Back to School: Building Skills for the Future Starts Now

As we head into a new school year, there’s always a familiar pattern—new schedules, maybe new students, seating charts, lesson planning, and so much more. We all have our usual back-to-school routines, but what if instead we took some time to learn more about our students and brought in opportunities that will prepare them with essential skills they’ll need for the future?

In our classrooms, we are teaching the next generation of creators, innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders. As the world continues to evolve rapidly, largely shaped by AI and other emerging technologies, our methods and maybe even our approach to education may need to be adjusted

Here are a few practical, engaging ways to kick off a new school year that will help students build future-ready or future-focused skills.

1. Foster Curiosity with a Future-Forward Inquiry Project

One of my favorite ways to begin the year is with a “What If…” inquiry activity. Present an open-ended question to students:

What if school took place in the metaverse?
What if every job used AI in some way?
What if we had to solve global problems using only local resources?

Then give students an opportunity to explore and discuss. They can brainstorm, sketch ideas, conduct research, or even collaborate in small groups. An activity like this will not only spark creativity and critical thinking, but it’s also a great way to gather insight into their interests, comfort level with tech, and their ability to think in different ways.

Bonus: You can ask this same question later in the year to compare or even to use it as a focus for a full project or assessment to see how their thinking has evolved.

2. Practice Communication Skills

Our students need to be able to communicate clearly across digital platforms, cultural contexts, and group dynamics. Early in the year, try giving students a prompt like:

“What would you want the world to know about your generation?”

Have them respond however they choose, whether sharing out loud, creating a short video, an infographic, or even a podcast clip. Another way to boost communication is by making time for a gallery walk or student showcase. Getting students to share their ideas and discuss them with one another is great for building the classroom community.

It also builds media literacy, student confidence, and fosters collaboration. And another benefit is that for us as educators, we have truly authentic artifacts of student voice and that helps students to feel that their work is more meaningful and valued in our classrooms.

3. Use AI Tools to Teach Digital Literacy and Responsibility

I have long been saying that whether we’re ready or not, we have to be willing to embrace the changes in technology. Over the past few years, we have experience so many changes because of AI. Our students will grow up and work in an AI-powered world. To prepare them, and ourselves, we need to focus on AI literacy, which is more than just explaining how tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini or another LLM works. We also need to help them understand the when, why, and how to use these tools responsibly.

Start simple. Involve students in generating text with an AI tool and then ask them to fact-check it. Another idea is to generate a paragraph and ask students about the tone, does it sound human, and other questions that get them to really think about the output that is generated.

What I love about doing these activities in my classroom and when I am training educators, is that they open up important discussions about ethics, bias, and considerations of how to evaluate the information received. creativity.

4. Build Collaboration and Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving is most effective when students are working together to brainstorm ideas and iterate solutions.

One idea is to try a design challenge in the first weeks of school that connect to your content area. For example:

In science: Build a prototype for a sustainable invention.
In social studies: Redesign your community for accessibility.
In language arts: Create a character who solves a major future problem.

I sometimes only offer basic overviews with minimal instructions and encourage students to lead the way. I emphasize the process itself by asking them, “How did they approach the task? What obstacles did they face? What did they learn?”

An activity like this promotes real-world teamwork, growth mindset, and building resilience—all skills that will benefit our students far beyond our classroom.

5. Focus on SEL and Identity as a Foundation

Before students can engage deeply in learning, they need to feel seen, heard, and safe. The beginning of the year is the ideal time to promote social-emotional learning (SEL) by helping students explore who they are and what they care about.

Some activities that I have used and that colleagues have shared, include:

“My Learning Superpower” profiles
Vision boards for the year ahead
Journaling about strengths and challenges
Weekly gratitude or goal-setting circles
Beginning of the year “About Me” and a revisit of the responses later in the year.

Activities like these suggestions help students build self-awareness, empathy, and regulation, which are essential for pushing through both academic and personal challenges in a changing world.

When students better understand themselves, they will be more prepared to set their own goals, advocate for their needs, and engage in learning with purpose.

6. Introduce Real-World Problem Scenarios

One of the most exciting ways to build future-ready skills is through project-based learning based on real-world issues. Even in the first few weeks of school, you can get started by suggesting scenarios like:

A local water crisis that needs data analysis and a communication plan
A new social media platform that students must market ethically
A schoolwide challenge to reduce waste or carbon emissions

These activities tie directly to critical thinking, civic engagement, and applied learning which gives students a chance to make meaningful connections between what they know and where they live.

7. Create Space for Reflection and Metacognition

Helping students understand how they learn and not just what they learn is a game-changer.

In the classroom, build in short reflection prompts such as:

“What challenged you today?”
“What’s one mistake that taught you something?”
“How did you show persistence?”
“What did you try that was new?”
“What is something that you could do better tomorrow?”

Use tools like Padlet, Wakelet, a mind-mapping tool, even podcasting tools or traditional notebooks like I did years ago, to give students a space to share their voice during their learning journey. Over time, these reflections can shape stronger self-regulation, grit, and ownership.

The start of the school year is a time when culture is built, expectations are set, and curiosity is at its peak. It’s also when students begin to decide:

“Is this a place where I will be welcome?”

“Will I improve over the year?
“Will my ideas matter?”
“Can I shape my future here?”

Classrooms should be a space that reflect the world our students are preparing for, and not the world that we grew up in. The future is a place where AI literacy, collaboration, ethical thinking, creativity, and resilience are woven into our classrooms, starting from the first day and continuing throughout the year. It just takes one step forward to begin.

About Rachelle

Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s Next in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle received her Doctorate in Instructional Technology, and her research focus was on AI and Professional Development. In addition to teaching, she is a full-time consultant and works with companies and organizations to provide PD, speaking, and consulting services. Contact Rachelle for your event!

Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and community leader who served as president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. By EdTech Digest, she was named the EdTech Trendsetter of 2024, one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021, and one of 150 Women Global EdTech Thought Leaders in 2022.

She is the author of ten books, including ‘What The Tech? An Educator’s Guide to AI, AR/VR, the Metaverse and More” and ‘How To Teach AI’. In addition, other books include, “In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU,” “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us,” “Things I Wish […] Knew” and her newest “How To Teach AI” is available from ISTE or on Amazon.

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or event! Submit the Contact Form.

Follow Rachelle on Bluesky, Instagram, and X at @Rdene915