wk 4 response to Melissa M

original post:

The idea of “enrollment” and the steps:
1. Imagine that people are an invitation for enrollment.
2. Stand ready to participate, ready to be moved and inspired.
3. Offer that which lights you up.
4. Have no doubt that others are eager to catch the spark.
Zander, B, & Zander, R.S. (2000).
Are really are just saying be an active participant in your ideas. When you decide to be a part of something whether it’s a job, school, or a relationship you have to be “enrolled” or in other words “be in it to win it!” You have to be ready to participate in what ever it takes to make it a success. You have to be ready to go to work and do your best. You have to do the homework or reading assignments to get the grade. You have to cook dinner, cut the grass, or whatever it is that will support your spouse. You have to give your light or translated your best. Be willing to share your gifts and talents, do a little extra to be supportive or take over in the area your spouse is lacking. Do something romantic or loving to make their spouse’s bad day better. You have to be faithful in your talent, goals, and commitments. When you decide to be a part of something, you go all out. You use what skills you have to work hard. You have to believe in yourself and ready to respond to any task or obstacle in front of you. Give your best efforts and talent to be successful. Finally, believe in yourself and the light you shine will engage others around you.

The framework of possibility is the vision to see what could be. You have to have a vision in your life of what is possible. I never envisioned going back to school again, but now the possibility of graduating is so close. Visualizing a better life because of this degree affects all aspects of my life. I expect the best of myself as I do my students. I put in the work to get the desired grades and outcome. Now that graduation is at hand, just visualizing teaching has changed. I now think about the possibility of even changing jobs to utilize this new degree. Even when you visualize something, in the middle of the process the vision can change due to circumstances that affect other things. It’s the spiral effect, as one thing can be depended upon another.

A year ago I couldn’t visualize the relationship I am in. Now I can’t imagine any other life without my other half. People are in relationships for different reasons. We all have expectations from our boyfriends or girlfriends. I never visualized the things I would do for my boyfriend along the way. Being supportive of his job and the travel he has to participate in. Planning and adjusting schedules because we are both in graduate school and need time to accomplish our tasks. When I first visualize the relationship, I thought about the dates, holding hands, kisses, and phone calls. I didn’t anticipate the 4:00AM drives down the highway, helping to complete paperwork, or the amount of love and support I was willing to give freely of myself. The vision is not always your reality but in order to have the opportunity you have to see yourself in it….visualize the possibility of sharing your life with someone, giving and receiving love.

my response:

 

Kelly Baker said...

Your post reminds me of a quote i heard before. I don't remember who said it but it goes something like this: "If you think you can or can't, you are right." visualizing the possibility eventually leads you to believe it and then to achieve it.

Wk 4 response to Michael C.

original post:

Student opinions and ideas can sometime get overlooked by the teacher. because as educators at times do not value the thoughts of some of our students. In the reading I find myself picturing my classroom and how I do things, I do have a high stool and desk in the front and the rear of my room and that can be seen as the conductors podium as referred in the reading. Many times it can be seen as uninviting to the students if there is not a free line of communication. At times I do find it hard to admit some mistake to the students and then I have to go back and let them know they were right, but that can bring a common ground between the student and teacher. The idea of the white sheet can be used in the classroom to see if the students can present to you a way of doing things that can benefit both but the teacher has to be open for those results to take place.

I can say that I see and experience the downward spiral talk very much as being a teacher. It can sometimes become discouraging because some teachers will not look at the positive aspects of their classrooms and schools. When upset and under appreciated teachers are together in one environment it creates the momentum of the downward spiral talk. As in the reading the more attention we bring to the negative thing not going the way we want the bigger the situation can become.

 

my response:

Kelly Baker said...

When ever a group consists of 2 or more teachers all the conversations end up being about school. You are so right with the direction of the talk. far too often the "shop talk" is about the negative. No one ever says "well how do we fix it?"

wk 4 reading

Everything in education starts with the teacher. Too often you hear people say “it’s the kids” or “kids today” . You cant change to kids or the parents or the administration. The only thing you have control over is you. Lighting the spark and being the board deal, in  my opinion, speak to how I as the educator have to find ways to engange the students with the material. When I am no longer able to find an external source to motivate them, then I have to look inside to see what I need to change in order to achieve the goals.

