Learning that Transfers
The future is not something we enter.
The future is something we create.
Our future is created by the young people in our classrooms today,
fostered by the educators invested in the pursuit of their potential,
and nurtured by the same community that will be the beneficiary of what they create.
Future-focused learning is the apex of educators in pursuit of the full potential of learners. It begins with how teachers plan for learning. Our students bring their passions, talents, and curiosities to our schools each day. Teachers harness this by designing learning that enables students to solve complex problems while learning the knowledge and skills that allow them to grow these dispositions. Learning is then transferred—intentionally expanded beyond the classroom to engage learners with their communities and the world. Teachers design learning to tell the story of the curriculum; bringing it to life in a way that students can transfer learning directly into the things they care about.
Future-focused learning brings every student along. Our teachers consider each learner and design classroom instruction that supports each student to reach their greatest potential through the development of foundational, transferable skills and competencies to fully engage in their learning. Instruction and assessment are interwoven to ensure learners are receiving ongoing feedback that allows them to reflect and strive for the next steps in their learning journey. Complex problems framing learning segments are presented at the start of learning to increase engagement and make learning meaningful.
Future-focused learning builds a thinking toolkit. Thinking is made visible as students interact with rich learning tasks testing their ideas, and adjusting as they learn more, question more, and adjust their thinking. This process is invaluable in the cultivation of life-long learners; young people who develop the dispositions and tools of thinking. Thinking is shared as students consult with others to generate questions, ideas, and opinions, and gather information. Students become co-designers of their learning as they are empowered to think deeply and interact with the thinking of others.
Future-focused learning connects learners to their ability to affect change. Our teachers create environments that empower each learner to lead their own lives and affect the world. Learning is designed to honor voice and learning spaces are created to nurture physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development. By empowering youth to discover their passions and talents and to lead their lives with purpose, our schools support each learner to follow their journey and transfer their learning to life beyond the classroom.
