Teaching for Tomorrow

Reimagining Success in the Modern World

By Josh Montgomery  |  Assistant Head of School for Academics, Head of Upper School  | Battle Ground Academy

It’s no secret that education is facing an exciting challenge. In a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence, rapid technological shifts, and evolving global challenges, the most important skills students can develop aren’t rooted in the pillars of old. Lovingly referred to as the “three r’s,” reading, writing, and arithmetic have continued to color the landscape of educational conversations while schools grapple with how to appropriately balance traditional instructional approaches with innovative demands. Moving forward, Schools must remain acutely aware of the past while sustaining a firm grasp of the skills that will define success in the future; leadership, collaboration, resilience, and adaptability to name a few.

Education’s primary cause is to prepare students for the future, but that future is changing faster than ever. Metacognition will always drive much of the theory that inevitably becomes practice, but the images of what that practice looks like in the classroom is evolving. For example, generative AI is rapidly transforming industries, college classrooms, and even creative fields once thought “future-proof.” Combined with other elements of societal changes, more and more weight is being placed on core competencies associated with leadership, purpose, and entrepreneurial skills.

The Changing Landscape of Learning:

AI and new technologies are reshaping what student engagement and curricular relevance looks like in today’s society. In many ways, AI has shifted what students need to know and do. Information is instant and readily available to anyone who pursues it. What matters most for educators is how students use that information—how they think critically, discern credible sources, and make ethical decisions. This challenge offers schools the opportunity to revisit what is commonly referred to as “productive struggle.” While AI can offer shortcuts, the process of learning is still a sacred skill. Working through a hard math problem, collaborating with a group on a common task, or responding to adversity on a difficult assignment still remain central to the process. That struggle builds the critical thinking muscles AI cannot replace.

Teaching Adaptability and Agency:

Schools must teach adaptability – problem-solving, resilience, and creative thinking. Teachers and students need to learn to partner with technology rather than compete with it. At Battle Ground Academy, programs like Entrepreneurial Leadership, STEM, or design thinking in our makerspace allow students to identify problems, test solutions, and reflect on outcomes. Equally important, steadfast elements of our ecosystem like the Honor Council, the Advanced Placement curriculum, or our Leadership program allow us to hone the skills necessary to balance what it means to be human in an increasingly technological world. 

The Human Advantage:

The HundrED Global Collection 2025 highlighted 100 leading education innovations from around the world that address student agency and future readiness. Trends emphasize on learner-centered models, real-world skill development, and scalable approaches to well-being, technology integration, and community-based learning. The report underscores a global movement toward empowering students not just as recipients of knowledge, but as active participants in shaping their learning and communities. The faculty relationships and character education that BGA offers provide the grounding that technology can’t replicate. 

In the age of AI, distinctly human qualities—empathy, collaboration, integrity, resilience—matter more than ever. Schools that nurture curiosity and character will help students thrive, no matter how technology evolves. The best schools aren’t afraid of the future. They teach students to shape it.