Week 4 Publishing Leadership Project

With publishing my paper on Google Docs, my first choice would to have it published in the International Society for Technology Education.  I feel that seeing this publication is more geared towards the people that would use it most, that this would be the most feasible place.  There are others like this publication, but this one seems to be the best fit for me.

http://www.iste.org/

Introduction to Publishing/Leadership Project

The purpose of researching Google Docs is to provide a helpful, more organized way to present and keep information.  Many students have problems with keeping their work organized.  When it comes time to study, they might misplace their work.  With Google Docs, this alleviates the problem. Students also need more collaborative activities.  When it comes to the traditional setting, it may be hard for a teacher to truly know who did what with an assignment, or if thhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/18xVqH6gf8O5xf-_kH_Qszikg_MjhHQtkiomM7pWEjBE/edit?hl=en&authkey=CL6w3NYNere was one person in the group who did everything.  Google Docs allows users to see who typed what and what time.  They can work on the same assignment at the same time, but it does not need to be in the same setting.

Link to the entire Publishing/Leadership project
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18xVqH6gf8O5xf-_kH_Qszikg_MjhHQtkiomM7pWEjBE/edit?hl=en&authkey=CL6w3NYN



Link to Think Aloud Blog Post #1
Link to Think Aloud Blog Post #2

Week 4 Reading: Art of Possibility Ch 9-12: Response to Curt

Week Four Reading - The Art of Possibilities 9-12

“A distinction is not a standard to live up to, but a framework of possibility to live into.”

The Art of Possibilities, Rosamund Zander, and Benjamin Zander, 2000.

Instead of commenting on just one part of the last chapters of this book, I would like to write down a few simple thoughts on the whole book:

This book has really got me thinking about I interact with the people around me, and how I react to the environment that surrounds me.

I have to remind myself that reality is simply my reality and the perspective I view it from can be so fluid from day to day and moment to moment.  I believe that it is up to me to create my world and to make sure that I try to tackle it from a positive and educated viewpoint and keep the WE factor in mind always.

I cannot say I have had a book that has stuck with me so well as the Art of Possibilities. 

Week 4 Reading: Art of Possibility Ch 9-12: Response to Pam

Media Asset Creation (MAC) Week 4-Art Of Possibility- End chapters

I have recently added the phrase, "A vision articulates a possibility" to my Facebook page to see the comments that would be left. Since I am terrible with delayed gratification, after only one 'like' I moved onto my students to hear their comments. Some students were stuck at the word 'articulates' while others replied, "Oh yeah, yeah I get it Miss (for some reason all the kids use Miss instead of Mrs. such and such)." Anyway, I came to realize that students are the one who should be reading this book. The problem blocking most students is that they have no vision. Therefore blocking most possibilities and missed opportunities.

I look at myself. I always had vision and always steered my course to the direction I wanted it to go. I remember people asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I replied with specific details up to to the type of car I would drive. All have come true except my Eddie Bauer Explorer is a Kia Sedona (which most people think is the Cadillac). My visions determined my possibilities. I wish most of my students would see their visions like I saw (and still continue to see) mine, work towards those goals, and not miss opportunities that might belong to them. Like in the movie "Field of Dreams" if you build it, they will come.

Wk4 Publishing/Leadership project part 2 of 2: Think Aloud Post

I have been getting some ideas with reading other's posts and Google Docs with their leadership project. I have decided that the best thing for me to do is the paper.  I think that it will be more professional to create this than the Powerpoint/Keynote presentation.  I will place the document with an accessible link on Google Docs, of course.

Week 4 Reading: Art of Possibility Ch 9-12

This was an interesting book to read, seeing that most of the other books we read were geared towards that specific class.  This book, overall was to inspire us as we continue our journey after the EMDT program ends.  I can respect that.

Chapters 9-12 reflect on being optimistic despite our circumstances.  One of the examples of this is in Chapter 10.  A man finds that his wife is having an affair.  Some of us will let the situation consume us and and the Zanders' state "things move ahead, and life passes him by."   They speak of the notion of "being on board", where he would take this situation and be empowered by it and view it differently.  You can use it not as the fault of who betrayed you, but as something that you personally need to overcome.

This concept can easily be put in place in our classrooms.  Instead of blaming the students for their poor test scores, behavior, and other thing we complain about, turn it around to yourself. What could have you done differently?  Did you take in account the different learners in your classroom?  Did you exhaust every possible resource?  I know that we are underworked and underpaid, but that is what we signed up for!  Yes, it may be hard to do, but in the end, it will make you a better, more effective teacher.

from creativecommons.org

Wk4 Publishing/Leadership project part 1 of 2: Think Aloud Post

As for my publications, I have considered the following:

http://www.iste.org/
The International Society for Technology Education has thousands of members who are engaged in the advancement of using technology in education.  Seeing that I am using an online technology tool in my Action Research, this would be a perfect fit to be published in.

http://jite.org/
The Journal of Information Technology Education is an academically, peer-reviewed journal geared toward improving IT education all over the world.  Scanning through some of the articles, there were many web-based technologies being reviewed.  This made me believe that this would be a great choice as well.

