Designing the Future of Schooling: Lessons from Dr. Ryan Persaud on Rethinking Learning for a Rapidly Changing World
- Hatem Radwan
- Dec 4
- 5 min read
Inspired by EdTALK Coffee with Dr. Ryan Persaud, Head of School at VERSO International School (Bangkok)
Introduction — A Leader Who Has Lived the World Through Schools
When Dr. Ryan Persaud speaks about school transformation, he speaks from experience — not theory.His career has unfolded across continents: South Korea → Canada → Korea again → Brazil → now Thailand.
This global journey has shaped his leadership philosophy in a profound way:schools must be built around people, culture, and context — not tradition.
During our EdTALK Coffee session, he described himself first as a father, then a leader — a reminder that at the center of every great educator is a human being who understands life, growth, and purpose.
From this foundation, he has helped lead one of the most innovative and talked-about international schools in the region:VERSO International School, a design-thinking-driven, interdisciplinary learning ecosystem where “teachers” are reimagined as Learning Designers and students learn in circular, flexible, open spaces designed for collaboration and creativity.
This article captures the core lessons school leaders can learn from Dr. Ryan’s transformation story — lessons relevant to any school, anywhere in the world, seeking to reimagine learning for the next decade.
1. What International Experience Teaches a Leader
When moving across cultures — Korean, Canadian, Brazilian, Thai — Dr. Ryan learned the most important rule of leadership:
“You cannot take what worked in one country and apply it blindly in another.”
Every culture has norms, communication styles, expectations, and social structures that shape schooling.To lead effectively, you must observe first, understand deeply, and act humbly.
This mindset is what allowed him to transition from system to system without imposing, but rather co-creating.
And the greatest joy in his international journey?
Watching his daughters grow up as international students, blending cultures, languages, and ways of thinking.
2. “Schooling Done With Students, Not To Students”
One of the strongest ideas shared in the session is Dr. Ryan’s belief that the biggest flaw in traditional schooling is this:
“Schooling is still being done to students, rather than students being in a symbiotic relationship with the school.”
This is the mindset VERSO was designed to challenge.
VERSO’s founders visited 25 global schools and collaborated with IDEO (San Francisco) to embed design thinking at the heart of the school’s DNA.
From building circular school structures to flexible learning environments, everything at VERSO was built around one question:
How do we design a school where students co-create learning, rather than receive it passively?
3. Learning Designers, Not Teachers
One of the most radical elements of VERSO’s model is redefining the role of educators:
“We call our teachers Learning Designers.”
Why?
Because their role is not to deliver content — it is to design learning experiences rooted in:
collaboration
problem solving
interdisciplinary exploration
self-directed learning
real-world application
This shift changes everything:the mindset, the planning, the way classrooms are used, and the relationship between teacher and student.
4. A School Physically Designed for Creativity
VERSO’s building is unlike anything we see in traditional education:
circular layouts
open, flexible spaces
movable furniture
writable walls and desks
multi-zone learning areas
The physical architecture communicates a learning philosophy:
Movement, flexibility, collaboration, creativity.
From early years to high school, classrooms are redesigned by Learning Designers based on student needs — not one static template.
5. The Power of Interdisciplinary Learning (Learning Labs)
VERSO integrates interdisciplinary Learning Labs at every level:
students engage in quarterly, year-long projects
authentic, interdisciplinary challenges
blended skills: STEM, humanities, arts, digital learning
real-world problems and design thinking cycles
By Grade 12, students lead a full-year “Vertex Project,” supported by an advisor — an experience designed to reflect real work, not school work.
This model ensures:
deep learning
transferability of knowledge
development of future skills
readiness for a world we cannot yet predict
6. What Does a School Day Look Like? A Window Inside VERSO
Dr. Ryan walks the school every week — visiting early years, elementary, middle school, and the upper loop.
Inside classrooms, he sees:
students writing in corners, on carpets, on beanbags
coding sessions where students proudly showcase work
math classes using walls and desks as canvases
Play-Doh, Lego, storytelling circles
students exploring interdisciplinary challenges
flexible pacing and collaborative patterns
Some students adapt immediately.
Others, especially those coming from rigid traditional schools, need support — and that’s okay.
The environment is built for deprogramming passive learning and rebuilding curiosity, agency, and engagement.
7. Preparing Students for a World of Uncertainty
Universities already accept VERSO graduates — University of Toronto, Boston College, UK institutions, Netherlands — but Dr. Ryan stresses something deeper:
Success isn’t only university acceptance - Success is skill readiness.
VERSO uses:
competency-based learning
descriptive feedback instead of grades
OECD 2030 Future Skills
integrated standards
Students learn:
collaboration
communication
creativity
adaptability
problem-solving
independence
And real proof of success?
A VERSO student made the “100 Under 24” list as a social justice activist — by taking a gap year to pursue meaningful work.
8. How VERSO Balances Innovation with Reality
Innovation must meet practicality.Dr. Ryan explains:
schools still need schedules
students still need math, English, and standards
parents still need structure
markets still require accreditation and pathways
VERSO created a hybrid model:
Mon / Tue / Thu / Fri → subject-based learning
Wednesday → interdisciplinary Learning Labs
This balance protects academic rigor while enabling creativity.
9. Does AI Belong in Schools? “Yes — If Used With Purpose.”
Dr. Ryan is clear:
“AI is an opportunity — but age-appropriate, well taught, and ethically introduced.”
His principles mirror global best practice:
No forced AI adoption
No chasing trends
Thoughtful piloting
Clear purpose and justification
Parent education sessions
Strong vetting of AI tools
Small trials before large rollouts
AI must serve learning, not dominate it.
And schools must ask why before how.
10. How Traditional Schools Can Begin Transforming
Dr. Ryan offered a powerful, practical roadmap for schools seeking change:
Start with the learner.
Understand student experiences and outcomes.
Backward-design the system.
Identify what’s missing in learning experience.
Build a multi-year vision and strategy.
Ground it in data (accreditation, student outcomes).
Invest in teacher capacity.
Skills before systems; clarity before change.
Start slow.
Transformation requires pacing, not pressure.
Visit schools that are doing it well.
School visits = free professional development.
These are not ideas — they are leadership behaviors.
Conclusion — A New Vision of School Leadership
Dr. Ryan’s message to global educators is simple:
“If you want to learn more, reach out. I believe in mentorship.”
His leadership stands out for three reasons:
He leads with humanity.
He builds systems around students, not traditions.
He transforms schools with courage, humility, and clarity.
VERSO is more than a school. It is a model of what schooling can become when design, innovation, and purpose come together.
And the lesson for all school leaders?
The future isn’t about predicting new jobs —it’s about preparing students with the skills, environments, and mindsets to thrive in any future.
Watch the full Episode here:
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