democracy needs. And AI can help free up the time and energy to focus on them.

But none of this will happen if we treat AI as the enemy — or worse, pretend it’s not coming.

We've been through tech revolutions before. Calculators didn't destroy math education, spellcheck didn't end writing, and AI won't ruin learning—unless we let it.

If we embrace this moment, we have an extraordinary opportunity to rebuild education around the things that matter most: curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

So what does this look like in practice?

Start with professional development. Help teachers experiment with AI tools and explore how they can support, not supplant, learning goals.

Model ethical use. Discuss with students when it’s appropriate to use AI and when it’s not. Treat it like a research assistant, not a ghostwriter.

Design assessments that AI can’t answer. Focus on process, analysis, discussion, and creativity — the uniquely human elements of thinking.

Involve students in the conversation. Ask them how they’re using AI, what they’re discovering, and what questions it raises.

AI is not a silver bullet. It's a mirror. It will reflect our values, fears, and hopes for the future of education.

The question isn’t whether students will use AI. They already are.

The question is: Will we use this moment to reinforce a broken system or to finally build something better?

Let’s choose better. Our students deserve it.