CDS Faculty Strive for Continuous Improvement
Professional development is offered to CDS faculty members on an ongoing basis. Not only do our teachers regularly attend conferences with independent school colleagues from across Canada and the United States, but in recent years we have hosted conferences and individual educators and experts in their fields here at CDS so that more of us may benefit. The results have been win-win, leaving our faculty energized and armed with new inspiration and knowledge to bring to their classroom.
Below is a snapshot of just some of the professional development experiences our faculty have had recently:
List of 20 news stories.
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CDS Professional Development: August 2020
This week, all faculty returned to CDS in a mix of remote and onsite professional development activities. First up on Tuesday was a morning of Diversity training. -
CDS Faculty & Staff Participate in Diversity Training
Before our students return in September, CDS faculty typically participate in some type of professional development. This year, all faculty and staff took part in a full-day of diversity training led by Alden Habacon, one of Canada’s leading diversity and inclusion strategists. Born in Manila, raised in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Regina, and married to a Chinese Canadian, Alden now lives in Vancouver with his wife and two young sons. -
Good Read for Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents
Last spring, two members of the SSC had the opportunity to attend workshops presented by Lynn Lyons, an internationally renowned social worker and psychotherapist with a private practice in New Hampshire. Her presentation was entitled “Managing Anxiety at School & Home: Powerful Approaches for Breaking the Worry Cycle”. -
Making Thinking Visible
In May 2018, the Junior School Faculty were extremely fortunate to host a professional development workshop led by Mark Church, a consultant with Harvard University’s Project Zero Making Thinking Visible and Cultures of Thinking initiatives and co-author of the book “Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding and Independence for All Learners” (Jossey-Bass, 2011). -
The ABC’s of Critical Thinking in the Classroom
During their June PD session, Middle and Senior School Faculty were treated to a keynote by philosopher, educator and author, Dr. Christopher DiCarlo, on critical thinking and how to teach it in the classroom. -
October 6th Professional Development at CDS
Tomorrow, our faculty will participate in a number of professional development sessions designed to further enhance life and learning at CDS. Here’s a brief glimpse of what’s in store for the day: -
Mapping the Road Ahead: PD Friday May 19th
On Friday’s Professional Development Day the Middle and Senior School faculty will be exploring the future of learning and of schools with a special focus on the increasing role personalization is playing in academic programming and teaching/ learning. -
Clarity on Our Financial Footing
Remaining current in terms of emerging practices and trends is important for any organization, and independent schools are no exception. To that end, our faculty and staff routinely gather to research, discuss and network amongst ourselves and with representatives from other schools. -
Kevin Brookhouser, Google Certified
Kevin Brookhouser is a Google Apps Certified Trainer and a Google Certified Teacher based in Monterey, California. He spoke to our faculty about inspiring students using the thoughtful integration of technology and project-based learning. Kevin’s presentation was based on his new book, The 20time Project: How Education Can Launch Google’s Formula for Future-Ready Innovation. -
Knowing Our Learners: Relational Teaching
Acting on our new strategic direction to inspire, support and know all our learners, the Middle and Senior School Professional Development Day on October 7th was focused on the importance of relational teaching. -
How Words Make a Difference
During PD week in August, the Junior School spent a morning with Peter Johnston, a Professor at the State University of New York at Albany. With more than 34 years of teaching experience, Peter has authored several books and research papers around the importance of oral language in the classroom. -
Support, Know and Inspire our Students
Following our long range plan commitment to support, know and inspire all of our students, the Middle/Senior School Professional Development activities in late August were decidedly focused on how we personalize learning in the classroom. -
Google Apps for Education Professional Development
With the amazing opportunity to create a custom summit to specifically meet the needs of the faculty of The Country Day School, June 2016 brought the Google Apps for Education Summit to CDS. -
Faculty Swap Knowledge at Own Google Demo Slam
Last fall, 14 teachers from the Junior, Middle and Senior School divisions attended an inspiring and energizing Google Apps for Education (GAFE) Summit hosted at Greenwood College School. We left there ready to implement in our classes some of the many tools we’d encountered, and we were eager to share some of these pedagogy-enhancing, feedback-improving, and time-saving tools with our colleagues. -
Visit from CAIS Executive Director Anne-Marie Kee
Every seven years, each accredited Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) school is inspected by a team of leaders from fellow CAIS schools. CDS will receive its inspection in fall 2016, and in preparation for the inspection, the School will spend considerable time and effort this year creating a thorough report contributed to by all faculty and staff members that highlights its strengths and areas for improvement in all aspects of school life. -
Exploring Essential Questions
All CDS faculty read an article entitled “How to Make Your Questions Essential” before meeting in mixed-grade groups to explore why essential questioning should be an integral part of all teachers’ practices. -
The World of Non-fiction Writing
When Adrienne Gear visited the Junior School in August 2014, she left us wanting more. We were so very fortunate to have her return this year for two powerful days of professional development in our own classrooms. Alongside our students, the teachers tapped into the enthusiasm that Ms. Gear brings to the teaching of non-fiction writing. Adrienne reminded us that more than 80% of our engagements with language fall outside of narrative, and that teaching fictional narrative alone will not be enough to support our students through their life journeys. -
Global Summits
Global Summits featuring Google for Education is a two-day, high-intensity event focused on deploying, integrating, and using Google Apps for Education (GAFE) to promote student learning. -
Exploring the CALM Technique
Lisa Seward, a child therapist, spent time with our Junior School faculty demonstrating different tools needed to help lower anxiety in the children they teach. -
Painting a Mindset
During the first week of September, while CDS students and their families enjoyed one final week of summer vacation, their teachers were back on campus preparing for the upcoming school year. In the Junior School, faculty members attended meetings, organized classrooms, created dynamic and engaging bulletin boards and displays and planned curricular and co-curricular experiences – your faculty’s minds were busy at work – doing the things that help to define the CDS Education. At the conclusion of this busy, intense and energetic week, the teachers of the Junior School were invited to a meeting, held in the MPR.Unlike the other meetings that week, we were unaware of the nature of this gathering.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
