I prefer SKYPE over the IM softwares, but I have both equipped if necessary. It seems there were a lot of issues with WIMBA during the session. I had not read Oprah's "Secret" or the "Power of Positive Thinking", so I would have to prefer "The Art of Possibility". I believe it gave insightful advice to our approach to everyday life that will benefit us as well as others. My favorite chapter in the book was a hard choice. I love Rule #6, Leading from Any Chair, Lighting a Spark, but the most beneficial for me, not necessarily for my students, was Being the Board. This chapter helped me to come out a of a funk that I am presently in and reevaluate my position, not as merely a pawn, but as the "controller" of my universe, outside of God of course. I will continue to view my life from the standpoint of being the board and rewriting the rules of the game to help me deal with every situation I encounter. I will also remember Rule #6 as a life philosophy that will definitely provide some levity on this journey. Finally, I will seek to make more decisions from my central self and identify the instances when my calculating self is keeping me from making the best choices for everyone in situations, not just myself.
I also received the information on the Leadership Project Recap. I had my project evaluated by my peers and placed that information in my week 3 Wimba post, so I was covered and I will make sure to submit my publication request for Month 12 to complete the Leadership Project.
Do No Relax. We're not finished just yet.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
MAC Wk4 Leadership Post
My educational leadership role model is my mother, Debra Bishop, PhD. Throughout her career she has excelled, many times in the face of direct opposition, in improving the educational climate at every institution to be graced by her presence. She began a high school biology teacher and moved to become an assistant principal at Lake Air Middle School. After a few years there, she became the principal at North Waco Elementary. Her work at these two schools did not go unnoticed as she soon became the Director of Curriculum in Waco ISD. After serving dutifully in the administration office, she was asked to return to a principal position to restructure the magnet high school, A.J. Moore Academy. While there, her uncanny abilities of problem-solving, innovation, and leadership turned A.J. Moore Academy into the top-performing high school in Waco and garnered it recognition from the POTUS. She is currently retired, but is still on the forefront of education and technology through serving as a consultant for NAF, National Academy Foundation. I can only hope to achieve as much as my mother has in her career, and I know that whatever path I choose to take in education, I have an excellent source of knowledge and expertise to guide me along my journey.
MAC Wk4 Blog Response - Debbie Patsel
MAC/ Week 4, Reading: The Art of Possibility: WE, US, THEM, oh MY!
As I finished
reading this book, I was struck by the WE story. That is one of the current problems
in my district. WE do not have a contract and WE are being picked on and
bullied by OUR governor. WE are going into our third year without a contract. WE
are state operated and final control lies with the governor that hates
teachers. WE try to sit down and negotiate terms of the contract, but THEY
won’t play with US.
WE won an award
for back pay because THEY violated the block-scheduling clause in the contract.
Now, THEY have to pay thousands of dollars in compensation to US. THEY won ‘t let that go and are trying to
find new language to change that part of the contract while holding up 3200
other people in the unit.
HOW do THEM, and
WE get to US? WE have hired a mediator, again. Every contract year the union
needs to do this to move the district to action and to develop a contract. The
district has been state run for 22 years and it only gets worse. It is no
wonder we are a failing district, although I believe all districts throughout
the country were expected to fail under NCLB because of the business of charter
schools and big business.
OUR children are
the ones who are suffering. WE ask, WHERE are the parents? WHY aren’t THEY
screaming foul when THEM, (the district), fired ALL world language teachers,
art and music teachers, librarians, tech coordinators, and academic support
teachers? ALL of US, do the downward spiral, yet WE are blamed. WE are held accountable
and evaluated by test scores that are a poor judgment of how and what children
really learn.
Debbie,
You could only write a blog post like this if you truly understood the WE concept. I am sorry that the situation seems so bleak in your school districts. You are right of the push for charter schools and the privatization of education. Some places are trying to get public education to fail, no matter how it hurts current students or the students who will not be able to afford the education later. I hope they THEY will get with Y'ALL (sorry, I'm from Texas) and the US can move forward to find an educational solution that will benefit everyone.
MAC Wk4 Blog Response - David Sholiton
MAC WK4 Art of Possibility
I really like how Steve jobs explains connecting the dots. It is so true trying to connect them looking forward is very madding and will drive the ordinary person off the ledge. At least for my life and my wife’s there are so many to connect I could not begin to understand how they connect looking forward until something comes together and bam that magical moment happens and it all makes sense.
Really sucks at the end when Steve is talking about his brush with death and how he hoped he will not have to deal with that again at least for another 10 years or so.
