Wk4 Presentation and Link

Slide by: Deborah Sanders

This project was developed while working towards a Master’s in Education Media Design and Technology at Full Sail University during 2010 and 2011. The premise of this presentation is to refocus the way teachers learn from their place and space using The Online Option for Professional Development.

To view this document follow the link to 

The OnLine Option

Wk4 Reflection Chapters 9-12

Courtesy of pics4learning.com/

Lighting the Spark: This chapter speaks to me and says that we should not accept ‘no” - in anything.  “No” means it cannot be done, it will not be done -- it is not possible.   We should always attempt to push the envelope - expand what “can be” and make it happen.  Children should be empowered in their learning to do the same -- if a task seems “impossible” show them how to turn that situation around and ignite in them a “spark” to achieve.   Extending yourself -- and  engaging others with what you have is not sufficient - incorporating others to complete the picture - find a way to use what/who  is available to achieve success and make use of other “sparks” to build a larger fire.  Share your vision with your colleagues, family, co-workers, etc., they can fill voids - fill the holes in the picture - achieve completion - the final product can become greater than your original vision and serve a greater number of people.  Among those who participate with you, who knows? -- an expected star or  “leader” may be produced/introduced to the world.   As an educator you can BECOME A LIFE-FORCE -- Take what you have and add it to what someone else has -- now each of you have more than what you contributed.   

Being the Board:  The study of a person being involved in a traffic accident as the result of someone “hitting them from behind’ sends a  clear message:  our intentions and our goals must withstand unforeseen events in order to be realized.  To that effect, we must own up to the decisions we make and assume the risk that results.  If we take on the definition of being “a board on which a game is played”  --  we do that by controlling the boundaries within which the game is played and the direction of the moves.   We assess the skill levels of the players and evaluate those skills which are beneficial towards ultimate victory.   The players you choose and the moves that are made are your decision.  When a play goes wrong, accept that as a “calculated risk” and move on to the next play.  They are playing on your field, on your turf.  Overall, keep your teams working together to eliminate fault finding and/or blame because this will result in divisiveness and feelings of lack of ability.  Stay in the game, keep the board and playing field level.

Courtesy of: pics4learning.com/

Many times in life, we are ‘hit from behind” and find ourselves ready to accept defeat in our purpose.  You made the decision to embark on a career -- with or without knowing whether or not you would be successful.  The risk factor becomes apparent to you when once you have completed the necessary education, received certification, etc., you find yourself among thousands of other candidates for 2 positions!  You may begin to wonder if maybe you chose the wrong career.  What about redirecting your attention to another position that will connect you to other individuals who can help you to reach the desired career.  What about an educator who is trained to teach grades 3 to 5 and is offered a position to teach K to 3?  How do you respond to this?   Are you ready to take a chance on this job and see where it leads?  - maybe doing well in this job will put you in line for the position you want.   There are many times in our everyday lives when we have to redefine our goals.  What you have to do is create a pathway towards accomplishment!

Creating Frameworks:  Zander’s words  -- “ What distinction shall we make here that will bring possibility to the situation?”  This thought reminds me of a common situation among young Pre-school students.  I hear from many students -- often the phrase, “No one likes me, or he/she said  -- they’re not my friend.”  As a framework I use several strategies to provide the student with as many academic and social successes as possible in order for his/her peers to gain the opportunity to view him/her in a more positive light.  At times it become necessary to make adjustments in the environment (seating, line order, groups etc.) to hopefully prevent the student from experiencing stress and anger.  It’s important to structure the environment in order that the student does not have time to dwell on real or imagined problems.  Many of these students need encouragement to participate in class or extra curricular activities to develop skills necessary to interact appropriately with others at school and beyond.  It’s important to remember to never criticize.  While in this corrective mode -- being honest, yet supportive -- it should be remembered to never, ever let the student feel bad about himself/herself.  Never, ever would I force the child to interact with others if they are not in communicative mood.  There are many variables with this kind of situation;  it’s all about getting to know your students and making sure they are not demonstrating a lack of confidence as a means of getting attention.  As Zander stated, “A Vision is a powerful framework to take the operation of any organization of any size from the downward spiral into the arena of possibility.”

