Innovation in Independent Schools

Stephanie Leite, Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education at McGill University
Students today face a series of challenges—and with them, opportunities—unknown to previous generations. Quality education is continually identified as key to addressing those challenges, which range from ecological destruction and social injustices to ethical development of artificial intelligence. While these are all global issues, they play out at local levels, and therefore it is up to individual communities to find solutions that are relevant and locally-contextualized. Schools are well-positioned to serve as hubs for developing innovative, community-driven solutions to global issues. 

In particular, independent schools have more flexibility to try out new approaches to teaching and learning that are urgently needed in our rapidly changing world. Because independent schools are set up to have more local control over decision-making, they are more readily able to be responsive to community needs and concerns. Independent schools are managed by an elected board of directors or governors and therefore operate according to multiple layers of accountability, being supervised by both the Ministry of Education and the dedicated board.
Independent schools vary in size, mission, location, and student composition. They may be started by teachers, parents, religious communities, or any group that recognizes a particular educational need in their community. In Quebec, the spectrum of independent schools ranges from: boarding schools to those focusing on the arts; from faith-based to those serving neurodiverse students. As independent schools, they have freedom to create specialized programs that serve their particular student body. This commitment to a focused community and its needs creates an innovative environment for experimentation and boundary-pushing.

While many innovations remain unique to the school that develops it, independent schools have made several educational contributions that have enjoyed wide adoption by public and private schools. For example, the Advanced Placement program grew out of four independent schools and three universities in the 1950s and now is recognized in Canada and the US1. In addition, the Mastery Transcript, a digital secondary school transcript that does not include a grade point average (GPA), was initiated in 2015 at an independent school in Cleveland. The initiative now includes more than 400 public and private secondary schools and is changing the way student achievement is conceived of and communicated for the 21st century. Independent schools are experimenting with daily schedules, student-driven curriculum, real-world learning, technology, and more to prepare students to confront the socio-ecological challenges of today.

Over the last two decades, independent schools have increasingly committed themselves to improving the communities in which they are located. Partnerships between independent and public schools have grown in the US, UK, and Canada. These independent-state school partnerships (ISSPs) are dedicated to improving the neighborhoods they share, and are proven to be mutually-beneficial when the participating schools build relationships around shared, local interests2. Such partnerships may include teacher exchanges, community volunteer projects between students, and collaborative curriculum design. 

Trafalgar School for Girl’s upcoming move to Purvis Hall on McGill University’s campus promises to further enhance the independent school’s relationships with the communities that surround it. Located steps away from Mount Royal, the new school building is perfectly positioned between the natural landscape of the mountain, the innovative campus of the university, and the bustling downtown core of Montreal. This physical intersection mirrors the interconnectivity of nature, research, and people that underlie the CoLab partnership.

Through the CoLab, we intend to leverage these school-community relationships to transform local education so students are prepared to address global challenges. And just as our fellow independent schools have fostered home-grown solutions that scaled into wide-sweeping and paradigm-reforming advancements in education, the CoLab will position Trafalgar and McGill as leaders, pioneers, and partners in positive change.

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1 Gulla, J. (2021, Fall). Why Do Independent Schools Exist? NAIS. https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-school/fall-2021/why-do-independent-schools-exist/ 
2 Gow, P. (2013, March 1). Independent-Public School Partnerships: Evolving Paradigm, Huge Potential (Opinion). Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-independent-public-school-partnerships-evolving-paradigm-huge-potential/2013/03 
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Trafalgar School for Girls

3495 Simpson Street
Montreal, Quebec
H3G 2J7
514-935-2644
info@trafalgar.qc.ca
Our diverse school community challenges and inspires girls to embrace learning, be confident, and shape a better world.