Response 2 David Burch's Post MAC Wk3

David wrote:

Wk3 Reading - Building the perfect sandbox city...

During this reading, I was struck by the number of times that the theme being explored or the stories being  presented reminded me of things that I have discovered throughout my life.  I'll try to relate some of them in nut-shell fashion;

Rule #6, Lighten Up.  Taking yourself, your goals, your end-game a little less seriously is good advice. This is not to say that the end-game isn't important or doesn't require undying tenacity, rather it indicates that the trip is the thing.  My goals are just that.  Mine.  No one will ever be as invested in my goals as I am, but I have an opportunity to inspire, observe and revel in many beautiful things along the way.  I am a  biker.  I love to ride to new or familiar destinations with my friends.  The destinations can be awesome and  bragg-able, but the trip is the thing.  Getting there, the ride, the filler (the stuff in between) is the real destination.  Allowing things to surprise you, allowing the people and happenings around you to inspire or enlighten you will make you a better person.  When the deal is done, when the thing is built, when the degree is earned, when the dream car is in the garage, when the license is in your wallet, when the perfect sand city exists in your sandbox…what do you do?  You go right back out and do it again.  You build another thing, you make a new goal, you flatten the sand and you take another ride.

Making a move: the idea that a person can lead from anywhere or even better, allow, encourage and facilitate non-leaders to lead from their own perspectives.  Through teaching, we have this opportunity every day.  It doesn't take any preparation or set up.  It simply requires the teacher to pay attention.  As soon as you notice a student surprising you with an answer, meaning something that is off target but intriguing (like they are looking at the issue or problem from a different perspective), stop teaching and ask the student to teach you.  "I hadn't considered it that way, what do you mean?"  Listen with the rest of the class and ask for elaboration.  While you listen, ADJUST your lesson or your point.  Not to the extent that you aren't teaching the same topic (unless you have time to make it up), but enough to teach it - or learn it - from a different lens.  With your new perspective, ask the student with the different perspective to teach what they know or explain their idea.  Lead or guide the discussion based on the new ideas.  This is incredibly empowering for all of your students and leads to new possibilities.

Give up your  pride - reveal truth.  Allowing students to see that you aren't perfect and have all the answers seem easy, but when a teach is struggling to maintain management of a class, it is very hard to show weakness.  This was one of my personal struggles.  I wanted to remain aloof.  Coming in front the corporate world, I thought some teachers revealed too much about their personal lives (probably to kill time) and that this was less-than-professional.  Over the last few years, I've learned that revealing some personal difficulties makes the teacher less over-bearing and more relatable.  Students learn that navigating the issues in life requires help and advice or input from the people around you.  Just because you are in a position of authority doesn't mean you have all of the answers.  Letting your students in a little allows an intimacy that you will create buy-in you may need at some point down the line.

Downhill Challenge - ride with the ice.  Welcome the difficult situations.  They make life interesting.  The challenges are where we learn what works and what doesn't.  They are our practice.  Again, enjoy the ride.

My response:

Lori Buder said...

Hi David,
I agree with you that the journey is the fun part. The relationships and creating memories are what makes things interesting. I am glad to read that you chose to deviate from your corporate persona, even corporations are beginning to realize that good relationships are what matter when trying to accomplish great things!
Lori

Think Out-Loud PPP Wk3

From Georgia Educational Technology Conference website.

Created using Wordle

I spoke with my teammates regarding the possible choices for presenting my CBR project. As a result of our conversations, I decided to submit to he Georgia Educational Technology Conference.  If I were accepted then I could visit with my CBR teammate while I am there. It would be nice to meet in person! My teammates have been an invaluable source of support over the last year and I really appreciate having them. Go TEAM!

Response 1 MAC Wk3

Daniella Wrote:

Wk 3 The Art of Possibility

While reading the Art of Possibility I kept thinking the book was talking directly to me…corny I know! I have been having a difficult time reaching my new class this school year, they are unmotivated to learn and unwilling to take responsibility for their actions. I have attempted just about everything I have up my sleeve. I have had to take a step back and re-analyze my job. As I was reading the statement “how much greatness are we will to grant?” (p. 73). It is my job to inspire and bring out the best qualities these kids have, as the book said I am going to have to speak to their passions. I am going to have make connection with them. These chapters made me feel like I can still go in a make a difference. I have been feeling a little defeated and needed something to give me inspirations. I think this was it. I am looking forward to making a change!

My response: 

Hi Daniela,

You post reminded me of a first grade teacher I worked with in Berkeley. Her class had a "hippie" thinking Kindergarten teacher who thought they were there to just have a good time and be free. They had no idea what it meant to follow rules and stay in their seats. When I first went in her classroom it reminded me of the locked psych ward at the VA hospital that the book "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's" was based on. Over time the class settled somewhat but she also had to change her perspective and ignore some of the odd behaviors in order to teach. She used to apologize when I observed but I completely understood. You may want to try putting the most difficult students in charge so they can start having some empathy. It worked for a friend counseling the baddest of the bad teenage offenders.

 

The Art of Possibilities 4-8 Wk 3

Image from MicroSoft Clip art

Chapter 5: Leading from Any Chair- this chapter is a reminder that everyone is a participant. You contribute from where you are and empower others to contribute is an important lesson.  It reminds me of a friend who counseled youth drug offenders in a program in San Francisco. His clients were tough street-smart criminals who would have their records cleaned if they completed the program. His technique for dealing with them was to put the “badest” one in charge. That was the one person he could count on to keep the others in line and it gave him a stake in the performance of the group. Other counselors in the program relied heavily on medicating their clients into submission. He had a much smoother approach, giving them self efficacy and using the courts to back up the consequences.

Chapter 6: Don’t take yourself so seriously. Nearly every student I have worked with comments on my laughter. I have worked with a many students with serious emotional difficulties cause mostly by chaotic and violent environment. I would like to cry but laughing works much better. I take the reality seriously but try to make the moments working together as light and happy as possible. I take life this way in general. When my dog ate my wallet and credits cards, I laughed at how silly I was for not being able to outsmart her.

Chapter 7: The Way Things Are: It is true that the one thing we have in common is suffering and circumstances are often less than ideal, but that is okay. We can look at the way things are and use it to see other possibilities. I felt especially moved by the description of Jane Goodall’s speaking engagement because I actually do avoid wildlife programing due to the bleak outcomes. Often I have had to advocate for children living under duress by telling the truth about the situations but also pointing out how a teacher can help in the classroom by providing an escape. It is not always easy sticking to the reality and people want to tell the story either in the worst possible or best possible way. Being realistic changes the possibilities.

Chapter 8: Giving Way to Passion: Life is hard and trying to avoid difficulty by not trying new things will not lesson pain. I always try new things. If I don’t know it or can’t do it, it is a challenge to figure it out. True, trying to use cross terrain skates at my age led to falling on my backside, I still laughed. And I will try again on a less slick surface next time. Change is hard but we have to fight the urge to hide. I agree with the authors. Usually, if you have a strong conviction you can bring others around. If not, enjoying the experience on your own can be good too.

Wimba MAC Wk3

I found this weeks Wimba discussion of the Art of Possibilities and the comparison to self help books interesting.  I remember from my cognitive behavioral theory class being told that people who tell themselves a better version of reality have less difficulty with depression.  I think your internal viewpoint makes a big difference in how you experience the world.  I think that is why I believe the steps in The Art of Possibilities can change people.