Teachers often say they’re preparing students for jobs that don’t even exist yet.
asserted
that → say → jobs
How can schools equip students for a work landscape changing this quickly?
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schools → equip → landscape
Take the University of Toronto Schools (UTS), for example, where experiential learning goes far beyond the classroom — and in some cases, into the stratosphere.
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learning → take → stratosphere
“One of the biggest changes students are now facing is the reality that knowledge is easily accessed.
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knowledge → face → changes
But what is not easily outsourced to AI is everything that makes humans human and that leads to actual, real innovation,” said Leanne Foster, principal at UTS, an independent school for students in Grades 7 to 12.
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Foster → outsource → 12
Through student-led clubs, competitions and partnerships with the University of Toronto, students at UTS apply their knowledge to real-world challenges.
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students → lead → challenges
The UTS High Altitude Society, for example, is a student-led club that sends weather balloons into near space to collect data.
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that → lead → data
More than 50 students have taken part in electronics and space-related workshops covering everything from soldering to designing circuit boards.
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students → take → boards
Students also access research opportunities and facilities through the school’s affiliation with the University of Toronto: for example, exploring the use of immersive AI in interactive drama experiences with the BMO lab at U of T, or participating in an eight-week summer program on behavioural economics alongside university students and professors.
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Students → access → students
“It’s not about believing the content will be the same when they graduate, but about how to problem solve,” said Foster.
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Foster → ’ → ?
“Even if we can get the answer online, that’s not going to help us solve a problem that’s never been solved before.”
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that → get → problem
At The Mabin School, a kindergarten to Grade 6 independent school in Toronto, problem solving starts with students’ questions.
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solving → start → questions
Teachers use an inquiry-based approach to listen for what sparks curiosity, which leads to deeper, interdisciplinary and experiential learning.
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which → use → learning
“Children are innately curious; they notice the world around them, and we truly harness that,” said Simone Gravesande, principal of The Mabin School.
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Gravesande → notice → School
One inquiry began when students noticed people experiencing homelessness during a community walk.
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students → begin → walk
Their questions led to an exploration of inequality and what they could do to help.
uncertain
they → lead → what
The students ultimately built a pantry outside the school to support people experiencing food insecurity; classes take turns collecting food to stock it.
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classes → build → it
The project brought together math, communication and community engagement, while giving students experience identifying a problem, investigating it and determining how they could make a difference.
uncertain
they → bring → difference
A similar inquiry began when a Grade 5 student saw that news of a hurricane in Jamaica was being overshadowed by excitement about the Toronto Blue Jays’ playoff run.
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news → begin → run
This led to a project on natural disasters and the launch of the Change for Change campaign that raised money for hurricane relief.
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that → lead → relief
Not only do these projects make a meaningful difference in communities, but they also help prepare students for future careers.
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they → make → careers
“They learn to rely on their own critical-thinking skills and ask the right questions, which are important skills,” Gravesande said.
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Gravesande → learn → questions
These skills can then be applied to work placements as students explore potential careers.
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students → apply → careers
At The Bishop Strachan School (BSS), an all-girls day and boarding school in Toronto, students participate in a Co-operative Education program with placements across science, technology, health care, business and the arts.
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students → participate → science
Students start by identifying transferable skills, building resumes, practicing interviewing and completing workplace health and safety training.
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Students → start → training
During their placements, they set goals, reflect on their experiences and connect what they’re learning in the workplace to the classroom.
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they → set → classroom
“Students consistently describe the experience as transformative — professionally and personally,” said co-op teacher Jennifer Wilson-Lee.
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Lee → describe → experience
“Across diverse placements, students report significant growth in confidence, self-direction and clarity about future career goals.”
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students → report → goals
Elizabeth, a BSS student who participated in a co-op placement at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, says the experience helped strengthen her independence, organization and professionalism, all while affirming her career interests.
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experience → participate → interests
(We are only using her first name for her privacy.)
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We → use → privacy
“I had always known that I wanted to work in health care, but seeing doctors collaborate on treatment plans and gaining exposure to clinical care, research, rounds, surgery and different dental specialties made a future in medicine or dentistry feel achievable and motivated me to work toward it,” she said.
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she → know → it
The Aporia