In order to achieve said goals in education you have to be able to persevere in the face of criticism. Once you have set the board you need to move the pieces as they are supposed to move and not take the shortcuts. That could only lead to needing to change the board again.

While the teacher is the start of it the students are the life of it. What ever we decide as educators we need to listen to the needs of the students and ask ourselves what will work best for all of us. The classroom is a group dynamic and while each student has their own individual needs and wants and the teacher has her own, the only way to achieve success is to look at the best possible things for the whole not the parts.

W4 Publishing/leadership project intro

Started by looking at how I taught. Noticed that I taught for the middle with not much differentiation for the upper and lower levels. Lower learning kids I provided more assistance and scaffolding and for identified special ed kids I followed their plans. For the higher kids I just had higher expectations of performance. So I started researching how to improve how I differentiated instruction, and I came across literature that said that students would be able to help provide the best feedback on how they learn in order to improve instruction. In essence giving students a voice in how the learning is achieved.

I used both hands on learning styles for both cycles because the class is a laboratory science. The first cycle was mainly passive learning with more lecture and notes as well as the hands on labs. The second cycle built on data form the first cycle and was more student centered research and critical thinking. In the first cycle I was surprised that the students liked video notes but it showed that they did not learn enough as almost all failed the assessment. The second cycle showed more retention of material. I think this is due to the students having more of a say in how they learned the material. I used simulations and labs and debates and student centered discussions. Students were given the choice on how they turned in assignments. I paired lower level students with higher-level students to add responsibility to the higher kids and add comfort to lower kids since some are afraid of asking for help. One main surprise for the second cycle was how many more students turned in assignments. And how many more were working on things at home.

I have listed 2 places to publish but I am now not sure of AACE. I would like to publish in Edutopia because it is a sharing place by other educators, and am not sure where else.

Link to actual paper: files.me.com/wiyonmuks/05ove5

publishing/leadership project 2/2

I have decided to get rid of AECT Publication. My AR is not entirely focused on technology, and this journal is more focused on the implementation of technology in education rather than what helps the learner best. I have also eliminated the other ones previously listed. Instead I will use AACE Journal at: http://www.aace.org/pubs/aacej/

After looking through their digital library I feel that this is a better place for publication the original three mentioned.

I would also use Edutopia, because it allows the free exchange of ideas amongst educators. http://www.edutopia.org/magazine

Week 3 Wimba

got  a lot of information. The information about the abstract was helpful, but Dr. Bedard's site also has a description of how a abstract should be. The most informative was where to sign up for the week 4 wimba and the process of it all. can't believe it is almost over:)

W3 response 2

original post of Manny

As I read chapters 5-8 of Art of Possibility, I opened my mind to its message and intention. There where many points in these four chapters that hit close to home and made me realize that I must be open and willing to receive the message. While I have heard or read many of these points before, some written differently, they are he same points.

Chapter 5, Leading from any Chair, is something I learned a long time ago while in the military. Having a Master Chief who would place many of the young sailors in situations or positions to lead or influence the unit or group. It made everyone be aware of the enormous charge bestowed on them, due to their rank, but allowed personnel to learn for when they achieved a leadership position.

Chapter 6, Rule Number 6, is about something I do regularly. I do not take myself seriously. I have learned over the years that sometimes one cannot control everything and that we should never sweat the small stuff. There has been many a times that I have looked back at a situation or event in which I was frustrated or mad, only to realize it really was nothing to worry about.

In Chapter 7, The Way Things Are, I like the authors message on clearing judgment. Sometimes we do not see the the purpose of a situation or event in our lives which can lead to something wonderful or beautiful. Society is so mechanized in planning and organizing that when change occurs or chaos ruins our plans, we tend to focus on the immediate effect and how it “ruined” our plans. Everything has a purpose, we just need to be opened to that possibility.

Chapter 8 I believe has the strongest message. The two steps of of giving way to passion are easy to understand but hard to implement. Notice where you are holding back and let go is the first step while participate wholly is the second. It is hard for oneself to look at what we are holding back without guidance. This is where a good parent, a teacher or colleague can help. They can help us define and aid in our development if they do it without judgment. Once this is accomplished, it is so easy to participate.

Kelly Baker said...

On your comment on The Way Things Are: I feel it is like spring cleaning. You start by taking everything out of its place clean it off move it around and if you stop in the middle you end up with a bigger mess than when you started. You have to see changes through to the end in order to see the better side of it.