Education is Hard. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Educators today have an almost impossible task: they need to prepare their students (and themselves) for rapid technological and societal change while budgets are being squeezed from multiple directions. As many as 65% of children entering primary school now will eventually work in jobs that do not exist today¹ where they will require skills and competencies that are poorly served by an education system built around knowledge regurgitation and ‘teaching-to-the-test’. 

I have previously talked about how we ought to rethink education with an eye on the future, boosting competencies such as creativity and critical thinking, and harnessing the power of technology. I’ve looked at what other countries do, to see what lessons we can learn from them.

Which countries are leading the way?

Several countries are implementing noteworthy initiatives to prepare the latest generation for the future. Here are a few examples: 

• Finland²: Renowned for its consistently high academic performance, Finland prioritises skills, knowledge, creativity and equality of opportunity. The Finnish model has minimal standardised testing, and educators have significant autonomy in designing lessons that adapt to student needs. There is also a great deal of focus on student well-being, mental health, and happiness alongside academic achievement. 
• Singapore³ Known for its emphasis on STEM education and strong academic performance, Singapore has invested significantly to integrate the latest technology into classrooms. Their curriculum emphasises developing well-rounded individuals with strong critical thinking, character development, and a robust work ethic. Secondary school students follow multiple pathways catering to their strengths and learning styles. 
• Estonia⁴: Estonia stands out for its tech-driven, student-centred approach. They prioritise digital literacy and personalised learning, with strong teacher training and continuous improvement based on data analysis. This equips students with the skills and adaptability to thrive in the digital age. The Estonian education system has successfully implemented measures that prevent social stratification by ensuring all students have equal access to education and technical resources. 

Other notable examples

Several other nations are making significant strides in shaping the future of education: 

• Japan: Integrating mindfulness and emotional intelligence into the curriculum, Japan fosters well-rounded individuals equipped to handle academic challenges and navigate social complexities. 
• Canada: Championing equity and inclusion, Canada prioritizes providing all students with equal access to quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances. 
• Israel: Emphasising innovation and entrepreneurship, Israel encourages students to think creatively, solve problems, and develop their leadership skills.
• South Korea: Leading in STEM with a rigorous curriculum, strong work ethic, and top rankings in science and math, South Korea is creating a pipeline for technological innovation. However, the intense focus on academic achievement can lead to stress and anxiety among students.  

Key takeaways

The students of today need an education system that fosters adaptability, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. These are the key initiatives for countries aspiring to be educational leaders: 

• Prioritise Skills & Well-being: Move beyond rote memorisation by emphasising creativity, critical thinking, and social-emotional learning. Like Finland, invest in student well-being to create a holistic learning environment.
• Embrace Technology, Personalise Learning: Integrate technology effectively, like Estonia, fostering digital literacy and personalised learning pathways as in Singapore. 
• Invest in Teachers: Provide strong teacher training and professional development, ensuring high-quality instruction that adapts to student needs. 
• Promote Equity & Access: Like many of the countries mentioned, prioritise equal access to quality education for all students, regardless of background. 
• Embrace Innovation & Change: Continuously improve based on data, like Estonia, and encourage a culture of innovation and problem-solving, drawing inspiration from Israel. 

By implementing these initiatives, countries can create an education system that equips students to thrive in the rapidly changing world of the 21st century.

1. The future of Jobs: Employment, Skills and Workforce Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution | World Economic Forum  ︎
2. Finnish education system | Aalto University ︎
3. Overview of Singapore education system | Singapore Ministry of Education ︎
4. Estonian education system | Education Estonia ︎

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Unless you’ve been on Mars for the last 18 months or so, you’ll no doubt be aware of the hype around Artificial Intelligence (AI); the ability of computers and machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as perception, learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. Even before the blanket news coverage of ChatGPT and its friends, AI was already a part of our daily lives, from Alexa and Siri to Netflix recommendations.  

Here at Conflicted Parent Towers we think that AI in the near term is probably overhyped, but we also believe that in the longer term it will have a massive impact on our lives in ways we cannot even imagine today.

Should you teach your kids about AI?

As AI becomes more prevalent and powerful, we believe that it is vital for the next generation to grow up as confident and capable users of this technology from as early an age as possible. Why? 

