Cohort 21 | Robin Garand | Activity

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 17:37:01 -0400

Hi Cam, this was such a cool HMW you addressed this year and it was done with such authenticity and vulnerability that it’s no wonder your students responded to it. I hope you continue forward with this and I’m excited to see what happens next!

In reply to - Cameron Eby wrote a new post on the site Cameron Eby The Power of ReflectionWhat a treat it is to have time, having a moment to exhale. I’ve written and re-written this or another blog post a few times and I’m […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 01 May 2025 18:35:32 -0400

Hi Denise, I am always so excited to read your blog posts and reflections and this is just another example of how insightful and awesome you are!
When reading I was particularly struck by your comment on focusing more on the journey than the final product and how that is different from prior years. I think this is something that will be…Read more

In reply to - Denise Simpson wrote a new post on the site Denise Simpson My Action Plan JourneySupporting SEL Through Creativity in the Arts: Vulnerability and Feedback in the Music Classroom Throughout my Cohort 21 experience […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:53:58 -0400

Hi Jackie
Well done on all of this! The time, care and personalization you have pu into this journey is so inspiring. The language the Grade 2 have used shows such a great level of appreciation and gratitude for the land around them. You are doing so much and I’m really excited to hear also how the Braiding Sweetgrass course is, I loved the book…Read more

In reply to - Jackie Birch wrote a new post on the site Jackie Birch Sharing My LearningClick here to visit my Slide Deck

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:37 -0500

I absolutely inhale anything by Harari and am really excited to talk more about this if we can at our next F2F Garth! Have you checked out his children’s books? They are also a fantastically concise way to present all this information

In reply to - Garth Nichols wrote a new post on the site Garth Nichols Book Review: "Nexus" & "The Singularity is Nearer" I want to capture the great conversation between these two books, so I’ll try something new. As I read / […]

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 20:10:15 -0500

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 mine and […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 22:21:49 -0500

Hi Nelson, this is a great road you are starting to walk down and I think it opens up such a wonderful new avenue for you as an educator. I love the idea of students taking more of ownership over their learning journey. I also think this presents a great new opportunity for critical thinking. Yes using AI is a fantastic option but I think the more…Read more

In reply to - Nelson Mugisha wrote a new post on the site Nelson Mugisha How might we blend human and AI toolsBlending Human and AI Tools for a Student-Driven Feedback System Feedback is one of the most important parts of […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 22:20:57 -0500

Hi Aaron, I am so excited to hear about this pivot and to see what you have already implemented. I have been wanting to read The Anxious Generation for a while now after listening to a few of his interviews so I can’t wait to hear more from you.
Regarding the soft skills, there are so many great resources for the 6 C’s in education if you wanted…Read more

In reply to - Aaron Mazurek wrote a new post on the site Aaron Mazurek How might we build activities that provide opportunities to students to practice soft skills (ex. collaboration, adaptability, communication) that are […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 16:34:11 -0500

Hi Jennifer, I love this framework and have done some similar routines in a makerspace with kids and would be happy to share some things moving forward! One thing I think will help now also is to begin to make a continuum of deeper thinking and routine requirements for JK students. Where do you want the students to be by the end of the year? What…Read more

In reply to - Jennifer Chan wrote a new post on the site Jennifer Chan How might we empower JK students to engage in deeper thinking1) Your HOW MIGHT WE QUESTION…. How might we empower JK students to engage in deeper thinking […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 18:58:58 -0500

Hi Jennifer, all three of these are big endeavours and I know they all mean a lot to you as a professional. I wonder if in this exploration you have brought anything new into your classroom since the last F2F to address new thinking routines? Are you noticing any big shifts in you class so far? I know it can be tricky as the kids are so different…Read more

In reply to - Jennifer Chan wrote a new post on the site Jennifer Chan Design Thinking: Refining It Just before I left C21 today, I realized that my HMW was not exactly what I hope to experiment with and it bothered me quite a […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 20:43:24 -0500

Hi Denise, this is a great next step! I’m excited to hear what you have been seeing from your students. I would also be so interested to hear what prompts and questions you have been using to engage the conversation! See you soon!