There is so much to say about this weeks reading and
Steve Jobs speech. Taking responsibility for ones actions and outcomes
is something I do not believe most people live by or teach their
children. In fact I did not learn about this lesson until I was around
24 and working for a very large finance company. I was being trained by
one of the companies top sales manager and most of the sales staff
thought he was very rough around the edges, this is putting it in PG
terms. What he was was intense and straight forward. He called it like
he saw it. I remember him sitting in with me while I was helping a
client and something started to go wrong. When I say wrong I mean
something that the customer thought they were getting but the paperwork
said different. I remember starting to sweat and get nervous. My manger
jumped in and helped fix the situation just with his words. To make this
short and sweet he fessed up to the client and told him this is 100%
our fault and we will fix it. I know this seems simple to admit when
your wrong but believe me it doesn't seem to be best practice for most.
My boss called this falling on your sword. I find this works very well
when in the working world. Even if it hurts and is embarrassing to fall
on your sword it seems to work out better in most situations. Ever since
then I try my hardest to live by this mantra.
I really like how Steve jobs explains connecting the dots. It is so true trying to connect them looking forward is very madding and will drive the ordinary person off the ledge. At least for my life and my wife’s there are so many to connect I could not begin to understand how they connect looking forward until something comes together and bam that magical moment happens and it all makes sense.
Really sucks at the end when Steve is talking about his brush with death and how he hoped he will not have to deal with that again at least for another 10 years or so.
David,
It looks like in terms of taking responsibility, your trainer was able to light a spark in your life and got you to enroll into his ideas. Although others were looking at him from the outside, you were able to see past his "roughness" to the truth that he guided himself by. Sometimes people can't handle straightforwardness and call it rude or harsh, but the truth hurts. That's why responsibility is sometimes hard, you have to own up to choices, good or bad, and some just can't handle it.
MAC Wk4 Reading Blog Post
In this week's reading of The Art of Possibility, the chapters that spoke to me were Lighting a Spark, Being the Board and the WE Story. The concept of enrollment given in Lighting a Spark provided me with an entirely different attitude about engagement. By deciding not to take a "no" or negative response personally and continuing forth with the unbridled enthusiasm deserved for an endeavor embarked upon we can light the spark under any person and achieve what many deem impossible.
The chapter on Being the Board inspired my on a personal level. I sometimes get down when I look at circumstances I am facing, and tend to appropriate the causes of my unhappiness to them. By taking the opportunity to be the board, not only can I change my outlook on situations once deemed unchangeable, but I can influence the attitudes of others in those situations and hopefully be a light of hope for them.
Finally, the WE Story is something that I already live by. I learned from my family upbringing that we are always stronger together and the source of that strength is being mindful of the needs of others around you. By being sensitive to the needs of others and genuinely caring for the fulfillment of their wishes, whether attainable or not, bonds of trust are formed that provide a solid foundation upon which anything can be built or attained.
The chapter on Being the Board inspired my on a personal level. I sometimes get down when I look at circumstances I am facing, and tend to appropriate the causes of my unhappiness to them. By taking the opportunity to be the board, not only can I change my outlook on situations once deemed unchangeable, but I can influence the attitudes of others in those situations and hopefully be a light of hope for them.
Finally, the WE Story is something that I already live by. I learned from my family upbringing that we are always stronger together and the source of that strength is being mindful of the needs of others around you. By being sensitive to the needs of others and genuinely caring for the fulfillment of their wishes, whether attainable or not, bonds of trust are formed that provide a solid foundation upon which anything can be built or attained.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
MAC Wk 3 Wimba
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend Wimba this week. I had circumstances that required my attention, but I was able to read the critiques others received on the feedback page and found team members to critique my leadership project. The feedback I received from my peers was insightful and will help me to complete a polished project. Some feedback reminded me of the structure I needed to maintain from the requirements. I strayed away from the model, but I will try to my changes to make it fit the model provided better. There were also minor comments on grammar that I believe were spell-check changes that did not fit the agreement of my original sentences. These will also need to be changed to insure my project is publication worthy.
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend Wimba this week. I had circumstances that required my attention, but I was able to read the critiques others received on the feedback page and found team members to critique my leadership project. The feedback I received from my peers was insightful and will help me to complete a polished project. Some feedback reminded me of the structure I needed to maintain from the requirements. I strayed away from the model, but I will try to my changes to make it fit the model provided better. There were also minor comments on grammar that I believe were spell-check changes that did not fit the agreement of my original sentences. These will also need to be changed to insure my project is publication worthy.
MAC Wk 3 Leadership Project Post
The premise of my leadership project is to show innovative ways to approach biblical education through the use of virtual learning environments, web 2.0 tools and brain-based learning. By providing a literature review of each of these tested approaches, coupled with my own action research project, I hope to change the way the Bible is taught, not taking away previous methods, but providing new ones to help enlighten the new generations to the Word of God.