• Employability and career potential: According to the British Council, It is believed that as many as 65 per cent of today’s students will be employed in jobs that don’t yet exist¹. Equipping kids with AI knowledge and skills will help ensure their employability and career potential in the future. AI is not only relevant for STEM fields, but also for many other domains, such as arts, humanities, and social sciences. Many artists are fearful of Generative AI (or GenAI), with readily-available tools such as Dall-E, but the genie is out of bottle and we are going to have to learn to use it as a tool to enhance human creativity. 
• Critical thinking and digital literacy: Teaching AI to children helps develop critical thinking and digital literacy skills, which are crucial for navigating the complex and often biased information landscape. By learning how AI works, what it can and cannot do, and the ethical and social implications of using it, children can become more aware and responsible consumers and creators of technology. 
• Diversity and inclusion: To promote diversity and inclusion in the AI field, which is currently dominated by a few groups and perspectives. By exposing children from different backgrounds, genders, and abilities to AI, we can inspire and empower them to pursue their interests and passions, and to contribute to the development and use of AI for good. 
• To Stop Killer Robots – Nope, only joking! We don’t really believe in Killer Robots

Why you can’t rely on UK schools to teach AI 

The UK government has recently recognised the importance of teaching AI to young children, but it has been slow to roll out detailed policy. As a result, many (not all) teachers, parents and policymakers are not yet seeing the value or urgency of teaching it to children.  

This is leaving the UK lagging behind other countries that have already implemented AI education programmes at primary level, such as China, Australia, and the US. These countries have developed curricula, resources, and activities that introduce AI concepts and applications to children as young as five, using stories, games, and experiments. They also aim to foster AI literacy, which involves not only technical skills, but also ethical, social, and creative aspects of AI.

How should parents fill the gap while the UK education system catches up?

While the UK education system is catching up with the AI revolution, parents can play a role in filling the gap and supporting their children’s learning in this area. We suggest that you educate yourself a little about common AI tools and talk about AI with your children. We were surprised at the meaningful conversations we had with our young primary school children about its benefits, challenges, and safely concerns. You can ask your children questions that encourage them to think critically and creatively about AI, such as: 

• What is AI and how does it work? 
• What are some examples of AI that you know or use? 
• How do you feel about AI and its impact on your life? 
• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using AI? 
• What are some of the ethical and social issues that AI raises? 
• How can you use AI for good and avoid harm? 

We also started introducing our kids to AI Image generation (supervised of course) which captured their imagination enormously, leading to more questions and self directed offline activities like drawing and storytelling. We have a whole family of AI generated super hero amphibians – all with a story to tell. Here are some of our favourite images…

In future posts, we are going to explore child friendly AI tools that we are using with our children to bring them (and us!) up to speed with this exciting new world…

1. Preparing young people for the careers of the future | British Council ︎

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‘Can we go to the park, it’s a nice afternoon?’ says my child.  

I have already spent 2 hours this morning supervising my kids in the local swimming pool and I have a mountain of chores to do. 

‘Errm, well you have been to the pool already, and I’m not sure I have the time now’. 

‘Aww, so what shall I do?’ says child. 

How much I hate those words. In fairness, my kids are pretty good at amusing themselves, but they always seem to want my attention when I’m short of……..TIME!  Now there’s a thought! 

What to do?

I dig out the list of STEAM challenges that I collect for these very occasions. Some challenges require lots of my time to assist, but others like a good old poster competition are far less intensive.

Do you see the theme that’s emerging? Time. And by happy serendipity, that’s the theme for this year’s British Science Week! 

While still at my desk I locate the British Science Week website and brain dump the theme and guidance to my kid. The website suggests many possible topics on the subject of time: Evolution, seasons and time zones, lifecycles, lifespans, clocks, sundials, engineering, science in the future and lots more. 

After a few minutes of discussion, my kid says, ‘I know, I’m going to do a poster about what my school will look like in the future’. 

‘Good idea, maybe you can show a classroom in the past AND a classroom in the future. Maybe have a blackboard and chalk in the old classroom?’, I suggest.  

‘What’s a blackboard?’ says my child. I am stunned and feel very old. They walk off to get some paper and pens and have a chat with Google. I’m assuming it’s about classrooms of the future. 

I go back to my in-tray and get over an hour of peace and quiet…perfect! 

