Wk 4 Blogging Response #2

 Leadership Post: Vivian Tejedor

Capstone project work sample.

My capstone project addressed literacy engagement for the person with severe language development delays. Four students with a diagnosis of autism explored Web 2.0 tools rich in visual literacy with the goal of improving communication skills. During Phase I, students’ explored several Web 2.0 tool to see which was best to create an online word wall.  Learners chose Notaland. For Phase 2 learners worked collaboratively with same age peers without language development delays to create an online word wall. To measure communication skills gains a Functional Communication score was collected at the initiation of Phase 1, and the end of Phase 1and at the end of Phase 2. All learners made gains in their ability to initiate interaction with peers.

I would like to share my capstone project results at the American Speech and Language Association upcoming convention at the Georgia World Congress Center from November 15–17, 2012. I will go ahead and submit my paper for publication in the Journal of Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (LSHSS) and submit the paper for the annual convention for it to be considered for an hour long presentation but judging by the data I have collected up to date my project is best suited for a poster session.  I think from all the alternatives I will enjoy a poster session the most. 

Leadership Post 1

Leadership Post 2

Leadership Post 3

Leadership Project Google Document

1 comments:

Cricket JohnsonFeb 23, 2012 08:38 PM

What an amazing project! It really opens up a lot of thoughts on how new technologies can assist our at needs students in school. I feel like technology has so much to offer students with disabilities - almost to leveling the playing field in some areas!Reading about your results and how all learners gained! That's really awesome. I have no doubt that your paper and research will and should be published! Excited to see the ideas with technology and students with disabilities that your project spurs! Very well done.

Wk 4 Blogging Response #1

Week 4 Reading: Chapters 9 -12

Photo from Microsoft Clip Art

I know that I have said this a million times, along with others in this class, but I can’t help feeling it again. Chapter 9 starts out with lighting a spark and all I can think about is being a Christian. Being an example to others and sparking that light in them with everything that we do. We are called to be generous, like the 50 cents story. I really do enjoy this book but also find it funny that it portrays a lot of the same characteristics that we should be living already. I wonder how many people read this book and never make that connection. I have found that lighting this spark in my students, or letting them light a spark in my life makes all of the difference between an average class and breaking through to some real connections being made.

In chapter 10 the author talks about being the board. But what it really sounds like is learning how to forgive and have grace. In the example of the driver, the druken driver will get consequences according to the law, but as the victim, getting upset and blaming them completely also hurts yourself. If you dwell on it then you lose control of your own emotions, reactions, and mind. It is better to forgive and learn how to move forward with accepting the here and now, as mentioned in an earlier chapter. I think that this is a good idea for teachers. There are many times where a student has known exactly what buttons to push in order to get me to my limit. While what they are doing is wrong, if I react in pointing fingers and blaming them for the situation, I am only giving them what they want, a reaction. It is better for me to remember that they are students and in this preconceived notion, sometimes the teacher is the enemy and their teenage emotions get the best of them. One thing that I am not sure the author makes extremely clear is that this does not mean that they are not to receive consequences; it is more a conscious choice on how to react and deal with emotions. This also goes in line with Rule number 6, don’t take yourself so seriously. As a teacher I can’t get so worked up if a kid doesn’t listen to me, I can’t freak out. Or according to the bible, don’t throw your pearls before swine. If they aren’t in a place to receive instruction then I am just wasting energy and emotions freaking out about it.

This story of the teacher shaving her head in order to help the girl with cancer reminded me of Adam Sandler peeing his pants to make the elementary school student feel ok in Billy Madison. Changing the framework takes courage and belief that you are doing it in order to better the mindset of others and change their framework as well. I really like that one of the steps for this is to figure out what is on track and what is off track. Too often people have great dreams and then they don’t focus on them when they start executing them. At my school district this happens often and there comes a point where people stop believing in the ideas even if they are good because they never get completed. A vision with specific goals is so important to this cause.

Chapter 12 really brings together a lot of different aspects of this book. The biggest thing is to overcome the fear that is constructed in our minds so that we can tell the WE story together. Teaching in a school that is very racially diverse I deal with this issue often. I can’t count how many times I have had to mediate issues that have to do with different races. The fact that the issues have nothing to do with specific people never seems to dawn on them until after a fight or argument has broken out. The examples that the author gives about the marriage and the job raise are perfect examples of how to change into a WE story. This is a technique I often have to use with my students especially when it comes to their grades or lack of homework. I have to remind them that I want them to pass as well and together we can come up with goals for US to get them to pass. I want them to know that it is a team effort. This is definitely not one of the easiest stories or conversations to have, so it is important to not spiral downward.

