🎧 New Episode is Live!

In this episode of the LearnIt Podcast, we sit down with Lisa Davis, co-founder of STEM Collegiate and the STEM Innovation Academy. From a frustrated parent advocating for better math instruction to an elected trustee and now a charter school founder, Lisa shares her fearless journey of disrupting the status quo to build a new model of education in Alberta.

In this powerful conversation, Lisa shares:

• Failing fast to succeed: Why her school’s only rule is to try things and fail fast, a philosophy that turned a startup with no initial site into the number one math and science program in the province.
• Creators, not just users: Moving beyond "one-to-one iPads" to a curriculum where Grade 10 students use sensors and coding to design life changing prototypes, like a stabilizing spoon for people with cerebral palsy.
• Future proofing education: Collaborating with industry partners to introduce cutting edge courses on Quantum Computing and Intellectual Property, ensuring students understand the policy behind the technology.
• The founder’s perspective: The unique pressure and privilege of having her own son in the school, receiving instant feedback on what’s working, and what isn’t, over the dinner table.

This episode is for every parent who knows their child is capable of more, every educator tired of outdated curriculum, and every leader who believes that with enough ambition, we can rebuild the systems that no longer serve us. It will remind you that sometimes, to get the education our future deserves, you have to build it yourself.

We're asking too much of teachers. And they're drowning.

In this episode of LearnIt podcast we sit down with two powerhouses in education leadership: Usha James (The Critical Thinking Consortium) and Dr. Elisabeth Rees-Johnstone (OISE). They take us deep into the layers of the education system, challenging the narrative of individual burnout and offering a powerful new vision for critical inquiry and leadership presence.

In this episode you will discover:

• The Myth of Individual Burden: Why we need to stop applying "Band Aids" to teacher burnout. Elisabeth explains why "insurmountable accountability" cannot rest on one person's shoulders and how we must look at the systemic scaffolding, policy, budgets, and community that holds a school together.
• The Ultimate Question for Leaders: Usha challenges every school leader to ask one critical question: "For whom are our current practices working, and for whom are they not?"Discover how to move beyond the status quo to find where inequity lives and how to address it.
• Stop Reading Updates, Start Reflecting: A game-changing leadership shift. Elisabeth shares why she tells her team,"I can read an update."Meetings should be reserved for hearing the human voice, deep reflection, and learning rather than just checking boxes.
• From TV Panic to AI Anxiety: A history lesson on technology. We discuss how the panic over AI mirrors the fear of television in 1965, and why the solution isn't banning tools, but cultivating "thinking habits", like accepting discomfort and thinking courageously, to navigate a complex world.

#LearnItPodcast #EducationLeadership #CriticalThinking #TeacherWellbeing #SystemChange #FutureOfLearning #SchoolCulture #teacherwellbeing

SPECIAL EPISODE: Behind the Chalkboard x CIS Ontario UNCONFERENCE 2026

This week, we're bringing you something different. We partner with CIS Ontario to explore one of the most pressing questions in education today:how do we reclaim the human future of learning in an AI-shaped world?

Our Guests

Sarah CraigExecutive Director, CIS Ontario: The Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario

Garth NicholsHead of School, Kingsway College School Co-Founder, CIS Ontario's Cohort 21 Sarah and Garth discuss how Ontario K–12 independent schools are writing the GenAI playbook together through this unconference — not following someone else's script, but figuring it out collaboratively in real time.

What We Discuss

• The evolution of AI in Ontario independent schools
• UNCONFERENCE 2026’s four workshop strands and what makes this format unique
• How AI tools are embedded into the unconference experience
• The tension between parent pressure and ethical implementation
• Why teaching will always be relational, even as technology advances
• What 47 CIS Ontario schools are learning about AI adoption

Event Details

Date: February 9, 2026
Location: Centennial College Event Centre, Scarborough, ON
Attendee Cost: $305.00
Register:https://www.cisontario.ca/unconference2026

About Our Guests

Sarah Craig has served as Executive Director at CIS Ontario since 2017, bringing over 20 years of teaching and administrative experience. CIS Ontario supports 47 independent schools across Ontario.Website: www.cisontario.ca

Garth Nichols is the Head of School at Kingsway College School and co-founded Cohort 21, one of CIS Ontario’s signature professional learning programs,15 years ago. Website: www.kcs.on.ca

#BehindTheChalkboard #CISOntario #UNCONFERENCE2026 #AIinEducation #EducationLeadership#IndependentSchools #OntarioEducation #LearnItMedia

This week we sat down with Wes Hahn, Director of Education at Trillium Lakelands District School Board.

