Did you know that 65% of today’s first graders will work in professions that don’t yet exist?
The World Economic Forum in Davos in its report “The Future of Jobs” confirms that in a rapidly changing world, the labor market is and will continue to be completely unpredictable. Twenty years ago, there were no social media specialists or data scientists, and today these are highly sought-after competencies. What and how should today’s preschoolers learn to succeed in a completely unknown labor market in the future?
The Canadian education system has responded to this challenge by precisely defining future skills and creating an innovative inquiry-based learning method that develops independence, teaches thinking, and encourages group work. This is the model that teachers at Maple Bear Katowice, a Canadian elementary school and preschool, have been using for three years.
Key takeways
- Inquiry-based learning instead of rote learning – children don’t receive ready answers. They conduct experiments, ask questions, formulate hypotheses, and reach conclusions independently
- Four key competencies for the future – critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. Children at Maple Bear develop them from preschool onwards
- Soft skills as a competitive advantage – 92% of HR managers say they are as important as technical competencies. By 2030, demand for them will increase by 26%
- Bilingualism through immersion – children don’t learn English, they learn mathematics, science, and art in English. This develops thinking flexibility and concentration
- Hybrid program – combination of Canadian curriculum with Polish curriculum. Children earn a double diploma and learn Polish culture alongside developing global competencies
Canadian answer to global uncertainty
The Canadian education system consistently ranks at the top in PISA studies, outperforming most European countries. This success is the result of a fundamental change: instead of transmitting knowledge, Canadian schools teach children how to learn.
This education model has been offered for three years by Maple Bear Katowice – an elementary school and preschool created based on proven Canadian standards. The school belongs to the global Maple Bear network operating in 39 countries, which educates 70,000 children and youth.
“In traditional school, the teacher transmitted ready knowledge. Today we want to support children and youth in discovering their own ways of thinking – teach them how to think, not what to think,” says Izabela Kotuła, Director of Maple Bear Katowice. “In a world where technology is changing faster than ever, the courage to learn throughout life and the ability to adapt to changes become most important.”
Inquiry-based learning
At the center of Canadian methodology lies inquiry-based learning. The teacher doesn’t provide ready answers, but guides children through the discovery process. A child learning about gravity doesn’t receive a ready formula. They conduct experiments, observe, ask questions, formulate hypotheses, and independently reach conclusions.
Critical thinking, analyzing problems, creativity in finding solutions – these are future competencies that entrepreneurs seek in the best employees. At Maple Bear, children develop them from age three, not during their first job.
Soft skills – advantage in a globalized world
According to a 2024 LinkedIn report, 92% of HR managers say soft skills are equally or more important than technical ones. McKinsey estimates that by 2030, demand for social-emotional skills will increase by 26%.
“Entrepreneurial parents understand this perfectly,” says Patryk Kundera, Vice Director of Maple Bear Katowice. “I can teach someone a program in two weeks. But I can’t teach them empathy, communication, or collaboration. In the world of AI, it’s precisely the typically human skills – empathy, creativity, building relationships – that become a competitive advantage.”
Children at Maple Bear work in groups, learning to negotiate, express opinions, listen to others, and cope with frustration. These are skills that can’t be taught from a textbook – they must be experienced in a positive educational environment.
Bilingualism through immersion – Canadian approach to language learning
Neurobiological research confirms that bilingual children have better developed cognitive flexibility, concentration, and problem-solving abilities. At Maple Bear schools, language learning happens through immersion. Children don’t learn English – they learn mathematics, science, art, and cooking in English. This is a fundamental difference.
“English is not a foreign language at our school. It’s the language of instruction that we surround children with naturally, just as they previously learned to speak Polish,” emphasizes Izabela Kotuła. “Not a second language, but two languages from the earliest years.”
In a globalized world, bilingualism is an obvious business advantage. A child moving freely in two languages and cultural systems has greater chances for an international career, but is also more open to diversity.
Hybrid program – local roots, global horizons
Learning at the Katowice school follows a program that combines the Polish core curriculum with the Canadian Maple Bear program. The proprietary program is not a mechanical combination of two systems, but a thoughtful synthesis of what’s best in both approaches. Children learn Polish history and culture alongside developing global competencies. A child educated in this model can freely continue education both in a Polish high school and in an international school anywhere in the world.
This is the Canadian answer to the paradox of modernity: in a globalized world, universal competencies are needed, but at the same time the importance of local identity is growing.
Technology enhances, doesn’t replace
The 2025/2026 school year brought all Maple Bear schools worldwide access to the MyMapleBear digital platform – a comprehensive educational ecosystem created by Canadian experts. The platform contains thousands of educational materials, interactive tools, books, and resources adapted to inquiry-based learning methodology. But technology at Maple Bear never replaces teaching – it enhances it. Children still collaborate in groups, conduct real experiments, and participate in discussions.
The platform gives them the opportunity to explore topics more deeply, follow their own interests, and learn at their own pace. In a world where technology is changing, more important than knowing specific tools is being comfortable in a digital environment.
Summary
In a world where the only constant is change, the best investment in a child’s future is not specific knowledge, but the ability to learn continuously.
The Canadian education model offers exactly that: inquiry-based teaching methods develop critical thinking and the ability to ask the right questions. Bilingualism through immersion builds cognitive flexibility. Maple Bear doesn’t give ready answers. It gives tools for discovering them independently, because the future belongs to those who can learn throughout their lives.