Here are the journals I am applying to be published in. I chose them both because their requirements fit my research perfectly. The Journal for Research on Technology in Education looks for original research, which I believe my project falls under, and the Journal of Interactive Learning Research specifically looks for research with virtual world based learning systems, a method that was researched approach in my project.
Journal of Research on Technology in Education
Journal of Interactive Learning Research
Here are my Week 1 & 2 Leadership Posts and the link to my Leadership Project
Week 1
Week 2
Leadership Project
The premise of my leadership project is to show innovative ways to approach biblical education through the use of virtual learning environments, web 2.0 tools and brain-based learning. By providing a literature review of each of these tested approaches, coupled with my own action research project, I hope to change the way the Bible is taught, not taking away previous methods, but providing new ones to help enlighten the new generations to the Word of God.
Here are the journals I am applying to be published in. I chose them both because their requirements fit my research perfectly. The Journal for Research on Technology in Education looks for original research, which I believe my project falls under, and the Journal of Interactive Learning Research specifically looks for research with virtual world based learning systems, a method that was researched approach in my project.
Journal of Research on Technology in Education
Journal of Interactive Learning Research
Here are my Week 1 & 2 Leadership Posts and the link to my Leadership Project
Week 1
Week 2
Leadership Project
MAC Wk 3 Blog Response - David Sholiton
In order to change the world, you must have the leadership qualities necessary to make other people powerful. As a leader, you must be able to take away the anxiety that people have that holds them back from recognizing the state of possibility. In that space, a true leader is able to transform the relationship. When there is a breakdown in a relationship, they are not able to progress forward. In a fixed reality, there is domination, control, survival and on the other side there is infinite possibilities. Goals need to be part of the vision. If a goal is not met, it does not mean that you have not made progress. Sometimes, possibility comes from not meeting the goal intended because you end up with a better outcome. The new leader is the person that can distinguish down word spiral to moving people to possibility. Every interaction is a possibility. It is important to celebrate continuously outcomes and possibility.
MAC WK3 Reading
In order to change the world, you must have the leadership qualities necessary to make other people powerful. As a leader, you must be able to take away the anxiety that people have that holds them back from recognizing the state of possibility. In that space, a true leader is able to transform the relationship. When there is a breakdown in a relationship, they are not able to progress forward. In a fixed reality, there is domination, control, survival and on the other side there is infinite possibilities. Goals need to be part of the vision. If a goal is not met, it does not mean that you have not made progress. Sometimes, possibility comes from not meeting the goal intended because you end up with a better outcome. The new leader is the person that can distinguish down word spiral to moving people to possibility. Every interaction is a possibility. It is important to celebrate continuously outcomes and possibility.
David,
The characteristic of a good leader is one that can spot the downward spiral thinking and circumvent it with conversation of possibility. If education can find more leaders with this quality that can empower others to lead from their seat with the same mind-frame, education will begin to create the thinkers that we need for this age. Our lives are so filled with the "can't do" mentality and we need to start training people to rise above the wall they have surrounded themselves with after years of bombardment with downward spiral thinking. That is the task of the effective new leader, create the mindset of continuous possibility.
MAC Wk3 Blog Response - Cherylee Gruber
I am continuing to read
Zander’s book, The Art of Possibility.
As I read, I take notes on parts that stand out to me or analogies that
I wish to reiterate. Here are my gems
from chapters 5-8.
Chapter 5. Leading from Any Chair
I really enjoyed the piece on how Zander had changed his
perception on his own leadership. His
original motive was to convey his interpretation and possible be more
successful at conducting. Instead, he
began to focus on having each band member perform to their own potential. It is an excellent analogy of how a teacher
can refocus on the students, instead of their own careers.
The leader may be any one of us.
Chapter 6. Rule Number 6
Lighten Up – And others will lighten up around you. Humor is the best way to get over ourselves.
Lessons I learned in this chapter were “Rule Number 6” and how to
have the best sex ever. Wow, the
curriculum scope &sequence of Full Sail is very far reaching. In reality, the key to The Best Sex Ever – Is
learning to live life in the realm of possibility. – You can imagine there are
three steps to reach all goals. – You can change the steps as often as you want
to meet your goals. Play the - “Have the
best ____ ever.” – Game. “Have IT” – Be
fulfilled.
Chapter 7. The Way Things Are
ATTENTION makes things grow.
You shine attention on something you get more of it. If you pay attention to problems, they
grow. I have heard very similar advice
before. It may have been from my
Concious Discipline. As a teacher, I
have used it and it really works. In the
beginning I would focus on Katrina’s slow reading speed, poor math skills or
obnoxious behavior. Remember, I was trying to help these problems, but in
reality they grew. Instead I began to
focus on what I wanted more of. I would
focus on Katrina’s instances of good behavior, her skill at previous levels of
math and reading. Just focusing on the
positive attributes helps not only Katrina, but the whole class by
example. When used, it seems almost as a
miracle. However, it is very easy to
slip into the old stand-by, “that is the third time this week you have not
completed your homework.” It is more of
a lifestyle shift than a simple rule change.