Courtesy of: pics4learning.com/

Telling the WE Story:  “Traditional methods of resolving conflict, all the I/You approaches, tend to increase the level of discord . . .” When WE become the central focus all involved feels ownership for the outcome.  We can help each other achieve the desired outcome whether it is about a career, a personal relationship or any other aspect of life.   We do this by sharing not only our material means, but expressing our emotions, sharing in triumphs and tragedies and being the support for one another.  When you help a child complete a project in class, you are not only building up the self-esteem and productive qualities of that child, but you are reassuring yourself that you are “capable” of doing so. In the same manner, when it comes to conflict resolution, “we” must be in the equation otherwise resolution cannot occur. You have to realize and believe that your relationship with others is capable of  being restored/resolved -- and then set out to do so.

Wk 4 Response to Annie Woodle

Annie Woodle Wrote:

In the Art of Possibility Chapter 9 lighting the Spark stuck with me this week. I like the idea of enrolling people into your enthusiasm. This chapter inspired me to purchase the book for the teacher I worked with during my Action Research Project. She was excited to read it during summer break…and I thought wouldn’t it be great if it helped her in some way to see all the possibilities that pass through her classroom each semester. During my visit there was a lot of forgetting Rule Number 6, and seeing scarcity instead of abundance…not only from her, but also from myself…so I had thoughts about the possibilities of sharing the book. The section about doing things in person was good for me to read as well…Sometimes I try to do to many things from distance communication. When I was trying to secure a classroom to do my ARP in I emailed a lot, and called…but then I showed up…and it seemed like after I met people in person things just took off from there. This is a great read, just to remind us to look up and stay open.

My response:
I too was inspired to purchase this book for one of my critical friends.  She is a definite reader and is about to take a trip with her grandson who is an artist,  I perceived this book to be a good read for her trip.  Needless to say she has divulged into reading and has interesting metaphors and cliches to say that are over the top positive!  Also, there is so much truth spoken about one on one communication -- especially when you do not know your audience.  That’s how I feel when performing.  I need to be up close and personal with my audience.  The energy/vibes I receive are paramount in what I can give in return.  The possibilities are open.

Wk4 Response to Jessica Goodenow

Jessica Gooenow Wrote:

Chapter 12 spoke volumes to me. When considering myself and the road I have traveled, I sometimes forget to realize the affect I have on others. Has there been a time where I have had the pleasure of lifting a teammate, student, or stranger up enabling them to realize their dreams and exceed anything that you could have imagined? I HOPE SO! I hope I am positive to my team every day of the week. One circumstance where I looked outside of myself to uplift a colleague was with a para-professional. She is fantastic para. She has the presence of a teacher in the classroom. When she comes into the room, with a one-minute prep, she could co-teach the classroom. She is one in a million in the realm of para-professionals. One day I asked her if she had every considered being a teacher. She looked at me like that thought had never entered her brain. After explaining to her how wonderful she is with the students and in the classroom, she opened up to me about a disappointment she had had when trying to get her degree in education. She had gotten pregnant with her now 20 year old daughter and never thought she could be a mom and finish a degree. Life got crazy, but now is settling down again. I told her about how universities are trying to make degrees more accessible to older students and gave her a couple universities to look into. A couple weeks went by. She surprised me one day by saying she signed up for an art class to go towards her general requirements. I was so happy. She told me that I had been the bug in her ear. She needed to get back to her passion. She loves kids. Anyone could see that. It was all about honesty and appreciation.

I hope I live every day sharing honest appreciation with my family, colleagues, and students. You never know when a person might be needing a little bug to encourage them to seek what is possible! 

