Our Cohort 21 work: “Monday vs. Someday”

Good things implemented on every Monday, add up to great things over time

The Monday versus Someday dilemma: If we plan for a great, ambitious goal to happen in two, maybe three, or even five years, we can forget about getting started. If we implement new initiatives every Monday without a vision for what it will look like in two, maybe three, or even five years, we lose direction and are vulnerable to having initiatives not stick. But if we have a vision that can align our work on Mondays, then we can get there. So the dilemma is:

Where and when to begin?

I am taking the edX course entitled “Launching Innovation in Schools” with Peter Senge and Justin Reich . I was turned on to this course by a colleague of mine Paul Shuebrook, one of the course mentors – so I am very lucky!

Having just finished the first week, I wanted to share my big take-away. One that will help us in Cohort 21 this year. This is for us to take a good hard look at the Monday vs. Someday dilemma.

Check out this video – it’s 4mins long and worth it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ33oT7JCIg

Basically, these two course instructors are saying that innovation can happen when we own the change. We own the change we want to see in schools when we:

  1. align it with those of others and build a coalition – “Innovation is not about me, so who are my partners?
  2. get started – “we don’t have to have a defined 5yr plan, we need to get started
  3. understand our circle of direct impact, wider impact and circle of aspiration – understanding what we can do today (Monday), how we can get others to support this impact, and what we are aiming to do, to be as a school (Someday)

As a member of Cohort 21, we have and will be addressing this approach, supporting you through it, and giving you the community that will make this exciting, fun and something you’ll look forward to every Monday!

1 thought on “Our Cohort 21 work: “Monday vs. Someday”

  1. Hello Garth,

    Facing my own “Monday vs. Someday” dilemma, I am biting the bullet and getting started…by reaching out to you!

    I am a former CIS Ontario educator (with ties to both TCS & Ashbury) who has been following the progress of Cohort 21 since its inception. I have, with delight, followed the writing of @brenthurley, @timrollwagen, @gvogt, and you. I believe that Cohort 21 & its collaborative, designed-focused & action-oriented approach to professional growth is a positive step in bringing educator-led innovation to schools.

    In the past few years, I have begun to see my career path taking a leadership trajectory. Given your focus on leadership, school culture, I was hoping we could correspond regarding your own journey into educational leadership, and your possible suggestions to guide my own path to my “Someday” goal of an established educational leadership position.

    If you’re amenable, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] (still a technological luddite without a social media presence.)

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