From studying physical education at McMaster to leading one of Ontario's most dynamic school boards, Wes shares a career

built on gratitude, authentic relationships, and the courage to seek uncomfortable truths.

In this conversation, Wes shares:

• The McMaster foundation: How a top-tier kinesiology program opened doors to teaching, exercise physiology, and a career path he never imagined at the start.
• Gratitude as a leadership compass: Why approaching every role with genuine appreciation, from teacher to director, creates the foundation for meaningful growth and impact.
• The hardest role in education: Why the superintendent position requires you to be both visionary and implementer, bridging executive leadership with on-the-ground problem solving.
• Seeking honest feedback: The intentional work required to create a culture where people feel safe giving you the constructive criticism that makes you a better leader.
• Helping students feel positive about the future: Why educators spend more time with students than their own families, and how that responsibility demands we believe in every child's potential.

• The courage to lead authentically: Balancing the natural desire to be liked with the reality that bold decisions won't please everyone, and why that tension is essential to growth.

#OntarioEducation #EducationalLeadership #BehindTheChalkboard #LearnItPodcast #DirectorOfEducation#PublicEducation #EducationLeadership #StudentSuccess #AuthenticLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment#TLDSB #EducationInnovation #TeacherLeadership #EducationCareers

In this episode of LearnIt: Behind the Chalkboard, we sit down with Richard Prosser, a veteran educator and Deputy Head at Crescent School.

Richard takes us behind the scenes of an all-boys education environment, challenging the misconceptions about masculinity and sharing deep insights on leading with the heart.

In this episode you will discover:

The Power of "Messy" Learning:

Why chaos isn't always a bad thing. Richard explains why "messy is good" when it comes to character development and why we need to let students be themselves, even if it’s loud.

Vulnerability in Leadership:

A candid confession about the "I Hit Send" mistake. Richard shares a personal story of a leadership misstep and the importance of having a team that feels safe enough to call you out.

Redefining Masculinity:

Breaking the silence on boys and emotions. We discuss how boys are often far more eloquent and open about their feelings than society gives them credit for, and why "I Love You" belongs in the classroom.

Technology with a Heart:

A moving story about a student invention that allowed a father to play catch with his son for the first time, proving that the best innovation is driven by empathy, not just code.

This conversation is a must-watch for parents of boys, school leaders navigating culture shifts, and anyone who believes that education is about more than just checking boxes.

#LearnItPodcast #CrescentSchool #BoysEducation #Leadership #Vulnerability #FutureOfLearning #EmpathyInEducation #SchoolCulture

What if school moved beyond “bells and cells” and became a place where kids do meaningful, rigorous work that actually matters? In this conversation, Dr. Cinde Lock breaks down CAP(Connections, Academics, Purpose)and shows how students can learn deeply, reduce stress, and build real-world portfolios that universities value. Parents will hear practical steps schools can take Monday morning, why fewer but deeper projects beat constant busywork, and what the teacher’s role looks like in an AI world.

If you’re a parent wondering how to help your child find purpose without sacrificing academic rigor, this is for you.

Key takeaways

- CAP explained: Connections → Academics → Purpose. Start with real context, weave in rigorous academics, end with purpose.

- Meaningful beats busywork: Fewer, deeper projects create lasting learning and well-being.

- Real mastery, real artifacts: Essays, presentations, prototypes—tied to authentic community needs.

- Teacher’s evolving role: From “sage on the stage” to connector, coach, and quality bar-raiser with AI support.

- University differentiation: Impact stories and portfolios stand out more than generic activities.

Start small now: One authentic, joyful project per term can change school culture.

🎧 New Episode is Live!

In this episode of the LearnIt Podcast: Behind the Chalkboard, we sits down with Paula Mann, Director of Education at Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board. From student to teacher to director, Paula shares her 27-year journey through the same Catholic system that shaped her calling to education.

In this powerful conversation, Paula shares:

- The call to return home: How a personal crossroads led her back to North Bay and into Catholic education, shaping a career path she never anticipated at 24.

- Faith as a guiding light: Why the biblical promise "for I know the plans I have for you" anchors her leadership through ambiguity and change.

- Living your mission daily: How being physically connected to St. Joseph-Scollard Hall keeps the moral purpose of education front and center for her entire team.

