My Comment on Michael's Blog "WK4 Reading: Shades of Grade

Michael

 I really enjoyed reading your blog post this week. I also thought the concept of taking “no” less personally was quite meaningful. It’s amazing just how powerful this word can be.  

What I think what stood out the most to me was the statement you made “It’s always good, in my opinion, to look beyond the obvious and see the things that connect us all, listening beyond what is said and hearing what is meant, and, digging even deeper, considering what lead up to this meaning.” This is truly a powerful statement. We definitely need and want to feel that human connection and we do this by seeking out people to do just that. I couldn’t agree more that this type of connection is now more difficult to do.

Michael's Original Blog Post

WK4 Reading: Shades of Grade

I have never heard enrollment described in the way that the Zanders do in The Art of Possibility.  When people enroll in something, I imagine they seldom believe themselves to be generating any kind of spark, and certainly not concerned with sharing it if they do.  The concept of taking “no” less personally really resonated with me, as I know from personal experience that that simple two-letter world can completely destroy all semblance of possibility for the party on the receiving end of it. 

Being the board is a radical thought, one that requires a complete paradigm shift in an individual's thinking.  The emphasis on relationship building is certainly one that I think is extremely important but also becomes increasingly difficult as our society continues to "advance" and move away from the interpersonal relationships that define us as human and not machine.  Advancements in technology always seem to be geared towards doing something faster, when, as the Zanders state, there are some things that just take more time, like building deep, meaningful relationships.  It’s always good, in my opinion, to look beyond the obvious and see the things that connect us all, listening beyond what is said and hearing what is meant, and, digging even deeper, considering what lead up to this meaning.

I believe the greatest challenge of employing the thoughts, mindsets and strategies contained in The Art of Possibilityderives from the persistence in society of a black and white perception and outlook for everything.  The problem with this thinking, in most cases, is that it is too absolute; there is no middle ground.  It’s easier and more convenient to discern between what’s white and what’s black, but the reality is, or perhaps, the strongest possibility, is that every situation is best perceived as some shade of gray.

Wk 4 Comment on Del's Blog "Wk 4 Reading Entry"

Del, I too was moved by the chapter 9. I really enjoyed the story about your student connecting his knowledge in math and bringing it over to your construction class. I am sure that was awesome to see this student so excited in his “ah ha” moment, and assist other students with leaning the same.

As in your comment and blog post I too felt a strong connection to the statement Zander made “ Certain things in life are better done in person” This is very true and can really make a difference in a job like with your experience. I do believe that you being in person did get you that bid, because for whatever reason they saw something in you, it could be the way you presented, your explanation or if you have an honest appearance. I think most of us have seen someone and thought based on body and facial expressions the person would do a good job because he or she looks sincere, it could be as simple as I think this person would do a good job because I can just tell. 

Great post!

Wk4 Re
Del's Original Blog Post D

De

Chapter 9 lighting a spark is the chapter that spoke to me. Zander states that enrollment is the art and practice of generating a spark of possibility for others to share. Teachers should be all about trying to generate a spark of possibility in their students. While reading chapter 9 it reminded me of a few years ago when I was giving a quiz on measuring at the beginning of the year. I always want to check and see where my students stand on measuring. I was explaining how to read a tape measure to one of my students. He kept asking questions and I continued to explain how to reduce the even fractions and all of a sudden He said HEY! This is math! This is so easy. It was great to see how the light just came on for him. He immediately started showing his friends how to read the tape measure. That was a great moment in my life. Also in chapter 9 Ben talks about his father saying certain things in life are better done in person. I am a firm believer in that statement. When I was self-employed I always wanted to present a quote for a job in person. I remember bidding on a job one time and I presented the quote and explained what I would do and furnish. I was told that I was a little higher on my bid but he liked my proposal and how I explained the process of completing the job. I was awarded the bid. I believe that if I had not been able to present the proposal in person I would not have been awarded the bid. 

