May 31st, 2024

We are proud to share how WRDSB is preparing the students we serve for success in learning and in life as we move towards the 22nd century in our thought paper.

Read the full thought paper: Transforming Education: How the WRDSB is preparing students for a changing world

Transforming Education at WRDSB

As a public education system, our mission at 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. However, we know we must continue to transform education for this to be the case for all students.

Leading global institutions and researchers echo the call to transform education. Experts agree that the public education system of today is failing to prepare students for success tomorrow.

When students finish school, they’ll step into a world full of exciting opportunities and challenges we can’t yet imagine. New technology and changes in how we live and take care of our planet could make things less certain in the future. To help students do well in this changing world, we need to think about what and how we teach students, so they can be their best selves.

As we look toward the 22nd century, we must transform how we teach and engage with students in their learning.

Advance Praise for Our Thought Paper

“The goals, objectives and evidence laid out in this paper are both concise, and precisely on point,” said Dr. Peter Gamwell, Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa. “The plan laid out by WRDSB strikes a delicate balance between a focus on literacy and numeracy strategies, while taking into account both cutting-edge research, and local knowledge and commitment to supporting young people in the community. The central focus on supporting student well-being in part by allowing them to ‘explore their own curiosity and creativity’ will have a powerful impact. The entire system needs to be transformed, and flipping the hierarchy – exactly the correct thing to do.”

“‘Transforming Education’ is a visionary step forward in preparing students and their families for a rapidly evolving world,” said Dr. Ardavan Eizadirad, an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. “By addressing the shortcomings of the traditional education system, this vision emphasizes the cultivation of crucial skills such as creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking. It aims to mitigate long standing inequities and offers innovative, grassroots-level solutions to support each student’s unique talents and well-being. This bold re-imagining of education is essential to foster a love for learning and prepare students to thrive in the dynamic future.”

How WRDSB is Transforming Education

The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is working to transform the education system to prepare students for success in the future. We can’t transform education alone. We do this work in partnership with the students we serve, their families and the surrounding community.

Learn more about how we are Transforming Education for a Changing World.