Introduction

Education is undergoing a period of rapid change.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible and the demands of the modern workforce continue to evolve, educators, students, and parents are asking important questions about how children learn, what schools should prioritize, and how best to prepare students for the future.

To explore these questions, Elementals for Children spoke with educator Bjorn Norstrom and AI entrepreneur Ronja Norstrom. Although they come from different generations and experiences, both shared thoughtful perspectives on parental involvement, standardized testing, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and the growing role of AI in education.

Question: What are the biggest changes you've seen in students sver the sast 20–25 years?

Bjorn Norstrom

One of the most significant changes Bjorn has observed is not with students themselves, but with parents. He believes parental involvement in children's education has declined substantially over time, even as parent-school interactions have become increasingly confrontational.

According to Bjorn, many parents are more vocal about educational outcomes while being less involved in supporting learning on a day-to-day basis.

Ronja Norstrom

Ronja noted that, as someone who recently completed community college and is preparing to continue her studies at Arizona State University, she does not have the historical perspective to compare student behavior across multiple decades.

Question: What concerns you most about education today?

Bjorn Norstrom

Bjorn expressed concern about what he sees as a gradual decline in students' overall skill sets. He attributes part of this trend to reduced parental involvement and questions the education system's heavy reliance on standardized testing.

He argues that schools often become focused on improving test scores without adequately considering whether those measures truly serve the long-term needs of the child.

            "We spend a lot of time focusing on test scores without really

                                                understanding whether that's serving the child."

Ronja Norstrom

Ronja's concern centers on the limited emphasis schools place on non-academic skills.

While schools continue to prioritize academics and standardized assessments, she believes students need greater exposure to entrepreneurship, communication, creativity, initiative, and other skills that are increasingly important in a rapidly changing world.

Question: Are schools preparing students for the future?

Bjorn Norstrom

Bjorn's answer was direct: no.

He believes schools have become overly focused on standardized testing and are measuring what is easy to measure rather than what truly matters. Students need skills that help them navigate life, work, relationships, and uncertainty, many of which are not reflected in traditional assessments.

Ronja Norstrom

Ronja echoed that perspective.

Looking back on her own experience, she believes schools often teach students what to think rather than how to think. She sees critical thinking, independent thinking, entrepreneurship, leadership, and communication as areas that receive insufficient attention despite their importance in adult life.

Reflection

Although they come from different backgrounds, both Bjorn and Ronja arrived at a similar conclusion: schools place too much emphasis on standardized academic outcomes and not enough emphasis on developing independent thinkers capable of navigating an uncertain future.

Question: What are your thoughts on AI in Education? Would you consider it as an opportunity or risk?

Bjorn Norstrom

Bjorn views AI as a powerful tool with enormous potential.

His concern is not the technology itself, but whether society will thoughtfully integrate it into education. He believes many of the challenges surrounding AI mirror conversations that occurred when earlier technologies first emerged.

Ronja Norstrom

For Ronja, AI has been transformative.

She credits AI with helping her explore entrepreneurship and develop the confidence to pursue building a company. While acknowledging that students can misuse AI, she believes its potential for learning, creativity, and problem-solving is far greater than its risks when used responsibly.

Reflection

The discussion ultimately moved beyond whether AI is good or bad. Instead, the conversation focused on responsibility, judgment, and implementation. The challenge may not be whether AI belongs in education, but whether students, parents, and educators can develop the habits and guardrails necessary to use it wisely.

Question: What do you think schools are doing well today, and what can they improve?

Bjorn Norstrom

One thing schools continue to do well is foster meaningful human relationships between teachers and students.

Teachers care deeply about their students, and those relationships often extend far beyond academics. A great teacher can have a lasting impact on a child's life, and that's something AI cannot replace.

"Good teachers will always be remembered, with or without AI."

Bjorn also noted that students today have access to far more technology and educational resources than previous generations, creating opportunities for learning that simply did not exist in the past.

When it comes to improvement, he believes schools need to place less emphasis on standardized testing and greater emphasis on developing the whole child. He highlighted the importance of increased parental involvement, stronger life skills education, and a renewed focus on critical thinking.

Areas for Improvement

• Less emphasis on standardized testing

• Greater parental involvement

• More life skills education

• Stronger critical thinking development

Ronja Norstrom

For Ronja, one of the greatest strengths of schools remains the human connection students can build with teachers.

She reflected on her own experience with a chemistry teacher who became an important mentor in her life. Although chemistry was not her strongest subject, the relationship extended well beyond the classroom and continues today.

"I still bounce ideas off her and enjoy our conversations so much. 

 No AI can match that."

Ronja also acknowledged that students today have access to more educational opportunities than previous generations, both academically and professionally.

However, she believes schools could do far more to prepare students for life beyond graduation. In particular, she would like to see greater emphasis on entrepreneurship, communication skills, independent thinking, and real-world preparation.

Areas for Improvement

• Entrepreneurship

• Communication skills

• Independent thinking

• Real-world preparation

Reflection

Despite their different backgrounds, both Bjorn and Ronja returned to the same idea: the most valuable aspect of education remains deeply human.

While technology continues to evolve, mentorship, guidance, and meaningful teacher-student relationships remain irreplaceable. At the same time, schools must evolve beyond traditional academic measures and do more to prepare students for the realities of an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.

EFC's Perspective

Across all five questions, a common theme emerged.

Whether discussing parental involvement, standardized testing, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, or artificial intelligence, the conversation repeatedly returned to the importance of helping students become independent thinkers. Technology will continue to change. The future will continue to evolve. But the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, build meaningful relationships, and navigate uncertainty may remain among the most valuable skills students can develop.