MAC Week 4 Reading - Chapters 10-12

"Your past is part of your destiny. One cannot exist without the other, no matter how good or bad the past was, it plays an active part in your final destiny"(Moore, 2007).

Instead of focusing on just one chapter in The Art of Possibility, I have decided to reflect on the entire book. The last three chapters are amazing, especially if put into light of the entire book. Everything from giving every person we meet an 'A' to the teacher that willing shaved her head to identify with the child recently having undergone chemotherapy, all comes down to connecting. Every person has a past, a present, and for an undetermined amount of time, a future. My childhood can be summed up in no less than one word, horrible. But it was that past that influenced my young adulthood and how I related to others. In my late teens, I had an uncontrollable temper. It is not something I am proud of, but it was all I knew in the modeling by my parents. As I matured and started to think about marriage, I didn't want my temper to be something my husband or children would one day reflect upon... so I started the slow and tedious process of eliminating it from my being. Many of the concepts presented in this book is exactly the ones I employed, but my frame of reference came from the love I felt from my Heavenly Father and His word.

My kids are now 28, 29 and 30... and if asked about my temper, they would laugh. The few times I did get angry to the point they would remember, they all agree they deserved it. Amongst us, there are only 2 episodes that we can remember. Changes we make to our character are never easy, but they can be done. My students at school find my class very relaxing, but disciplined. It is a safe haven for them. Would I go as far as shaving my head for a student that was be ridiculed? Probably. Do I have a Vision and a Mission? Yes, and they are easily distinguished. I have a framework of possibilities for my students, my family and myself. Do I have a Mission? Yes, but it is for me alone, as I cannot dictate the mission of any other person. We are all connected, we all have a past, a present and an unknown future. The possibilities are endless, we are the ones to create the limits. Dream a dream with me...

Moore, B. (2007). Esther; It's tough being a woman. Life's Way; Nashville, TN.

MAC Week 4 - Response - Sam Turner

Friday, March 26, 2010
Overload
Now what do you do to make yourself have major stress overload? Well first you start with major revisions to your final thesis draft that is due at the end of a week. Then you sprinkle in work where your company is starting the process of rolling out a brand new service and having a vital role in the whole process. Now for the cherry on the top of this dessert, you get a text telling you your dad is going in for emergency surgery late at night only to be awakened to be told that he died on the table. You ask are you kidding, and when your told no I wish I was he did not make it. Your life becomes a huge train wreck. Next thing you know your having to plan a funeral, finish the rewrite of the thesis and stay strong at your regular job.

I highly recommend to everyone trying this method for your own sanity. All kidding aside, if not for a strong wife behind me, I would have gone crazy. I just hope that my thesis does well upon its review.
Posted by The Precog at 9:40 PM
Labels: Death, Funeral, Job, Overload, Sam Turner, Thesis
1 comments:

rebbiej said...

I think that we all have had months in which it felt as though we were destined to fail, quit, or just plain 'lose it'. I am thankful that your wife has stood beside you and given you the needed support. It is good to be able to express all that is happening in our lives because it permits us to allow the healing to start and to put everything in perspective.

I am praying (seriously) for your family and that all our theses will accepted with no major revisions. Hang in there... one part of your stress is about to be greatly diminished!
March 27, 2010 8:22 AM

http://www.faithclipart.com/category/prayer-clipart.html

MAC Week 4 - Free Choice - Jamie Oliver

During the last 11 months, classmates have seen or heard just as many references to the My Pryramid via my required projects. I recently received an email informing me that Jamie Oliver, a famous chef in England, was awarded the TED award for his work in public schools. He is currently working with schools in Huntington, WV (fattest city in America) in trying to completely overhaul the current breakfast and lunch program. The main complaint being supplied by the schools is time preparation, finances and cooking food the children will eat. Not to mention the negative attitudes of the cafeteria workers!

