Week 4 Comment 2: Drew's Blog

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Original Post:

The practice that really hit home for me in these last few chapters was “Creating Frameworks of Possibility.”  To me, one of the biggest things that holds each of us back is the assumptions we knowingly or unknowingly make about future decisions.  I feel like we often make choices and decisions based off a certain list of criteria that we are conscious of but we often are unaware that we have also taken other things into consideration.
For example, I can’t tell you how many projects I have dreamed up that have never seen the light of day because I assume that the timing would never work, the funding wouldn’t exist, or that it simply isn’t possible.  Then, a few months later, I see someone doing something similar where clearly all those things actually worked out.  They had the guts to throw out those assumptions and go for it by creating a framework for possibility.
The three steps that are outlined are a pretty good way to get started and I am doing just that now.  A close friend and I are in the process of forming a new production company and I am doing everything I can to rethink most of my assumptions on what a production company is, what they do, and what sort of projects we can take on.  That’s step one.  Step two is to get started and get into it.  We are working on that now, finding projects, talking with people that might be interested in engaging with the project by pulling out their wallet and finding ways to get our media in front of the public.  As we go through all of this, we will be careful to figure out what is helping us and what is hurting us and focus just on what is helping us.  I can’t say these are easy steps, but I think they will help us to create a company that fits us and helps us to choose projects that we are passionate about.


My Response:

Drew,

I like you, found it very interesting how people build these constructs in their head. I think that it is similar to people that have crazy fears of things, it is in their head! I like your outline for your production company. This chapter seemed to come at a perfect time for you to be able to reevaluate your process. It is so hard to think about what we don't realize we are thinking about, but when we take that extra moment to consider it, we find out how ridiculous the restrictions were that we put on ourselves. I hope that your company does well especially since you have taken this time to troubleshoot. 

Week 4 Comment 1: Sunny's Blog

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Original Post:

This is the largest hurdle for me, how to light a spark in others.  I have the administrators behind me to revive the educational access channel.  That was the part that I thought would be the most difficult, but unfortunately it is the instructors. I was surprised to see the remarks had to do with myself. After looking at how I act, I can see that I am nervous to ask for participation. I bet others see my reservation. If I ask how others will contribute with me with a twinkle in my eye, they could respond better to my enthusiasm. Once I create a video with the instructors, they do shine. I need to bring that shine out in the beginning conversation instead of at the end.

You lose your power when you blame others for not succeeding. Instead find a way to transform it to success. Make a difference and do not detach myself from the end result.

Show empathy to the teachers that fear the addition of one more thing to the classroom, but show them how it is a possibility. Make a list of things that add to and detract from the possibilities of success. Move people from the talk of why they cannot to how can we. Make it my vision, not incorrect or incorrect. Do not look at the movement as improvement, just a direction. Break down barriers and create possibilities. This will validate that the idea will make a difference.

Make LISD TV a story involving the entire LISD, not just LISD TV or myself. Make it a “we” story. Instead of the story benefiting LISD TV or myself connect it to all involved. Use the combining words of we, us, our when talking about the videos. Then remember this process will change and grow.

My Response:

Sunny,

I love how you really gave yourself a little pep talk here. Everything that you are saying is true and sometimes saying it loud makes you believe it, not just know it. Motivating others is hard, especially if you are nervous or having a rough day. I think that you are very reflective in being able to think of ways to combat that in the beginning. I also love how you are understanding of how busy a teacher's classroom can be and you don't want to stress them out with more. Instead, you want to help them see how it can become a reality. Great thoughts!!

Week 4 Leadership Post: Final Thoughts

 
My Choice
I am sure that you all have been holding your breath and wondering where am I going to present. Well, wait no more, I have decided. About ten minutes away I submitted my proposal to present at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology Convention. After reviewing for what feels like forever I found that this convention seemed the most down to earth and focused on the important material in education. This convention takes place in October 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. I felt that my CBR project fit perfectly into their categories of social media and technology. My presentation is going to start with a summary of my CBR and conclude with my perfect phase 3 of using Schoology (educational social media) to increase parental involvement in the classroom.

Previous Leadership Posts:
Leadership Role Model
Publish or Present
Where to Present?

Leadership Project Presentation Link:
Google Docs Presentation

Week 4 Reading: Chapters 9 -12

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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.

Week 3 Leadership Post: Where to present?

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Since I have decided to present, I have been looking at various conferences around the nation. I started looking at tropical locations, but I am finding that a lot of conferences are already in session for the next couple of months. This made my search a little bit of challenge, but I thought outside of the box with my CBR project. Here is what I have decided:

Plan A:

I would like to present my CBR Project and its results at the 2012 AECT International Convention. It is in October, which will give me plenty of time to prepare for the convention. Also the final call for presentations is March 2, which will give me plenty of time to get my application fine-tuned to present to them. This is a perfect setting for me to describe how my CBR project used technology to increase parental involvement in my classroom. While it may not be tropical, Louisville, Kentucky would be a great place to visit, and meet a lot of great people in the same field.

Plan B:

The more I thought about what my presentation dealt with, the more doors opened to various types of conferences. My plan B is to present at the National PTA conference in California on June 21^st. I think that since my topic was parent involvement, it would be great to present in a setting where I can show how technology helped further that cause. This backs my research that states that teachers have to reach out to parents in order to get the strong parent-teacher conference.

Both options are great and I will have to narrow it down for the final presentation.

Week 3 Comment 2: Hutch's Blog

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Original Post:
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.

My Response:
 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?

Week 3 Comment 1: Drew's Blog

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Original Post:
My favorite part of this week’s reading from The Art of Possibility was the 8th practice, “Giving Way to Passion.”  My life is dominated by my passions and I strive to follow those passions.  It is my passion for photography and the natural world that has led me to where I am today and it is my passion for education that has brought me to the EMDT program at Full Sail.  As I mentioned in one of my commenting posts last week, it isn’t the easiest path and often there is no path, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  For me, it is the passion that I have for my work that allows me to push the boundaries with visual storytelling.
It is also the passion (some might call it obsession) that enables me to get through the really tough times when things don’t go well, projects fall through, and money is tight.  It is the passion that gets me out of bed each morning excited about the opportunities that are out there.  There is a constant battle between the fear (as mentioned last week) and my passion.  Most days passion the passion wins but it is a daily challenge.  I must say, the good days are worth fighting through the bad days though…  Let go of your fear and give way to your passion!

My Response:
Awesome post Drew. I think that my favorite part of this week's reading was also the part about passion. This is something that inspires people and drives people to do great things. It is not always easy but the passion become the motivation to push through the rough times. I like your connection to last week about pushing through the fear. My husband is living his dream selling salt water coral and fish. He loves what he does, but everyday is a risk when he places new orders. There might be days were he gets a shipment where some fish died, or there was a tropical storm so his order was cancelled. It is because he is so passionate about his hobby that he pushes through and continues to do what he loves. Keep up the great work and I think your passion for education, photography, and nature has really done great things for the educational world everywhere.