I'm Dr. Zak Cohen, a school principal, blogger, and progressive educator specializing in personalized learning, educational leadership, and Mistake Literacy. I have worked with schools around the world and have been published in and featured by outlets such as Edutopia, the American Educational Research Association, The Guardian, Business Insider, The Chronicle, Educational Leadership, and Independent School. With a proven track record of institutional innovation, I am driven by a passion to implement and scale adaptive, student-centered educational practices. My goal is to enact ambitious, purpose-driven changes that prepare you, your teachers, and your students to tackle the challenges of the emerging future.
"Attending Dr. Cohen's workshop was the highlight of the conference. His passion for educational leadership is infectious, and his expertise in Mistake Literacy gave me a fresh perspective on the learning process. I can't recommend his sessions highly enough to anyone looking to evolve in the educational space." - Alicia R., District Curriculum Coordinator
"Dr. Zak Cohen's session was a game-changer for me. His insights into personalized learning not only challenged my pre-existing notions but provided practical steps on how to effectively integrate it into my classroom. I left feeling inspired and equipped with tools to enhance my teaching practice." - Jordan T., Middle School Educator
“Thank you SOO much for your article on psychological safety at schools. I integrate trauma informed approaches as an AP in an elementary school. Psychological safety is essential for staff to be able to implement trauma informed practices.”
“Thanks to tonight’s webinar, I learned that a great way to learn is by making mistakes, and with the right mindset and strategies, I can create a classroom environment where students feel safe to take risks and learn from their mistakes.”
“Today’s learning reinforced the mindset shift that all learners need to develop - that mistakes are an integral part of the learning process and that we can grow and develop in our roles by learning from them.”
“I’ve come to understand the importance of removing the ego from the mistake-making process and fostering a culture of embracing mistakes as valuable learning opportunities.”
“Zak engaged my faculty by demonstrating a high level of creativity and passion. He offered feedback and encouragement, and he showed a dedication to lifting our practice and doing better for our students.”
“Zak is no ordinary educator. Never one to settle for the status quo, he has helped us make learning more vital, relevant, and effective.”
“Shout out to Zak's Flexible Grouping session - it was great!”
“I thought this session was great. I loved having the research behind the information, the supporting tools and resources that were shared were helpful, and the time to speak with other attendees to reflect was great. Thank you so much!”
“This was a wonderful session. My brain is full of knowledge and ideas and I appreciate the expertise of the presenter.”
“My colleagues and I left Zak's session feeling inspired!”
“I believe that this professional learning experience will impact my organization, my practice, and ultimately our students in a multitude of ways. The concept of #Mistake Literacy is not something that I was familiar with and is something that will benefit my faculty and students.”
“Zak Cohen was a whirlwind of information!”
“If someone can be nominated as the presenter whose topic and overall presentation would get the Transformative Presenter / Topic Award it should be Zak Cohen. Thank you Learning Forward for the opportunity to get to know Zak's work!”
“The wealth of information in the presentation and the additional resources will make being able to create presentations/PD sessions to share with my colleagues, teachers that I support, and ultimately our students something to get started on right away.”
“I enjoyed Zak's energy and loved his vibe!”
“I’ve been attending very informative sessions with excellent presenters throughout this conference. This session of "Mistakes as an Instrument of Learning” with Zak Cohen has been the most eye-opening and transformative session of my first ever Learning Forward experience.”
In an age widely defined by change, disruption, and uncertainty, one thing is for sure: students will make mistakes; what is uncertain is whether students will learn from them. As common as mistake-making is, learning from mistakes is not common at all. Mistakes are the most undermined, undervalued way for learning to occur. And yet, students need to possess the confidence, independence, and skill to both navigate and learn from their mistakes. This is what Mistake Literacy is all about -- equipping learners with the skills they need to recognize, react to, and repair their mistakes.