Jamie goes out of his way to show the amount of sugar and fat that these children are consuming in a short period of time. While the kids could recognize pizza, chicken nuggets, etc... they had no idea of a tomato, potato or any other vegetable. Jamie goes as far as to show a select number of students what they are eating in process foods. He has a whole chicken that he cuts up, making a pile of the good meat and one of all the left overs; including skin, muscle, fat and bones. He puts them through a blender to make a paste and asks the kids which is the good meat and which is not good. They answer correctly, but the moment he puts paste into patties and covers them with cornmeal, as they watch him prepare it, he asks who would eat that stuff. Every single student raises his/her hand because it is now in a familiar shape. The work that Jamie is trying to do here in the US is to be applauded. It also adds validation to the work I will be doing as I introduce nutrition for the first time to the first graders in my district. Quite a bit to think about!

MAC Week 4 - Media Project

I can't believe I have completed the FSO journey to the end of Month 11 and am about to start on Month 12. I was so nervous about my Media Project... the topic, what it would entail, how would I create it, etc. But with it completed, and knowing that I will be actually submitting the link to the Springfield School Board members within the next week, shows me the journey has been worth it in so many ways. Meeting the needs of my students has always been my goal, and there is the real possibility that one more may be met as a result of my project! An official request has been emailed to me requesting to submit the link as soon as I am able. The intention is to supplement the current student course guide for those entering ninth grade and offer a female-only TV production course. I was concerned the district would create a Word Document course, not something as challenging as what has been hinted. My project is the deciding factor... and it all started with a request to present at a board meeting. It is a small step, but it is one that I have played an active role in initiating.

MAC Week 4 - Media Project

While my site will be quite different by Tuesday night, the URL to access it in its very incomplete state is:

http://web.me.com/rebbiej/Springfield_School_District/Welcome.html

Feedback is greatly desired... especially in the tab Titles... I can't seem to figure out the right names. These are just place holders right now :)

Week 3 - Response to Brian Cobb

Wk 3 Reading - Beware of Ice


I just read the story about skiing and trying to avoid ice. I couldn’t help but relate completely. I have learned to ski in on the East coast and there is definitely ice at times. I have mentioned in an earlier post about my experiences when learning to snowboard, and how taking hard falls affected my snowboarding from a mental perspective. Some of those hard falls were from trying to slow down on ice. We all know that ice is slippery and can make us fall. With this knowledge, our first reaction is so slow down; we try to fight the ice. Only after a few relentless struggles, do you realize that simply gliding over the ice is WAY easier than trying to stop or slow down on it. Zander (2000) says, “Mistakes can be like ice. If we resist them, we may keep on slipping into a posture of defeat.” I think this is great advice. It’s so easy to let failure keep us from achieving our goals. The important lesson is to learn that mistakes and failure is a natural part of the learning process. When I lived with my parents I was in charge of cutting the grass. When I would use the weed eater, our dog, T-rex, would try and bite at the rotating wire on the end of the tool. This frustrated me to great lengths because I kept stopping the weed eater knowing it would hurt the dog if he got close enough. T-rex was persistent, though. Every time I started it back up, the dog would attack again. My dad saw the predicament and said, “Let him bite it; he’ll only do it once.” This time I let him bite it. T-rex let out a yelp, realized his mistake, and found something else to occupy his time. My dad is a man of few words, but those words are usually nuggets of wisdom.


image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/justinbaeder/177984894/

source: Source: Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Posted by Brian Cobb at 7:06 PM
1 comments:

rebbiej said...

Brian,
Your Dad was indeed a man of wisdom! Fighting ice is a losing battle as I found out a couple of years ago when I slipped at school, which resulted in surgery on my knee. But, I also think that sometimes we need to stop BEFORE we get to the ice and see if there is better way to handle things before they get out of control. Mistakes are only beneficial if lessons are learned. A famous Edison quote when referring to the light-bulb after over a thousand attempts, "I did not fail, I found 1000 ways it will not work". We need more of that mentality when dealing with students... to change the idea of failing, to a way not doing something, but to keep on trying until success is met. So many of my young learners do not know what it means to every succeed, unfortunately :(
March 17, 2010 5:55 PM

MAC Week 3 - Free Choice - Joe Bustillos Blog

As I was considering what topic to reflect upon, I once again wondered different sites and pages to see if anything inspired me. While some reading was interesting, mostly I read things in which I have already forgotten. Thus proving each topic was not worthy of a response. I then went back to Week 3's Blog requirement page and saw that Joe had a blog of his own, entitled, 'Education Re-Examined'. I appreciate that Joe participates in projects freely, while the majority of EDMT learners are writing for grading purposes. As I watched the different videos (Mary Screaming...she is going to get teased from me tonight on FB, the new Educatium Blog, and the now famous 'Gotta Keep Reading' video) and read several blog entries, I was impressed in so many ways.