Week 3 Reading: Art of Possibility Ch 5–8: Response to Ryan

from creativecommons.org

Rosemund Stone Zander and her husband Ben Zander wrote a book called the Art of Possibilities and it has quite a few words of wisdom.  Chapter 7 asks the reader to analyze their beliefs about life struggles big and small.  They talk about getting weighed down while you focus on negative events that are an evident part of everyones life.  I like how the Zander’s want you to clear your mind of any judgement about the things that happen to you.  This reminds me of a fable that I often read to my children called Good Luck Bad Luck.  In this story, a farmer’s lone horse runs away only to come home days later with four wild horses following close behind.  The farmer’s son breaks his leg training one of the horses just before the army comes to recruit soldiers for a hopeless war.  What seems to be bad luck at first, actually reveals itself as good luck later.  The current economic situation in the State of Michigan has forced people in power to make some very unfavorable decisions.  The Zander’s advice can help keep me from storming the capital building! 

Bruchetta Jones

Wow, what an interesting comparison!  It is sometimes where we are at our best when situations are at their worst.  I think the Zanders were trying to capture this so then we don't take every bad incident as a setback.  We are supposed to learn from each situation, despite how horrible it may have been.  I can emphasize with you with how your state's economic situation is.  Florida is no better...

Sunday, April 17, 2011 - 06:06 PM

Week 3: Free Choice

June 2nd is quickly approaching.  I am very excited that this program is coming to an end.  Every month, I have faced new challenges and struggles with time.  I started teaching high school for the 1st time as I ventured into this program, teaching US History & World History.  I am used to teaching 7th grade and only 1 subject.

My one question is what now?  What do I do with this degree?  Do I continue teaching or should I find something else?  There are so many more things that I need to answer that it is mind boggling.  If I do continue teaching, I do want to go fully digital:  students completing assignments and projects via blogs, Google Docs, and other online ventures.  I think that it would be a great adventure for the students and much easier for me.  If I get out of teaching, I would like to be a support to other teachers.  I would like to be able to help them find resources to incorporate technology in the classroom, but the only thing is these jobs are hard to come by.

If any of you reading this post know of what I can possibly do, please let me know!

from creativecommons.org

Week 3 Reading: Art of Possibility Ch 5–8: Response to Jeremy

SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2011

Can we tell as educators if students are engaged when we are teaching? What process do we notice that can keep students attention? With verbal communication we sometimes need to make different voiced sounds to keep attention. Allowing discussions to help students become more involved can make students more engaged. This makes class more enjoyable and has better engagement. 

Another process that can help educators is trying to implement an idea called “calculating self”. This process is about making progress, striving for success, and positioning ones self in the hierarchy. This process is about creating an environment in the classroom that brings in self awareness to help students strive for success. Students need some more self motivation. By making your classroom a more self sufficient room students will want to learn on their own. This creates an intrinsic learning environment. 

1 COMMENT 

BRUCHETTA JONES

from creativecommons.org

Ways that we can tell if students are engaged when teaching is by assessment.  It doesn't always need to be paper & pencil or even a formal test.  One way that I find out if ALL students are engaged is with my smart board.  I have a texting devices that students send answers to questions I pose on the board or orally.  If you do not have this type of technology, you can use polleverywhere.com where students use their cell phones to text in responses.  Either way is keeping students' attention and communicating with them in a way that they like.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2011 - 04:52 PM

Week 3 Reading: Art of Possibility Ch 5-8

With the chapters of The Art of Possibility, I understood the reference to a conductor not knowing his orchestra, as I was once part of an orchestra.  When there is a performance, the conductor and principal chairs (the 1st seated and usually best player in that section) receive the kudos.  I think that this can reflect in the classroom.  When a particular teacher's students gets high marks on a standardized test, it may be the teacher or the principal that gets the accolades, not the students nor the parents.  That is why in many professional development and master's courses in education, the word "facilitator" is stressed so much.  Instead of being the frontrunner or the one who takes all of the credit, be the run who "runs" with the group and helps along as needed.

As I read this book, it does reflect on emotions, moods, and how our personalities may effect others.  These are great things to think about not just as people, but as educators who have the ability to effect many lives. We need to be able to "forget" our troubles for the moment, which yes, is a hard feat in itself, and focus on the lives that we can shape, so then they will be able to spread that notion to others.

From creativecommons.org