Danielle Leuchter

I joined Cohort 21 to connect and collaborate with other CIS educators and rethink design-thinking experiments in ways that feel realistic and authentic. My goals this year: In Grade 6, I’ll work with the IT coordinator to refine the XPRIZE project, review what worked last year, and adjust what may not be working for students. In Grade 7 history and/or geography, I’d like to explore a separate design-thinking idea with my teaching partner. Our first step will be to speak with my teaching partner, and then I’d like to see how my students respond as we continue to work through our curriculum. An important goal: As we continue through the curriculum, I’ll pay close attention to how students respond. I’m not yet sure what the design-thinking idea will look like, but I hope to discover where I can get the most attention from my students and what will make them most excited to learn about. I’m looking forward to working with a community where I can talk through ideas, get feedback, and run them through to ensure I’m being realistic. I can connect with colleagues through the WhatsApp group, online meetings, and face-to-face meetups. Making time to brainstorm and get feedback matters to me because it helps me stay grounded and gives me opportunities to refine my ideas.