Joe, the photography skills you possess is amazing - I felt as though I were at the school as you captured this exciting moment. Of course, I have watched the video at least 25 times, and have sent it on to my administrators (before it made onto Oprah), but there is still something to be said of a moment in time being captured in a still photo!

To view the productions of former students gave me an affirmation to the possibilities that lay before me as graduation draws nearer. I keep asking myself as May 7th approaches, "Now What?" "I will have this degree, but what can and will I do with it?" "Do I feel confident enough to talk to anyone about have a degree in technology?" "Does anyone really care what I think and how I feel?" I am finding I need to dream before the reality may occur.

If you have not checked out Joe's blog (http://joebustillos.com/category/education-re-examined/), please do... you are in for a fantastic treat!

The instructors that I have been privileged to learn from over the past eleven months boggles my mind; Michelle Haynes (2Xs), Lisa Smith, Kathy Craven, Dr. Siegel (2Xs), MLT Beth Strudgeon, Dr. Deason and Dr. Gibson, have all stretched me in more ways than I can imagine. Now to have Joe Bustillos and Sue Bedard guide us to our goal, all I can say is, 'THANK YOU'!!!

MAC WeeK 3 - Media Project

http://patrickweb.com/images/clipart.com/boardroom.gif

Working on my Media Project has not gone smoothly whatsoever. Having a migraine that has kept me literally down and out has played a relatively minor role. However, thoughts keep swimming around in my head about how I want to design my project and implement in the best format. Several aspects of my media project are currently in the works, but I am finding out that like my thesis, changes will be ongoing. This project appears to self-evolving in many ways. My students have been more than cooperative in my interviewing of them, although coming across more rehearsed than I would prefer. I made the mistake of letting them see the questions in advanced, rather than taking more of a ‘man-on-the-street’ which would come across more natural.

I am excited about the progression of my project, just am a bit apprehensive on whether it will all be finished in the time allotted. To know all the time and effort I have put forth for the last eleven and one-half months, put me in a position of almost sabotaging myself, as I am not sure I want this journey to end. However, I do know I will be walking on May 7, 2010 with as many of my classmates as possible.

MAC Week 3 Reading - Chapters 7-9

As I started reading Chapter 7 (The Way Things Are), a chord was struck within me immediately. Via email, the entire staff and student body in my district were informed that due to losing one day of school because of snow, a day of Spring break was being taken away. No one; staff, parents, or students were anticipating this action because the official School Calendar has sequential dates of snow-related make-up days, and notice had been given to everyone in confirmation. To make matters worse, the School Board decided to take the very last scheduled student day of the year and put it also into a Spring Break day. This is all being done only two weeks before the break is to begin. My first reaction and attitude was not good, to say the least.

“The rain is liquid sunshine” has always been my motto, but I lost sight of that for a while today. ‘What is, is…’, the only thing that can be changed is my outlook and attitude. I have started to just that, accept what is and not let it ruin the few days that I do have off. Tomorrow will be a day of negative comments among the staff. It will be my responsibility to not be discouraged and to help others adjust to our given circumstance. At times, a reminder comes in mysterious ways.

‘The Art of Possibility’ is a very easy read, but personally, the constant musical references and examples are getting tiresome. While easy to understand and relate, other types of illustrations would be good.

MAC Week 2 - Free Choice - Reflection of the Journey

In preparation for my Media Project, and eventually, my Final Presentation, I have been going though all my EDMT monthly files. I am astonished by the amount of information covered and new technologies that I have learned (I won't go as far as mastered for some of the courses!). I remember the months that while I put forth many hours, I had a blast, and then the months that I felt pure agony and wondered if I would survive. Now, I have no doubt this journey has been more than worth the lack of family time, staying up way too late so many nights, and becoming frustrated when my computer crashed and I had to wait for a new mother-board.