In reply to - Denise Simpson wrote a new post on the site Denise Simpson Putting the "how might we…" into actionAs we’ve come back from winter break, I’ve been putting my “how might we question” into action. “How might we […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 21:39:20 -0500

Elissa this was such a great and vulnerable reflection in which you have done such great reflections and responsive work. I would love to connect you with a friend of mine our East who does great work in this field with a department connected to Dalhousie University who would be a fantastic asset and connection! Let me know if you are interested!

In reply to - Elissa Gelleny wrote a new post on the site Elissa Gelleny Reflections on the Indigenous learning opportunities we create… Reflection. It’s a thing. I know it’s a thing, but yeesh, it’s really a thing. It’s hard to […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:26:57 -0500

Hi Isabella
This is such a great task that you are taking on and it has so much of a wonderful ‘here be dragons’ feel to it.
I’m also impressed that you are diving right in to it and not freezing up. So often as educators in a new world we worry too much about the tiny details when we should be trying everything we can as fast as we can!
I hope…Read more

In reply to - Isabella Liu wrote a new post on the site Isabella Liu Is Gen AI in Education an urgent or important matter?Another year, another season of Cohort21. While this may be my third time participating in the Design […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 12:34:39 -0500

Hi Denise
I love the idea of you building on what you did last year. My question though is are you interested more in the concept of what is happening to a middle school student psychologically/emotionally or are you hoping to reflect on how to make a safe space to explore SEL? I think that focusing on either is a wonderful avenue, especially…Read more

In reply to - Denise Simpson wrote a new post on the site Denise Simpson Urgent vs. Important – Reflecting as a coach this time! As I look back to by first post for Cohort 21 last September – I definitely find myself thinking […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 15:52:11 -0500

Hi Jackie, this is such a rich topic and you thankfully have a lot of fantastic resources in the form of other coaches and teachers this year! Courtney Pickering and Garth Nichols have a huge wealth of knowledge where this is concerned and I hope you reach out to them at our next face to face!

In reply to - Jackie Birch wrote a new post on the site Jackie Birch Urgent and Important – Reflections I have been interested in joining Cohort 21 for a number of years. The buzz I’ve felt from others participating is palpable […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:35:34 -0500

Hi Griffin, this is a great start and reflection moving forward in Cohort 21. I think the idea of expanding the bank and using it as a talking point for equity is also a brilliant idea. If you are looking for resources you should check out Keith Payne or Katy Swalwell for more insight on how to address inequity amongst students that exist in our…Read more

In reply to - Justin Medved wrote a new post on the site Griffin Crimp Urgent vs Important – Reflections on the return to school Question 1: During the first face to face we used the language of Urgent vs Important to help frame […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 03 May 2024 01:51:04 -0400

Hi Jennifer, this looks great so far! And oh man does the teacher in me love rubrics. I think this is a great start too.
My main feedback is for the thinking section, specifically where you talk about the creative process. I wonder if it might be interesting to also include how the student might revise or reflect on their work to demonstrate…Read more

In reply to - Jennifer Jiang wrote a new post on the site JENN JIANG Reinventing the Rubrics in Primary Art A recent goal in our Curriculum Meetings has been unit planning and creating rubrics within these units. It’s been a […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 03 May 2024 01:51:01 -0400

Hi Jennifer! I actually read your latest post prior to this but I love to see where you are headed with this!
In science I am constantly focusing on the process over the product and have utilized a lot of tools to keep track of them. If you want I am happy to share things like process journals and living documents I have used to highlight these…Read more

In reply to - Jennifer Jiang wrote a new post on the site JENN JIANG HOW MIGHT WE QUESTION Through the second face to face meeting, I was able to change my perspective on the question I was pondering. By listening to my peers […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 03 May 2024 01:42:21 -0400

Hi Diana, this is such a rich and admirable HMW question. I wonder too if you have noticed a big change in behaviour post Covid in terms of independence of Kindergarten students? On that note have you considered things like PBL in the classroom? Looking forward to catching up in February!
Robin