6 comments:

1. 
   jbbFeb 19, 2012 07:46 PM

   Thanks so much for sharing your summary of the reading and where it reaches you. Grace, forgiveness, having a sense of humor and not taking oneself too seriously is so important in life and in the classroom. I'm glad that the book has spoken to you.

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2. 
   Sunny Trees PhotographyFeb 21, 2012 03:09 PM

   Jessica,
   
   I also took away the part about grace and forgiveness, it also reminded me not to take anything personally. I do not usually take myself too seriously, but others see that as that I am not serious. That is a fine line in my work place, especially with my boss who critiques every word that comes out of my mouth no matter who is watching. I would love to gift him the Art of Possibilities!
   
   Sonja

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   Sunny Trees PhotographyFeb 21, 2012 03:19 PM
   Oops, I only posted half of my comment.
   
   I really appreciate the many analogies in this book as it also helps me understand the concepts. With this book I changed my cold call requests for teachers from do you want to make a video to I have a few examples of how others have contributed and was wondering if you would like to join us in showcasing your students. This seems to make it a WE thing, like you stated with your students. It helps with the difficult conversations as you also mentioned.
   
   Sonja
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3. 
   Drew FultonFeb 22, 2012 06:38 AM

   Jess,
   I really love your interpretation of "Being the Board." I struggled a bit with this chapter but after reading your thoughts, it all clicked for me. The idea of grace is a powerful concept and something that can be quiet overwhelming for me at times. Thanks for helping me to gain a deeper understanding of that chapter!
   
   I also really like the way you have used (and continue to use) the WE story in your classroom. I can see how that could be a game changer when dealing with the issues that you are dealing with on a daily basis. I also like how you use it in connection with getting better grades... My one question is, could the story be "how we can come up with goals to get US to pass"? Just a thought...

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4. 
   Greg HavensFeb 23, 2012 05:51 PM

   Jess,
   Just want to say that you did a great job summarizing this book. I can see that you really considered all of the takes in to. Nice Job. I agree that teaching takes tons of grace and forgiveness. I find that my kids forgive me all of the time. I can remember the teachers that I had that were forgiving. They were the ones that made the biggest impressions on me.

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   Cricket JohnsonFeb 23, 2012 08:17 PM
   I agree with so much of what you wrote here Jess and you too Greg!
   Jess - where you stated about forgiving - especially the students who push our buttons. I really want to print that out and pass it around to a few teachers I know, some still hold grudges years after the student is gone. It's sad that they forget these are children who are learning, adapting, and soaking in how we ourselves handle each situation. We are the only source of love or parental support that some of these students will ever see!!

Wk 4 Reading

So this week's reading to me was really powerful. The section where Zander speaks of the couple going through therapy and the woman is yelling “you don’t love me” and he yells back “who could love you when you act like this!” and then directed her to see that it was emotions running her and she needed to find the cause.  So many times I will be arguing with my husband and the argument goes off on some crazy tangent and even as I am flinging comments I am thinking to myself “this isn’t even what this is about”, “what is it about him that makes me act that way? I love him and I can still say the meanest, nastiest things to him. It is sometimes like an out of body experience. I once saw a quote that the difference between love and friendship is how much you can hurt each other. Most of the arguments we get into are based off of the root cause of expecting a certain response or action from that person we love and then get upset when they don’t live up to that….how does this tie into leadership? 

Last week I heard a teacher moaning and groaning about an administrator who they felt didn’t give a student they had written up – enough of a punishment. I asked the teacher “Did you tell him what you expected/wanted?” The teacher responded with “no”…”then how can you expect him to live up to your standard?” The teacher just stared at me. “Go tell him what you would like to see occur – then if he still doesn’t handle it – you can complain all you want.”  This situation is really something similar as above. We can’t hold people to expectations if we don’t make it clear to them what they are.

Wk 4 Leadership Project

My capstone project addressed interdisciplinary education.  My target audience of high school teachers explored how creating thematic units across disciplines help create rigorous and relevant learning for students.  During Phase I, Teachers created a plan to solve the problem of creating cross-curricular lessons to increase student engagement.  In Phase II, Teachers and students engaged in the solution and participated in various lesson around the same central theme.  Teachers and students were able to document their experience with interdisciplinary instruction through pre/post surveys, and student created products. As a result, students were able to see the connections between various classrooms and subject content and recognize and identify with rigorous and relevant lessons.

I submitted my abstract to a conference held by the International Journal of Arts and Sciences.
International Journal of Arts and Science Conference

Week 1 Leadership Blog Post - Leadership Role Model:

Week 2 Leadership Blog Post - To Publish or Present:


Week 3 Leadership Blog Post - Where do I want to share my project

My CBR Presentation

Presenter Notes for Presentation

Wk 3 Blogging Response #2

BP_25 Week 3 Reading - Art of Possibility Chapters 4-8
I always think I'm going to struggle to find content for these blog posts so they don't read like book reports but somehow something serendipitously comes to to me at just the right time.