This journey is definitely not a 'solo journey' as we have been told repeatedly, and I cannot agree more. I owe so much to every member that has traveled with me, in both sections. RJ, Mohamed, Erik, Bianca, Charlotte, Jose, Roberto, Ryan, Carlos, Brian(s), Ann, Denise, Jorge, Anthony, Nate, Tanya, and Shawn, are the ones I have worked with closely (forgive me if I missed someone), and to you, I say a heartfelt, 'THANK YOU!' I feel blessed to call you my friends and cannot wait to meet each and every one in-person. What a wonderful experience this has been for me! :)

MAC WeeK 2 - Media Proposal

I was thrilled to have my Content Proposal accepted, but then it hit me. I need to actually create what I proposed! It is time for me to take a deep breath as I consider the layout of my Media Project. I spent some time this week interviewing female students on perception of technology. A wide range of answers were given, but the final question of, ‘would you be more comfortable in a female-only CS course in ninth grade be something you would consider? and why?’ received a positive response of nine out of ten interviewed. I expected the response to be high on the positive side, but definitely not what was given.

I was ready to start my editing this weekend, only to find out that the camera I was permitted to bring home from school, did not contain the actual taping. Hence, that part of the project will need to be completed sometime next week. Hopefully, it will not be recorded over before I can get to the LMC and recover my tape!!!

MAC WeeK 2 - Roberto Rivera Response

"I was looking at all the discussion regarding abstracts and I had a complicated time reducing mine from 157 or so words to the required 120 without leaving out any information and this is what it came out.


In the United States, the number of immigrants increases continuously and with them, the number of their descendants. These individuals need an education addressing 21st century skills to become a competitive asset to the work force and the country. A difference could be made in their education providing an education with some technology-based tools, which in turn help young students to enhance English language learning. To help this part of the population to become citizens that actively participate in the growth of the nation and their own family, Web 2.0 tools like Zoho may enhance their education. Community involvement in and out school will play an important role in the use of technology to learn English as a second language."

Please, comment to get a chance to change before March 21st
Posted by DuetimesR at 1:20 PM
Labels: 120 Words, abstract
1 comments:

rebbiej said...

Roberto,

An excellent job on reducing the number of words on your abstract. There are just a couple of changes I would make. It is easier for me to retype your abstract than explain the suggestions. Remember, these are just ideas, nothing more than that on my end :)

In the United States, the number of immigrants increases daily, thus increasing descendants. To become productive members of society, educational opportunities addressing 21st century skills must be available. Providing technology-based tools, which in turn help young students enhance both language and technology skills. To help these newcomers become citizens and actively participate in the growth of not only the nation, but the foundation of the family unit. Web 2.0 and Zoho are examples of these tools. Community involvement in and out of school continues to play an important role in the use of technology while learning English as a second language.
March 13, 2010 7:41 PM

MAC Week 2 Reading - Chapters 4-6

After reading Chapters 4 -6 in ‘The Art of Possibility’, I was taken by the fact that people do not apologize to one another any more. My husband and I never hesitated to apologize to our own children when we had blown it… whether it was due to getting angrier than we should have, an unfair punishment or being late in getting them.

I have taken the same attitude with my own students. If I feel I was unfair, I readily apologize and I hear repeatedly that no teacher ever apologizes. I know I am not perfect and am willing to admit it. It also permits my learners to see me as human, and models behaviors that I expect from them. This is something that we all need to re-evaluate from time-to-time. If I want respect from others, am I showing it?

Week 1 - Response to Tanya Doll

There are a number of gender differences to consider. Different parts of the brain function differently between the sexes and therefore impact men and women differently. For example, the cerebellum contains neurons that connect to other parts of the brain and spinal cord and facilitate movement, balance and speech. There is a much stronger connecting pathway in the female brain between the brain parts therefore females have superior language and fine-motor skills while males tend to be less intuitive. another example of gender differences is in the cerebrum. The cerebrum is the upper or main part of the brain controlling conscious and voluntary processes. Females use more volume than males therefore resulting in females being greater at multitasking. Lastly, neurotransmitters which are biochemical substances that transmit nerve impulses at the synapses clearly affect differences in how males and females brains process data.

