I need to constantly remind myself that parents do not have the luxury of seeing what happens in the classroom and must rely on the extremely rare moments that their children share any morsel of detail about their learning (especially in Middle School). I can imagine that with the state of the world and the rapid evolving of AI, it can sometimes feel daunting and anxiety-provoking when thinking about your children’s future. I want to take this opportunity to reassure you that the teaching and learning going on in our school continues to be excellent. I have seen countless examples of how teachers are blending ‘traditional’ approaches with innovative and engaging learning techniques which provide an optimal learning environment for the time we find ourselves.

Truthfully, we are in a liminal time. We know that the ‘old ways’ no longer work as effectively, yet we do not have full clarity on what the ‘new’ should be. We are in a spot where we have to equip students with the skills that satisfy the expectations of tertiary education, yet we know that there is a different skill set that will become increasingly important as AI further develops. These ‘core skills’ (not soft skills) are becoming invaluable. Critical thinking and problem-solving, creativity, building and emotional intelligence, and compassion will be what drives humanity.

We can choose to be anxious and overwhelmed or we can be excited and embrace and accept that, in the Prime Minister of Canada Mr Mark Carney’s words: “nostalgia is not a strategy.” Part of our current strategy at ICS is to continue with what we know works, while providing opportunities for innovation, creativity and character development. The science of learning is not a mystery. We know how humans learn and the methods that worked decades ago still work to an extent, but it is complex. Not to mention that we are now competing with a highly stimulating, dopamine-demanding world and holding the attention of students can be challenging. This may sound hard, and it is, but our teachers are rising to the challenge and our classrooms are flourishing.

When I walk into classrooms, I see engaged students who are learning in a variety of ways. It is very rare that you will see classrooms that replicate our own school experiences. Instead, you will see group work, discussions, debates, project management and activities. I see students helping each other and grappling together as they try to make sense of challenging concepts. Even when students are working individually, I see teachers differentiating and scaffolding tasks for diverse learning. I also see the intentional use of technology. While many Middle School teachers have chosen to ‘go back’ to ‘pen and paper’, students still have opportunities to research and use online programmes to enhance their learning.

We are committed to preparing our students for any future that they may choose. We are choosing regenerative education, which includes absorbing the rich nutrients of the practices that are beginning to decompose while nurturing and cultivating new systems. It is not scary because there are elements that we will continue to hold sacred. We are rooted in community, connection and growth and this will continue to anchor us as we navigate the very best path for each of our students.

In partnership,

Lindy Hirt
Middle School Principal