When my kid comes back, they are carrying a half decent drawing of a past and future classroom complete with flesh and blood teacher in the past and full-on robot educator in the future.  

C’mon I say, let’s go Google for some fun science stuff to write on the drawing.  

Result!

The final result looked like this, and I didn’t think it was half bad considering it was a pretty autonomous activity: 

Thank you, British Science Week! I got some peace and quiet, and my kid now knows what a blackboard is as well as some fun facts about AI, robots, 3D printers and VR headsets. 

As a little extra fun, we asked our AI friend Image Creator to create the same image, and this was the result. We loved it but we thought human generated original was better! What do you think? 

Note that the closing date for entries to the poster competition is 6.00 pm on Thursday 28 March 2024, and there are loads of wonderful resources on the British Science Week website to get you started and to inspire your little ones. 

The post STEAM Challenge – British Science Week Poster Competition first appeared on Conflicted Parent.

Which parent hasn’t heard of STEM since it was coined back in 2001? Some of you may even be spending a small fortune on STEM workshops or classes covering everything from coding through science, robotics and even LEGO. And to be fair, it’s a good framework for equipping students with the skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

You may not, however, be as familiar with STEAM. If you Google STEM versus STEAM, you find many articles and a few heated Reddit posts on the pros and cons of each. But the Conflicted Parent doesn’t really think there is a discussion to be had. STEAM is simply a wonderful evolution of STEM which happened back in 2006 when Georgette Yakman, an education advocate, introduced the “A” for Arts to acknowledge the importance of creativity for success and mental health¹.

Remember those 21^st Century skills we covered in an earlier post? Creativity is one of the key competencies. Literacy in all the STEM subjects is important. However without creativity you’re missing that fundamental spark that separates the good from the great.

The well-known educator Sir Ken Robinson back in 2006 observed that the UK education system was stifling kid’s natural creativity. In his famous TED talk on the subject, he stressed the need to nurture imagination and original thinking, asserting that creativity should be regarded as equally vital as literacy.

However, this seems to have been ignored by both sides of the political divide as they have continued their relentless drive to standardised testing. Nearly 20 years on we are still seeing diminishing creativity and increasing mental health issues in our kids and teens. As parents, we can champion this cause by embracing STEAM. By encouraging our kids to explore the realms of science and technology while also nurturing their artistic sensibilities. 

It’s not easy though – I’m a STEM graduate with a creative kid. I find that I instinctively value the ‘measurable’ literacies more than the harder to assess competencies.  I also know that will be what the educational system will use to measure success. However, as Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once they grow up”. The UK educational system is too focused on literacies, and, as a parent, I need to help sustain my child’s creativity as they mature.  

And I’m confident that I’m doing the right thing. Nobel Prize winners, epitomising the pinnacle of achievement in their respective fields, often share a deep connection with creativity and the arts. Research indicates that Nobel laureates are more likely to engage in creative or musical pursuits than their counterparts², reinforcing the idea that an education that integrates the arts, cultivates minds capable of groundbreaking innovations. 

I’m embracing the ‘A’ in STEAM learning – How about you?

1. What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being?  |  World Health Organisation ︎
2. Beyond the Renaissance: Nobel Laureates and Their Creative Pursuits | Biomedical Odyssey (hopkinsmedicine.org) ︎

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February half term can be a dreary affair if you’re not basking in the warmth of a holiday somewhere other than the UK. On the upside, I’m in London, so there are lots of things to do with the family. On the downside…it’s crowded…very, very crowded. Fortunately, there’s a gem in the city that offers a refreshing alternative to the busy South Kensington Museum mile: Tate Britain.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Natural History Museum, but shuffling around the Dinosaur Exhibition with half of London (the ones that are not on holiday)… well, can we go somewhere quieter instead? Of course, this was not what the younger members of my family wanted to hear, but this free art gallery turned out to be a great day out.

The journey begins with a train ride, always a hit with 7-year-olds. Arriving at Vauxhall, a quick 10-minute walk over the bridge leads to the Vauxhall riverwalk, offering a perfect pitstop at a cafe with a creative seat-cum-play area. A quick coffee for the grown-up and a re-enactment of ‘The Floor is Lava’ for the kids and it’s time to explore Tate Britain. 

