Part of the AI for Families resources for schools developed as part of the online professional development course The AI-Empowered Teacher, this family engagement activity can help educators and families discuss shifts and imagine their path forward.

Activity

Purpose: Create a shared space for families, students, and educators to reflect on past future predictions, discuss current AI shifts, and co-identify traits they want to grow together.

Instructions

Step 1

Show slide or share handout with the 8 Future-Ready Traits (briefly name them) adapted from global research on 21st-century competencies, including the OECD Learning Compass 2030 and the Future Ready Schools Framework.

• Curiosity: Willingness to explore the unfamiliar
• Adaptability: Comfort with change, iteration, and ambiguity
• Ethical Reasoning: Capacity to weigh implications and uphold values
• Collaboration Across Differences: Ability to co-design with others who think differently
• Strategic Foresight: Ability to see patterns, imagine scenarios, and plan ahead
• Resilience: Perseverance through complexity, setbacks, or uncertainty
• Continuous Learning: Seeking growth over mastery
• Human-Centeredness: Staying grounded in relationships, empathy, and purpose

References: OECD Learning Compass 2030; Future Ready Schools Framework

Step 2

Watch 3-5 min vintage video predicting the future of schools/homes. At tables (family + student + educator groups), discuss:

• One thing the video got right
• One thing it missed
• What values/fears shaped their vision?

Each group captures 2 insights on a shared table card.

Step 3

Provide a simple worksheet or poster with the 8 traits. Each group:

• Circles traits they already live out together
• Stars 1-2 traits they want to grow together

Sample Prompt questions:
“Where do we already show curiosity or resilience?”
“What would it look like if school and home both practiced adaptability?”

Step 4

Each group completes a quick sentence frame:

“To prepare for the future, our family and school will grow in [trait] by…” (e.g., being open to new tools, asking more questions together, sharing student ideas at home and school)

They write on a shared poster or take-home card.

Step 5

Invite 2-3 groups to share a takeaway or trait they chose.

Thank attendees, remind them this is a starting point.

Optional: Send home the group’s trait map and take-home resource card with AI literacy links, conversation starters, and school contacts.

About This Activity

This resource was developed with support from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) through a collaboration with the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and the Kentucky Department of Education, New Mexico Public Education Department, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and Wyoming Department of Education. The materials reflect shared priorities across the four states while allowing schools and districts to adapt them for their local communities.