WK 4 Publishing Leadership Project

My plan for publishing my CBR project involves journal publications specifically about Technology Education. The first journal publication that I would like to publish my findings with is AACE – Journal of Technology and Teacher Education (JTATE). The JTATE publishes content directly relating to pre-service and in-service teacher education along with graduate programs, staff development and educational computing.

My second choice is ISTE's Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education (JDLTE). The JDLTE aims at providing computer and technology education to pre service  and in service teachers. This journal is published quarterly.

Castaneda_Amanda_Publishing

• Week 1 Leadership Project: Role Model
• WK 2 Leadership Project: Project or Presentation?
• Wk 3 Leadership Post - Where Do I Want to Share My...

WK 4 Wimba Sharing Session Alternative

As part of the Wimba blog post for this week we were asked, if unable to attend the Wimba sharing session, to ask two people to look over our presentation or document for help. I choose to ask two of my classmates Ana Gonzalez and Dana Scobie. We communicated through email and they reviewed my document using Google docs. After reading through my document here is what they had to say.

Here is what Ana suggested I do:

Hello Amanda,

Your leadership journal presentation looks good. You did a great job writing it. I do not know if you got approved to publish at Edutopia. One suggestion is to check with Edutopia or where ever you are planning to publish to see what are the requirements for publishing your leadership project. This will assist you to make sure you have the required information. Professor Bustillos had suggested to the other classmates publishing to possibly add graphics to their journal. You might also want to add data and references from your CBR project. You always do an awesome job. 

Let me know if you need anything else,

Ana Gonzalez

Here is what Dana suggested I do:

Hi Amanda,

Here are some thoughts: Check your capitalization in the title.  Make sure it's consistent.

Middle of introduction: Students would solve the challenge by generating a target audience solution to the “Big Idea” purposed.  proposed?Lit Review title, maybe spell out Literature? Near the end of the methodology section, Phase one far exceeded my expectations.....maybe take out "my".  I would suggest taking out any personal pronouns, keeping it in more "scholarly language". Overall, I think your paper looks great!  Just a few minor changes, as far as I'm concerned.

Dana

I have made the suggested changes and will be posting the completed document soon. Thank you Ana and Dana for your help! 

WK 4 Reading - The Art of Possibility

For this week’s reading there were a few statements the authors made that stood out to me. One being that “Certain things in life are better done in person.” This is such a true statement and reminded me of a young lady at Starbucks, had once told me that she hated working the drive thru, people are so rude and forget that there is a real person actually taking their order. I happened to be her first customer that did not do this. I was kind of surprised she had reveled something so personal to me. But she had been fed up with how people could find it ok to act like this because they were speaking into a small box, why is it that many people tend to think this type of attitude is acceptable in a non face-to-face meeting. I am sure many of her “rude” customers would never acted in such a way if they had gotten down instead. Its funny that people tend to put on a different persona when it comes to communicating in a non face-to-face meeting? I think the same is true for asking a favor or for some service you would like to person to do. Even when it comes to borrowing money this would apply largely because seeing someone in person than through email or the phone it is more personable and you are more likely to get the response you wanted in doing so.

Another quote I found to be quite powerful is “ I am the framework for everything that happens in my life” This quote reminds us that we can own the risks we take by standing in front of them and not casting blame elsewhere. We are responsible for what happens to us from the path we choose to take. We are built from our successes, failures, partnerships, and ideologies.

In the very last chapter “Coda” the book talks a little bit about why someone may have come across this book and hoped after reading it, you are able to view things in life a little differently with a new perspective. I think this quote sums it up what The Art of Possibility intended to do. 

“From a person who meets the challenges life serves up, to one who designs the stage on which her life plays out; from a single not to a long line, from partial to full expression, from the I to the WE.”