Tate Britain, housed in a beautiful building, showcases 500 years of British art and its stories. The staff are sweet and after seeing my large bag of snacks remind me that eating isn’t allowed in the galleries – but there’s a spacious cafe downstairs with lots of seating where we can. Blissful words for a parent!  

Navigating art galleries with my children usually involves a routine: let them draw for a bit, feed them, and then allow a brief exploration for the designated grown-up. Tate Britain helps with that as the staff hand over Tate-themed sketch books and pencils to the kids and tell us that the play studio, story space and Tate Draw are open.

The play studio is amazing – filled with art materials, kinetic sand, books, toys, and even a massive green screen. Under the guidance of encouraging staff, an hour later my young artists emerged proudly displaying their masterpieces. 

But the highlight for the kids came with Tate Draw, where digital pads allow them to create drawings showcased on a giant digital gallery wall. They were giddy with excitement as they experimented with backgrounds, pixelated art, and free draw options before getting their artworks projected larger than life above their heads. 

Finally, the actual gallery exploration begins, and surprisingly, Tate Britain is welcoming to young art enthusiasts. It has lots of interesting pieces – and my kids turn out to be brutal art critics. Turners are dismissed as ‘gloomy’ while unusual works like Damien Hirst‘s sheep or Barbara Hepworth’s shell-like sculpture get the thumbs up. Some of the artists they’d even heard of like Andrew Gormley and Bridget Riley – thanks to Olaf Falafel and Trixie Pickle. ‘Oooooh look – a penis!’ in response to Gormley’s ‘Three Ways: Mould Hole and Passage‘ and ‘Oh, that’s makes me feel dizzy’ on Riley’s black and white OpArt.

I’m largely amused by the commentary until we hit a Francis Bacon. ‘I do NOT like that!’ one child pronounced loudly pointing to a large painting of 3 very ‘melty’ looking figures (Triptych August 1972). I can’t say I disagreed, but was mortified at spotting a very serious looking chap sitting on a bench in front of said artwork who appeared to have been ruminating on it for quite some time. He didn’t seem to notice – or was very polite. I encourage critical thinking in my kids but maybe I should introduce diplomacy too? 

In total, we spent about four hours at Tate Britain, with a significant portion dedicated to exploring the artworks. My kids would happily go again, and I would highly recommend it to other parents who want to find the fun in typically more grown-up public museums and galleries (and avoid the endless dinosaur queue in the ‘other’ museum). And it’s free! What more could you ask for? 

P.S. As a side note, a quick Google search led to a Guardian review last year from a seasoned art critic that was in humorous contrast to my opinionated kids. He hated everything!! Maybe the gallery just isn’t intended for Guardian critics anymore? Make way for the new generation of art enthusiasts! Hey Guardian (art and design) – can my kids write an article for you? 

The post Tate Britain: Arty Fun for Families  first appeared on Conflicted Parent.

For the past few years, during “Biology Week”, the Royal Society of Biology has launched their BioArtAttack 3D competition, inviting people of all ages to fuse biology and art to create biology-themed artworks inspired by the natural world. These can be anything from collages to models, sculptures or animations. 

We only found out about this competition a short while ago, while the Conflicted Parent was trying to find new ways to channel the kids’ creativity into activities that also provide learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering and maths. This yielded a whole list of STEAM challenges (the ‘A’, for art, is critical), but we only had a few days left to enter BioArtAttack 3D. What to do? 

Having a naturally expressive creative child helps. Over the past several months, week in, week out, they’ve been attending art classes at our local art-K studio. This has resulted in a huge profusion of artworks using different media, materials and techniques. The theme of the Great Barrier Reef pretty much suggested itself as they had covered it in school while discussing ecosystems and there were already some relevant pieces (a beach/sea scene and a sea turtle).

The process of creating a 3D artwork is a valuable STEAM activity for parents to do with their children. It encourages children to think creatively and critically, while also developing their scientific knowledge and skills. To create a 3D artwork, children need to plan, design, and build their creation, which also involves a range of skills such as problem-solving, spatial awareness, and fine motor skills. It’s the full package! 

The complete vision of how to take all these elements, create and add a few more and then combine them into a 3D ‘diorama’ of the Great Barrier Reef just seemed to spring fully formed into the Conflicted Parent’s child’s mind. This is one of the aspects of creativity that always astounds the Conflicted Parent. Did we all have this ability as children, and if so, how/when did we lose it? 

