Imagining the School of Tomorrow, Today

Have children really changed? No, however, the context for raising and teaching children has. 

“What has happened to our young people. They disrespect their elders; they disobey their parents; they ignore the law. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?” (Plato, 4th Century BC) 

Children themselves, biologically, emotionally, and psychologically, have remained the same – however, what has changed is the world around them. Due to gradual shifts in society, the context for raising and teaching children has changed dramatically. Most noticeably, higher levels of stress and anxiety, less play and outdoor time, a loss of community, and a growing dependency on technology are negatively impacting healthy development and a child’s motivation for learning (Neufeld 2002). 

School leaders may not be able to change the social context of society; however, what we can control is the organization and philosophy of our schools. Reimagining the school of tomorrow does not require the heroic actions of tackling complex societal problems; instead, it is important to focus on the little things that we can control (Fullan, 2003). 

So, what are the little things schools can control (to support healthy child development and create an environment conducive to learning)? Every school can control and shape its educational philosophy. That philosophy should evolve and adapt to shifting changes and challenges in society. At Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School (PETES), we have been adopting innovative and progressive practices for several years in response to the complex needs of students and families. Our intention has been to increase student (and family) engagement by focusing on belonging and attachment. Successful practices at the school in recent years have included: 

Cultivating a kind and caring school culture; greeting and collecting students multiple times a day; prioritizing and celebrating the arts (e.g. school choir, plays, music programs); taking learning outdoors; student leadership opportunities (e.g. house system, citizenship club); being playful; and bringing an overall joy and rigor to learning. 

When integrating more playful and experiential learning into the curriculum, students can meaningfully connect because learning becomes more relatable to their lives. For example, integrating “place-based learning” is a simple but not overly practiced strategy whereby teachers explore their local community and find places outside to hold lessons (Nagelhout, 2025). At PETES, school teams are beginning to collaborate to create “learning paths” with different parts of the curriculum being taught in various local neighborhood locations.  

Place-based learning paths become established as teachers share lessons and scripts for taking the learning outdoors. Our Learning Path Map includes visits to our local forest (study of seasons, wildlife, vegetation); historical neighborhood walks (historical homes, industry, parks, settlement patterns); local indigenous perspectives (traditional trade routes, landmarks, historical Commanda bridge); and the Ottawa River (water quality testing with the Riverkeepers). 

When teachers collaborate and create local “learning maps”, they are more inclined to leave the classroom (finding additional personnel support also helps). When teaching occurs outside the classroom, we notice that students’ sense of wonder is activated and remarkably – engagement increases, attachments form, behavior improves, and deep learning unfolds. 

Our educational philosophy has continually evolved by focusing on the joy of discovery. Research suggests that “joyful play sparks the brain’s reward centers, triggering a feel-good chemical called dopamine. Higher dopamine is linked to better memory, attention, creativity, mental flexibility and motivation” (Lego Foundation, 2024). When students are engaged in true play – incredible emotional work is done under the rather innocuous and playful camouflage of being up to nothing at all (2005, Neufeld). These impactful pedagogical approaches are the essence of our school philosophy – attachment, engagement, playfulness, belonging & wonder. 

To highlight our evolving educational philosophy, this is a story of a former student called James. His story helps illustrate the positive impact toward healthy child development (and school success), when you pay attention to the “little things” that really matter. 

James arrived at PETES in 2018 as a five-year-old kindergarten student. At the Open House teachers instantly noticed that he was a highly active and enthusiastic child. At that time teachers recognized that James would probably be an ideal candidate for the newly created full-day outdoor kindergarten program. 

From the first day of school, James had a very difficult time listening to teachers and following instructions. He was more interested in being curious and exploring his surroundings. He climbed trees, waded through water, played in the mud, and rolled down hills – all the while smiling, laughing and moving to his own beat. Each day teachers would provide outlets for James’ natural curiosity, sense of adventure, and playful disposition.  

During kindergarten, James was never interested in holding a pencil; however, he was very interested in holding a stick or twig and moving it around like a Harry Potter wand. And from time to time, he would use his magic wand to form letters or numbers in the sand or dirt. He would also use pebbles and acorns to sort shapes and over time gradually began learning math by graphing nature’s manipulatives and sorting leaves. He learned about trees, vegetation, and wildlife through an interactive educational process. By touching plants and seeing a variety of wildlife through the seasons, he instinctively fell in love with the natural world. His teachers regularly commented on what a great listener, learner and leader, James had become. Obviously, you cannot go back in time, but I often wonder what kind of learner James would have become if he had a different kindergarten experience (bouncing off the four walls comes to mind).  

From grade one to grade five, James remained a curious student who thrived through experiential learning. His love of science and the natural world was incorporated into all aspects of his education – reading material, narrative writing, presentations, experiments, and art projects. He was never able to excel in traditional testing, but he passed all his subjects. However, he thrived and excelled whenever the class worked on any hands-on project. A few projects come to mind – a carpentry bench building project, a classroom air purifier initiative, and a mini-chef entrepreneurship program.  

In grade three, James participated in a class project to build wooden benches for the school. Instantly, the carpenter identified James as his natural class leader. James loved using his hands to build and his imagination to figure things out. His leadership skills began to flourish, and his confidence soared. James was able to easily follow instructions and naturally teach other students. His classmates looked at him, and everyone wanted to be his friend.  

In grade four, James was part of a group of students who built ‘do it yourself’ classroom air purifiers. With the guidance of an innovative teacher, James and classmates were able to build purifiers by using furnace filters, box fans, cardboard, and duct tape. Incredibly, the purifiers worked like expensive Hepa purifiers. During this fun learning activity, students learned about the science of air purification; all the while being amazed by the simplicity of the process. Not only did James successfully help build 28 classroom purifiers but he was the team leader when delivering the purifiers and explaining how they worked. It was truly the essence of outstanding teaching and learning by engaging students through their sense of wonder. 