Given these biological brain differences one could assume that learning differences will occur between the genders. With Females being more verbal and males more spatial, a need to consider how to train the combined genders so effective learning can take place is imperative. Most studies have shown that there is little differences in how men and women learn yet there is still many other studies that can show marked differences in the brain and behavior that contribute to the differences in how the learning takes place within the brain.

If females tend to better at verbal abilities and rely heavily on verbal communication then the need for web 2.0 communication technologies is imperative to the communication necessary for learning to take place. Whereas males tend to be heavily right brained and show better spatial abilities such as measuring, mechanical design and geography. These spatial cues can be brought forward to the learning table to allow the male learner the opportunity to learn successfully.
Posted by Tanya Doll at 8:39 PM

rebbiej said...

It is interesting how we are both tackling the same subject matter, but approaching it in completely different manners! I think this is what makes this program so different from so many others... we are encouraged to be creative and think outside the box and to relate to areas that truly matter to each us as individuals!
March 7, 2010 5:54 PM

Week 1 - Resonse to Bob Walker, Jr.

Every February is Record Production Month. The RPM Challenge is presented to musicians around the world and, for some reason, we all sign up and take part. The challenge is to write and record an album in 28 days (29 if it’s leap year). The prize for this challenge is a complete album of original music. Everyone who participates wins.
My band participated in this challenge in 2008 and 2009. I felt like I was missing something in my life this year as we were unable to participate. What took place instead was a similar challenge that seemed to be even harder, yet will turn out to be just as rewarding. The challenge of earning a Masters Degree in just 12 months. This February was filled with reading, writing, reading a course in a new format, reading some more, and writing some more. The nest three weeks I have the same feeling I had during my RPM experiences. This is now the thesis challenge.
During the RPM challenges we were faced with many obstacles. Snow storms, technology meltdowns, writer’s block, family issues, illnesses, more technology breakdowns, and more snow storms. Somehow we were able to overcome all of these obstacles and meet our goals. In one of my posts during the first challenge, I wrote, “Go ahead life, get in the way, I’ll just write a song about you”.
I would like to welcome all of my classmates to the thesis challenge this month. We were give 21 days to write a minimum of 25 pages as well as create a media project. As with the RPM challenge, I know we will overcome obstacles and meet our goals. I would also like to share one of the songs written and recorded in my last song. I hope it motivates.


Bob,

The succinct manner you have summed up our journey is amazing! You wrote a song that I for one certainly identify. Challenges has been the name of the game. Even this week, there were two days that I could not access FSO, was blessed with a stomach virus on top of it, and was wondering if I would be able to get all the required work accomplished. Yet, here I sit, Sunday evening, finishing the last of my blogs. My thesis is all but ready to submit, my Content Proposal is a work in process, and I am looking forward to the challenges this week will bring. Do us a favor and write a song about all we DID accomplish at the end of this journey. I am willing to pay for it!!! I hope you like the clip art I found to go with your song :)

http://www.christart.com/clipart/art_info/235/

MAC Week 1 - Free Choice

An 'A' I was so taken with this portion of the book that I felt lead to respond. Every marking period, I start all over with twelve new classes, and begin each one the same way, "Every person in this class has an 'A'. It will take the lack of participation and effort to lose that 'A'". As the marking period continues, and I see a student that is not maintaining the expected grade, I take them aside to help in redirecting efforts. It is amazing how this little effort can adjust an attitude and elicit an apology (which in never the goal). In the course of a year, over 800 learners go through my door. Out of those 800, no more than 25 will earn less than the "A" announced on the first day. Positive encouragement does work.