I think this video from Randy Halverson is a great metaphor for the message within the Art of Possibility, the idea that a world of possibilities is hiding in plain site. We just need to learn how to see them. This time lapse video is a compilation of 30 second exposures that reveals spectacular things in the night skies invisible to the human eye and standard video.


Temporal Distortion from Randy Halverson on Vimeo.

What really struck me about the 4 chapters we read this week is the way they support each other. I really identified with chapter 7 of the Art of Possibility - The Way Things Are. I've always been an optimist, to the point where it has frustrated other people. I hope moving forward I can use this strength to learn to lead from any chair as described in chapter 5. I think the key to getting others to be inspired by our own dreams is to communicate them with passion as described in Chapter 8. Chapter 6 stresses not taking yourself so seriously. I think too often people get misguided by feeling they need to convince others they are right instead of respectfully disagreeing or simply presenting their own ideas with positive conviction. I see this happen often in social media, especially Facebook.

I didn't realize it until writing this post but I took these lessons to heart earlier this week. Recording artist Whitney Houston died suddenly this past Saturday at age 48. Mixed with posts of sentiment there was a small contingent of my Facebook acquaintances who took advantage of the opportunity to communicate their opinions about how her life should not be celebrated. These people posted images of soldiers graves with comments stating that true heroes deserved the media's recognition not a "washed up drug addict."... I found these views misguided and in some cases offensive, not to mention incredibly passive aggressive. If this is truly what you believe you would post comments like this every day, not just when a celebrity you don't care for dies and the media focuses on it. I chose to remain quiet on all these posts and tried to ignore the threads of comments. Eventually I decided to do some research and politely posted on each of my acquaintances threads some facts I found out about Mrs. Houston's charity work. I noticed very few news reports were highlighting these fact that her proceeds from the sales of her recording of "The Star Spangled Banner" went to soldiers and servicemen and women, or her other charity work including her own organization that helped cancer and HIV stricken children. None of my acquaintances responded directly to my comments, but several people "liked" my comments after I posted them. I also posted my findings to my own wall which got several "likes" as well. Nobody confronted my comments.

I think we could all learn to take ourselves less seriously. No one of us is ever going to change the world or the way someone else feels with a single comment, no matter how aggressively you try. By respecting each other and communicating openly and sincerely though we might just be able to help each other stop and think.
Posted by John R. Hutchinson, Jr. at 9:14 PM
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5 comments:

1.
Jessica KelloggFeb 15, 2012 01:21 PM

Hutch,

I agree with you that these chapters blended and worked very well together. I really like the fact that you focused on not taking ourselves so seriously. The scenario that you posted about Facebook happens all too often. One of my friends from high school uses Facebook to constantly tell the world her opinions. What usually happens is that people start commenting back and then all of these mini fights breakout all over her Facebook page. She genuinely gets mad at people and has lost friends over comments made on Facebook. REALLY!!! It is not that serious. If people feel strongly about something, it should be a way of life not a angered Facebook, attention getter post. I didn't really gather the moral of the story the same way that you did. Thanks for pointing out that we can all step back and respect each others communication and ideas. Do you think that it would make a difference if they always treated people like that as opposed to only when it is convenient to make a big show?

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2.
John R. Hutchinson, Jr.Feb 15, 2012 02:59 PM

Jessica,

Facebook does seem to have a lot of that. People don't always stop to think about what their posting. We see it all the time in the news with celebrity or high profile figures messing up on Twitter, Facebook, or some other Social Media group. Look at the backlash the Million Mom's group got after their protest over JCP's selection of Ellen as a spokesperson. The speculated a loss in sales, not based on any marketing facts or research, but just because that's what they wanted JCP to think was going to happen.

I think it would make a huge difference if people were able to stop and not only consider their opposition's point of view but also respect it. They don't have to agree with it, but you can't think someone is less intelligent because they believe differently.

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1.
Cricket JohnsonFeb 16, 2012 03:52 PM

Loved this post Hutch! I completely agree with you about people over-reacting. And it is scary to see how Social Media sites are indeed impacting our society and major decision making factors. So many people are uninformed and cause what I think of as "feeding frenzies" - on misconstrued and even downright false information. People react and respond without finding out the facts, and while this kindof thing has always happened - the internet allows for it to happen faster and on a greater plane.
One thing that I really think has hurt our communication as a society is the fact that you cannot tell "tone" in computer-based communications. So much is lost in translation. So much of communication between people is body language, tone, facial expressions, and eye contact. If I have to pick between emailing a person or speaking to them in person - I will take the time to go to them if at all possible. It's just easier.
Really great thoughts and points brought up here! Well done!