We spent the rest of the afternoon researching and then recreating the various creatures and plants to add to the scene: sea stars, clownfish, anemones and coral. They repurposed some cardboard out of the recycling bin with some blue paint as the base and put everything together. 

The competition submission needed some labels and lists of materials. We could have done this by hand, but the afternoon was turning into evening and the submission date loomed, so the Conflicted Parent made good use of their ICT skills to do this digitally. 

In conclusion, we all had a fun time researching and building the final artwork, while learning things almost without noticing. I’d say that was a job well done, wouldn’t you? 

The post STEAM Challenge: The Great Barrier Reef in 3D  first appeared on Conflicted Parent.

Endless wonderful organisations fund or run school programs, provide free resources and set up and fund exciting STEAM challenges and competitions to inspire our children – but parents must know that those resources are out there – and, crucially, engage with them. 

Engaging is the tricky part as everyone is time poor, so the important points are that it should be child driven and minimum hassle for busy parents. We’re just trying to stretch our child’s interests, not create a whole new curriculum for us to teach! (Unless it’s AI – but that’s a discussion for a future post).

For example, the Conflicted Parent’s kid loves to paint. It’s their thing, and they’re always asking for drawing ideas. Now, instead of racking my brain for projects, we’ve stumbled upon these awesome STEAM challenges. It’s like a creative boost without the extra hassle. 

My child gets to dive into their art, and I get a breather because there’s already a theme in place. Plus, it’s not just about making art; it’s about making art that means something. The challenge ties everything together, weaving in some learning without them even realising it. 

And the best part? They’re not just working on a piece; they’re part of a whole community. They check out other artworks, get inspired, and even pick up a few tricks. Throw in some certificates, online gallery love, or the wild idea that their art might end up in space, and you’ve got a seriously exciting experience.  

As a bonus, my child is more likely to finish the project rather than abandoning it halfway through. It’s this whole journey that keeps them motivated, engaged, and proud of what they create. It’s like magic—creative, community-building magic. And give yourself a put on the back my parenting friend, you’ve just exposed your child to a whole bunch of those 21^st Century Skills right there! 

In future blogs the Conflicted Parent will put their money where their mouth is and share their experience of engaging with some of these initiatives. 

In the meantime, some of my favourites are listed below – try some and have fun:

• BioArtAttack 3D – Entries- (3D pieces of art using any combination of materials and media) can take inspiration from any part of the natural world or biological concepts.
• Science without Borders Challenge – This annual competition inspires students to be creative while promoting public awareness of the need to preserve, protect, and restore the world’s oceans and aquatic resources.
• British Science Week poster competition – Posters on an annually changing STEM topic showing creativity in approach, while being clear, accurate and informative.
• The European Astro Pi Challenge: Mission Zero – Write a simple program to take a reading from a sensor on an Astro Pi computer on board the ISS, and use it to set the background colour in a personalised image for the astronauts to see as they go about their daily tasks 
• The Big Bang Competition – Create solutions to real world problems using STEM.
• TeenTech Awards – Innovation competition: brainstorm ideas, clearly identify an opportunity or a problem, suggest a solution and research the market. 
• BIEA Youth STEAM Competition – Annual STEM competition with teams of up to 5 kids aged 6-18.
• Young Minds Prize – Essay competition designed to provide students with an opportunity to engage in debate and hone their writing skills.
• Moon Camp Challenge – Education project using innovative learning technologies to challenge students to design their own Moon settlement with a 3D modelling tool.
• Mission X – Train like an Astronaut – Free educational and inspirational project that challenges students to train like an astronaut through physical exercises and scientific investigations, helping them learn the key elements to keeping fit and staying healthy in space and on Earth.
• UK CanSat Competition – Students are tasked with designing and building their own simulation of a real satellite, integrated within the volume and shape of a soft drink can.
• Space Gallery Competition – Every month ESA Kids is looking at a different theme in more detail. Themes include everything from orbits and planets to astronauts and asteroids.

The post Unleashing Creativity: Exciting STEAM Challenges To Inspire The Family first appeared on Conflicted Parent.