In reply to - Diana Quatrale wrote a new post on the site Diana Quatrale How Might We… How Might We…create more leadership opportunities for kindergarten students After our first face to face meeting I was feeling a […] […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 02 May 2024 21:49:27 -0400

Hi Bob, this is such a great opportunity for you and your students and I am so excited to see how and where it goes. I’m also excited to hear about how your students feel at the start and end of this journey as well. Middle school is such a big time neurologically and you are giving them life long tools. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

In reply to - Bob Hayes wrote a new post on the site Bob Hayes Ignite Spark The best year of my life. My connection to my wife, my kids, friends, colleagues, students, our community, and strangers on the street has been […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Wed, 01 May 2024 20:43:00 -0400

Hi Kiloran, this looks like such a fun idea! I love the use of prompts as well. Well scaffolded! I am sure these prompts could also be used again for things like story telling or sentence generation for your literacy work.
I’m excited to see what’s next!

In reply to - K. Fensom wrote a new post on the site Kiloran Fensom Launch Posters as Graphic Organizers After the students built their junk rockets, we thought we would try a poster as they did well with their Magic Show […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 10:59:24 -0400

Graham thank you for posting such a wonderfully beautiful and vulnerable piece of writing. It’s always so heartening to hear these thoughts not only from another teacher, but from someone in a leadership position who has the presence and awareness of these feelings. Those 10 minutes are just so precious and often overlooked. I finished reading…Read more

In reply to - Graham Vogt wrote a new post on the site GRAHAM VOGT Why Courage? On the first day of my Bachelor of Education Program, Dr. Deborah Berrill walked onto the stage of the Wenjack Theatre at Trent University to […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 16:01:52 -0500

Hi Kiloran, all of these sound like extremely rewarding and engaging ideas for your classroom. I hope you found some good resources from the gallery walk. Did any ideas or resources surprise you?

In reply to - K. Fensom wrote a new post on the site Kiloran Fensom Developing the Action Plan: Face to Face 2 How might we develop successful SK communicators who effectively use multiple modalities to communicate ideas […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:25:11 -0500

Hi Courtney, I’m so excited to see what you implement in SMLS. A few years ago a book club was led by @Allison Cambell-Rogers on Braiding Sweetgrass and lots of resources were shared. I’m happy to send them your way!

In reply to - Courtney Pickering wrote a new post on the site Courtney Pickering How Might We……Coming into this year of Cohort as a coach, I was eager to connect with new colleagues and focus on my Professional Learning Plan […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 15:19:37 -0500

Hi Rebecca, these are such important questions, especially post-Covid. One thing I have done that I have found my students really appreciated and helped me sort out things and make time in the classroom was to actually tell my students about my participation in Cohort 21. I think this will do two things for you; first, it will allow you to make…Read more

In reply to - Rebecca Philp wrote a new post on the site Rebecca Philp Urgent vs Important – Reflections on the return to school Question 1: During the first face to face we used the language of Urgent vs Important to help frame […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 15:57:06 -0500

Hi Diana, this is such a great starting place and I imagine it must feel absolutely massive for you. The education levels of students at the kindergarten level is something that I imagine is a much bigger gap than other grades. Have you noticed a big shift in it post-pandemic? I’m so excited to sit down and help you with this area of focus and I…Read more

In reply to - Diana Quatrale wrote a new post on the site Diana Quatrale Urgent vs Important – Reflections on the return to school Urgent vs. Important After receiving an email from my admin about joining Cohort 21, I […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:05:43 -0400

Hi Kiloran, this looks fantastic and I imagine it really filled your bucket! I also imagine that in your fourth year of SK you have lots of confidence in knowing what will work and what won’t. It looks like this went really well!
I’m really excited to chat more about this in person. Do you have an idea about specific content you want to branch…Read more

In reply to - K. Fensom wrote a new post on the site Kiloran Fensom Cross-curricular collaboration for belonging I joined Cohort 21 because I was shoulder-tapped. This is my fourth year teaching Senior Kindergarten (SK) and I […]