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3.
Lewis SmithFeb 15, 2012 11:22 PM

Hutch,

So again I find myself commenting on the amazing artistry you display when looking at the lessons we are given. Thanks for the Randy Halverson link. His work is fantastic and I really enjoyed the editing on the video. I think it is indeed a reminder of how much we need to shift our viewpoint to see the larger systems at work in our lives. The reading gave a similar example with the very technically. but uninspired cellist. I feel that too often my students feel similarly disconnected from their educational experience, that they are just going through the motions. Waking them up to the bigger picture may be just the thing, I just have to build a time lapse viewer for their lives:-)
As a service member, I appreciate that you pointed out what Whitney Houston did for sailors and soldiers. She was one of the first to contribute in such a visible way, at a time when the Gulf War was political, and a very young Smitty was actually performing sit-ins to protest the war at my high school. Well, now I laugh and wonder what little Smitty would think of himself 20 years later. I do know that standing up for those who cannot defend themselves on Facebook or in any other venue is honorable though. You are a good man for doing so, and we need more people to think before they tread on others. Kindness is not weakness. Semper Fidelis.

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4.
Drew FultonFeb 16, 2012 05:30 AM

Hutch,
I love that you used Halverson's video as a great metaphor. I actually spent some time yesterday watching his videos (and others) as I am prepping to do some of my own work in the same vain. I love the idea that a camera can capture what our eye can't see and it is that change of perspective that allows us to actually see things differently and can make all the difference.

I also totally agree with you about your thoughts on Facebook and other social media. I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. It's great for connecting with people but when people use it just thrust their opinions (usually in contrite/simplistic phrasing and often with a very graphic image attached) in to my face, it drives me crazy. That isn't going to change anyone's opinion or make any meaningful change in the world. To me, it is sort of like the billboards that are across the country but predominantly in the South saying that the end is coming and to find Jesus. Really? Do people become Christians while driving down the highway? Surely that money could be used to make a real change in someone's life. And now I am way off track.

Glad you shared your thoughts here and the research you did on Houston's life and work. I saw the same type of posts and remember seeing them when Steve Jobs passed as well. I think that most of the people that posted those negative posts probably never would have said those things but inhibitions are lowered and the mouse click is a very light trigger and people don't think.

Wk 3 Blogging Response #1

Wk3 Blog: Leadership Blog- The places I hope to be read well…

Following last weeks post I have narrowed the field down to two of the publications which I have been actively reading as a classroom teacher over the last 5 years.
The first is the eSchool News. When I first was sent the invitation for a free subscription I found that it contained many advertisements and almost discarded it. Then I looked between the ads and found some really great applications that I could apply in my learning space right away. Part of my goal is to see the technology tools and systems I am employing through my CBR take hold and find success through replication, I would like to see the article accessible without having to be a paying subscriber or member of a journal organization. This opens the door to teachers that lack the means to afford membership, but are looking to innovate. Further information about submissions can be found here: eShcool News Submission Guidelines.



The second publication is again an approachable and readable non-scholarly publication that many people receive as part of their membership in the ISTE, called Learning and Leading with Technology. I have been reading this magazine for well over 12 years and as a technology specialist, grant coordinator, and of course classroom teacher, I found things monthly that applied to my various roles through out the years. The magazine has only gotten better with age, and the new online accessibility again offers a chance to share my experience and promote replication across teacher in many walks of life. It would be an honor to share and show my work here. Further information about submissions can be found here: Leading and Learning with Technology Submission Guidelines.
Posted by Lewis Smith at 2/16/2012 03:14:00 AM
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1 comments:

1.
Cricket JohnsonFeb 16, 2012 03:27 PM

Smitty -
I am so excited for you! You are such a great writer, that I have no doubt your research will be accepted! I had not heard of either of these two magazines so I wrote them both down so we can get a subscription. I hope to see your paper in there..maybe if I play my cards right an autographed copy?!?!

Wk 3 Leadership Blog

Leadership post: Where Do I Want To Share My Project:

I think I have found the perfect place to share my CBR project! I figure if you are going to present your ideas it needs to be to people who are passionate about similar things – so I wanted to find a conference that allowed for a variety of subjects to be discussed. Location played a big part in my choice as well. If I am going to pay to travel and do this – I wanted to make it worth my while! Sooooo….I am applying to present at the International Journal of Arts and Sciences Multidisciplinary conference in a study abroad, in ROME Italy October 29-Nov. 1st 2012!