Chapter 8. Giving Way to Passion
Three key pieces of advice from chapter eight that I plan to
incorporate in my life. All three seem
to unlock potentials in exponential ways.
One buttock playing = One buttock teaching
BTFI – Beyond The “F” It – Just thinking about it, makes me feel “FREE”.
Participate!Cherylee,
I am going to live life by BTFI, freeing indeed. I believe by giving way to our passions we can incite passion in others and provide the spark they need to push them to fulfill their dreams. By not accepting a "glass half-empty" mentality or approach we can change the way things are into what we need them to be for us to accomplish anything. As long as we realize that life is too short for us to take ourselves too seriously, we will be able to take the liberty of allowing others to take the wheel, to empower them to reach new heights and learn from their leadership as we provide the opportunity for them to find themselves.
MAC Wk 3 Art of Possibility Post
I continue to be impressed and inspired by The Art of Possibility. Chapter five, which deals with leading from any chair, helped me realize that all of my students and members are leaders in their own right, even if they don't know it. It is my responsibility to lead when needed, but more importantly to provide opportunity within my classroom construct for others to lead. It's easier to accomplish this at my church as discussions are easily taken over to the point that it's a struggle to rein everyone back in, but I enjoy those discussions
Rule #6 is a philosophy I've been living for a long time. It keeps me from stressing too much over trivial things and helps balance my marriage. It has also helped me get through my first couple years of teaching and adapt to different difficult situations. By keeping my calculating self in check and thinking from a central self position, I have been able to operate objectively in the face of adversity and reach students where others were not successful.
Operating in the way things are from a downward spiral perspective is something that I feel educators consistently fall prey to, including myself. The conditions we are forced to work in can perpetuate this line of thinking with no "light at the end of the tunnel" seemingly in sight. We have to learn to have more conversations of possibility and be the optimist in the midst of a pessimistic and cynical society. Eventually we will sway others to our way of thinking and if we don't, at least we can find comfort in knowing we are providing the "light".
Finally, I often give way to passion when I sing or compete, but have usually only reserved it for those settings. I am going to take the governor off my passion and let it flow like the stream in the reading. Maybe the passion I've been reserving for music and sports will touch others in mathematics and I know its increased use will serve my ministry well.
I continue to be impressed and inspired by The Art of Possibility. Chapter five, which deals with leading from any chair, helped me realize that all of my students and members are leaders in their own right, even if they don't know it. It is my responsibility to lead when needed, but more importantly to provide opportunity within my classroom construct for others to lead. It's easier to accomplish this at my church as discussions are easily taken over to the point that it's a struggle to rein everyone back in, but I enjoy those discussions
Rule #6 is a philosophy I've been living for a long time. It keeps me from stressing too much over trivial things and helps balance my marriage. It has also helped me get through my first couple years of teaching and adapt to different difficult situations. By keeping my calculating self in check and thinking from a central self position, I have been able to operate objectively in the face of adversity and reach students where others were not successful.
Operating in the way things are from a downward spiral perspective is something that I feel educators consistently fall prey to, including myself. The conditions we are forced to work in can perpetuate this line of thinking with no "light at the end of the tunnel" seemingly in sight. We have to learn to have more conversations of possibility and be the optimist in the midst of a pessimistic and cynical society. Eventually we will sway others to our way of thinking and if we don't, at least we can find comfort in knowing we are providing the "light".
Finally, I often give way to passion when I sing or compete, but have usually only reserved it for those settings. I am going to take the governor off my passion and let it flow like the stream in the reading. Maybe the passion I've been reserving for music and sports will touch others in mathematics and I know its increased use will serve my ministry well.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
MAC Wk2 Leadership Project Post
There are a couple of journals that seem ideal for my paper. Unfortunately, due to the nature of my research I have been having a hard time locating publications where I fit. One I found is the Journal of Research on Technology in Education. This peer-reviewed journal encourages original research and I feel my AR project falls under that criteria because it was conducted on the topic of biblical education.
The second publication I am considering is the Journal of Interactive Learning Research. This peer-reviewed journal peaked my interest because it focuses on the areas of virtual learning environments, computer-mediated communications, and interactive learning environments. These specific areas were all used in my AR project, so I believe my chances at publication are high.
There are a couple of journals that seem ideal for my paper. Unfortunately, due to the nature of my research I have been having a hard time locating publications where I fit. One I found is the Journal of Research on Technology in Education. This peer-reviewed journal encourages original research and I feel my AR project falls under that criteria because it was conducted on the topic of biblical education.
