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 - 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 :)