35 Years of IB at TFS | Forging skills for life
This year, as we mark 35 years of implementing the IB programme at TFS, we’re reminded of what an extraordinary decision it was for TFS to embrace the IB, and how powerfully it continues to shape the experience of every student who walks through our doors. We’re pleased to have Julie Rouette share her reflections on the IB and the lifelong skills it helps students develop.
By Julie Rouette, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning
Not long ago, a Junior School student was asked a familiar question: “What’s your favourite subject at school?” We expected to hear the typical math, French or art. Instead, the student replied, “Research.”
I absolutely loved this answer, as it perfectly captures the TFS approach to learning. When a child sees research as something they enjoy, it shows that as educators, we empower students to embrace the full breadth of what learning means at our school. Far from memorizing content, it’s about sparking curiosity, confidence and learning how to learn. It’s a clear sign that the IB mindset is already developing.
Learning to be a learner
The IB is a methodology that starts as early as PK and fits seamlessly with our blend of French and Ontario curricula. This approach focuses on providing the tools, developing the skills, and most importantly, fostering the joy of learning. At its core, the International Baccalaureate is not only about what students learn, but how they learn. Content matters, but it changes as the world around us continues to change. The ability of students to adapt, inquire and think critically lasts a lifetime.
That’s why the Approaches to Learning skills are central to the IB at TFS. Skills such as critical thinking, research, communication, self-management and social skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed. Students receive feedback in their report cards, reinforcing that these abilities are just as important as the content they study. As new technologies become increasingly part of everyday life, TFS students learn to question information, use tools responsibly and make thoughtful decisions.
Skills for the real world
Similarly, the IB Learner Profile shapes TFS into global citizens. They are encouraged to develop an inquisitive, principled, reflective and open mind through daily classroom experiences and school life. This begins from their first day at TFS, sometimes when they are just two years old, and continues as they mature and take on increasing responsibility for their learning and their own future.
Together, these frameworks ensure that students thrive, not just for the next grade or program, but for life beyond TFS. They leave school with more than a strong academic foundation: they leave as respectful, discerning and creative problem-solvers – individuals who reflect and citizens who act.
"The TFS experience, as a whole, prepared me well. The IB program and research-based learning style encouraged me to be a critical thinker. There was also a real emphasis on understanding the global perspective - which we developed through our world history, economics and languages classes." - Ishaan Kapoor '18, Après TFS.
At TFS, the IB is more than a label. It is a way of teaching, learning and reflecting, supported by the French and Ontario curricula and lived in a truly international setting. When I think of the student who called 'research’ their favorite subject, I see this approach in action. It perfectly reflects the IB mission: developing students who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
By Julie Rouette
Executive Director of Teaching and Learning
Back
Not long ago, a Junior School student was asked a familiar question: “What’s your favourite subject at school?” We expected to hear the typical math, French or art. Instead, the student replied, “Research.”
I absolutely loved this answer, as it perfectly captures the TFS approach to learning. When a child sees research as something they enjoy, it shows that as educators, we empower students to embrace the full breadth of what learning means at our school. Far from memorizing content, it’s about sparking curiosity, confidence and learning how to learn. It’s a clear sign that the IB mindset is already developing.
Learning to be a learner
The IB is a methodology that starts as early as PK and fits seamlessly with our blend of French and Ontario curricula. This approach focuses on providing the tools, developing the skills, and most importantly, fostering the joy of learning. At its core, the International Baccalaureate is not only about what students learn, but how they learn. Content matters, but it changes as the world around us continues to change. The ability of students to adapt, inquire and think critically lasts a lifetime.
That’s why the Approaches to Learning skills are central to the IB at TFS. Skills such as critical thinking, research, communication, self-management and social skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed. Students receive feedback in their report cards, reinforcing that these abilities are just as important as the content they study. As new technologies become increasingly part of everyday life, TFS students learn to question information, use tools responsibly and make thoughtful decisions.
Skills for the real world
Similarly, the IB Learner Profile shapes TFS into global citizens. They are encouraged to develop an inquisitive, principled, reflective and open mind through daily classroom experiences and school life. This begins from their first day at TFS, sometimes when they are just two years old, and continues as they mature and take on increasing responsibility for their learning and their own future.
Together, these frameworks ensure that students thrive, not just for the next grade or program, but for life beyond TFS. They leave school with more than a strong academic foundation: they leave as respectful, discerning and creative problem-solvers – individuals who reflect and citizens who act.
"The TFS experience, as a whole, prepared me well. The IB program and research-based learning style encouraged me to be a critical thinker. There was also a real emphasis on understanding the global perspective - which we developed through our world history, economics and languages classes." - Ishaan Kapoor '18, Après TFS.
At TFS, the IB is more than a label. It is a way of teaching, learning and reflecting, supported by the French and Ontario curricula and lived in a truly international setting. When I think of the student who called 'research’ their favorite subject, I see this approach in action. It perfectly reflects the IB mission: developing students who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
By Julie Rouette
Executive Director of Teaching and Learning