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:31:14 -0400

Holding Myself Accountable As we move forward into another great year of Cohort 21 I have been really enjoying looking at all these fantastic posts about their Urgent vs. […]

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:27:10 -0400

Reflections on the final F2F As we sit here and reflect on our journey through the year. I am continuously grateful for the opportunities I have been given with Cohort 21 to […]

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 20:06:01 -0500

Updated How Might We for 2023-24 It has been a fun past few months in which my How Might We has grown and changed from my first year with Cohort 21. Where I have started with […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 12:57:42 -0500

Hi Shauna, this is a great idea and an important concept! I wonder if you have ever heard of the Pineapple chart? It’s another great way to showcase not only what you know, but maybe also what other teachers are trying or using and want to share. Here is an article on it if you would like to check it out!
Also, @egelleny is an amazing resource…Read more

In reply to - Shauna Martini wrote a new post on the site Shauna Martini How might we educate teachers in technology based activities/tools? When thinking about this ‘how might we’ question, the first thing that comes to mind […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 14:43:11 -0500

Hi Scott, you and I are going to have so much to talk about this Saturday! You and I seem to be on a similar path in our How Might We questions, and I would love to share some of what I have found. I think it’s important that you have already considered multiple factors such as parent buy-in and ways to fully incorporate STEAM as it can often feel…Read more

In reply to - Scott Ramkissoon wrote a new post on the site Scott Ramkissoon For a few years, the concept of Cohort 21 has intrigued me. Meeting with colleagues from different schools who are passionate about implementing […]

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 13:53:03 -0500

As we head into our second F2F and people begin to reflect on what is urgent and important, I thought I would take some time to reflect on my journey so far, both as a participant and coach in Cohort […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 00:02:30 -0500

Hi Barb, I’m so excited to see where you go with these thoughts this year. It seems like you have the researcher mindset down pat and from our last check-in you have some good ideas of where you want to head. I think you would really love to read Stuart Shanker’s ‘Self Regulation for a Just Society’ as well as connecting with @vfloras who has…Read more

In reply to - Barbara Tries wrote a new post on the site Barbara Tries Question 1: During the first face to face we used the language of Urgent vs Important to help frame our thinking around our use of TIME. Reflect on why you […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 18:08:49 -0500

Hi Adam, this is such a cool idea and I really hope you continue to post on it! I know for me in math and science I hate presenting concepts just as a ‘shut up and memorize’ concept. That kind of teaching hurts my soul. So constantly looking for a hook or problem is also a shared struggle! In my mind, education is supposed to be uncomfortable, and…Read more

In reply to - Adam Drenth wrote a new post on the site Adam Drenth Have you ever wondered about the computer science lesson you are teaching? You planned it. Spent all the time and effort finding resources, thinking of the plan, […]

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 22:42:12 -0500

Today was a really fun day, I was able to try out my first round of woodworking in the maker space during Wellness Wednesday. The goal was to have students build a small box out of popsicle sticks and balsa wood. […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 18:27:45 -0500

Hi Angela, I am really impressed with the vulnerability you are showing as well as considering where you fit in in all of this. I think these are really important questions to ask. I think Celeste’s feedback is a great direction to move in as there are such a wide variety of indigenous cultures around the world. Canada is a great place to start though.

In reply to - Angela Mantie wrote a new post on the site Angela Mantie “Why are you engaging in this line of action and inquiry? What important unmet need sits central to your question?” It became clear in my leadership […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 03:07:40 -0500

I am so excited to see these ideas grow and develop over time. It may not be urgent for the school but it feels urgent for your ‘teacher soul’. I’m so glad you’ve found such a juicy idea that will give you energy to pursue!

In reply to - Sarah Leaper wrote a new post on the site Sarah Leaper I waited to join Cohort 21 until I was certain about what I wanted to research. I want this journey with C21 to truly act as professional development: my […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 02:53:18 -0500

Hi Angela, I think these JEDI goals are wonderful and I think that they are very admirable! It’s fascinating to learn more about different leadership frameworks and I’m excited to hear more as you learn.

