Rethinking Learning for the 21st century
The mission of Cohort 21 is to build a community of passionate CIS Ontario educators who are interested in refining and redesigning their practice through the exploration of new pedagogies, ideas, and tools.
Your First Step
Registration for Cohort 21 opens in May. CIS Ontario Schools can submit educators from any division, department or role. The Cohort 21 experience runs from October to April. It is made up of four face to face sessions inter-connected by rich online discussion and supported by our passionate team of volunteer facilitators and coaches.
May - June
Building Community
The first face-to-face session is dedicated to building relationships. It is here that we setup the framework and mindset for the year. This session is also about professional learning networks and the tools that enable them. Participants walk away with a new toolkit and community with whom to connect, collaborate and learn.
October
Design Thinking
It is during the 2nd session that the “Action Plan” is launched and innovation begins. Through rich Design Thinking protocols participants are asked to think deeply about their practice and identify a challenge that needs addressing. The day concludes when everyone publishes their thinking to their Cohort 21 blog to allow for personalized feedback and support.
November
Innovation
Each year the third face-to-face session is focused on innovation. Cohort 21 has formed unique partnerships with many different start-ups and learning organizations. Throughout the day, members will hear from special guests, thought leaders and Cohort 21 alumni to help ignite inspiration and continue to support the Action Plan process.
January
The End of the Beginning
The final face-to-face session is a celebration of learning. Cohort members connect in small groups to share and reflect on their Action Plan journeys and commit to bringing their learning back to their own schools. The day ends just as the Cohort 21 experience began: with a commitment to the ongoing process of refining practice and exploring new pedagogies and tools.
April
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My Action Plan Journey
Supporting SEL Through Creativity in the Arts: Vulnerability and Feedback in the Music Classroom
Throughout my Cohort 21 experience this year, I've been exploring the question:...
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What Would You Do?
This blog post is going to test you, but we think you're ready. You don't have to answer directly, but that would be nice; rather,...
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Book Review: "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara
Thanks to my friend and colleague in Experiential Education, Mike Massingham, for gifting me this book. As educators and leaders, we often look outside of...
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Book Review: "How to Do Nothing" By Jenny Odell
Book Review: How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell
Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing is not a guide to idleness but a thought-provoking exploration of...
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The Shocking Truth About Independant School Costs: Why They’re Actually a Bargain
If you’ve clicked on this blog post, chances are you’re either a parent trying to make sense of independent school tuition, or you’re an educator...
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Book Review: Outrage! by Kurt Gray
Thanks to Adam Grant for this recommendation ~ I picked this book up because of its subtitle: "Why We Fight about Morality and Politics, and...
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AI Augmented Andragogy – The Future of Teacher Professional Learning
In recent years, the rapid evolution of technology has transformed every aspect of our lives, from communication to healthcare to retail. Now, schools and universities...
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Urgent vs Important - Reflections on the return to school
Welcome to your first post!: Following each Cohort 21 Face to Face session, we will provide you with several questions to reflect on. By making...
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Leading Through Change
As we are reflecting on the recent snow storm that hit Toronto over Family Day weekend, 2025, I wonder how we responded to the disruption...
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Pedagogical Quid Pro Quo in the age of AI - Part 1
Change in education is often framed as a trade-off—losing something in exchange for something else, often with an air of reluctant sacrifice. But what if...
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AI vs Visible Learning - Supercharging Hattie’s High-Impact Strategies & Research
Over the past decade, John Hattie’s Visible Learning research has become a cornerstone in evidence-based education. By synthesizing over 1,400 meta-analyses on factors influencing student...
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Book Review: Revenge of the Tipping Point (Gladwell)
Who knew it has been 25 years since the publication of Gladwell's The Tipping Point! This new book, where he revisits key points of Tipping Points and...
Read More »Tiered Assessments and Addressing a Gap in my Classroom
It has been so motivating reading and seeing all the fantastic HMW questions this season, and I wanted to finally take some time to share...
Read More »HMW Question
Inquiry Question: How might we transform the classroom into a storytelling community where narratives become bridges between learning, lived experiences, and belonging.
This question arises from...
Read More »Face-to-face #2 Tanja Ness
HMW help 7th and 8th grade students understand how their brain function, anxiety and screen time are interconnected so they can develop healthier digital habits?
A...
Read More »How might we... align outdoor ed. with curriculum and classrooms?
The title character limit required me to abridge a little, but my question in full is as follows:
How might we... create engaging outdoor learning experiences...
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How might we create sustainable systems that empower students and staff to actively build and maintain an inclusive school culture?
My how might we question is...
Read More »How Might We Question
My "How Might We" question became "How might we redesign writing and discussion questions so that both the process and assessment celebrate student growth, building...
Read More »How might we collaboratively establish a clear and coherent progression of literacy skills using the PYP, Ontario curriculum, and 5 Pillars of Reading as a framework?
How might we collaboratively establish a clear and coherent progression of literacy skills using the PYP, Ontario curriculum, and 5 Pillars of Reading as a...
Read More »Literacy Skills Progression in a PYP Transdisciplinary Context
Due to many competing demands in our work space, Melody and I have struggled to move our project forward. Having said that, some thinking that...
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