- The eight-foot pilgrimage cross: Students carrying a handcrafted cross along North Bay's waterfront, experiencing the Stations of the Cross and learning what it means to help others carry their burdens.

- Embracing AI with humanity intact: Building frameworks for responsible innovation while keeping the dignity of the human person at the heart of every decision.Leadership through relationships: Why she wishes she could go back ten years to savor more golden moments with students and staff.

This episode is for every educator who believes in the power of faith-centered learning, every leader navigating transformation while staying grounded in values, and every person who understands that the best career paths are often the ones we never planned. It will remind you that education is about more than outcomes; it's about forming hearts, minds, and futures.

In this episode of the LearnIt Podcast, host Dhiraj Hariramani sits down with Naheed Bardai, Principal of UWC Atlantic in Wales. With a diverse leadership journey spanning Kenya, Canada, and the UK, Naheed is at the forefront of one of the most significant educational innovations in recent history.In this conversation, Naheed shares:

• The pivot to impact: Why he left a promising business career to enter education, seeking a legacy he could look back on with pride 25 years later.
• The "2060" Paradox: Why we are failing our youth if we only prepare them for university today, rather than equipping them for the exponential changes and global challenges they will face in their 50s.
• Revolutionizing the IB: An inside look at the "Systems Transformation Pathway" a groundbreaking pilot that removes exams and essays in favor of real-world action on food, energy, and biodiversity systems.
• Planetary Centered Education: His "magic wand" wish to shift schools from being solely "student-centered" to recognizing our deep interdependence with the natural world and each other.
• Collaboration over Competition: Why we cannot compete our way out of a climate crisis or a pandemic, and why the DNA of our education system must shift toward solidarity.
• The truth about leadership: Why the Principal is not the most important person in the room, and the critical need for more diversity in international school leadership.

This episode is for every educator, school leader, and innovator who believes that education must evolve to meet the needs of a changing planet. It will challenge your assumptions about assessment and inspire you to think bigger about the purpose of school.

In this episode of LearnIt: Behind the Chalkboard, we sit down with Afzal Shaikh, the Director of Information Technology at The York School. But Afzal isn’t just managing devices; he is managing culture. He shares his philosophy on why technology is only as good as the people using it, and why "failing" might be the most important part of innovation.

In this episode you will discover:

- The "Smartest Person" Paradox: Afzal challenges the traditional view of leadership. He explains why a leader shouldn't try to be the smartest person in the room because the smartest person is the room.

- Failing Forward: Innovation is messy. We discuss how to build a school culture where teachers feel safe to experiment, make mistakes, and "fail forward" without fear of judgment.

- Don't Blame the Tool: Afzal shares a humbling personal story about a student using a Blackberry years ago. It’s a powerful lesson on why we shouldn't judge the tools students use, but rather focus on the learning outcome.

- AI as a Partner: Moving past the fear of replacement. Afzal breaks down how schools can use Artificial Intelligence intentionally,not to do the work for us, but to supplement and expand what is possible in the classroom.

This conversation is essential for IT directors, school administrators navigating digital change, and educators who want to bridge the gap between pedagogy and technology.

What happens when a music teacher steps up to lead the future of a school? How does a background in the arts shape the way we think about leadership and student resilience?

In this episode of LearnIt: Behind the Chalkboard, we sit down with Dr. Sarah Morrison, the Assistant Head of School for Innovation and Research at Appleby College. Sarah shares her journey from the vocal classroom to the administration office, offering a unique perspective on how schools can evolve.

In this episode you will discover:

- The Art of Listening: Sarah reveals a personal tactic she used during her transition into leadership—using a simple glass of water to pause, listen, and create space for others to speak.

- Safe Spaces vs. Brave Spaces: Why "safety" isn't enough for growth. Sarah explains the concept of the "Brave Space," where students and teachers are encouraged to take risks, make mistakes, and build resilience in a low-stakes environment.

- Redefining Innovation: Forget the buzzwords. We discuss why true innovation in schools is often less about high-tech gadgets and more about the process of learning, reflecting, and iterating.

- Navigating the AI Era: A look at how educators can move past the fear of Artificial Intelligence and instead focus on human-centric learning strategies.

This conversation is a must-watch for educators looking to grow their leadership skills, parents interested in modern school culture, and anyone curious about how we prepare students for an uncertain future.

#LearnItPodcast #ApplebyCollege #EducationLeadership #InnovationInEducation #TeacherGrowth #Resilience #FutureOfLearning #SchoolCulture