Private schools such as Kingsway College School in Toronto offer hands-on and real-world learning experiences.PETER POWER/KINGSWAY COLLEGE SCHOOL
Experiential programs have evolved far beyond field trips, providing real-world learning in STEM, athletics, adviser programs and more
Experiential learning is much more than field trips. Hands-on learning both inside and outside the classroom offers real-world application of knowledge that can set students up for life.
Most people think of experiential learning as field trips or experiences outside the classroom. “It’s not that we don’t value those things. It’s that for us, we want experiential learning to happen day-to-day in the classroom,” says Elanna Robson, vice-principal of student learning at Greenwood College School in Toronto.
For example, in Greenwood’s Grade 12 kinesiology program, students not only learn skills in the classroom, but design a rehab program for a specific injury and then present their program to real physiotherapists who come to the school for a student showcase.
“It’s a lot more powerful if the students are actually engaging in something that’s real. Not only do they develop the skills they need for that, we find that there’s more rigour involved,” Robson says. This philosophy is woven into the curriculum at all grade levels.
Greenwood, a co-ed school, also offers field trips – called outdoor education (OE) weeks – twice a year, building in experiential opportunities tied to the curriculum. On the first week of school and the last week of January, every student takes part in an OE experience. For example, Grade 8 students travel to Quebec City where they interact with teachers, peers and locals in French.
At Havergal College, too, experiential learning isn’t an add-on; it’s woven into the fabric of students’ learning experiences. By taking a “classroom as a lab” approach, students move beyond theory to tackle real-world problems.
Havergal College students travelled to Bhutan for a Round Square educational excursion as part of the school’s Global Experience Program. Havergal is a member of Round Square, which is an international network of like-minded schools from around the world that connect and collaborate to offer world-class programs. Havergal also offers the Global Learning and Leading Diploma (GLLD) for students engaged in social innovation, social justice and global impact.HAVERGAL COLLEGE PHOTO
“For example, we have a pollinator garden on campus where our science classes not only learn about indigenous species and natural habitats, but they also see the impacts of climate change on our own garden and use these observations to understand the importance of environmental stewardship,” says Krista Koekkoek, head of the Upper School at the all-girls Havergal College in Toronto.
STEM (Science, tech, engineering, mathematics)
As an Apple Distinguished School – a global designation from Apple that recognizes continuous innovation and digital literacy – Trafalgar Castle School has a strong focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). It also focuses on building future-ready competencies such as collaboration, critical thinking and systems thinking.
Jobs of the future may look different than they do now, “which is why we need to promote these competency skills, because then you can use them in any career path,” says Penny Senior, technology teacher and experiential learning co-ordinator with Trafalgar, an all-girls school in Whitby, Ont. – who was recently awarded the 2025 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM.
This happens inside the classroom and beyond. “Beyond the Castle is learning outside of the classroom, where every grade goes somewhere different in Ontario, and there’s a little bit of STEM in everything,” Senior says.
Trafalgar partners with STEM-focused institutions for hands-on exposure, skills-building, competitions, mentorship and leadership opportunities. Partnerships include Ontario Tech University, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, Deloitte, Microsoft and Amazon, among others.
“Last year, we worked with a grant to use VR [virtual reality] and design thinking to help dementia patients,” Senior says. “We teach design thinking from Grade 6 and up, so [students] have this agile project management design where you brainstorm, you ideate, you build, you reflect.”
Students begin working with coding and robots as early as Grade 4. Hands-on learning includes working with a variety of robots and other applied technologies to expand students’ knowledge of coding languages while applying computational thinking strategies such as debugging and tinkering with algorithms. Students also learn comprehensive generative AI skills-building for personalized learning.
Trafalgar Castle School, an all-girls school in Whitby, Ont., has an adviser program that is designed to create a safe place for students to express emotions and foster social and emotional development. Led by faculty members, the program brings together small groups of students in Grade 9 through Grade 12 for twice-weekly check-ins and purpose-built activities.TRAFALGAR CASTLE SCHOOL PHOTO
Athletics
Athletics is another area in which students learn through participation.
It’s a “huge part of our vision and our mission,” says Meagan Enticknap, deputy head of school with the all-girls The Bishop Strachan School (BSS) in Toronto. So much so that the school developed a new athletic strategy in the 2024-2025 school year that it’s currently implementing.
“We’ve always had a strong focus on athletics, and we know from the research that there’s a very strong connection between female leadership and involvement in athletics or sport for life, and that was the reason why we wanted to create a formal strategy,” Enticknap says, pointing to research showing that 60 per cent of women in top executive positions credit sport participation with helping them get to where they are professionally.