If I get denied by that endeavor or feel like it won’t work out for costs etc I think I will try “Next Generation STEM Learning: Investigate, Innovate, Inspire. It is in Kansas City Missouri Nov. 8-10 2012. I will try to submit under their theme of Integrating technology into learning environments and I will focus on the perfect cycle 3 for my CBR project.

Wk 3 Reading

“How much greatness are we willing to grant? “
I loved this question posed by the Zanders in their book. In fact I loved this whole chapter. It is sooo true! So many times I feel like leaders come into situations out of touch with the reality of what is going on. They see workers who are tired and listless and instead of figuring out how to encourage their greatness and rekindle their inner spark they write them off and try to find new people. So much of leadership is recognizing that the people under you are your support system. Your role as the leader should be to make them shine, to help them grow and allow them to help you. If you’re people aren’t happy or aren’t exceeding – what aren’t you doing? In the section on give everyone an A – I truly took from that chapter that if you set the bar high for students they can and will achieve more. Instead of watering down information or assuming that students won’t meet expectations keep the demands high and adapt slowly as needed. I believe that people are what you expect them to be – even if they weren’t they conform themselves if you continue to think that way.

Wk 2 Blogging Response #2

Wk2: To Publish or to Present
February 9, 2012 By Drew Fulton 2 Comments

Sometimes a bit of chaos results in something memorable!

When I first learned about the EMDT program and the CBR project, I knew that it would eventually culminate in either the submission of a journal article or a presentation at a conference. From the beginning, I was looking forward to doing a journal article because, while I have several published articles with my name as author, I don’t have any published articles as the first author. I thought that this would be a really good chance to finally get a publication as lead author.

Unfortunately, as my CBR has wrapped up, I had very low turnout and completion rate for both of my phases. So low in fact that it is difficult to draw any conclusions or extrapolate on my data. The data I do have is more qualitative and anecdotal rather than strong quantitative data. Due to this, I am learning more towards doing a presentation instead of a paper.

On the positive side, the CBR project is media intensive to start with and that will come across much better in a presentation than it would in a written article. I also really enjoy giving lectures and am always striving to improve my speaking ability. While I have given several presentations in the last few years, it has been a while since I have presented to a professional audience and I think it will be a great challenge. I have a couple conferences in mind where I would like to present my project, Canopy in the Clouds, and the research I did in my CBR concerning the project. I think it will be a great presentation and I look forward to further exploring the opportunity next week.
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Comments

1.
Jessica Kellogg says:
February 9, 2012 at 7:33 pm

Drew,
I too was aware of the fact that at some point this project would culminate in sharing the data, but unlike you, I had no intention of publishing. If you have read my blog, you know that I don’t like to write. I am always nervous that it might not come across the way that I want it to or that the full impression will not come across. After the finishing the CBR, I am even more convinced that I should be presenting. Like you said, there is so much media that it would be better in presentation form. My CBR was a mixture of email newsletters and videos that my students made. Your Canopy in the Clouds CBR project will make an awesome presentation. I would fly somewhere tropical to see you speak. Maybe Hawaii…
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2.
Cristi Johnson says:
February 10, 2012 at 8:08 pm

Drew-
Your canopy in the clouds is very interdisciplinary so as I find places to do presentations I will send you the links too! Like Jessica stated above, I do not like to write either – so I knew I would be doing a presentation immediately. I didn’t know you were already a published writer! That’s awesome, who care if you aren’t the first author! I imagine anything that you do will be very interesting, if for nothing more than your amazing photographs! But the fact that you have a great personality and are very engaging anyway added to your photographs and great knowledge on your subject – you will do great at presentations!! You should think about going to schools and doing streaming conferences with lots of schools at one time!

Wk 2 Blogging Response #1

Week 2: The Art of Possibilities
Attribution Some rights reserved by cessable



“It’s all invented anyway, so we might as well invent a story of a framework of meaning that enhances our quality of life and the life of those around us “, Michael Gazzaniga, The Social Brain

As I began to engage myself in the first four chapters of the Art of Possibility, by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, this particular quote struck my world view that quite frankly gave me a little pause. Being a Christian and reading this book I found myself having a hard time allowing my imagination to loosen the binds of what my faith tells me is real.

Eight years ago I began a great journey in believing in what Jesus, whom is called Messiah, said and did as it is written in the Book. Before that, I let the wilds of my own imagination run with every whim of the wind that would take it. I must say, at that time, life was not easy. Since coming to believe what the scriptures say as being true, my life has taken on a sort of peace that passes my understanding. Things just make sense now, simple and true.

