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Pickering College prepares students for real world challenges Part #3 When a homeless shelter was rejected by the town council, students found a way to change minds. Blue Door, an organization working on homelessness, had their proposal for a new shelter voted down 4 to 3 by Aurora's city council. When they met with Pickering College students, they weren't even sure what students could do to help. The conversation with Dr. Cinde Lock started simply: "What's your biggest struggle?" Blue Door's answer: "There's a stigma about homelessness. People don't understand it." That's when students saw their opportunity. They decided to research and write the real stories behind homelessness. Who are these people? How did they end up without housing? What does Blue Door actually do to help them? Students interviewed organizations, spoke with people working on the streets, and documented different paths that lead to homelessness. They compiled everything into a comprehensive storybook. Then they did something bold. They invited the town councilor who had voted against the shelter to come hear their presentation. They walked him through their research and opened up a real discussion. By the end of the session, the councilor said something remarkable: "Maybe I voted wrong." Full episode here Video: https://lnkd.in/g6HEusEF Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gdDvzC2M Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/g3E4VbNU #CommunityEngagement #StudentVoice #SocialImpact #EducationForChange

Pickering College prepares students for real world challenges Part #2 When students design for real users, they learn far more than what's in textbooks. Students at Pickering College took on a challenge: developing computer games for isolated seniors in their community. But this wasn't a typical classroom assignment. They had to satisfy real users. Students first invited seniors to school and played various games with them, observing what they enjoyed and what frustrated them. Everything mattered: dexterity, game speed, whether it was word based or action oriented. Every detail counted. Then professional game designers came in to teach students how to build games. After creating their first versions, the seniors came back with direct feedback: "This is too hard," "I'm bored," "Not what I wanted." Students had to redesign over and over until their users were genuinely satisfied. That's how the real world works. No rubrics, no teacher grading, just users telling you whether your solution actually works. Students learned coding, user research, how to receive criticism, and iteration. Most importantly, they were solving a genuine community problem. Full conversation here Video: https://lnkd.in/g6HEusEF Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gdDvzC2M Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/g3E4VbNU #EducationInnovation #ProjectBasedLearning #StudentGrowth #CommunityImpact

Pickering College prepares students for real world challenges 200 revisions on one project. That's not about chasing a perfect grade, that's what it takes when you're working with a real client. We recently sat down with Cinde Lock, Head of School at Pickering College, and she made a point that really stuck with us: there's a huge difference between completing a school assignment and delivering something a real client can use. One is about getting an A. The other is about whether your work actually solves a problem. This shift to real world, purpose driven learning does something interesting. It builds the kind of resilience and portfolio that helps students stand out when applying to top universities and scholarships. Check out the full episode here Video: https://lnkd.in/g6HEusEF Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gdDvzC2M Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/g3E4VbNU #ProjectBasedLearning #RealWorldLearning #Education #Leadership #FutureReady #StudentSuccess

🎙️ New Episode Is Live! Listen Now! Our latest LearnIt Podcast episode with Cinde Lock, Head of School at Pickering College, is now available! Listen to the full episode here: Video: https://lnkd.in/g6HEusEF Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gdDvzC2M Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/g3E4VbNU In this conversation, Cinde Lock shares her powerful vision for a new model of schooling, one that shifts learning from being "for the teacher" to being "for the world." She believes the most profound learning happens when students solve real problems for real clients. You'll hear stories of students designing brand logos for a service dog startup and even tackling complex community issues like homelessness. These examples are a testament to what's possible when we give our students real agency and a profound sense of purpose. You don't want to miss this one, Enjoy !

"The lessons I spent the most time preparing were often the ones that died in the room." Hear more from Upper Canada College's Vice Principal Julia Kinnear Video: https://lnkd.in/gkWyGkRT Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gM_Hq7zT Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gUG982H5 Julia Kinnear used to believe content was king. As a young teacher, she'd relentlessly prepare every detail. But she noticed a pattern: her most carefully crafted lessons often fell completely flat. The shift came when she learned to walk in with just a great provocation, something to spark curiosity, and invite students to drive the learning. Her disciplinary expertise became a tool for shaping the conversation, not dictating it. #EducationLeadership #TeachingInnovation #UpperCanadaCollege

"You never know where great ideas are gonna come from, or from whom." Listen now: Video: https://lnkd.in/gkWyGkRT Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gM_Hq7zT Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gUG982H5 That philosophy, shared by Upper Canada College's Brendan Dellandrea, drives how the school approaches advancement. They maintain clear institutional priorities. But they also stay open to ideas that might not immediately fit, engaging donors as thought partners rather than just funders. The best outreach is those purpose driven conversations that lead to mutual learning. "We see you doing incredible things, what advice do you have for us?" #Fundraising #EducationInnovation #Leadership