This article is part of my Balance the Scales series inspired by UN Women Australia’s 2026 International Women’s Day theme.
The theme invites us to think about what balance might look like not only for adults today, but also for the next generation growing up within the systems we have built.
Because if we want a more balanced society in the future, it raises an important question.
What kind of systems are shaping the people who will one day lead it?
One of the most influential of those systems is education.
Schools play an enormous role in shaping confidence, identity, opportunity and wellbeing during the years when young people are still discovering who they are.
Which makes it interesting to consider.
Are our education systems designed to support every type of learner equally?
Do All Students Thrive in the Same Environment?
Every classroom contains an incredible range of personalities, learning styles and strengths.
Some students are quiet observers.
Some are energetic and curious.
Some learn best through discussion.
Others through movement, creativity or hands-on work.
Yet many education systems still rely heavily on structured classroom environments, written assessments and standardised expectations.
For some students, this works well.
For others, it can feel like trying to fit into a shape that was never designed for them.
Students who are energetic, highly social or naturally expressive are sometimes labelled disruptive.
Students who think differently may be seen as difficult.
Over time, the pressure to conform to a single learning style can affect confidence.
By the time some young people reach their teenage years, they may already feel as though they simply don’t fit the system around them.
Which raises another question.
What might education look like if systems were designed to adapt to students, rather than students being expected to adapt to the system?
Foundations That Matter for Life
Academic fundamentals such as reading, writing and mathematics are essential foundations.
But beyond those basics, life requires many other skills that shape how people move through the world.
Communication.
Emotional awareness.
Conflict resolution.
Confidence.
Perspective taking.
Relationship building.
These are not small skills.
They influence friendships, families, workplaces and communities for the rest of a person’s life.
Yet they are often learned informally from our caregivers and friends rather than being actively explored within education.
What might happen if learning environments created more space for these human skills alongside academic knowledge?
Could teaching emotional regulation, communication and resilience help young people navigate stress and relationships more confidently as adults?
Learning Through the Mind and the Body
Physical education and sport already play an important role in many schools.
But there may be other ways to help students develop confidence, awareness and self-regulation.
Practices such as meditation, yoga or breathwork are increasingly being explored as tools to help young people manage stress and focus.
Other forms of movement could offer valuable life skills as well. Martial arts or self-defence training, for example, can build confidence, discipline and body awareness. While learning to get a ball into a hoop is a great skill, knowing how to protect yourself in a dangerous situation might be even more valuable.
Beyond physical fitness, these practices can help young people develop situational awareness, understand personal boundaries and build the confidence to respond if they ever feel unsafe.
In a world where safety and confidence matter, could skills like these be just as valuable as traditional sports?
Practical skills might also offer meaningful learning opportunities.
Sewing.
Building.
Gardening.
Design.
Creative arts.
These forms of learning connect the mind and body while helping students experience the satisfaction of creating something tangible.
For some students, these environments may unlock strengths that traditional classrooms do not always reveal, and may sometimes unintentionally suppress.
Different Paths, Different Strengths
Previous generations often recognised that not every student thrived in the same environment.
Students who preferred practical learning were sometimes guided into trades earlier, where their skills and energy were valued.
In many parts of the world, learning also happened through mentorship and community participation. Apprenticeships allowed young people to develop practical skills alongside experienced craftspeople, gradually building confidence and responsibility.
Many First Nations cultures have long passed knowledge through storytelling, observation and participation in community life. Young people learned by spending time with elders, caring for Country and developing practical skills connected to their environment.
Across different cultures and time periods, learning was often woven into everyday life through trades, crafts, agriculture and community responsibility.
Today, many young people spend years feeling disconnected from traditional classroom environments before discovering the paths where they truly thrive.
Which leads to an interesting thought.
What if education systems allowed more flexibility for students to explore different learning styles earlier?
Not as a limitation.
But as an opportunity to discover strengths.
When Communities and Schools Work Together
Another possibility may lie in stronger connections between schools and local communities.
Communities contain an incredible range of knowledge and experience.
