The world is changing at a rapid speed. Students entering school today will be graduating into a world with opportunities and challenges beyond our imagination.
As a public education system, our mission at the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is to prepare every student we serve for success in the future. The students who enter our classrooms deserve an education that will enable them to excel in this changing world.
To meet this goal, we know that offering a status quo education won’t do. The current education system created in the 1800s is leaving some students behind and is failing to provide the skills they need for the future. As we look toward the 22nd century, we must transform how we teach and engage with students in their learning.
Thinking globally
To prepare students for life in a globalized world, we aim to be a world leader in education. Many global institutions and researchers – such as the OECD’s Education 2030 project and the World Economic Forum’s Education 4.0 initiative – call for the need for education systems around the world to better prepare students for the future, and their research supports our vision and approach to transforming education. We are using evidence-based research, Ministry of Education curriculum guidance and best practices from around the world to help guide us.
Our vision for transforming education
What does transforming education mean? As we envision the education system of the future, we are focusing on these five areas:
1. Building strong foundations for learning
- 50% of Grade 6 students in Ontario – and only 23% with special education needs – met the provincial standards in math in the 2022-2023 school year.
- “Reading achievement for Ontario students is concerning, but the outcomes for students with special education needs (excluding gifted), learning disabilities, boys, Black and other racialized students, multilingual students, students from low-income backgrounds, and Indigenous students are even more troubling.”
Literacy and numeracy are the building blocks for learning. They are critical to a student’s success in school and life.
Ensuring all students can read, write and understand math is our top priority. We are implementing research-based learning methods in literacy and mathematics instruction, in a variety of ways, so that every student has a strong foundation of skills on which to build.
2. Centring students and their well-being
Students are at the centre of everything we do. We imagine a school system that values students’ voices, supports their well-being and allows them to explore their curiosity and creativity. We are shifting the structures of our school board to put students at the centre of our work, and challenging traditional hierarchies all in support of student achievement and well-being.
According to the OECD, “Future-ready students need to exercise agency, in their own education and throughout life.” As we look to create the education system of the future, we are focusing on increasing students’ sense of agency in their learning, and supporting their well-being so that their minds and bodies are ready to learn.
3. Supporting students’ pathways
- “The gap between traditional education systems and the labour market could grow with increasing automation and digitization, inadequately preparing Canadians for meaningful participation in the future world of work.”
With the rapid development of technology, students today will be graduating into a new world of work.
A one-size-fits-all education will not prepare students for the job market of the future. Our goal is to support students in exploring their interests and ambitions. We aim to foster a life-long passion for learning.
To do this, we are looking for new ways to help students pursue a wide variety of pathways, whether it be co-operative education and apprenticeships, specialized programs, or high-quality academic programs. De-streamed Grade 9 and 10 courses help to keep options open for students, as they plan their post-secondary pathways allowing them to cater their learning experiences as needed. Through the Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy (CRRP) approach, educators in the WRDSB work to increase educational equity.
4. Innovating through design thinking
Researchers have identified problem-solving as one of the most valuable skills for the future. The ability to think critically and create solutions to complex problems will be increasingly valuable as the use of artificial intelligence grows.
To develop students’ problem-solving abilities, we are teaching the concept of design thinking and providing opportunities for students to identify and develop solutions to real-world problems.
5. Collaborating with families and communities
- “Collaborative relationships with teachers and others at the school are linked to improved attendance, better student engagement, more positive relationships (Harris & Goodall, 2007).”
We cannot do this work alone. We are partnering with families, caregivers and family members, as well as the broader community, to help build a better education system for the future. We’ve set in motion plans to guide how we transform education through engagement with those we serve.
Starting the path forward
The work to transform education is already underway. In 2022, we shared our multi-year Strategic Plan. Developed in consultation with 10,000 students, staff, families and community members, we listened to their voices to ensure we are meeting their needs.
Guided by this Strategic Plan, we developed our Board Improvement and Equity Plan (BIEP). This plan maps out how we will achieve the goals of our Strategic Plan, and how we will measure our progress.
We have invited educators to join us in leading this transformation, and they have responded with enthusiasm. Across the WRDSB, educators are using their expertise to innovate how they teach.
Literacy and numeracy interventions
To ensure students are ready for high school, WRDSB teachers developed a math intervention program for Grade 7 and 8 students. This program uses small-group instruction to provide more personalized support to students.
In literacy, teachers from Kindergarten to Grade 2 are learning how to use research-based screening tools like Acadience so that they can offer individualized interventions to students, including programs such as EmpowerTM.
These efforts are supported centrally through two new plans that prioritize these fundamental skills for students:
- Math Achievement Action Plan
- Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan
Student-centred learning and wellness
Educators are using approaches like “thinking classrooms” to place more importance on learning and exploration than grades. Students are being empowered to support each other’s well-being through Student Wellness Teams and Kindness Clubs.
We have been addressing period equity in the WRDSB since 2019 by providing free products to students; it’s one step toward menstrual equity. Students are able to attend school physically and emotionally, without stigma or barriers, allowing them to focus on achieving their full potential in the classroom.
We’re innovating how students achieve their Grade 11 English credits. Secondary educators now offer English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices (NBE3U). This effort aligns with our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. Specifically, it addresses the Call to Action to make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for kindergarten to Grade 12 students.
Innovative technology enhances student learning and builds pathways to future careers
Students have remote access to more powerful computing hardware, and a wide range of software tools thanks to the implementation of Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). This allows educators to delve deeper with student learning, encouraging them to reach farther in their curiosity, creativity and knowledge.
In partnership with the University of Waterloo, each year secondary students take part in the Electric Vehicle Challenge. Students are tasked with building a small car and compete to see who can go the furthest distance on a single car battery. Educators lead these teams, using the opportunity to offer learning in a range of subjects, from communications technology to math and engineering.
Solving real-world problems through design thinking
In partnership with the Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab (SWRIL), students are learning how to use design thinking to solve problems in their communities, and getting to apply those solutions in real life.
We’re using design thinking to solve problems and drive innovation within the WRDSB as well. The Board’s entire Senior Team is actively completing the Global Innovation Management Institute’s certification through SWRIL.
Join us on this journey
The five themes mentioned above offer a glimpse into our journey to transform education, but we are just getting started.
Soon, we will be sharing a more detailed report on the work underway to build the education system of the future. We will also be inviting students and families to share their visions with us on what education could be. Join us as we develop a world-class education system that prepares all students for future success.
Categories: Transforming Education Tags: changing · ed · Education · paper · preview · summary · thought · transforming · world
