Wk4: Leadership/Publishing Project Feedback

I shared my research with two of my critical friends:

Susan Cameron: "Although I am not a teacher, I think you raise interesting points of achieving success for yourself as well as your students. I do not recall any of my middle teachers ever going the distance for their students. I takes a lot of work, but if this is your calling, time isn't an option. Great job."

Raven Smith: "A classroom teacher is a lot of work in itself. I understand that students are failing and dropping out but we cannot make excuses for their failures. I strongly believe that misbehaved children comes from the home and not how we teachers deliver content. Its easy to put the blame of teachers when your child is failing. I like the idea of being different and making class fun, however the reasoning shouldn't be because students are dropping out and failing or they are not being challenged enough. There are plenty of other schools that use the old method of teaching (desks in rows and lectures) that are very successful."

"For the project in general, I think the students reacted to it well, simply because it's different, but good job with the creativity. our students need it!!

Wk4: Leadership/publishing Project Part 2: How we deliver content

I have shared my project with two organizations I am currently affiliated with:

http://www.childrenofpromisenyc.org/

I am a Academic Specialist at this non-for-profit organization and I currently work with twelve thru nineteen year olds preparing them for the world ahead of them. I share my research with the founder (Sharon Content) and she thought it was amazing. Later that week Content had a meeting with all the other specialist and show my power presentation as one of the many tools everyone can use in their classrooms.

Although I am relatively new at this organization (ASA Institute), I have showed the very same presentation to my department chairperson and I received great feedback.

www.asa.edu

Wk4: Publishing/Leadership project

How can we improve the way one delivers content? Why is this important? Being an educator is more than knowing the content or having students read specific chapters. Its about how we send a message. The message that will stay with students, not for the duration of the course, but their entire life. This keynote presentation provides some of the tools that I have used to become a successful teacher. Please be advise that you can not use what you don't have...If you're not funny, do not tell jokes, if you're not great with editing, don't use video editing software.

Here is the link to my presentation/keynote

https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0ATkb4KSG5w35ZGM3OTc5NW5fMWc5Z2sybmZu&hl=en

Wk4: Comment to K. Burton's Post

This week's reading was timed perfectly. While the book overall is nice, this chapter spoke to me. I've realized I am a board; a catalyst to all the things I'm trying to accomplish at work, in my consulting work and most of all, in life.

B. Cross said...

We share the same fortune of the required reading, the final chapters spoke out. when you call yourself a board game, I think of the game of chess. For many reasons but to be more specific, the game of chess is the game of life. How we setup the game and strategically move, the end result will breath-taking. Interesting choice, this has been a great two months, it feels like I'm starting to get to know this class more and more, and too bad we're approaching the end.

Great post!!!!

Wk4: Comment to Collette's post

Chapter 10: You are the board and you can take away from any experience with playing the “fault game”. But most of all know that what you take away from a circumstance is up to you. Relationships are the key to all things and you should be approachable and respectful towards others without judgment. Basically, be positive and try to find the underlying reason behind things without pointing fingers or giving into anger.

B. Cross said...

Death is never an easy thing to talk about especially with young children. I think you handled it well and I also appreciate the way you share this personal situation with the class. Great job!!!

wk4: reading (Creating framework)

While reading this chapter, I could not help but think of one of my favorite movies to watch. The Last Castle, which is essentially about a convict who leads fellow, convicted soldiers to stand up and fight against the mistreatment of the military prisoners.

The framework that one can create is essential to any environment lacking a strong leader. People need a leader who can motivate crowds by the thousands and help bring all peoples together for a common purpose. However, individuals who would rather govern a docile group of people are threatened by such leaders.

The New Children’s Story made it abundantly clear that people will follow those who possess the quality of charisma. The young lady who had undergone the cancer treatment did not show and affects of the teasing she received but instead she embraced it and continued out in her way. Once the other children realized she wasn’t ashamed and she wasn’t affected by it, they all wanted to have her same empowerment.

Wk3: Free Post Teaching Middle School

Middle School can be a tough and trying time trying to tell eleven and twelve year old kids what you're teaching will benefit them in the long run. But how frustrating is it when everything you teach, falls on dead ears. You have incorporate the technology, played educational games, you even tried adding graphical art to illustrate your point, and still the students are disruptive and disrespectful. What do you do then? How can you change your class around for the better? Do you try and get a new class? Teach a new subject or perhaps teach older children.

At what point, as a teacher, when enough is enough and stop preparing for a lesson the night before? Is it a waste of time preparing for something that will end up failing? As teachers are we suppose to endure all the natural things tweens are capable and deal with it? Do we punish kids for being kids?

These questions are the thoughts of many of my colleagues at work and is it quite an overwhelming conversation. I hear that most of the time spent in the class is disciplining and moving chairs, rather than teaching content. How would you address this concern if a new teacher approached you? What would be your advice?