My Comment on Ana Gonzalez's Blog Post

Ana,

I think it is great you are planning to share your CBR through a presentation at the Technology Applications Conference. This would be a perfect outlet for you to showcase the work you have done at Full Sail. You also mentioned a Tots and Technology Conference that you were also interested in presenting at. This is really cool. I would love to attend one of these! I am sure the conference you had attended over the summer shared so many neat ideas to use in your own classroom. Best of luck Ana and I hope you are able to present your project at this conference.

 Ana's Original Post

Wk 3 Leadership Post

Where Do I Want Share My Project:As I have stated before I would like to present my CBR
 project through a presentation at either TCEA or Technology Applications Conference.

Texas Computer Education Association also known as TCEA is an organization in Texas. 

It is dedicated to the use of technology in education. It is an important association that its number 

one priority is integrating technology into the PreK through 12 grade classrooms. It provides much 

information through conferences, workshops, magazines, newsletters, and social media. TCEA also 

provides a Tots and Technology conference in Galveston which is closer to home. I would like to 

present here because it is a conference for elementary teachers. I have attended this conference 

before and I really enjoyed learning new tools for my classroom. This conference is held during 

the summer for two days.

Region 4 K-12 Technology Applications Conference provides innovative ideas and information in

 this 21^stCentury. It also provides lessons, activities, and tips and tricks for educators to use in the 

classroom. Educators share their technology integration experiences through this conference. It is 

a great technology professional development. This conference is also close to home. I have only 

attended this conference once. It would be great to share my CBR project at this conference because 

I can also share the EMDT program from Full Sail University.

My Comment on Jenn Hollern's Blog Post

Jen,

Rule Number 6, is a great rule to identify with, especially when it comes to creativity. So many times we struggle to find the perfect design, concept, or saying that we end up sitting there in the same position we were an hour ago still with a blank paper, platform, or canvas. I think remembering to take a step back and try to forget about creating something perfect allows us the ability to just free flow. More often than not some of our (or mine) best work comes out of this creative free flow. 

Jenn's Original Post

Week 3: Art of Possibility

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Jenn Hollern

I absolutely love Rule Number 6. If I had to identify one rule to live by in the creative field, it would be precisely that: never take yourself so seriously. Most of the time, I realize that I’m fighting a creative block – or whatever – because I am putting so much pressure on creating something brilliant instead of just…creating something…anything. 
This chapter almost contrasts the previous chapter, though, about leading from any chair. I love this principle – empowerment – and found myself thinking of the quote that was used almost simultaneously in the release of “Akeelah and the Bee” and “Coach Carter” that I think was first written by Marianne Williamson. It said that “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” I think when we’re talking about leading from any chair, we should be talking about how to make the seats in front of us the most powerful people they can be. 
But, of course, this style of leadership also seems to require that we take ourselves more seriously than Rule Number 6 would allow, and if I had to pick, my natural instinct would be to lead and empower, but it seems much more enticing to follow the advice of the woman who played the game “Have the best sex ever” 

Wk 3 Wimba Session

During week three Wimba session you had given the class an opportunity to answer the following questions about the book- Art of Possibity. I decided I would weigh with my answers to those questions.

Screenshot of Week 3 Wimba

Q: Art of Possibility: How is the Art of Possibility different from the Power of Positive Thinking or Oprah's "The Secret"?

The Art of Possibility is different in that it talks of situations we can understand having been in similar circumstances and really shows us how we can use those situations to create new ones, by opening up an array of possibilities. This book really goes into the idea that anything is possible and when we begin to see events, ideas, and situations in this light then we can allow ourselves to find more ways to live life to the absolute fullest.

Q: Which chapters meant the most to you and why?

I have really enjoyed the entire book, I have chosen quotes in each of my reading blog posts that stand out to me or kind of make me step back and have an Ah Ha movement. However the chapter that sticks out from the rest is Chapter 7 “The Way Things Are” This chapter, introduces us to the idea of being with the way things are, not to wallow about negative situations, but to change your way of thinking or attitude, in turn this change will take those negatives thoughts, feelings, or just bad days by shedding a different light and trying to find the positive aspect of what is happening at that moment.