Another way I try to encourage my students is by having my 5th graders write a letter to his/herself towards the end of the year. Little direction is given to the learners other than anything and everything is permitted. No one is going to read this letter, except for the writer. Dreams, self-image, fears, abilities, and whatever else, is written about. The learners then address an envelope, seal it, and write his/her initial across the seal as proof of no tampering. I then put the letters away for seven years (I put a sticky with the year of graduation on the bundle) to be mailed towards the end of the particular's class senior year. The feedback I receive after the letters are mailed are broad: "I wish I had written more", "I fulfilled so many of my dreams, but still have more to do", "I couldn't figure out where this letter came from", to "I was so embarrassed by what I wrote". It is not so much what is written that matters to these students, however, as it is that I was faithful in keeping my promise about mailing the letters and letting them know that I am so very proud of each and every one of them. Personal connection does matter!

MAC Week 1 Reading - Chapters 1-3

I can tell that within the pages of 'The Art of Possibility'I am going to be challenged in my thinking. My mind is not one to normally think 'outside' of the box. I have a friend who is a very good artist and is convinced that anyone can learn to draw. My reaction is always the same, "I don't see what you see". And in reality, that is a fact. Hard as I try, I am finite in my ability to see what many others can. My "thoughts and actions, in this moment", are definitively reflections of the measurement world. I tend to stick with the "are" and not the "how"... the what is, verses true inquiry. As I assess why I am the way I am, can I pinpoint exact reasons? Surprisingly, the answer is yes, which in many ways makes it easier for me the be able to take a step back and now to add the "How". That is going to be one of my goals for the duration of this course!

MAC WeeK 1 - Content Proposal

As I have been struggling with thinking through and create my Content Proposal, hence my Media Project, I have come to a roadblock! The basis of my proposal is to convince my school district to implement a females-only introductory Computer Science course. The reasoning is based on research that proves that the attitudes, perceptions and participation of young females changes dramatically when given the opportunity to be in such a class. The problem I am challenged with currently is how to address the sections of the proposal that requires the instructional goals and forward. Hopefully, an epiphany will overcome me by tomorrow night, or some of my fellow classmates can help me :)

Discussion Board - Topic 2

My school district as a rule has tried to stay on top of current technology: a Smartboard in most K-12 classroms, a laptop for every high school learner, mobile laptop labs for every pod, desktop computer labs, several video cameras in the LMC available for student use, tech labs that are truly unbelievable (we even have a wind-tunnel), in-house Television studios in the middle & high school, along with several LMSs for teachers and students. However, this is in my classroom: my personal overhead, three of the oldest computers in the school (hence, the slowest connection in the district as confirm by the IT department), and an ancient television that is connected to my school desktop computer (which may or may not work on any given day). I am at the bottom of the pile when it comes to any technology the district offers. Content teachers are considered ‘more’ important, although I have more freedom to permit learners to experiment with the latest technologies and applications. Yet I am the one to access and use what is available! I share a mobile lab with a fifth-grade pod and only have access for one week each marking period, but I make the most of it. My eighth graders create a product, write a thirty-second commercial, video, then edit, and ultimately, upload the final product to my Viddler site (this hasn’t hit the firewall as of yet!). I also use Viddler to show commercials for my eighth graders to critique during my Advertising unit. I have created a PowerPoint on the history of toys and games for my seventh grade Babysitting course, and post my daily question & outcomes via PowerPoint for every class. My fifth graders use the computers to play My Pyramid online games. I am currently in conversation with the IT department to have certain sites unblocked for the betterment of my classes.

Discussion Board - Topic 1

During this past year, I have been very conscious of using as many of the different applications as possible that Full Sail has introduced in our many courses. However, due to many of the applications being on my Mac, I have had to create lessons at home, then either take my computer to school, email the presentation to my school account or upload to Viddler. In this particular situation, I emailed my lesson to school, and foolishly, did not take my computer as a backup, only to find out that the entire server was down. My solution, I called my husband, who works from home and had him bring my computer to school, pronto! If he had not arrived in time, my next option was to create a lesson related to the topic on the fly (which I despise doing). I teach Family & Consumer Science, so my greatest desire is to give the learners a break from traditional teaching styles in a relaxed atmosphere and be creative in presentation and learning applications. I have learned to test my lessons out and always have a ‘backup’ plan in place!