Tradespeople.
Artists.
Entrepreneurs.
Gardeners.
Designers.
Builders.
Therapists.
What might happen if those skills occasionally became part of the learning environment?
Students might contribute to real community projects.
Helping local businesses design marketing campaigns.
Working on environmental initiatives such as community gardens.
Creating artwork that improves public spaces.
Learning could become more connected to the world around them.
Imagine students contributing to creative projects that improve local spaces.
Painting public benches.
Building bird feeders.
Designing improvements for community parks.
These kinds of experiences allow students to see that their ideas and efforts can have real impact.
Small Changes That Could Build Confidence
Even small experiences can help young people see that their contributions matter.
Imagine students helping maintain fruit and vegetable gardens on school grounds.
Learning about food, nutrition and sustainability while working together.
Imagine school kitchens where students occasionally learn food preparation skills and explore where their food comes from.
Could experiences like this also help address some of the everyday challenges families face around food?
Some children arrive at school without enough to eat. Others rely heavily on packaged or processed foods because busy family schedules leave little time for preparation.
If students were involved in growing ingredients, preparing simple meals and understanding nutrition, could schools become part of the solution?
Shared food programs might ease pressure on parents, ensure students have access to nourishing meals during the day, and help young people develop lifelong skills around food and wellbeing.
In many households, the responsibility for preparing meals still falls heavily on women. Systems that help ensure children have access to healthy food during the school day could ease some of that pressure while supporting the wellbeing of both families and students.
And perhaps students who are well nourished, engaged in practical learning, and connected to the process of preparing food might find it easier to focus and participate in the classroom.
Supporting Teachers Through Shared Responsibility
Teachers already carry an enormous responsibility.
They guide learning, support wellbeing, manage classrooms and often help students navigate complex personal challenges.
Which raises another interesting thought.
What if communities played a greater role in supporting learning environments?
Local volunteers, mentors and community groups could occasionally support practical learning experiences, helping reduce pressure on teachers while giving students access to a wider range of skills and perspectives.
When local knowledge, mentorship and collaboration become part of education, the responsibility for nurturing the next generation becomes shared.
Schools remain central.
But communities become partners in learning, supporting both teachers and students in ways that strengthen the entire learning environment.
What Might This Mean for Women and Girls?
Conversations about education and opportunity often intersect closely with the themes raised during International Women’s Day.
Because the way young people experience school can influence the confidence, safety and opportunities available to them later in life.
For girls in particular, supportive environments can help nurture leadership, resilience and self-belief.
For boys, learning emotional awareness and communication can strengthen relationships and reduce many of the social pressures they face.
When systems support healthy development for all young people, the benefits ripple outward into families, workplaces and communities.
Which brings us back to the theme that inspired this reflection.
Balance the Scales.
Perhaps balance is not only about correcting inequalities later in life.
Perhaps it also begins in the environments where young people first begin to understand their strengths, their voices and their place in the world.
Looking Ahead
If education is one of the systems shaping the future generation, another powerful influence is rapidly emerging alongside it.
Technology.
Artificial intelligence, automation and digital tools are already beginning to change how we work, learn and communicate.
Which raises an interesting question for the next article in this series.
In a world where machines can perform more and more technical tasks, what human qualities will matter most?
Empathy.
Intuition.
Creativity.
Critical thinking.
Discernment.
Could these technologies actually help create systems that better support human wellbeing?
And if so, how might we use them wisely to build a more balanced world for future generations?
That’s the question we’ll explore next.
Balance the Scales Series
This article is part of the Balance the Scales reflection series inspired by International Women’s Day. Each article explores how balance within our systems, communities and relationships might help create a healthier future for everyone.
- Balance the Scales: What Does Balance Actually Look Like?
- Balance the Scales: Navigating Between Difficult and Easy
- Balance the Scales: Communicating to Understand
- Balance the Scales: The Power of Community
- Balance the Scales: Changing Systems for a Better World
- Balance the Scales: Empowering Our Youth with Choice
- Balance the Scales: AI, Technology and Human Connection
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