Building the Perfect School Infographic

Building the Perfect School: Highlighting the World's Most Innovative Approaches to Education

Education is the cornerstone of our society. In school, we learn to think creatively, work diligently, and act thoughtfully. Innovative and progressive approaches to education from around the world inspired Desire2Learn (D2L) to build and visualize the perfect super school. The Building the Perfect School Infographic highlights schools in Baltimore, Singapore, Ontario, Finland, and the UK. These schools tackle mental health, financial literacy, technology, and interdisciplinary education.

Meditation

At Robert W. Coleman Elementary in West Baltimore, students who act out are sent to a meditation room. The “Mindful Moment Room” is lavender scented, bright, and filled with pillows and yoga mats. Trained staff and yoga teachers talk with students about their behavior and lead breathing exercises. This program helps students to improve their mental health through mindful practices.

Technology

In Singapore, teachers train at the National Institute of Education. The Classrooms of the Future Lab instructs teachers on how to use technology to enhance their future students’ education. This training includes 4D learning, video conferencing, and several other digital tools.

Life skills

In 2017, the Ontario government introduced a financial skills module for 10th grade career studies classes. In this module, students learn how to make important financial decisions, including: choosing a cell phone contract, investing in long-term savings, avoiding unmanageable debt, and how to save for old age and health care expenses.

Interdisciplinary Education

In Finland, traditional subjects are being replaced with interdisciplinary topics. Students take both academic and vocational classes. Academic classes focus on topics like the EU and World War II through the lens of subjects like economics, geography and history. Vocational classes have students working in a cafe where they learn economics, communication, and math.

Combining these approaches to education from around the world will ensure that the next generation of leaders receives the most comprehensive, innovative education imaginable. The world of education is continuously evolving. D2L is at the heart of this evolution, empowering schools to offer better learning experiences for their students.