Portrait of an RDS Graduate
RDS is the First Future Design School in Toronto
Future Design Schools are forward thinking educational institutions that create high quality learning experiences that are design-driven and future-proof. The Rosedale Day School was selected to be one of the first in this global network because of our proven track record and commitment to exceptional student experiences. Our partnership with Future Design School seeks to amplify the incredible work that is already being done in our classrooms, and to support educators in considering new approaches to engaging students in meaningful problem solving that address the world’s most pressing needs.
RDS & FDS
Joining the Future Design School network puts The Rosedale Day School among an esteemed, forward thinking group of schools, districts, and industry leaders around the world. This partnership means transformational strategy, professional development for educators, and innovative programs for students.
Our Partnership
Since 2015, Future Design School has supported RDS in strategic planning as well as teacher goal setting and action planning. Among our initiatives is the implementation of project based learning, which includes leveraging Journey Based Assessment and using design thinking in the classroom.
Our Journey
Our journey to becoming an official Future Design School started in 2023, as we launched the program in Middle School. Over the course of the year, teachers worked closely with an expert coach from Future Design School. Starting with identifying commitments to enhancing student well being and aligning with the RDS Strategic Plan, Meaningful Learning for Life, the Middle School teaching and administrative team intentionally and creatively redesigned learning experiences for students in Grades 6-8. These experiences are grounded in Future Design School’s Tenets of Exceptional Learning: Nine research-backed elements that have been proven to make learning more engaging, relevant and fun for students.
With support from our dedicated Future Design School coach, each teacher has thoughtfully integrated specific skills and attributes from the Future Design School Portrait of a Graduate into their curriculum — artfully weaving together Ontario Curriculum Expectations with the Learning Indicators from the Portrait of A Graduate continuum.
Embedding the Portrait of a Graduate
Skills such as Constructive Doubt, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Collaboration are critical for success in a world that is changing quickly. That’s where the Portrait of a Graduate comes in to uniquely prepare students for life.
Teachers at RDS are supporting student development of these skills by embedding them into lessons, projects, assignments and unique experiential learning opportunities. Leveraging a Journey Based Assessment approach, which prioritizes the process over just the end product (i.e. the test or the “thing” they make) teachers focus on providing students with ongoing, timely descriptive feedback on their skill development over time and supporting their Conscious Pursuit of these crucial skills. They use conversations, observations and products to identify where students might need more support, and also where their learning can be extended.
This new approach builds on the incredible classroom experiences RDS has been cultivating for years coupling the Ontario curriculum requirements with meaningful skill development to ensure that our students are ready to take on the world.