Teach the Future

Teaching Futures Thinking skills to children so they can become the entrepreneur of their own future.

In this rapidly changing world we need to know how to adapt to change but we often struggle with this. We need to understand how we can anticipate and embrace change so it does not become overwhelming. We need to think about the future we desire so we are able to influence our future and make it better, not just be bystanders in our own story. Children need to learn how to prepare themselves for the future. Although schools aim to prepare their students for the future, their backwards-looking focus limits the extent to which students will be successful in dealing with the future.

Currently both elementary and secondary education are focused on the past and the present while the future remains mostly unaddressed. At the Teach the Future Foundation we are committed to changing this by teaching children future thinking skills. Futures thinking helps children deal with a world full of changes. It will help them realize that they are capable of proactively creating desired outcomes and that they can shape their own future and that of the world around them.

Together with five teacher-in-training programs, five schools of secondary education, and five schools of primary education we are piloting the integration of futures education in students’ curriculum. We started the process with teaching futures thinking skills to teachers and teachers-in-training and asking them to apply these skills to their own future. Besides developing the skills necessary to teach futures thinking, it also resulted in teachers applying their new found futures thinking skills to their school and curriculum resulting in a push for the schools themselves to become “Future Proof”. 

The main objective of this pilot initiative is to gather data on how to effectively teach futures thinking. The Teach the Future Foundation will gather and analyze the data from all the pilot schools to develop a ”best practice” dataset that presents the most effective approaches to teach futures thinking categorized by age group. It will include materials, lesson plans, insights and tips and tricks. This publicly available “best practice” database together with a network of schools already providing futures education will facilitate the integration of future thinking skills in the curriculum at schools all over the world. Based on my experience with schools in the last 2 years, schools will embrace the opportunity to teach their students futures thinking once they are provided with the tools and the support.

Our initiative will change the world because children who can prepare themselves for the future will be less anxious, more aware, empowered and hopeful. Children are the future so let’s equip them to make it a strong sustainable future for themselves and others, for years to come. 

Futures thinking is a young discipline that is currently only taught at the university level. Futures education at lower levels is only sporadically done, materials are not shared and best practices are not developed (outside my initiative). This while futures thinking is a critical skill for everybody, not just for those that reach university. Moreover, futures thinking is likely most impactful when taught at an earlier age. Children’s brains are more adaptive and malleable, making it more likely that lessons in futures thinking will have a lasting effect. Thus, my focus on future thinking for children is quite innovative. 

An important part of futures education is anticipating, understanding and embracing new technology. We discuss new technologies and its potential influence on the world. I believe that children that master futures thinking skills will also be more likely to develop new technology themselves because of their positive attitude and awareness of the future. Moreover, we would like to use new technology to make the free ‘best practice’ database and support network as effective as possible. Finally, I would like to use new technology to teach futures thinking skills in new innovative ways.

The Netherlands will set the example on the international stage by being the pilot country for children’s futures education. In the next 12 month I will collaborate with five teacher-in-training programs (students from 18-25), five schools of secondary education (students from 12-18) and five schools of primary education (pupils from 6-12), to integrate futures thinking in their curriculum. I will assist each school to find a way to integrate futures thinking in their curriculum. Those solutions will be unique for each school to ensure that futures education enhances, not clashes, with the school’s objectives and identity.

The main objective of the pilot is to gather data on how to effectively teach futures thinking. I will gather and analyze the data from all the pilot schools to develop a ”best practice” dataset that presents the most effective approaches to teach futures thinking categorized per age group. The dataset with insights and materials will be shared nationally and internationally. This, together with the Teach the Future support network, will make it easy for schools to join the initiative. We will also work with international partners like UNESCO to enhance the visibility of our database globally.

My beneficiaries, the children, will be reached through their teachers. By personally training the teachers of the pilot schools and working with them on an individual basis to integrate futures thinking in their curriculum, I create skilled and engaged teachers. They will be the change-makers at their schools. 

More importantly, through the pilot I will create a ‘best practice’ database that contains materials and advice on how to best teach future thinking skills. The database, in combination with a support network, will help other schools implement futures education on a continuous basis.

I am currently serving three groups. First, I am working with five teacher-in-training programs (students from 18-25). Per school there are 5+ teachers and about 100 students that I am reaching. Second, I am working with five schools of secondary education (students from 12-18) where per school I am working with 5 teachers and 150 students. Finally, I am working with five schools of primary education (pupils from 6-12) where again there are 5 teachers and 150 students per school. Thus, I am serving 75 teachers and 2000 students. 

The pilot will be serving 75 teachers and 2000 students in the next 12 months (see above). However, the effect will last beyond 12 months because new teachers in training will continuously be trained. Moreover, when the graduated students will start to teach themselves they will reach all their pupils. I also anticipate that after the success of the pilot others will follow.

I serve the population by performing workshops for the teachers and working with them on an individual basis to integrate futures thinking in their curriculum. I provide a supporting role during the actual teaching of the students. 

I am a change-maker and a true believer. I am full of energy, persistent and tenacious.

I am very knowledge of futures thinking skills and I have educational experience with adults and children. I am able to be a strong ambassador for the cause, find partners, get people engaged and drum up support. I can develop and execute a vision.

The Teach the Future Foundation is a not for profit institution. The schools that I am collaborating with are investing their own time and we have funding applications with local government. I am actively pursuing other funding opportunities because I hope others will realize the importance of teaching our children futures thinking. 

I think Solve can advance my work by bringing in technical expertise. I would like help applying new technologies to make the ‘best practice’ database and supporting network more effective and interactive. I would also like help applying new technologies to the actual teaching materials of futures thinking skills (e.g., creating virtual reality futures scenarios). Through Solve I also hope to get more attention and gain publicity to create global awareness. The more schools find the tools and support network, the more schools will join the movement by integrating futures education.

My biggest barrier at the moment is funding. I have no problem finding schools to collaborate in the pilot initiative but beyond their own time they do not have the funds to invest. Local governments have been cooperative but also only have limited funds. Hopefully Solve can connect me to partners who are willing to invest in this very important cause.