BSS has developed a “whole school” approach to athletics, meaning that all students in elementary school participate on a sports team. There are no cuts, so if a student tries out for a team, they’re on the team.
As students move through middle school, this approach becomes more diversified. There are recreational teams and competitive teams, so girls who are more advanced or have a stronger passion for a sport can try out for a competitive team, offering a pathway to varsity teams.
The school also offers sports that aren’t necessarily viewed as ‘traditional’ sports for girls, such as rugby, football and lacrosse. Overall, BSS offers 23 different sports within its Grade 4 to Grade 12 program.
“Most of our teams will have an external coach who works alongside one of our own faculty or staff members, who is also serving as a coach,” Enticknap says. This also creates “opportunities for the girls to engage with those adults in different ways and in meaningful ways.”
Adviser programs
Many private schools offer adviser programs that provide mentorship and support to students.
For example, Greenwood’s adviser program matches every student with a trusted teacher-advocate who is compatible with their personality and stage of development. A student typically works with the same adviser for a two-year cycle from Grade 7 through Grade 12. In Grade 11 and Grade 12, their adviser becomes their postsecondary counsellor.
What’s different about this adviser program is that it’s integrated into a student’s timetable. “Students actually meet with their adviser during timetabled periods,” Robson says. And, in Grade 10, the adviser program is delivered through the careers course, which is mandatory for all students to graduate.
The adviser periods are used to work on character development, skills development and postsecondary planning.
“We have a vertical plan from Grades 7 to 12 on the skills that we want them to develop through [the adviser program], which will support them in their academic courses,” Robson says. “But also we work very much through our adviser courses on character building.”
Experiential programs both inside and outside the classroom can set young students up for future success.PHOTAGONIST/THE BISHOP STRACHAN SCHOOL
Trafalgar’s adviser program is designed to create a safe place for students to express emotions and foster social and emotional development. Led by faculty members, the program brings together small groups of students in Grade 9 through Grade 12 for twice-weekly check-ins and purpose-built activities.
Advisers also take notice if a student is struggling and can connect that student with the care they might need.
At Havergal, the Global Learning & Leading Diploma (GLLD) program includes a dedicated mentorship component that supports students’ social and emotional development beyond class time. Each student in the program is paired with a teacher mentor who meets with them regularly throughout the year.
“Mentors also help students make sense of their learning, set goals and reflect intentionally on how their experiences connect to their role as global citizens,” says Fatima Kaba, manager of EDIB (equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging) and global learning with Havergal College.
“This ongoing mentorship plays an important role in supporting students’ personal growth alongside their academic and experiential learning journey.”
Internships
At St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School in Oakville, Ont., middle school students tackle real community problems and present solutions to real stakeholders. Through the school’s Global Citizenship Signature Program – which includes Duke of Edinburgh youth development programming as well as international learning opportunities – students progressively learn how to engage with the world beyond campus.
The “jewel in the crown” is SMLS’s Grade 11 professional internship, now in its 26th year. “Many schools are beginning to offer internship programs, but they’re building from scratch what we’ve spent decades perfecting,” says Catherine Hant, head of school for SMLS.
Every Grade 11 student completes four weeks of full-time professional work at organizations including Osler Law, SickKids Hospital, Shopify and the Vector Institute. They earn Ontario co-op credits while gaining career clarity.
“At a stage when many students are still imagining career paths, our girls are already gaining experience and establishing connections in the fields they’re entering,” Hant says.
Studying abroad
Nothing says experiential learning like studying in a foreign country. Neuchâtel Junior College offers Grade 12 students an opportunity to approach a familiar curriculum through a global lens. Students complete an Ontario Grade 12 program in Switzerland while learning to navigate a new culture, language and perspectives.
“Living with a Swiss host family is central to the NJC experience and one of the most powerful learning environments we offer,” says Sarah Bruce, managing director of operations with the Canadian office of Neuchâtel Junior College.
Students are immersed in daily life, family routines, cultural norms, French language and different perspectives.
“They learn to be respectful guests, confident advocates for themselves and thoughtful global citizens,” Bruce says. “These are lessons that cannot be taught in a classroom alone.”
Travel is also embedded into the academic program. Students participate in curriculum-connected study trips across Europe that include destinations such as Belgium, Italy, Greece, France and Germany.
“Students also travel independently during designated periods, learning how to plan, problem-solve and navigate unfamiliar environments safely and responsibly – skills that serve them well, long after the year ends.”
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