What Educators Predict for Teaching in 2025
| by Alex Skov
As education continues to evolve, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of transformation for teachers. During Moreland’s recent panel discussion on education trends for the new year, university president Dr. Susanne H. Thompson was joined by a group of seasoned educators from Moreland’s faculty who shared their predictions on the trends set to define classrooms, schools, and educational systems in the year ahead. Here’s a brief look at their inspiring conversation:
AI and EdTech are Driving Changes in Teaching
Artificial intelligence (AI) and educational technology (EdTech) are revolutionizing how we teach and learn. Panelist Taylor Williams — who earned his master’s in educational technology and serves as the coordinator of professional learning, AP, and secondary curriculum at the International Christian School in Hong Kong — emphasized the importance of embracing AI as an empowering resource for creativity, personalization, and efficiency instead of simply labeling it as a method for cheating.
Williams noted that tools like AI-powered document summarizers and personalized learning platforms can help teachers save time while also tailoring content to meet individual student needs. The panelists also highlighted a need to prioritize professional development that will allow educators to feel confident using these new technologies.
“We can either still be afraid of [AI] and try to hide from it or we can start to embrace it and see where it can really help us enhance our learning, personalize learning, and create different resources and experiences.” – Taylor Williams, Moreland instructor
Dr. Katina Bookard agreed with Williams. As an educator with more than 25 years of experience as a teacher, school counselor, and administrator, Dr. Bookard pointed out that integrating AI into lesson planning has already opened doors to more innovative classroom experiences, and support from school leadership will be important for sustained, long-term success in adopting and using such tools.
Teacher Autonomy Provides a Path to Satisfaction and Success
More and more, teacher autonomy is emerging as an important piece of the education puzzle. That’s why Dr. Paul Magnuson — the director of educational research at Switzerland’s Leysin American School — believes in giving teachers more control over their professional development. He explained that when educators can focus on learning skills and knowledge that are directly relevant to their classrooms, it not only enhances their practice but also helps create a culture of trust and collaboration as they share new learnings with other teachers to keep faculty members on the same page.
One way schools might give teachers more control over their professional development is to shift away from one-size-fits-all sessions and invest in meaningful, ongoing training opportunities that challenge and empower educators. This approach could boost teacher morale while also leading to better learning outcomes for students.
“Teachers need to know that the administration has their back to experiment…and they need time to talk about it with their colleagues, so that that is a really loose kind of professional development right. It’s not prescriptive.” – Dr. Paul Magnuson, Moreland instructor
Teacher Retention Through Culture and Support
Teacher recruitment and retention are likely to remain pressing challenges in 2025, but providing a supportive and empowering school culture can help address these issues. Bookard noted the importance of recognizing teachers as professionals and respecting their time by shifting any extra or unnecessary tasks back to administrative and leadership roles to help teachers focus on student learning and academic achievement. Creating environments where teachers feel they are always learning and growing can also go a long way toward improving teacher morale and, ultimately, retention.
These strategies highlight the importance of investing in teachers’ professional and personal growth, two major factors in combating burnout and ensuring long-term happiness and commitment to education.

No-Cost Innovations for Impact
Budget constraints often limit schools’ ability to implement new strategies and use new tools, but panelists shared creative, low-cost solutions that can lead to meaningful change. Magnuson described how his colleagues are using action research — where teachers study and reflect on their own practices, then experiment with innovative approaches in their own classrooms — to drive improvement without requiring significant financial investment. These kinds of grassroots initiatives can encourage collaboration and allow teachers to share best practices while creating a vibrant professional learning community and contributing to better student outcomes in the process.
Embracing Growth and Collaboration
As Moreland alum Zachary Hensley recently noted, teachers often tell students to have growth mindsets, and that same approach can be useful for educators. Bookard termed “growth mindset” as her key phrase for 2025 as the panelists often emphasized the importance of development and collaboration in education.
“When you think about what’s ahead, not being afraid of all the new ideas that are going to come into place, having joy in your heart, and embracing all of that as you’re preparing through professional development and working with colleagues and planning for student achievement — growth mindset is my word [for 2025].” – Dr. Katina Bookard, Moreland instructor and mentor
The new year offers an opportunity for educators to learn from one another and adapt to new challenges. By creating and encouraging teachers to actively participate in an environment where they feel supported and empowered to take risks, schools can inspire innovation and resilience.
Learn More About Education Trends in 2025
2025 is set to be a year of incredible transformation in education. From integrating AI into classrooms and teaching practices to empowering educators with more autonomy and creating wonderful school cultures, the future is bright for students, educators, and school leaders alike.
Uplevel your career by exploring these trends and predictions more in-depth by watching the full 60-minute panel discussion on-demand, then consider how you can put these experts’ valuable insights and inspiration into action in your school in 2025.