By grade five, every student wanted to be in James’ class. And remarkably, students and teachers would look to James to see what project they could create next. James was becoming interested in business and entrepreneurship. As such, he asked his teachers if the class could begin an entrepreneurship club to raise money for a trip. With the help of the teacher and the school chef, they created a Student Mini-Chef Entrepreneurship Program.  

Basically, it began by surveying classes to determine their choice of lunch for their fundraiser (surprisingly, Shepard’s Pie was number one). Students researched the ingredients, made a list of products to purchase, promoted the fundraiser, cooked the food, served lunch, cleaned up, counted the money, and calculated the profits. The level of excitement, enthusiasm, engagement, participation, and learning was unparalleled. And once again, James was the leader of the learning, and his influence was instrumental in its success. To this day, The Mini Chef Program is the best class fundraiser and most joyful learning experience possible for all students. 

There are probably many students in our schools like James. Students who do not quite fit the classical education system that most traditional schools offer. James’ story should be an example and inspiration for all schools to follow. Rethinking and reimagining an educational philosophy does not require funding; rather, it requires innovation, creativity, relentless determination, and the courage to follow a different path.  Providing an educational experience whereby all students can thrive, succeed, and find joy should be a goal for all schools.  

The Lab École movement in Quebec: Re-Imagining Schools of the Future 

The Lab École philosophy was developed by Ricardo Larrivée (celebrity chef), Pierre Thibault (architect), and Pierre Lavoie (fitness guru) in 2017— together they designed a holistic approach to rethink how schools should be designed and how students in Quebec should experience school. More specifically, they wanted to create educational environments to better support the wellbeing, health, and success of students. 

Their goal was to rethink school architecture to create vibrant and collaborative environments that were as attractive as they were comfortable, while being adaptable and evolutionary in the context of the changing needs of children, families and communities at large. Schools in Quebec were invited to apply by answering the simple question: “What does an ideal school of the future look like”? (Lab Ecole, 2017) 

In the spring of 2018, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School in Gatineau, Quebec was selected as one of the six schools. When asked at a townhall meeting why the school was selected, founding member Pierre Thibault responded, “it was evident from their application that the staff already had an innovative, progressive and flexible school philosophy and a willingness to think differently”. 

Even though the project took seven long years to complete (Covid, inflation, funding, procurement), the school was eventually rewarded for its patience with one of the most beautiful schools in the province of Quebec  

Since the opening of the extension in April 2025, students have flourished. The large spacious meeting areas have become the center of school life – open collaborative spaces, large windows, natural light, and wooden beams providing inspiring environments conducive to learning. Music, drama, robotics, and new spaces to read, write and collaborate bring joy to student learning.  

The addition of a modern culinary teaching kitchen has transformed student learning. Whether reading recipes, measuring ingredients, preparing food, collaborating, or tasting the fruits of their labor, they are deepening their skills while acquiring new experiences to help when writing narratives.  

With three large hydroponic systems, students learn about the science of photosynthesis. They watch in amazement as heads of lettuce grow and sprout in six short weeks. After harvesting the lettuce, students are astonished as leaves “magically” reappear almost overnight. The produce that students harvest is then served as free salads at lunch time. Therefore, students not only learn about food science, but they are also given leadership opportunities to provide cascading care to younger students. While at the same time collaborating to address food insecurity and food sustainability. In short, our Lab-École approach has become the essence of learning through joy and rigor. 

Conclusion: Pierre Elliott Trudeau School is an example of a child-centered school that demonstrates an evolving flexibility when responding to the shifting changes in society (which are having an impact on healthy child development).  Even though James did not have an opportunity to experience the new school, he would have undoubtedly loved and flourished in the new environment. 

Our school story is proof that it does not require a new building to change educational philosophy and school culture (but of course it helps). Rather, what is required is the collective effort of an entire school community, a framework, support, and a relentless commitment to providing an educational experience whereby all students can thrive and succeed.  

As one of six Lab Ecole schools in the province of Quebec, it is not only our responsibility, but our moral imperative to inspire an educational movement.  

School Philosophy 

• Create conditions conducive to learning 
• Lead with a soft heart & collect before you direct 
• Emotion seeks expression (read the emotion) 
• Attachment-based, child-centered, holistic approach to teaching & learning 
• Innovate, care & dare (willingness to think differently) 
• Activate a child’s sense of wonder by learning outdoors 
• Pedagogy of joy and rigor 
• Be playful 
• Find your forest 
• Bridge to the next connection 

Reflection Question: 

• What is one idea from PETES that has sparked your curiosity? How might you integrate it at your school? 

References: 

Fullan, Michael, 2003, “The Moral Imperative of School leadership”, Corwin Press. 

Lab Ecole website: Lab-École – School Innovation Incubator 

Lego Foundation, 2024, The scientific case for learning through play , Billund, Denmark. 

Nagelhout, Ryan, September 30, 2025, “The Classroom Isn’t the Only Place for Learning”, Harvard graduate School of Education. 

Neufeld, Gordon, “Play & Emotion” Neufeld course, 2005 

Plato, 4th Century B.C. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2009/mar/17/ephebiphobia-young-people-mosquito#:  

Meet the Expert(s)

David Andrew McFall

School & Workshop Presenter, Western Quebec School Board

David McFall is an experienced and dynamic school principal with the Western Quebec School Board. As president of his provincial principal’s association and member of the International and Canadian Playful Schools Networks (Lego Foundation), David has had the opportunity to collaborate with educational leaders provincially, nationally, and internationally.

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