Over the last 10 years or so, there has been a wave of innovative educators trying to turn the traditional school model on its head, developing 21^st Century skills in learners. Whether it’s AltSchool’s personalised learning journey in the US (spoiler alert – it was sadly doomed to failure)¹, Quest to Learn’s game-based school in New York, School 21 in East London, or the sustainability-driven ethos of the Green School in Bali, these pioneers have been trailblazers envisioning a future where learning knows no bounds. Even if it hasn’t always gone according to plan!  

Microschools are another interesting new trend that gained momentum during and post COVID². Microschools are small learning environments for 5-25 students of mixed ages and grades. They use different teaching and learning models, such as personalised, project-based, or online learning, and can run in various settings, such as homes, churches, or offices. These small-scale educational institutions boost student-teacher bonds, cater to student interests and needs, and create a sense of community. All of which are fantastic enablers for building the skills our children need for the future.But they also face issues like regulations, access, equity, and quality. The Conflicted Parent isn’t convinced yet, but microschools are a hopeful trend in education, blending personalisation, connection, and innovation – especially for students who learn differently. 

All the institutions above deserve a round of applause for their brilliant ideas and valiant attempts. However, perhaps more practical for most parents are those equally innovative educators supporting on-going learning to allow us to enrich our children’s school experience. You can find the Conflicted Parent’s Top 5 favourite (free) eLearning crushes here!

Additionally, endless wonderful organisations fund or run school programs, provide free resources and set up and fund global challenges and competitions to inspire our children – but parents must know that those resources are out there – and, crucially, engage with them. To help you get started, the Conflicted Parent has put together a list of currently open challenges.

I’m not suggesting you enter to crush the competition – that wouldn’t be very 21^st Century would it? Enter for fun to see where it takes you! Maybe swap ‘Family Friday Movie Night’ for ‘Family Friday Creativity Night’? Dust off the little grey cells and get painting, coding, building, photographing, movie making, debating and problem solving like no-one’s watching!

The Conflicted Parent is committed to walking their own talk and you can find my experience of engaging with some of these initiatives on this blog.

1. What can we learn from an experimental high tech charter wunderschool failure | Forbes (paywall) ︎
2. New research reveals the breadth and impact of the microschooling movement | Forbes (paywall) ︎

The post Innovative Educators For The Digital World first appeared on Conflicted Parent.

Ever find yourself surrounded by the chaos of kids’ shrieks, clattering pots and pans, and the hum of a laptop battling the demands of work and parenting at 5 pm on a weekday evening?

Welcome to my world, the kitchen table, doubling up as the Conflicted Family’s homework command centre. The kids are wrestling with the mysteries of addition and subtraction, shortly followed by reading the assigned books before tomorrow’s deadline, guitar practice and a chat about Edward Jenner (the science focus for this term), whose historical experiments on his gardener’s son provoke horrified reactions from my offspring.

Meanwhile, I find myself in the role of unofficial tutor, suppressing the urge to hide in the bathroom while Googling for a real tutor and checking out the cost of the nearby independent prep school with wraparound homework classes.

We all fall victim to the “peer pressure parenting” game, squeezing in extra classes, sacrifices galore, just to “keep up.” But sometimes I wonder – why are we playing? Deep down, I think kids should be running wild in the forest until at least the ripe old age of eight. At the same time, I break out in a cold sweat if my little one doesn’t crush their weekly spelling test.

As I laugh at my own contradiction, a sobering thought pops up: am I feeding the academic monster that I don’t even truly believe in? And, worse, is it even the right thing to do for my kids?

Between fractions, phonics and the ethical dilemmas of long-gone scientists, I wonder if any of this is really preparing my kids for the world hurtling towards us at warp speed? AI, entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, digital literacy, creativity and critical thinking – the buzzwords of the future. Yet, our current educational systems seem to have missed the memo. Research suggests that future jobs need skills that are often overlooked in traditional education in the UK. Are our kids being left behind?

I love my kid’s teachers but I’m sceptical about the education system as a whole. I know that creativity and innovation are critical skills for my children but I still drill them on maths and English because I know that’s how they will be tested. I limit their screentime even though the future is digital. I’m the Conflicted Parent, caught between my ideals, the reality of today’s educational landscape, and the uncertainty of the future. And guess what? I know I’m not alone!

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