Photograph by:  Deborah Sanders

My response:

Jessica, your story about the wonderful para professional you work with mirrors a story of mine. During a  re-organization in my district I was given the honor of being placed with a para who basically taught me the ropes of preschool.  I was a neophyte in this arena of education.  The first month or so she walked me through the motions and as she and I became WE our classroom and the work our children produced was recognition worthy.  Again our district went through another reorganization and all of the paras were phased out.  Talk about a blow to some of the paras self-esteem.  My para was graduating with a degree in another area and heart broken that she would not be returning to work with children.  It was I who suggested she take the Praxis and try to return to any district through an Alternate Route program.  She would need to take a year’s worth of education classes while she worked.  The idea resonated with her and she did just that! Yes the possibilities in life are endless.

Photograph by:  Deborah Sanders

Wk4 Free Choice: AR Presentation Blog

Courtesy of www.pics4learning.com

The broad spectrum of presentations that were presented on 05/24/11 were extremely interesting.  It was like a breath of fresh air to hear kindergarten teachers speak about incorporating new methodology using technology with such young audiences.  I also teach the young -- (preschoolers) and have found the experience rewarding.  I have taught my preschoolers to power-up the classroom computers, navigate to our class eBoard and then click language or math links which correspond with the number for that day.  There were Nay Sayers in the beginning of this school year who did not believe that children this age could be taught to navigate the system to obtain optimum results.  My students have proven them wrong and this is the prime reason we should spread our wings and share our knowledge to all that will listen.

Speaking of sharing, I have been commentating in front of audiences for many years.  For this reason I thought it would be best for me to present to an audience as opposed to doing a publication.  I am a person who loves the “feel” of an audience.  Having to do the presentation in this new medium/manner did not allow me to tap into the emotions of a live audience. I realize now, that I need to leave the “performer” out and just be a “presenter.”  With that said, my ARP had its ups and downs which I have clearly stated in previous AR blogs.  I’m still not absolutely clear if I need to add additional bullets to my slides.  Therefor, I’ll      

This presentation of my ARP has been a challenging experience as well as a learning experience.  There has been some discussion among my peers that it will be mandatory for teachers to use the eBoards in the next school year.  I can foresee a 3rd Cycle not being as difficult to get participant responses because this will become part of their mandatory work assignment.   Having the full involvement as well as cooperation of my participants using PLC’s as in the 2nd Cycle, will produce a significant change in my 3rd Cycle results.

Wk3 - Think Out Loud: Part 2 of 2 - My Choice!

NJEA

Recently I was reading the NJEAs Education Vision for Reform and one of the statements was... “Educators learn best from fellow educators whom they trust to understand the many challenges associated with integrating technology.”  They also mentioned “This team of teachers would act as turnkey trainers for other educators on new and innovative ways to integrate technology into New Jersey’s classrooms.  For this reason the conference that is paramount on my mind would be...

My first choice would be, the NJEA Summer Conference or the NJEA Teacher's Convention in November 2011.  Sadly my second choice, the Georgia Educational Technology Conference conflicts with the NJ convention.  Therefore, I will let this one pass for now.

My second choice would then be the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C).

The third choice is based on the focus of cyber learning and for this reason I choose...

Association for Educational Communications and Technology

Attendance at either one of these would be sufficient and promote some much-needed educational networking.

Wk3 - Think Out Loud: Part 1 of 2 - Present!

Flickr

I am a communicator who prefers to engage with an audience through a learning experience using a stage.  Presenting is where I feel most comfortable.  Using visual aids and making eye contact leaves me more fulfilled than publishing a piece of written work.  Being an entertainer and motivator at the same time -- demonstrating my pitch using the latest technology available -- is more satisfactory to me.  I would love to make the presentation interactive using a tool such as the Mimio Teach, to allow participation in the learning process.  This ideal setting would also allow the audience to visualize what a student would feel using this tool in class.  I have the passion, experience and enthusiasm to demonstrate and communicate data on latest research on Online Professional Development.