Q: Art of Possibility: What things are you going to take from the reading and use in your teaching and your life?

I think what I have recently taken from the book is not to take yourself so seriously, and that to take a minute to step back to remember to lighten up. “Remember Rule Number 6” is a great way to remind you to do just that.

By the way, the song When you go By Jonathon Coulton was awesome, I really enjoyed it! 

Wk 3 Leadership Post - Where Do I Want to Share My Project?

As I stated in a previous blog post, I would ideally like to publish with Edutopia. However when going over the conference list provided in the LP overview I did not see Edutopia listed as a place available for publishing. I hope however this is something I can still pursue, but if I cannot publish with Edutopia I have found some other publications that would be great. The first one I found is the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education AACE and International Society for Technology in Education ISTE.

I choose to the AACE because its sole purpose is to advance information technology in education and e learning research. You are allowed to choose what journal you want your work to be reviewed for. I would like to submit my publication with the Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education CITE.

ISTE is probably the most known membership association. They, like AACE, focus on improving leaning and teaching through the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. ISTE has three journals that one may choose to submit their work for review each has its own specifications that must be met for a paper to qualify. 

Week 3 Reading - The Art of Possibility

The reading this week was all about how to live life with the possibility that anything is possible. The chapters tell us how to lighten up and let go of our inhibitions that ultimately will help us live life to the fullest.

One of the statements that probably stood out the most was “When our attention is primarily directed to how wrong things are, we lose the power to act effectively.” This quote holds true in the fact that when things seem to start off bad early in the day it tends to tumble in a downward spiral if we let it, and it is easy to let it. I can say that I have had days like this when “remember rule number 6” would have come in handy early on before the start to a horrible day. Remembering this rule could help turn any sticky situation by learning to lighten up.

Another thing I noticed while reading these chapters is how incredibly detailed Roz is while sharing a story as an example of what the chapter is about. She sets the mood and picture just perfectly with the setting, weather, time of day, and smells in the scenario. 

My Comment on Dwayne's Blog "Wk2 - Reading"

Dwayne,

The statement the authors made “Fill free to use the whole sheet of paper” completely shifted this seemingly impossible puzzle and created a way to solve it using outside of the box thinking. I think your analysis of this was spot on and we really do need to remind ourselves that its ok to use the whole paper.

The idea of measuring our talents, skills, and knowledge levels against our peers, family and friends is something that apparently is an innate characteristic we all seem to have. Maybe it is because this measuring allows us to make ourselves better at what we are trying to improve on, so when we see someone that has done a pretty good job of it, we try to surpass that bar we have set for ourselves. Its funny about your son asking if he was better than his friend, this is something we have all done, but this book kind of makes you look at the idea of comparison a little differently.

The Art of Possibility raises the notion that it is important to teach and learn to the whole person not just one perspective. Zander teaches a music course but it becomes so much more than that and he really teaches his students to focus on their whole being, which is why this book makes such a compelling read. Great post and analysis of the reading.

Amanda

Dwayne's Original Blog Post:



 Wk2 – Reading

Chapter 1 - “It’s All Invented Anyways”

The idea that jumped out at me during this chapter was to enlarge the box. In doing so, new opportunities appear. I love the illustration that he gave of the nine dots in the shape of a box. In the instructions, It said to connect the dots with four straight lines without taking the pen from the paper within the square framed by the outer dots. There is really no way to complete this problem. It is impossible to connect all four dots with four straight lines. I believe sometimes in our creativity, we are confined by limitations and rules that others or ourselves have put upon us. We kill our creativity this way. Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to rewrite the rules just as was done in his illustration. By simply altering the phrase and inserting, “Fill free to use the whole sheet of paper”, it then gave you the ability to complete the task. Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to use the whole paper.

