Why This Matters
In an AI-saturated world, students need applied skepticism — not doubt for doubt’s sake, but the ability to challenge claims, respect expertise, and seek truth together.
We need to teach critical thinking across every grade and subject. This is the foundational skill that makes everything else meaningful.
What It Looks Like in Practice
- Question-first classrooms where students are taught to ask “how do we know?” before accepting a claim
- Source evaluation as a core literacy skill across subjects — not just in English class, but in science, history, and civics
- Respect for expertise alongside healthy skepticism — teaching kids the difference between questioning authority and dismissing knowledge
The AI Challenge
AI tools can generate convincing text, images, and data at scale. Our kids need to be able to:
- Recognize when something might be AI-generated
- Cross-reference claims against credible sources
- Think independently rather than accepting the first answer
What I’ll Advocate For
- Critical thinking woven into the curriculum at every grade level, not treated as an add-on or a one-unit subject
- Teacher training and resources to support inquiry-based learning methods
- Assessment approaches that reward reasoning, not just recall