BIG Questions Institute Update

February 18, 2026, No. 196 (Read Online)
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“Something Big Is Happening” – and Schools Must Pay Attention

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Matt Shumer’s newsletter post Something Big is Happening has been read over 80 million times within the week when it was published, on February 9. I was personally alerted to it by one of the most well-connected individuals I know, and she urged me to drop everything and read it. While it is making heads spin in powerful circles, it should be top of mind for educators (especially school leaders and their Boards) - not because it will surprise anyone who has been paying attention, but because everything we know that is vital in education: agency, curiosity, creativity, pursuing meaning and purpose, relationships, creating a sense of belonging and connection to community, solving real problems that matter to an individual and the world, and learning how to learn – emerge as more crucial than ever for education to stay relevant.

Out of the gate, Shumer stirs up anxiety: Remember how less than a month before Covid lockdowns most of us had no idea it was coming for us and how the world would change? What’s about to happen with AI is much, much bigger, he says, with more powerful AI versions able to demonstrate “judgement” and “taste”.

The implication for knowledge economy jobs will be a seismic acceleration in their demise. These are the aspirational jobs of most schools’ most successful graduates – the ones who get good grades, score highest on standardized tests, make it to and through the most selective universities and land coveted jobs in finance, law, consulting, writing, and even technology and some areas of medicine.

Against this unnerving backdrop, Shumer argues “the single biggest advantage you have right now is simply being early. Early to understand it. Early to use it. Early to adapt.” To him, a lot of this points to spending more time understanding and working with the latest AI; for educators I think there is a bigger task. This is the task you’ve heard over and over, and have been putting off - because it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, hard to explain to parents and students who are busy preparing college applications, or it doesn’t fit the business model of your school or real estate market.

What Shumer concludes in the section on “Rethinking what you’re telling your kids” may be new to his readers, but it shouldn’t be new to you: “[T]he people most likely to thrive are the ones who are deeply curious, adaptable, and effective at using AI to do things they actually care about. Teach your kids to be builders and learners, not to optimize for a career path that might not exist by the time they graduate.”

If you’ve been in a live or virtual room with our team at BQI, we’ve probably already been wrestling with these contexts in a conversation on strategy, mission, vision, and even governance. Still, it’s worth reading Shumer’s post. Given the claims and warnings in Something Big Is Happening (and countless other articles), how would you truly, honestly respond to these questions:
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• What will the purpose of school be in 5 years?
• What are we doing now that we must leave behind right away?
• What can we leave behind gradually?
• What does rigor look like in this AI-powered world?
• Does our strategy look like making adjustments at the margins or are we preparing our students for a fundamental shift?
• What is our definition of success? How do the the implications of AI and jobs (and other important forces, from geopolitical shifts and climate change, to mental health needs and shifting generational values) impact the outcomes we prioritize? What is the story of success we want to pass on to our students and wider community?
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As you probe these questions, include students in your inquiry and discussion. They will be your truth-tellers, compass, and reality check. Without students at the table, your confirmation biases will only be reinforced. Earlier this month we experienced what it was like to have students join 140 Heads of School from around the world, and even though we prepared a strong program, the overwhelming take-away/stars of the show were the students unapologetically speaking up, with clarity and vision, about their current school experience and the future they will inhabit. It was a powerful and unforgettable experience that offered actual hope in this uncertain reality.

Finally, while Something Big is Happening might stir up the emotions of the Toilet Paper Panic of 2020, leading a school from a place of panic is a terrible idea. Urgency is distinct from panic, and can be a powerful unifier. You should already be asking hard questions. But if an AI revolution is changing transforming work and productivity, we owe it to our future to be honest and creative with our students.
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Update: Governance for Flourishing in Complex Times

I’m posting this newsletter from Colombia, where Jim Best, from The Leader Network, Kathleen Naglee and I will be presenting the School Governance Forum in partnership with the Marymount School Barranquilla and Gallagher (insurance and risk management). We’re thrilled the event is now officially sold-out and we will be presenting brand-new material to school leaders and Board members representing a dozen schools from 3 countries in Latin America.

If you’re inclined to visit Budapest in March, consider joining Governance for Flourishing in Complex Times at the American International School of Budapest, organized by CEESA. Registration is open!

If your school is interested in a fresh approach to governance training, rooted in solid practice and informed by rapidly changing contexts, please reach out - to explore individual school work or in collaboration with other schools in your region.