Chapter 2 – “Stepping Into A Universe of Possibility”

Measurement – It is amazing how we measure our lives, our goals, our finances, and our relevance to those around us. The author stated, “We grow up in a world of measurement, and in this world, we get to know each other and things by measuring them, and by comparing and contrasting them.” Even tonight as I took my son to the ball field to practice baseball, we met up with a young friend of his. They both took turns batting and throwing and they had a great time together. On the way out, all my son wanted to find out from me was “Did he throw better than his friend? Did he hit better than his friend? Who did I think was a better player?” My mind went back to reading this chapter. Sometimes we just need to let life unfold. We don’t need to measure ourselves all of the time against others. We need to self-evaluate on our own strengths and weaknesses and set goals for ourselves.

Chapter 3 – “Giving An A”

I love when the author talked about training young musicians from early childhood urging them to be “extraordinary technical masters” and encouraging them to “develop good practice habits”. He explains that it is dangerous to have musicians so concerned with competition because they will find it hard to take risks with themselves to become outstanding musicians. I love the quote that he gave from the cellist, Graspar Cassado, “I am so sorry for you; your lives have been so easy. You can’t play great music unless your heart has been broken. An A is not an expectation to live up to, but a possibility to live into.

Chapter 4 – “Being A Contribution”

I love when the author asked his music class to write down how they contributed over the past week. He did not want them writing about how they contributed musically. He wanted things such as, “Did they help an old lady cross the street? Or did they set their boyfriend straight?” He wanted the student to look deeper, to look into themselves. The contributions on paper grew each week because the students became more aware of them. He had the students describe what contributions they had in the week ahead. Like the author said, “Like a pebble into a pond, and imagine that everything that they do sends ripples out beyond the horizon.” The author is truly challenging us to become a contributor. Rewards of a contributor are an extremely deep and rewarding.

My comment on Dana's Blog " Week 2 Reading"

Dana,

I agree with your statement about this book being applicable to life, I can definitely appreciate that. I want to look up the book you mentioned Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey. It’s great when you find a book that can really speak to you.
Your comment “We must expand our thinking to eliminate problems and create opportunities.” does a great job in summing up this book by what we have read thus far.
The idea of grades is such a touchy subject especially because of how much weight grades actually carry when it comes to "being successful". We make such a big deal out of grades and focus less about the improvement that is really taking place, which I believe is the ultimate accomplishment.

Dana's Original Post:



Week 2 Reading

I love when required reading for classes is relevant and applicable, not just to class,  but to life.  This is one of them.  In my undergrad, the "textbook" for one class was Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.  I would put The Art of Possibility in the same category.  One of the points that stood out to me was the 9 dot puzzle.  This teaches us to think outside the box, both literally and figuratively  Literally, it must be done to solve the puzzle.  Figuratively, to apply to life.  Challenges can't always be solved within our (self-imposed) confines.  We must expand our thinking to eliminate problems and create opportunities.
The Give an A principle also stood out to me.  It's a different way of thinking about things.  It's not comparing people, but about thinking positively about possibility.  The text mentions chipping away excess to reveal statue inside.  I thought Mr. Zander's story about his class at New England Conservatory where he gave them all A's and they had to explain what they did to earn it was a really neat concept.  It's interesting to take competition and comparison out of the equation completely.  It's about self improvement.  The topic of grades is an interesting one, and I'm sure many of us would have varying opinions, but having a background in music, I can relate to what Mr. Zander is saying.  Isn't that what playing music is all about?  Improving.  We make it about competition, but it's not what really matters.  I think this can apply to all subjects.  To a certain extent, I think letter grades shouldn't really matter.  As long as students are learning and improving, that's what we, as educators, should care about.  This ties closely with the next point that stood out to me which was how we view mistakes.  Zander mentions saying "how fascinating!"  when a mistake is made, which I thought was funny, yet very true.  Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and improve.
Lastly, the idea of being a contribution was one I found interesting.  I think it's an important outlook to have on life.  It's not so much about success or failure, but contributing-you are important and make a difference!