Wk3 - Reading Activities - Response to James McPeek

Jame McPeek Wrote:

Photo from Microsoft online clipart

The Art of Possibility chapters 5-8. My football coach in Junior High School said something to the effect of “... you get injured when you worry about getting injured.” I believe these words echo the themes of the chapters we read. The way I played football was everything I could give and all out — all fun. At the same time I was just starting to seriously pursue being a pianist. I played football into High School and enjoyed trouble free piano playing during that time. People commented “don’t you worry about your hands?” I did not worry about my hands and the coach’s words seemed to serve me well. I was fortunate enough to receive grants and scholarships to go to college for piano. During that time injuries never seemed to hinder playing the piano. I attribute it to the similar themes from our reading: standing as partners not traffic cops (telling when to halt), not taking yourself to seriously, being in the moment with possibilities, and letting go “all out” of what you have- your passion.

Photo from flickr

Last week I made comments when writing about chapters 1-4 that I have been intrigued by individuals that always seems to be positive. “I have marveled through my life at the individuals that are always positive, cheerful, and strong daily leaders no matter what. There are people that are resilient and have that capacity. Yet there are many that develop and choose to make that their contribution to others and themselves over time.” This weeks reading hit some of the explanations of that capacity and some of the reasons why it can be missing. Over the past few weeks I have reflected that the book “Art of Possibilities” has counterparts that tell a similar story, really multiple books or stories exist that express many of the same ideas. (Unfortunately, I am not well read and can’t name them…) I do believe this book does create a range of ideas and offers interesting contrasts to either debate or ponder.

My Response: 

Courtesy of Flickr

Jim there is a saying, by James Allen author of As a Man Thinketh -  “The aphorism:  ‘As a man thinketh in his heart so is he, not only embraces the whole of a man’s being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life.  A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all of his thoughts.”   This says to me that “Whatever man believes he can achieve.”   These quotes fall directly in line with your Junior High School football coach’s words - “You get injured when you worry about getting injured.”  You see my oldest son is a musician (acoustic/electric bass) and I used to worry about his hand when he played basketball.  True to my thoughts -- the day before he was to play at the Eastman School of music with an all Black Symphony Orchestra playing Beethoven’s 5th or 4th Symphony he broke his finger playing street ball.  Needless to say, I was concerned about his finger but more importantly I was truly upset because he did not listen to me.  Did my worry set in motion an action that caused an injury to him?   Is that what we sometimes do to ourselves by “fretting” about life?  It’s true; sometimes we need to “let it be.”  This week’s reading made that loud and clear.

I also agree wholeheartedly with your comments about the many facets of the theories presented in “The Art of Possibility.”  Sometimes while looking through life’s window we see the expressions of others and rate them comparatively with ourselves             `as either positive or negative.  While putting the icing on other people’s cakes, we sometimes leave our own without frosting.  The elements introduced in chapter 7 -- the calculating self and the central self -- gave me an opportunity to look not only at myself -- but at life as well -- in a different way. 

Wk3 - Reading Activities - Response to Thomas Turner

Newfound Gap, TN  Photo by: Tom Turner

Thomas Turner Wrote:

The first thing that I thought of when I saw the title of Chapter 6 in "The Art of Possibility" was a saying on a t-shirt that my wife owned when we first met. After all these years it has stuck with me. The slogan was "Life's a Journey, Not a Guided Tour."

This slogan is right in line with the theme of Chapter 6 and its suggestion that we all need to "lighten up" (Zander & Zander, p. 80). As I walk around campus I encounter teacher after teacher who is stressed out. Stressed out because of poor student performance on standardized tests. Stressed out because of mandates passed down from administrators. Stressed out because of what seems to be a lack of support by a government that doesn't really understand what teaching is all about, yet continues to try to reform it.

I myself subscribe to the "Life's a Journey, Not a Guided Tour" mentality. Life's way too short to get worked up over stuff that I have no control over. I've resigned myself to the fact that the state legislature is not going to be calling me for my opinion any time soon with regards to education reform. That doesn't mean I won't do what is necessary to try to exact change.

I also subscribe to the premise that part of my job is to provide a little levity to my campus. It is my belief that a happy and jovial workplace is a very good place to work. All too often people get too wrapped up in what they are doing and forget to see that their stresses can be relieved with a joke and a smile. I know the students that I taught were always appreciative that I ran my classroom in a way that learning was peppered with humor.