The second publication I am considering is the Journal of Interactive Learning Research. This peer-reviewed journal peaked my interest because it focuses on the areas of virtual learning environments, computer-mediated communications, and interactive learning environments. These specific areas were all used in my AR project, so I believe my chances at publication are high.
MAC Wk 2 Blog Repsonse - Debra Patsel
As stated in the book, “…it would be pointless to compare
one child to another.” Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). “An A
transports your relationships from the world of measurement into the universe of
possibility.” I truly believe in the universe of possibility. I wouldn’t be
able to teach my student’s that have so many challenges if I didn’t believe
that.
On top of the cognitive issues my students have, they are living in an urban situation with shootings, drugs, and poverty. Most have developed emotional issues and their parents aren’t versed in parenting basics, or they may be in jail or have abandoned their child.
With all of this to overcome, I don’t want them to have to
“measure-up”. I have always started the year with telling the students that
they all are at the same place, they are on top and I view them as being great
people and wonderful students. They all get an A to start and the only way to
change that is to be disrespectful to others, curse too much, fight, not care
about doing the work, and not trying to work.
Debbie,
I applaud your philosophy of teaching. It sounds like the Zanders could have interviewed you for some stories to place in their book. I wish more people in educational leadership read this book and shared in its philosophy. I believe our education system would be much improved if it functioned in this regard. I don't teach "special education" labeled students all day, but I believe we are all special, with our own set of idiosyncrasies for learning and should be treated as such. I can understand your classroom through my wife's stories and experience in her career and I know what type of commitment and service you are providing to your students. Keep providing them a universe of possibility.
MAC_Week 2, Reading: The Art of Possibility, Give Yourself an A!
As I was reading this book, I was pleased to find validity
in what my practice has always been with my special education class. I have
never felt comfortable grading anyone, especially special education students.
As stated in the book, “…it would be pointless to compare
one child to another.” Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). “An A
transports your relationships from the world of measurement into the universe of
possibility.” I truly believe in the universe of possibility. I wouldn’t be
able to teach my student’s that have so many challenges if I didn’t believe
that.On top of the cognitive issues my students have, they are living in an urban situation with shootings, drugs, and poverty. Most have developed emotional issues and their parents aren’t versed in parenting basics, or they may be in jail or have abandoned their child.
With all of this to overcome, I don’t want them to have to
“measure-up”. I have always started the year with telling the students that
they all are at the same place, they are on top and I view them as being great
people and wonderful students. They all get an A to start and the only way to
change that is to be disrespectful to others, curse too much, fight, not care
about doing the work, and not trying to work.
If they are all trying to do the best that they can, I can’t
make a judgment on a scale of someone else’s idea of what is correct. Even when
the students have very, very low abilities, I have to find their strengths and
build on that to improve their self-esteem. I accept them where they are that
day and allow them to be who they are and move on at their pace.
I don’t believe in benchmarks that my district has pushed on
everyone. Everyone learns at a different pace and everyone reaches different
developmental milestones at different ages. If they haven’t reached their
milestone, they are not ready to move on to the next level no matter what a
system says.
Since everyone is very unique we take pride in our differences
and strive to become an interesting little family.
Sources: Book: Zander, R. S., & Zander, B.
(2000) The art of possibility. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School
Press.
Image: Microsoft Office Clipart; MP900385724 &
MP900431702Debbie,
I applaud your philosophy of teaching. It sounds like the Zanders could have interviewed you for some stories to place in their book. I wish more people in educational leadership read this book and shared in its philosophy. I believe our education system would be much improved if it functioned in this regard. I don't teach "special education" labeled students all day, but I believe we are all special, with our own set of idiosyncrasies for learning and should be treated as such. I can understand your classroom through my wife's stories and experience in her career and I know what type of commitment and service you are providing to your students. Keep providing them a universe of possibility.
MAC Wk 2 Blog Response - Valencia Winston
This week’s reading provided me with different perspectives
on a personal relationship with a family member, that has been strained and
full of friction at times. I’ve decided
to give this person an A. I am so excited about what possibilities will unfold,
since I have decided to “draw some lines” outside of the box!
Vee,
This is my first time reading a book from this genre, but I must agree that I have gained enormous insight from it. This concept of Giving an "A" mat be difficult in my math class, but the philosophy of it will surely be attempted next year. In ministry and my relationships outside of academia, I have always tried to give people "A"s, even when their behavior and actions did not warrant it. My experience with this has been positive for the most part and even though I have been burned sometimes, the good I have seen come out of it far outweighs the negative. I wish you blessings on your endeavor to give your family member an "A". I pray that it alleviates the strain on your relationship. Remember...there is no box.