That is not to say, that I don’t have trials and struggles in this life. because I do. But by the putting of my faith in what the Bible tells me is real, gives me hope, and a sense of security that can’t be shaken away. There are promises there that I have come to trust, and that have pretty much allowed love, joy, peace, and patience to become manifested in what has before been a very chaotic life.

When the authors pointed to the notion that it is an evolved structure of the brain that constructs our perceptions, and that our constructs have little to do with the world, I just flat out disagreed. We all share the same fate. We live, breath, feel, hope, and die. We all want to belong, and be loved. We all share some pretty strong realities. The cold hard fact of the matter is, death has a perfect track record, that we all share.

I used to think that putting my belief and pointing my worldview towards something more concrete than my imagination would have limited the experiences of life. However, just the opposite is true. Now, things make sense, and are born out in my reality, and I no longer have to make excuses for my shortcomings. Fear is gone.

There is part of Gazzanga’s quote,”It’s all invented anyway”, that I will agree with. However, I like to think of it being said in a different way.
“Let there be light”.
Posted by Greg Havens at 12:16 AM
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2 comments:

1.
ChrisFeb 10, 2012 12:37 PM

I read your post several times. I thought that a few parts were worthy of discussion if you don’t mind sincere questions. I often get confronted with anger over sincere questions when I don’t share a belief in particular religion. So if you don’t want to answer I will understand.

First you mentioned, “Being a Christian and reading this book I found myself having a hard time allowing my imagination to loosen the binds of what my faith tells me is real.” I often see this and am curious. When a different hypothesis is put forward in science, the attitude is somewhat similar. Scientists have a knowledge base just as religion does, so new ideas can often be met with raised eyebrows. But this is where the similarity ends.

Science then lowers the eyebrow and says, “Can you prove this? Can we test it? Is it repeatable?” Once the evidence is verifiable, science says, “I was wrong.” When you approach religion with new information, one often finds that they will ignore every piece of evidence provided or fall back on sayings like, “we can’t know that…. science is always changing its mind…. god is mysterious…well I feel like it’s true.”

I’d ask why religious people have trouble saying, “I might have been wrong all along” but I can’t ask you to answer for everyone. So I will just ask you, is there any amount of evidence that would make you say, “I may have been wrong about these beliefs”? Again, I’m just curious about your thoughts.

You also mentioned, “When the authors pointed to the notion that it is an evolved structure of the brain that constructs our perceptions, and that our constructs have little to do with the world, I just flat out disagreed.” I was hoping you could expand on this so that I can understand your position a little better. I too agree that the perceptions we form in our mind have little to do with reality. I think fear and conditioning have everything to do with how people form opinions and that is specifically the reason I embrace logic and reason. The more I want something to be true, the more I realize that I will be willing to deceive myself; so I rely on empirical evidence.

Thoughts?

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1.
Cricket JohnsonFeb 10, 2012 04:53 PM

Greg -
awesome blog, as I was reading these same chapters and statements I never thought about it that way, in that context. I took it very lightly and just as suggestion of attitude. But I can see how you can spin that this way too. It's nice to hear how your faith has given you a rock and a peace that transcends all understanding.
Chris - some great points - and I hate that your questions about religion have ended up with anger or resentment from people, that's a true shame. I love to discuss my faith and hear people's questions and to discuss their beliefs too. I've been asked science questions like what you stated above - I believe in Intelligent design/Creationism. Often I hear to where people say they will always side with science because it can be seen. The question that always pops up in my mind is this "Isn't the "big bang" technically an assumption? It has never been "tested" nor "re-created" - no one has created life and planets or anything else out of matter floating around. So essentially Can you prove this science is reliable? Is all science repeatable? Does that make science a type of faith? Do scientist just "feel like that was true?"
I guess what I am saying is that the questions we ask can't be answered soundly by science nor by religion. So it all comes down to what you want to put your faith in and Faith by definition is "belief not based on proof".

Wk 2 Reading

“What assumption am I making?
That I am not aware I’m making,
That gives me what I see?”

What a powerful three sentences. I had to stop here for a long time and just think about that…how often have we been completely wrong about a situation? How many times have I reacted and then been ashamed when I found out the back story to the situation?
I feel like as a teacher you have to ask yourself this daily in your classroom. When a kid is acting a fool or throwing a temper tantrum many times I have let them finish and then pulled them out to find out what’s going on, only to hear that their parents lost a job or they had no water last night. Almost every time there as been an underlying reason behind the outburst – that had nothing to do with my class. Doing this has saved the student and I, a lot of heartache. I get to know my students better and build relationships with them and the student gets to share with an adult who cares about them and what they are going through, most of the time they just need to know someone cares. It changes their “invented space”. It also changes mine.