The other thing that I thought about wen reading Chapter 6 was CBS show "NCIS". I know, it seems a little silly. One has little to do with another. But as a NCIS junkie I've taken to living my life by some of Gibb's Rules. Many of the rules revealed through various episodes of the show have no bearing to real life. It seems a bit funny that the Gibbs Rule that I subscribe to the most is also #6: Never apologize, it's a sign of weakness.  The way I interpret this particular rule is to live my life with no regrets. The decisions I make in life I need to stand behind with confidence. 

My Response

Thomas Turner,

Bravo, bravo your analogies and resolutions to situations as they relate to the chapters for reading this week are so in tune to the way I feel -- that Bravo is only fitting.  In the district I work in -- I too see the same stresses you mentioned.  Recently, I said similar words to a colleague, “You can’t do anything about things you cannot control” I then went on to say, “ What you can do is pull up your boot straps, regroup, get back on the saddle and figure out a solution that will work for you.”  I appreciate your classroom philosophy and bet you will live a long life with a peppered humor. 

Wk3 Reading: The Art of Possibility Chapters 5-8

In chapter 5, Zanders’ reference to his mistakenly shouting at his percussion section then apologizing as he determined he had made a mistake, is a gesture that is made by people who have a heart.  A gesture that is made by someone who generally cares and respects those he/she works with.  A true leader does not need to play the role of tyrant or egotistical maniac.  A true leader  -- influence by example.  Surprisingly, that saying, “You get more bees with honey...,” is so true, but many in administration, corporate, and just plain old friendship relationship -- is in need of this lesson to learn from life.

Just as music is said to soothe the savage beast, a smile and kind word can diffuse many otherwise “tight” situations.  We all have our demons and dragons to deal with every day -- instead of visualizing these beasts, why not picture a butterfly instead?  As a child we use whatever works to get and hold, another person’s attention.   As we grow older, we develop a sense of empowerment by our emotional growth and accumulated knowledge.  This causes us to want to be “recognized” and given attention -- we become too serious.  The  “calculating self” - is far reaching in that it requires self-evaluation. What do we think of ourselves? or What do we think others think of us?  In the case of June “The Best Sex Ever”.. we are shown that we tend to become intolerant of anything or anyone that does not fall within our frame of reference of what we want.  We need to learn to “let our hair down” and stop being afraid to open up -- we think we are protecting ourselves in this way -- but we usually wind up “missing out” on life’s hidden treasures just as June almost did.  CHILL OUT!  As we reveal more of ourselves -- and the world sees that we have more to offer than what is shown on the surface -- others will do the same. This opens the door for unlimited possibilities in personal relationships as well as in corporate maneuvers  The “central self” keeps us in check -- it teaches us that as long as you know the nature of the beast you can walk through the jungle free of fears, anxieties or other emotional chains that hold you back.  Free your mind .... let the real you see the truth that will reveal itself and when it does.. take it light.

The statement that transcended to my present teaching situation was clearly: “Presence Without Resistance.”  I think of myself in a position which I personally would not have chosen on my own. I came into this position kicking, screaming, and yelling.  I did not want to be here.  Once I found myself stuck and settling in this situation, a statement was made to me: “Oh, I see you’re liking this after all”  I responded,  “I am a teacher no matter what, and I would never short change children that have nothing to do with the parlor-tricks of adults.”  I don’t want be one of those people who trample over others because I want only what is best for me.  I am an educator only second in my life -- I am a mother first.  When I found myself surrounded by eager, wide-eyed children who were left in my care, my motherly instinct jumped in.  Now, I looked around and thought:  I’m here -- whether I liked it or not --  I decided I was going to do the right thing by these children.  Once I made that decision, like the authors indicate, possibilities opened up. I did not stay “stuck on stupid” (SOS) -- I did what I had to do.

Finally, in chapter 8 when thinking about giving way to one’s passion:  My son Phil said to me once, “When I am on stage, I perform and do what I do on stage by watching you.”  He said more clearly another time:  “I play music the way you commentate your shows.”   When reading this chapter you have to open your mind and relive the passions that have brought excitement and fulfilment to your life and then look again to see how your passion has affected others.  