WK 2-Weekly Reading Blog Post MAC
This image taken by Valencia
Winston, from the digitally downloaded textbook.
I loved, loved, loved reading the “Art of Possibility” by
Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander. Throughout my journey, I have read
similar books in the genre and have gained enormous insight from most. The
concept that looking outside of our own boxes, and boxes defined by society,
our teachers, parents and friends, really would open up an entire world of new
possibilities. The time spent in the text, discussing Ben Zander’s decision
about giving all of his orchestra students an “A” grade, illustrated this
viewpoint. The criteria to write from a point in the future, in which they had
received the desired grade, allowed them the freedom to learn their way. This was brilliant!
I tried a similar approach with my advanced students, this
past school year. Often after finding
out what grade they would receive on their report cards, negotiations would
begin. I begin to really resent these discussions, because many of these were
from students who had done nothing to improve their grades. I decided to give
them a rubric for every project, and have them grade themselves based on those
standards. Each standard was given a
point value that would together equal 100pts. My only requirement was that they
be honest, and provide evidence for giving themselves the grade. The plan
worked beautifully. They no longer questioned me, because it they did not do
the work and have evidence to provide, they had no choice but to be honest.
Vee,
This is my first time reading a book from this genre, but I must agree that I have gained enormous insight from it. This concept of Giving an "A" mat be difficult in my math class, but the philosophy of it will surely be attempted next year. In ministry and my relationships outside of academia, I have always tried to give people "A"s, even when their behavior and actions did not warrant it. My experience with this has been positive for the most part and even though I have been burned sometimes, the good I have seen come out of it far outweighs the negative. I wish you blessings on your endeavor to give your family member an "A". I pray that it alleviates the strain on your relationship. Remember...there is no box.
MAC Wk 2 - Art of Possibility Reading Blog
Living in the world of measurement sums up my 7th grade classroom. I have been so caught up in the last two years of my teaching career on how my students were going to do on the state tests and how they don't measure up to the standards I believe they should be meeting that I may not have given them the best chance at success. I have struggled immensely with the skills set that many of my students bring in, banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how they made it this far with so little mathematical skill. It has been a frustrating couple of years, but with some of the insight from the Art of Possibility, I am changing my viewpoint to create a more positive approach to learning and teaching. By switching my classroom to a world of possibility, I will now look at my students as opportunities to fill with mathematical knowledge and not empty broken vessels that should have been fixed before they got to me.
I also found the chapter on being a contribution enlightening as it left me with the feeling that everything I do is important. My contributions as a father, husband, minister, teacher, frater, and friend all impact people in different ways and each of those ways, no matter how "minuscule" they may seem, are significant. I vow to use this approach the rest of my life and I can already see a new "Joe" emerging from the ashes of "the world is doing fine without me". Look out world, here I come!
Living in the world of measurement sums up my 7th grade classroom. I have been so caught up in the last two years of my teaching career on how my students were going to do on the state tests and how they don't measure up to the standards I believe they should be meeting that I may not have given them the best chance at success. I have struggled immensely with the skills set that many of my students bring in, banging my head against the wall trying to figure out how they made it this far with so little mathematical skill. It has been a frustrating couple of years, but with some of the insight from the Art of Possibility, I am changing my viewpoint to create a more positive approach to learning and teaching. By switching my classroom to a world of possibility, I will now look at my students as opportunities to fill with mathematical knowledge and not empty broken vessels that should have been fixed before they got to me.
I also found the chapter on being a contribution enlightening as it left me with the feeling that everything I do is important. My contributions as a father, husband, minister, teacher, frater, and friend all impact people in different ways and each of those ways, no matter how "minuscule" they may seem, are significant. I vow to use this approach the rest of my life and I can already see a new "Joe" emerging from the ashes of "the world is doing fine without me". Look out world, here I come!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
MAC Wk1 Wimba
The archive pretty much reiterated everything I watched in the weekly videos. As always it was good to hear the cohort's questions on the various assignments we will be turning in over the course. This helped to answer any questions that I may have had over the assignments, specifically the big ones, the AR Website and the Leadership project. My AR Website didn't require many tweaks, but I was a little worried about the abstract. Hearing the explanation again in Wimba helped my understanding of the abstract and informed me it is supposed to be concise. The video on the Leadership project also helped me with its requirements. I found it inspiring that Pete's research has had such an effect in his school district and I hope that he can accomplish everything he sets forth to achieve with his newly earned district leadership role. I will make every effort to attend our remaining Wimba sessions as my schedule will be more flexible with school being out and my fraternal training completed.