The people at school call me “sunshine” because I am always laughing and at a meeting once someone said I was like a ray of sunshine, just making their day better. So the nickname stuck…but I honestly believe in what Jimmy Buffet sings “if we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane”. I have so much stress in my life that if I couldn’t smile and laugh at some of the absurdity of it all – I don’t think I would make it. Laughing makes me feel good. I loved this passage that Ben Zander wrote in our reading this week “On the whole, resources are likely to come to you in greater abundance when you are generous and inclusive and engage people in your passion for life.”
I truly believe this. Be excited about what you and life and even if it doesn’t work out – at least you still had a fun ride.

Wk 2 Leadership - To Publish or Present

To Present or Publish?
I won’t lie on this blog. I love to read…if…it’s fictional and there’s a dashing hero that saves the day. I don’t enjoy scholarly journals and generally don’t read them. I would rather hear information from a presenter and interact with an audience and even see visual examples of what’s being discussed. With that being said – I think it’s obvious that I am going to try to do a presentation about my CBR. It’s a great topic that is a hot one right now with the waiver of NCLB and the installation of College and Career Readiness. Interdisciplinary learning engages students in small learning communities and allows them to make connections between the real world, their subjects and why they need to know the information. I want to be able to show people that planning units this way increases teacher effectiveness and student achievement. I think my project had some great points and resources and I would like for people to see all aspects both verbally, visually, and kinesthetically (got to differentiate that instruction)! Another reason I want to do a presentation is because I want to be able to answer questions and hear feedback. Everything can always been improved and would love to hear advice in person

Wk 1 Blogging Response #2

Week 1, Chris on Leadership


Leadership


This was a tough one for me. Sometimes, I have a bit of a tainted view on leadership. Society sometimes admires leaders that possess qualities that I have trouble identifying with. For example, few would argue that General Patton was a poor leader. He was fantastic at what he did. But in my eyes, that came at a cost. Troops under his command often commented how uncompassionate he was. Some troops remarking about Patton’s nickname, “Old Blood and Guts” said that, “they were our blood and guts”. I understand that in war it is difficult to find compassion, but it’s a quality I admire.


So in order to find my “leader” I’ve had to create a type of “Frankenstein” leader. I’ve taken some of the people that truly inspire me and merged them into one giant MEGA LEADER! Muahahah…ok, maybe that was a little bit of an exaggeration. Still, finding one person that captured all that I admire in a leader was difficult. It came down to me asking myself the question, “whom would I follow”.


It came down to two people that I admire deeply. They both have qualities that I admire, are similar in some ways, and drastically different in others; Bruce Lee and Carl Sagan. But Chris! Why these two are almost identical! Maybe so, but I’ll just illustrate some of the qualities I love.


Bruce Lee was one of my first heroes. It started at a very young age and for the reasons you might imagine. This tiny little man with blinding speed could take on the world according to the movies. At a young age, I had no idea of fight choreography, additional takes, or unused footage. To me, it was magical. It wasn’t until much later that I discovered the beauty beyond his command of the physical.


Bruce Lee was deeply in love with philosophy. He had a genuine love for the pursuit of truth; a love he tried to work into every aspect of life from personal relationships to the martial arts he was famous for. He was faced with obstacle after obstacle. He was not fully accepted by America because he was Asian, and not fully accepted by Asia because of what he taught to Americans. He overcame this through demonstrating that beauty is not exclusive to one culture. He was able to transcend fear through truth and understanding. I love that quality. I think that understanding is something that doesn’t get enough attention when it comes to leadership.


The second person is one that I can’t imagine my life without, and possessed one amazing leadership quality I admire is Carl Sagan. I have a deep love of science. But, that doesn’t always go over so well when you are surrounded by people who see science as the enemy. I grew up in a pretty religious family. I wasn’t really allowed to ask “why” that often when it came to things I wanted to understand. I can remember asking about how the sun worked and was told it was, “because that’s what god wanted.” Well, I didn’t accept that. I knew there must be more. But every time it seemed to end in contention, frustration; I just couldn’t seem to satisfy my need for knowledge and keep honest and open relationships. But then I started to watch “Cosmos.”


I saw Carl Sagan illustrate deep concepts about life, our universe, our existence…. all in a way that was completely non-confrontational. Although he had the same love of science I did, he also seemed to possess a compassionate understanding of what it meant to be human. He wasn’t arrogant, he was considerate. He didn’t look down on religion or belief; he just promoted science as a better way to understand our place in the universe. I loved him instantly.


I think that a leader needs to be confident of his or her position but also open enough to understand those who may not share his or her thoughts. A leader needs to listen, consider all possibilities, and move forward based on the best evidence regardless of personal feelings. I respect that.