Wk3 - Discussion Deeper Video Use in Education

Courtesy of Flickr

http://pbskids.org/video/

This site offers information about subjects such as observations, senses, reading, social skills, rainbows, spending time with grandma, trains and how they run and many, many more interesting subjects for early learners.  There are subjects that coincide with our Curiosity Curriculum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1yxiHWVAro 

TMBG Kids Video Podcasts - Is a series of podcasts for children - teachers - and families.  They recite the ABC, discuss shapes, count numbers using significant visuals to increase the learning potential.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nKluwyYgok&feature=related

Stick figure English for ESL Students - The visual usage of stick figures to impart knowledge of simple English vocabulary, helps to ease the difficulty of teaching English to ESL students. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWccPqg1DbI&feature=related

Daily Activities The Simple Present Tense for ESL students

“What do you do everyday”  is a unique presentation for ESL students to learn short, quick sentences explaining present tense usage of words.  This video is also very explicit in that it also caters to students who struggle with understanding how to use Present Tense in sentences. 

http://www.wearebusybeavers.com

The Busybeavers site introduces verbs - it gives children the opportunity to answer questions using complete sentences.  I’ve used this site with my Pre-school students to promote the use of using more of their words versus one or two word responses.  There is a fee of $20.00 to get streaming access to the song videos for a 3 month period.  This $20.00 also enables the user to  download 350 worksheets, flash cards, and MP3 music.

http://wearebusybeavers.com/mainpages/subscribe.html 

http://kids.learnoutloud.com/Kids-Catalog/Science/-/DragonflyTV-Video-Podcast--PBS-Kids-Podcast/23101#3 

Dragonfly TV-Video-Podcast teaches children about real world science.  Tornados, rivers & dams, Hip Hop Dancing, Kart Racing and many more interesting subjects for children to learn about real-life events are offered on this podcast.

http://learninginhand.com/tonys-podcasts/ 

Learning in Hand features video podcasts as a learning enhancement for educators to use iPods in the classroom.  

Wk3 - Free Choice/Dr. Seymour Papert

One Laptop Per Child

Seymour Papert Interview - One Laptop per child

After watching the videos about the green computer and Dr. Seymour Papert and doing a little research I found that the two were intertwined.  The following is a brief description of my findings.

Dr. Seymour Papert is a mathematician and one of the early pioneers of Artificial Intelligence.  Dr Papert is internationally recognized as the influential thinker about ways in which computers could be used to teach children and change learning.  Papert pursued mathematical research at Cambridge University from 1954 to 1958.  This was the beginning of his extraordinary career especially when he went to the University of Geneva, (1958 to 1963) and studied theories of education with the world-renowned Swiss developmentalist Jean Piaget.  Papert has carried out edifying projects on every continent, some of them in remote villages and in developing countries. 

Dr. Papert is the inventor of the Logo Computer Language.  Logo was specifically designed for the purpose of giving children confidence to learn.  The first version of Logo was developed at MIT (1967).  What made Logo revolutionary was that it was accessible to young children, ages five and up, and designed to have a low threshold and no ceiling.  A child could learn about motion, spatial relationship, logic, and probability in a game-making context. 

As the premise in which we learn at Full Sail -- Papert/Assessment for Project-Oriented classroom or schools is the basic thought; we are in need to assess different things.  Papert wants us to measure the kids understanding, awareness, and knowledge.  We need not measure how many right or wrong answers they give on a question.  Assess the children on what they actually do.

As he bridged the digital divide Dr. Papert was the first educator to advocate computers for children.  He has worked on a project to make cheap laptop computers available to children throughout the world.  Costing only $100.00, these lime-green machines will boost wireless access to underprivileged children around the world.  To jumpstart this program Papert was able to persuade the former Maine Governor Angus King to champion the Maine school laptops initiative several years ago.

Children, computers and learning are the themes Papert interlock together in his book The Children’s Machine.  It is the revolution in technology that has simultaneously brought about the need for improvements in learning, as well as providing the opportunity to improve “learning environments.”