Creating Cultures of Thinking: Exploring the Purpose and Promise of Schools

Details

This event is from Project Zero — confirm details there before registering.

Who it's for

Topics

Demystify how deep learning cultures are created.

Today we seek to develop engaged and empowered learners ready to act thoughtfully and effectively in the world. To accomplish this, we need to change more than the curriculum and our instruction—we need to change the culture of our classrooms and schools. This course helps you demystify how deep learning cultures are created. Use the eight cultural forces as a lens to analyze the culture of your own learning context and deepen your understanding of one of them—"language"—as a powerful mechanism for sending messages. Learn how to begin to build strong "cultures of thinking" where learning is active and deeply valued for yourself and in your own context.

Overview

• Look carefully at the various "stories of learning" that schools perpetuate
• Consider the "new story of learning" we want to make for our students and how the eight cultural forces can help us to enact that story
• Learn about the eight cultural forces that represent eight key levers educators use to transform classrooms and build strong "cultures of thinking" where learning is active and deeply valued
• Examine one of those eight cultural forces—"language"—and how our use of language shapes in deep and subtle ways the culture of the learning environment that surrounds our learners

Who Should Participate

• Teachers, teacher leaders, and school administrators and leaders
• Museum educators and educators working in informal learning environments
• Facilitators of pre-K to adult learning

Time Commitment

• Team Meeting: This 1-hour live, synchronous team meeting happens every week, scheduled and facilitated by the team members with PZ-designed agenda.
• Reading, Practice, and Assignments: Plan remaining time for reading and individual reflections/assignments. If you are not currently working in a school or educational organization, you will need a classroom context or a consistent group of students with whom you can try out/practice the ideas you are learning throughout the course.

Tuition, Discounts, and Financial Aid

• $355 for educators joining as part of a team (three to six members from the same organization)
• $385 for educators joining as part of a team of two (from the same organization) who will be placed on a virtual team with other teams of two (as attendance allows)
• $399 for educators joining as individuals to be placed on a virtual team

Questions?

Visit the FAQs page for more information on PZ online courses, or email pzlearn@gse.harvard.edu.

Designer and Co-Instructor

Co-Instructor

Mark Church works throughout the world with schools that wish to create cultures of thinking in their classrooms. He believes in the difference teachers can make for…

Schedule

• Session 1 — Mon, Oct 26, 2026
• Session 2 — Mon, Nov 2, 2026
• Session 3 — Mon, Nov 9, 2026
• Session 4 — Mon, Nov 16, 2026