The archive pretty much reiterated everything I watched in the weekly videos. As always it was good to hear the cohort's questions on the various assignments we will be turning in over the course. This helped to answer any questions that I may have had over the assignments, specifically the big ones, the AR Website and the Leadership project. My AR Website didn't require many tweaks, but I was a little worried about the abstract. Hearing the explanation again in Wimba helped my understanding of the abstract and informed me it is supposed to be concise. The video on the Leadership project also helped me with its requirements. I found it inspiring that Pete's research has had such an effect in his school district and I hope that he can accomplish everything he sets forth to achieve with his newly earned district leadership role. I will make every effort to attend our remaining Wimba sessions as my schedule will be more flexible with school being out and my fraternal training completed.
MAC Wk 1 Leadership Project
Paper or presentation? Although I believe I can do either route equally well, I am going to do a paper for my leadership project. If I am able to get it published, it will be available for many to read and study. Maybe someone will us my research as a citation. That would be cool to see. Also, I believe that the publication route may lead to speaking opportunities after my research is seen.
Paper or presentation? Although I believe I can do either route equally well, I am going to do a paper for my leadership project. If I am able to get it published, it will be available for many to read and study. Maybe someone will us my research as a citation. That would be cool to see. Also, I believe that the publication route may lead to speaking opportunities after my research is seen.
MAC Wk 1 Blog Response - Cherylee Gruber
Cherylee,
You were thorough and informative as always in your blog post on Copyright Issues. I agree with you on the view of providing the Blu Ray/DVD version of the movie at the time of a movie's release to combat video piracy. The movie theaters will never go for it though because I believe they would lose too much money by people buying the movie and foregoing the theater. Personally, there would still be movies I would see at the theater for the ambiance, but for me those are few and far between.
I liked your thought provoking questions at the end of your posts. To answer question one, now that I know "Eyes on the Prize" can no longer be sold and circulated, I really don't care if it can't be shared legally. If I can find a copy, I am uploading it and making it accessible everywhere I can.
Cherylee's Post
I leave you with some additional resources and a quote from
Dan Glickman from the MPAA. “We will
never stop piracy – We just need to make it very difficult.”
Cherylee,
You were thorough and informative as always in your blog post on Copyright Issues. I agree with you on the view of providing the Blu Ray/DVD version of the movie at the time of a movie's release to combat video piracy. The movie theaters will never go for it though because I believe they would lose too much money by people buying the movie and foregoing the theater. Personally, there would still be movies I would see at the theater for the ambiance, but for me those are few and far between.
I liked your thought provoking questions at the end of your posts. To answer question one, now that I know "Eyes on the Prize" can no longer be sold and circulated, I really don't care if it can't be shared legally. If I can find a copy, I am uploading it and making it accessible everywhere I can.
Cherylee's Post
So, as we well know… Copyright law, media history, and file
sharing are some of my favorite topics.
I finally finished all of my required “readings” and am ready to
respond. First, I find it interesting
that some of my all time favorites are not included. I have embedded them below for your personal
viewing. However, I did find little
interesting jewels to reflect upon in the new stuff.
The Pirate Bay - Official Logo
I appreciated the differentiating between Intellectual
property, Patent Law, Copyright law and Trademark. It was an area that I
was unaware of. Secondly, I found it interesting that the
next “battleground” is in the Re-mix. Really? I find that not nearly
important as File
Sharing in the war of intellectual property.
As seen in Good Copy, Bad Copy, many countries readily accept sampling,
remixing, and even blatant film piracy, yet they have managed to change
the
business models to still make money.
A very interesting example was the Brazilian Techno
Brega. The model was an exactly flip
from our system. In Brazil, concerts are
the main moneymaker and CDs are simply an advertisement. In the US, concerts are used to promote the
CDS.
The example of the Pixie’s and Techno Brega concerts being
recorded live and sold upon leaving the concert. I have been in the
movie industry for years
and this is exactly what I proposed for the film industry. Sell the DVD
at the movie theatre. I was told that no one would want to buy the
movie they just saw for full price… I beg to differ. I feel it is the
perfect time. The audience is hyped and wants a permanent
memory to take home. Brazil is making it
happen
I also found it interesting that Weird Al Yankovic’s music
video footage, “Don’t Download this Song” was used in the film. However, it was not credited.
PART 2 – Fair Use
There was some interesting information about Creative
Commons. My favorite quote was, “People
like to pay the artists. People don’t
like paying corporations.”
All in all, I was left with a few questions…
As far as Full Sail’s EMDT Program:
What about past activities that I may have already violated
copyright law?
I thought Fair Use covered me and now I realize that Fair
Use is a process…. That I didn’t go through.
Poor Dr. Reo must be cringing at my Storm trooper comic.
Regarding Piracy in General:
Question One: If the
content can’t be bought, is it fair game to share?