In reply to - Angela Mantie wrote a new post on the site Angela Mantie Question 1: During the first face to face we used the language of Urgent vs Important to help frame our discussions and thinking around the use […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:16:36 -0500

Edmee, I am so appreciative of the depth of thought you have put into this and I am so excited to talk more about this with you.
I agree that trauma is absolutely an area of importance to consider right now. I have been a specialist teacher and it can be so hard sometimes to find the time to make those connections with the kids. From the sounds…Read more

In reply to - Edmee Nataprawira wrote a new post on the site What's our why? Question 1: During the first face to face we used the language of Urgent vs Important to help frame our discussions and thinking around t […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 17:31:14 -0400

This is such a great mindset to go into Cohort21 with! I am so excited to see what you do Samantha!

In reply to - Samantha Reimer wrote a new post on the site Samantha Reimer I remember sitting in the back of a huge auditorium at my church in St.Catharines, Ontario. The Global Leadership Summit was about to begin. The screen […]

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:39:51 -0400

I hope everyone has been having a good start to the year, it’s been a complete whirlwind for me but I wanted to take some time to reflect on some great successes I’ve had so far this year as well as commit to my […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 07 May 2021 17:01:27 -0400

I would love that! Another excuse to get together then! 🙂

In reply to - Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter As I’m sitting here working with @lbettencourt over zoom all i can think of is the 8 million things I need to do currently, from checking student […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Sat, 01 May 2021 11:24:47 -0400

Hi Jen
This sounds so great! Such a simple shift but I bet it’s making a big difference for you. Have you thought of using DocAppender to gather and make a portfolio for each student? It’s a way that will gather all their individual responses into one doc you can use!

In reply to - Jen Gravel wrote a new post on the site Jen Gravel One positive aspect of this new learning environment has been giving myself the opportunity to try new things. In past years, I’ll admit I could easily get caught […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:50:41 -0400

I can’t tell you how much this means to me Esther! Thank you so much! Fingers crossed we can get together soon for drinks and pedagogy!

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 12:12:46 -0400

Hi Rachel
This sounds like an incredibly rewarding year for you pedagogically. I imagine a lot of these strategies will carry on with you next year as well. I would love to hear more or chat with you about the process you mentioned where your students were able to give feedback and analyze their abilities more. That sounds really juicy!
Looking…Read more

In reply to - Rachel Foster wrote a new post on the site Rachel Foster I’ve spent a lot of time this year really re-imagining the way that I do things in my courses. I tried to really focus in on what my purpose was in each […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 13:28:13 -0400

Thanks for sharing so many resources! I was the same I sat and kept working it was really useful to put me in a working mindset! I think I’m definitely going to use this come the end of the year when I’m looking towards prepping for tests and reviewing as I found it very helpful!

In reply to - Lisa Bettencourt wrote a new post on the site Lisa Bettencourt Pandemic teaching has required a fine balance as we navigate our everyday needs and responsibilities. Time on screen needs to be used in a productive […]

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 16:04:40 -0400

As I’m sitting here working with @lbettencourt over zoom all i can think of is the 8 million things I need to do currently, from checking student process journals to prepping home demos for science lessons. While […]

Robin Garand posted a new activity comment

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 21:16:07 -0400

Hi Jenna
I did a lot of work on the same thing last year for your second question! Are you looking at exclusively conversation assessments in math? Or other opportunities that might involve self-assessment as well? The biggest thing I can say that changed things for me, was as a class developing a single point rubric on what a good math answer…Read more

In reply to - Jenna Froggett wrote a new post on the site Jenna Froggett I am currently looking for more ideas to decorate my classroom to promote inclusivity to ensure that I am being the most inclusive teacher I can […]

Robin Garand and Esther Lee are now friends

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 18:46:03 -0400

Robin Garand wrote a new post on the site Making Messes that Matter

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 18:02:07 -0500

I left our latest face to face on Saturday feeling really energized and excited, especially to the concept of renewing my commitment to sharing what I am doing and how that has been helping me within my […]