Wk3: Comment to Quintana,Nathaniel

This weeks reading in from the book “The Art of Possibility” covered chapters 7-9. The 3 practices covered in these three chapters were: ‘The Way Things Are’, Giving Way To Passion’ & ‘Lighting A Spark’.

B. Cross said...

I have always said, its amazing what we all can learn from each other. But we must all be willing to learn. For some, whether they're old or young, male or female, they may feel that there isn't anything else to learn. However, if we show each other the power of knowledge and what can be accomplished with it, all things are possible. I really enjoyed reading your post....great job.

Wk3: Comment Charles Hanson

Hanson,Charles

Chapter 7: The Way Things Are

-A friend uses a quote often "It is what it is." This is a similar outlook.

-One must distinguish the difference between facts of the situation and the feelings or emotions surrounding the situation.

-I see the Downward Spiral Talk every day at school. It stems from teachers, the teachers are pressured to make success out of every student, even students who don't come to class. When teachers are in a group, they talk, and the Downward Spiral Talk becomes inevitable. It creates a toxic environment.

B. Cross said...

I always find it amazing how easy it is for negativity to spread than positive behavior. I don't quite understand why so many of fall victim to this type of behavior but there needs to be a revolution...

Great Job!

Wk3: Comment to Irene Clark

What I must examine is why after

the second week I still consider the reading of this book an assignment? I receive immense pleasure when I read it but still place it on the back burner to the measurements of progress that continue to crowd out my game of contribution, my central self, and to a lesser degree of absence, but not fully present, Rule Number 6.

"A prolonged period of childhood" I personally can appreciate those words, simply because we all respond to things in the same manner as we did while we were children. However, our reaction isn't as childish but we may behave in way that resemble the response during childhood....

Great Job

Wk3: Reading

For many us, being negative or taking things negatively is as natural as covering ones month when you cough, or saying grace. Why is it so easy to view things harshly? Are we that dependant upon controversy, where it compels us to seek it out? Reality shows today are the highlight of television due to controversial issues. The News we watch, the movies that are interesting and the conversations people have are all geared by some way of violence. It is what makes us so interested. Since, when is it boring to do and behave in the right way?

We must ask ourselves, would we be entertained by television shows like the Cosby’s or if a friend gives you news about their educational success. Things may not always happen in our favor, but we must be able to make every situation positively, and remember things happen for a reason.

The other day, I loan my car to my brother, and when I can home that day, he told me he could not find my smartkey to start the car. He clamed that he put it back where I told him to find but it wasn’t there. I was upset and calculating the price of the smartkey and the cost for programming the key. I was upset because, I planned to drive the next day to work. I woke up the next morning took the train and when I came home, my wife found the key outside in a flower bed and told me, it was a reason why your key was lost. The route I normal would drive to work is being repaired and the alternate route is on the other side of town. I would have been extremely late to work that day.

So we must look at things more positively no matter how extreme it is. We can’t spend our short lives being angry.

Wk2: Wimba Archive

This month is pretty interesting. The third week will be the free week for most of us to complete the AR website and anything else in between that needs to be complete. The fourth week (going by quickly) is designed for us to come you with a presentation/media project that will start this month but finalize in the 12th month.

There is a lot of work to be done within the next six weeks but if you are a person that work on thing gradually, these tasks may not seem a an overload. However, waiting for the last minute to complete these blogs post or any other projects, will only result in an overwhelming situation.

This wimba session, like all of them (with this professor) is very insightful and meaningful. Good luck everyone on the next few weeks ahead. We're almost there!!!

Wk2: Comment to Jeinine

Chapter 4 begins with the story of the woman tossing starfish back in to the ocean that are on the shore. It makes a difference. Her one seemingly small act makes a difference. She made a contribution.

I believe, once we have perfected our craft, or we use our God given talent, it is that very gift we all must share with the world. We must not look upon our craft as inferior or superior than others, but rather as a contribution to the society we create. We all may do things differently from one another, but we all share one common goal. That is to exist in this world. While we are here must make use of our abilities and others and embrace them. Thats a society to live for. GREAT POST!!!

Wk2:Comment to Terrance w Davis

After reading “The Art of Possibilities” Chapters 4-6 this week.

Upon reflection, I found myself mirroring young Ben at the dinner table. Wondering what I would contribute to the family conversation. Being the youngest is not easy. My Mother would ask each day girls how was your day at school? What did you learn? At first, I was really excited about telling what I did and learned that day in school. However, my older sister always beat me to the punch and it seemed as if she would go on about everything never leaving me with anything to say. I felt that I had nothing to contribute to the dinner conversation. It would make me very frustrated when this happened. This went on over several weeks until I discovered one day that it did not matter what she said. Using my quick-witted humor and imagination, I could be apart of this conversation. That was probably my first Uh! Ah! moment!