Example: The Eyes on the Prize Documentary and others shown
in the clip.
Question Two: If an American
film is uploaded somewhere in the world, the link is shared by Sweden, is downloaded
by someone in Mexico, and sold to an American tourist… Who is the criminal?
Question Three: If I post a link to stolen material, am I guilty? (See Below)
Question Four: Who is anonymous? Really...
MAC Wk 1 Blog Response - David Sholiton
David,
Your comfort with the details of the copyright laws was evident in your post. You refreshed the parts of the law that I failed to mention in my post that are extremely important to understanding it. They taught you well in your film degree. I agree with you on the present volatility of the music industry. There are so many samples being used to day that it is hard to see where the creativity is being displayed. With that said, I can appreciate some of the samples because they are bringing back great music that would be lost. One place where I feel copyright is doing an injustice is documentaries. It was alarming to see all of the black history documentaries that can no longer be viewed because of copyright laws. I mean really, $15,000 for one verse of "Happy Birthday", give me a break.
David's Post
This week’s content is based upon copyright. Copyright is a legal concept that has been developed to protect intellectual property. Intellectual property is any expressed idea or information that has been patented, trademarked or turned into a trade secret. Having a degree in film has taught me many things about copyright. Typically, people want to protect their music, art, curriculum, poetry, and architectural design. Unless you have visual proof, you cannot claim copyright. Usually, people will videotape their dance, skit, or play in order to have visual proof that they have copyright or at least rights to the intellectual property of what they created. The music industry is highly volatile at this time. Technology provides access to so much that allows people to take intellectual property off of the Internet and manipulate it to make new musical combinations. Creators are taking pieces form different copyrighted material and developing new material. There will need to be a balance created in order to maintain peoples’ intellectual property as we progress technically.
David,
Your comfort with the details of the copyright laws was evident in your post. You refreshed the parts of the law that I failed to mention in my post that are extremely important to understanding it. They taught you well in your film degree. I agree with you on the present volatility of the music industry. There are so many samples being used to day that it is hard to see where the creativity is being displayed. With that said, I can appreciate some of the samples because they are bringing back great music that would be lost. One place where I feel copyright is doing an injustice is documentaries. It was alarming to see all of the black history documentaries that can no longer be viewed because of copyright laws. I mean really, $15,000 for one verse of "Happy Birthday", give me a break.
David's Post
This week’s content is based upon copyright. Copyright is a legal concept that has been developed to protect intellectual property. Intellectual property is any expressed idea or information that has been patented, trademarked or turned into a trade secret. Having a degree in film has taught me many things about copyright. Typically, people want to protect their music, art, curriculum, poetry, and architectural design. Unless you have visual proof, you cannot claim copyright. Usually, people will videotape their dance, skit, or play in order to have visual proof that they have copyright or at least rights to the intellectual property of what they created. The music industry is highly volatile at this time. Technology provides access to so much that allows people to take intellectual property off of the Internet and manipulate it to make new musical combinations. Creators are taking pieces form different copyrighted material and developing new material. There will need to be a balance created in order to maintain peoples’ intellectual property as we progress technically.
MAC Wk 1 Reading Blog - The Copyright Conundrum
In viewing this weeks videos on copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons, it is evident that current copyright legislature is stifling purpose and intent of some content being created by artists. I understand the need for copyright laws to protect artists from unsanctioned uses of their material and loss of profit, but when these laws are enforced where artists do not need them, the conundrum appears. I believe that fair use is a temporary solution to the current problem, but due to its nature of not being a "right" but a "defensible position" it places its users in a precarious position when seeking its protection. I'm hoping that more artists will use the licensing options of Creative Commons to circumvent the handcuffs of the current copyright laws. By giving artists easy to understand options for licensing their works, Creative Commons has placed sharing power back into creators' hands. The artists have a voice in how their material is used and this will result in returning us to a read/write community were ideas and creativity flourish. I look forward to using Creative Commons for my on material.
In viewing this weeks videos on copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons, it is evident that current copyright legislature is stifling purpose and intent of some content being created by artists. I understand the need for copyright laws to protect artists from unsanctioned uses of their material and loss of profit, but when these laws are enforced where artists do not need them, the conundrum appears. I believe that fair use is a temporary solution to the current problem, but due to its nature of not being a "right" but a "defensible position" it places its users in a precarious position when seeking its protection. I'm hoping that more artists will use the licensing options of Creative Commons to circumvent the handcuffs of the current copyright laws. By giving artists easy to understand options for licensing their works, Creative Commons has placed sharing power back into creators' hands. The artists have a voice in how their material is used and this will result in returning us to a read/write community were ideas and creativity flourish. I look forward to using Creative Commons for my on material.
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