I know that I will never approach Bruce Lee’s physical prowess. I know that Carl Sagan’s intellect exceeds my own. But I can honestly say that everyday I try to emulate some of the qualities of these men who are such an inspiration to me.


Thursday, February 2, 2012
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Cricket Johnson
Chris -
I think you summed up what most people have to do when finding their own leadership style. They have to be able to take the great qualities from various leaders throughout their lives and apply them, but also learn from those leaders mistakes as well.
I enjoyed learning about your role models...what great ones and great reasons too!! I loved your comment about a leader needing to be confident of his/her position but also open enough to understand those who may not share his/her beliefs, so true!!
You mentioned Patton, in the beginning, and referred to his lack of compassion. I have to wonder that in the field of battle, in the circumstances that he often found himself having to make judgments in - if compassion might have been something that would have been more harmful than beneficial in the long run? Do you think that he probably had to move forward based on the best evidence regardless of his personal feelings? I'm thinking he had to and he probably had to seem detached or cold just to keep his sanity. I can't imagine. Chris - really cool insight into your motivation and leadership style - thanks for sharing!
Sunday, February 5, 2012 - 09:43 AM

Wk 1 Blogging Response #1

Dwayne Buchanan

Thursday, February 2, 2012
Week 1 Reading Blog EMDT:MAC

Fair use has always intrigued me; what can I use, how much can I use, who is off limits? These questions still hold true to me after watching the videos. I have a better idea now of what is expected and what to do. During the EMDT courses I have tried to use as much of my own work as possible, mainly because it was relevant to what I was working on at the time. I have enjoyed learning about and using the Creative Commons materials. I now use this information when teaching my students about copyright and doing things the right way.

It saddened my heart to know that so many historical works will no longer be available because of the cost to re-license the material. It seems to me that the laws should be changed to incorporate the use of historic pieces into other media even after the copyright has expired. Being a history major I see the need for that historic content to be available to the people rather than in a private collection somewhere. We do need to preserve and use our historical events assets to keep our children and their children up to date on our history and legacy.
Posted by Dwayne Buchanan at 6:11 PM


Cricket JohnsonFeb 3, 2012 09:15 AM

Dwayne -
It is a shame about the historical works. I completely agree with you - we have to come up with a plan to make these works available to our children. We have to be aware of where we have been to know where we are going.

Wk 1 Reading Entry: Copyright

I can’t lie. Copyright issues terrify me! That’s why most of the time I just choose to do my own stuff, completely created by me. I think copyright scares me because I can’t seem to grasp my mind around the various aspects of the idea. I don’t understand how one thing can be copyrighted and the next thing can’t. I truly don’t believe that there is a single “unique” idea out there – even if you come up with it out of the blue, I believe somewhere there is someone else who is thinking the same things or extremely similar ones. I just don’t know where I stand on this. I will say that I completely disagree with downloading movies, music, books that you don’t pay for. Especially when its people’s lively hood. But I also feel like some things have been taking to the extreme, there are so many gray areas. After watching the videos I am starting to understand copyright a little more. I am probably going to have to watch them all a few more times.

Wk1 Leadership Blog Post: Leadership Role Model

“I was once told the secret to being a great principal is to hire great people and then get out of their way”. Keith Simmons, principal of Griffin High School in Griffin Georgia stated this as he looked out over a crowd of parents, students, and community stakeholders at an event for the newly formed “Academy of Fine Arts and Journalism’. I stood their smiling at him and the crowd but inside my head I was thinking “Finally, someone has put into words what I truly believe to be my philosophy of education”. He was referring to his staff in this comment – but really it can be applied with students. Great teachers help their students ask the right questions and then get out of their way in finding the answers.
I truly admire Simmons leadership style. I have worked for principals who believe in leading by fear and retribution, who are constantly micromanaging. These are also the types of leaders who don’t really care what’s truly happening as long as it “appears to look good”. They are about perception not reality. These leaders are so afraid of looking bad or not knowing an answer that they refuse to seriously address the real issues or problems. Under that kind of leadership – teachers lose, but more importantly kids lose.
In contrast to those type of leaders Simmons’s takes the role of supporting and helping his teachers lead, adapt, and get better. He explains to his staff what he is looking for and then trusts them to get the job done. Much like the opening in our book The Art of Possiblity – he takes the time to offer positive reinforcement to help change peoples perspective! He wants to hear the problems, as long as you bring some ideas for the solution. Bottom line – he does what’s best for the kids and he surrounds himself with others who do as well.
I have adapted this same style in my teaching because it gives the students ownership in their learning. I hope that as I move into other areas of education in the future – I would like to go into a communication specialist role – that I learn to encourage and lead like Simmons.