Simply amazing! The art of making someone smile, bridges any awkwardness between individuals. it is an art because so many of us aren't blessed with that ability. I guess that's what make each of us all uniquely wonderful. Our positive contributions to society dictate the possibility of hope.

Great Post!

wk2: The Reading

The more I read this book the more I realize the significance of its title. Leading from a chair, not only eliminated my ignorance to orchestra, but it also opened my eyes to an interesting dilemma of choice. All of our outcomes are direct results of the decisions we have make throughout our lifetime. If we are compelled to alter those results, we must first make different decisions. In the fourth chapter Sarah, the old woman who changed from sitting in the fifth to the fourth row, made an enormous discovery of herself. Instead of waiting to die, she is enjoying her life each day. I always fancy how amazing one decision can change the way you view life.

I can see how many can misconstrue “rule number 6.” Its vague and concise phrase speaks volume, for it is vague but also direct. If one would behave in an uncontrollable manner, rule number 6 should be uttered as it did in chapter six. Don’t take yourself so seriously. If most people actually took the time to think about the reason for their behavior or think is through before it get out of control, a lot of problems would be solved outside of court and jail houses. The best example was displayed in chapter 6. June was about to divorce her husband because of his self-centered ways. But then as she took into account rule number 6, she realized that all of her former boyfriend carried the same trait and she had to look within herself and not take herself seriously. It saved her marriage and her entire life was changed.

The Art of Possibility to me allows individuals to create a perfect society. Not in the sense of The Republic, but more in the realms of the individual. If we create the opportunity through scarcity, take the lead and add contributions to our community, we would see tremendous results. But it starts within each of us, to do our part because only collectively we can change the world.

wk1: comment to Kelli Erwin

After reading the assigned chapters this week, I began to think about the times in my life when I was able to see beyond what I saw and remembered taking this picture during the summer of 2009. This image was taken at the beach next to the Headlands Institute in Marin, California (near San Francisco). I remember looking up and thinking that rock formation looked like a sleeping elephant and my mind fighting the thought because it wasn’t possible. My entire time at Headlands Institute was spent in exploration which led to invention. I was there for a week long Discovery Educator Network National Institute that focused on integrating technology creatively into the classroom. We learned and explored new teaching and learning methods, new web-based tools, new applications and new technology products. Most relevant to this post though, we challenged ourselves and each other to invent new ways to use what we learned to better enhance the learning opportunities of our students and ourselves. We had to see things differently and force ourselves to think outside of the box or the dots in the case of the reading. It was an inspiring experience and yet, it took reading these chapters to remind me of the experience. It is funny how you never know what will trigger a change in your views, thoughts and what you see.

Brian Cross

We share the same fortune, in that, after reading these few chapters sort of reopened/opened your eyes to a different way of thinking. I now question the word impossible and wonder why such a word even exist. There are so many untold truths, its kind of hard to fully grasp the real. The key word through the journey of this book is probably faith. Faith that all things are possible, its a matter of unlocking and getting a better lens to really see the possible.

Wk1: Comment to Jeinine

Thinking beyond the set of dots to connect the lines made me think about two youtube clips that I recently viewed on my podcast subscription, The Best of Youtube. I have included links to both of those clips here: Guy Playing the Piano Backwards and A Different Way of Playing Guitar.

This proves that one does not have to become a music teacher or music lover to fully grasp the realm of faith. If we seek it, we must believe it, we must live. I can appreciate the questions because the readings have opened my eyes to endless possibilities. Thank you for this great post.

Wk1: Book Reading

The art of possibility seems to exist within each of us. Its simply unlocking the natural survival instinct that seems to be blocked by our own desires. I however, did not understand this phenomenon until reading just these few chapters. Most people are not quick to change the tunnel vision that has been placed on us by other people’s possessions. We tend to or try to adapt to the environment that consumes us. But what if the environment adjusts to our situation? What if we approached all areas before giving up of accepting an impossible situation?

The authors suggest that each of us create/invent our own environment through positive motivation. The “given an A” chapter explains this dynamic that individuals will perform, in any entity, according to the faith they set for themselves. During my undergraduate studies, many moons ago, I was satisfied receiving “C” in the class, as long as I passed. This was my way of thinking for the first 2 ½ years. It was only my senior year where I had to work three times as hard to achieve my A’s because I created the “C” environment and I only did subpar work. If we train our minds to think differently and unlock our instincts, we all will perform much better and the world would be a better place.

Wk1: Wimba Archieve

This month, like the previous, will be just as intense and vigorous simply because the AR Website must be complete to its entirety. However, simpler to the lit review, each student is given time to submit and resubmit, allowing us to revise and perfect it. But we all (students) must understand there are other assignments this month and not fall short or neglect the other things that are due.