Spotlight: AI Tinkery—Exploring Innovation with Curiosity and Care

We’re proud to share the launch of our new AI Tinkery at Hausner, one of the first spaces of its kind in the San Francisco Bay Area dedicated to helping elementary and middle school students explore artificial intelligence with curiosity, creativity, and care.

Inspired by the Stanford Graduate School of Education’s AI Tinkery, we’ve designed our space to spark age-appropriate conversations and inquiry around AI. It includes unplugged games, thought-provoking literature, rotating challenges, and interactive boards where students and adults can pose questions about AI. One activity, for example, invites learners to decide whether an image is AI-generated, opening up conversations about evidence, accuracy, and digital literacy.

AI continues to be a major topic around the world, especially when it comes to responsible and ethical use. As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life—and education in particular—we recognize our responsibility to help students navigate this technology safely and thoughtfully. That’s why our dedication to ethical AI practices and student enrichment sits at the core of the AI Tinkery and our larger AI education efforts.
We also believe in empowering our teachers. While we focus on student learning, we also prioritize professional development so that educators can become confident and informed users of AI. Our teachers explore AI tools for their own use first, so they can better support students in their learning journeys.

Smita Kolhatkar, our Assistant Head for Innovation, Responsible AI, and Ed Tech, leads this initiative. Previously the founder of Palo Alto’s first school makerspace, Smita is passionate about AI literacy for both students and staff. “We know AI will shape our students’ future,” she says. “The Tinkery allows them to engage with it now—asking their own questions, testing their ideas, and learning to approach AI with both excitement and responsibility.”

Our efforts don’t stop in the classroom. We’ve expanded our work into the broader school community through additions like an AI speaker series, which will bring experts in the field to speak with our Upper School students, and a dedicated AI committee, made up of staff, parents, and other stakeholders. These initiatives reflect our ongoing mission to promote ethical AI use among both students and families.

Our approach to AI goes beyond just technology. Grounded in Jewish values and supported by our Philosophy for Children program, the AI Tinkery encourages ethical reflection and upholds human dignity. As Rabbi Danny Lehmann, our Head of School, explains, “Our role, sitting here in Silicon Valley, is not only to embrace innovation but also to bring wisdom and care to its use. We want students to see AI as a tool for human flourishing, not a replacement for authentic voice, creativity, and critical thinking.”

The AI Tinkery is a reflection of our broader mission: to prepare students to thrive in a rapidly changing world while grounding their learning in community, ethics, and joyful discovery.