WK 4 Publishing Project

My AR project has been interesting to see how it unfolds, but making into a movie to share as a presentation has been even more challenging.   What seemed like an easy project has been tough.  I am tried several times to find my sound and have not had any luck.   The project itself has been an eye opener for me, but the technology can be a challenge at times.   I am anxious to try out some news and keep data along the way and see where it leads me~  

I have really enjoyed looking at other people's projects throughout this class and hope to motivate my team members in 3rd grade to take this challenge on as well!   So much research out there, but it is more meaningful to do it yourself and see the progress.   I would strongly encourage anyone to do the same!

WK Comments on Jodi Zeigler's Blog

"I am the framework for everything that happens in my life". What a powerful message Zander sends with his tenth practice of possibility. It seems so easy to sit back and place blame on others to make ourselves feel less guilty. The true test is our ability to see how challenges and situations fit into our game of life. What have we done to bring different situations into our own lives? If we actually spend some time looking into the situation it is humbling to think about all of the different ways in which we welcome things into our lives without even realizing.

Owning up to everything that happens to us and choosing the being on board approach opens one to the possibility of a much more graceful journey. Taking responsibility for everything in our lives allows us to quickly get back on the track we were on before a challenging situation or event that may have occurred in our lives. When you grace yourself in this manner it leaves you free to choose again and move on.

Of all messages I have read from Zander I feel this is by far the most meaningful message! This is a great strategy to teach our young students. So many times students have an excuse for why their work doesn't get done and never does it include any choices of their own. They do not seem to see how they have brought certain situations upon themselves. What a powerful lesson to teach, being the board.

Lori Irwin said...

Jodi,

Wow, you were able to pull something out of the chapters that has a huge impact if we let it. We all are equipped with some special ability that helps us get through the tough times in life. The game of life is played everyday and we can choose to have that graceful journey or one of regrets. It is so easy to see what other people are doing wrong then to look in the mirror and say what can I improve on today? If we would own our own junk and realize that even though we are human, we are also the only person who can change something within our own lives. If we are always pointing a finger at someone else then we don't take any time to work on ourselves and in the end we are the loser. I agree with you and Zander that this is a critical message to learn ourselves as well as teach our students to do the same. Imagine a world where everyone stepped up their own game... we would all be winners!

September 25, 2010 12:04 PM 

WK 4 Reading

I loved the section that told a children's story about a girl who was in second grade and came to school with Leukemia and was wearing a scarf to cover up the fact that she lost her hair.   The kids snatched it off of her head and laughed nervously.   This could have been a disaster for weeks to come, but the teacher intervened and turned it all around.   As the book stated, she reframed the meaning of the child's strange appearance and released the girl from her new identity that was created that day.   She came in the next day and had shaved her head and showed that baldness could be a possibility or an act of choice.   Some of the children went home and wanted to do the same.    What this showed me was how important it is to take situations we are all faced with and change the outcome.   The teacher could have just punished the students who laughed and there would have been more problems.   But, instead she took a tough situation and made it better by showing them a different perspective.   Too many times we look at things as black and white and don't realize that gray is not always bad!

WK 4 Comments on Tamara Collin's Blog

Tamara Collins

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2010

Week 3 MAC: Free Choice

The digital age for our children is truly here. Just the other day I walked into the classroom of one of our 4th grade teachers. She was in the middle of using the Promethean Board (interactive board) to teach adjectives to students. I sat there observing the little faces of the students and couldn't help to be mesmerized by how intently they were watching the board.

That same night I was putting my son to bed when he asked for me to read a book to him. I told him to grab a book, but instead he came back with my iPad. He crawled next to me in bed, slid his finger across the the iPad to unlock it and selected a Dr. Seuss app. The app read the One Fish, Two Fish to him. What I found most fascinating is that a two year old understand hows to navigate through a piece of technology such as the iPad as if it were second nature.

My son will never really understand what it means to dial a rotary phone or use a public phone for that matter. But what most scares is that if I were to allow him to use the iPad to read a book regularly he will never have an interest in reading a traditional book or read book where you don't touch the pictures and expect them to sing and dance. I suppose too much of any one thing is a bad thing. Balance is key.Posted by Tamara Paris Collins at 5:58 PM 

loriluvboyds said...

Tamara,

I so agree with your comments of how important it is to balance out technology with the old fashioned materials. I love books and always buy the younger kids in my family those for Christmas and Birthday presents. I want them to realize how much fun reading can be so it will continue for the rest of their lives. But, I also want them to learn the newest technology so they can be on the cutting edge. I think it is super important to have both of them. We were just playing Yahtzee and when it was time to calculate , I used my head and the younger girls in our family got out their phones and used the calculator on there. Nothing wrong with either way as long as you don't lose the ability to use both.

September 25, 2010 10:09 AM

WK 3 Free Choice - Busy Teacher's Cafe

The URL for this website is:  http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/

This was a great website if you are in grades K-6.   There are forms created, centers to copy, and strategies for all the subjects.   I found a themes page that gave me tons of information covering all subjects that deal with apples.   I plan to do this in the fall and won't be able to use everything I found here.    What an amazing site and nothing was blocked or asked for money... even better!   

They had a couple of cartoons that dealt with nutrition but what I liked is you could print them out and have the students fill in the speech bubbles and then from that have them create a story.   That would cover reading and writing, but most of all critical thinking skills would have to be used as well.   If you teach elementary, this site is priceless.. check it out!

Oh yeah, and they a calendar for each month with a ton of writing prompts and ideas.   This is part of the example for the month of December.

WK 3 Comments about Denise Cullen's Blog

Saturday, September 18, 2010

The purpose of my Action Research project is to provide empirical evidence that digital storytelling can improve the member training and public outreach programs of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Qualitative research methods were used to compile the findings. Upon completion of the research, analysis of the data concluded that digital storytelling projects can positively influence member training, by way of improved awareness and better fellowship.  It can be deduced that public outreach programs of the Coast Guard Auxiliary can likewise benefit from digital storytelling projects and resultant media elements.  To continue this inquiry will require further authorization from higher-ranking Coast Guard Auxiliary officials that see the benefits of research participation to the modernization goals of the organization.

Lori Irwin

Denise,

I am so excited to see that we are both using Digital Storytelling for similar and different reasons.  I have used it as a way to motivate my struggling students to get excited as well as comprehend what they are reading.   It is refreshing to see that it also works well with the service world out there.   Everyone tells stories, but it is nice when stories can help all ages to excel in what they need to do.    Thanks for sharing your action research information with us.    I think that was definitely thinking outside the box and I love that!   Good luck in wrapping up your year end project.

Sunday, September 19, 2010 - 03:37 PM

WK 3 Comments on Karen William's Blog

Week 2 - Free Post

During my Action Research Project, The Partnership for 21st Century Website at http://www.p21.org/index.php was very beneficial for me in understanding what specific skills our students will need to be competitive for the 21st century.

Posted by Karen R. Williams Blogs at 10:50 PM

1 comments:

Loriluvboyds said...

Karen,

I went into your link to look at his website and loved the graphic with the descriptions of the arches on the rainbows. Under Learning and Innovation Skills it talked about critical thinking and problems solving and personally I feel like those are incredibly important. The focus still needs to be on content, knowledge and so on, but they need to know how to think for themselves and problem solve in every subject as well as in life. Thanks for sharing the website with us, 

Thanks, Lori

September 19, 2010 10:05 AM

WK 3 Reading - Lighting a Spark!

In chapter 9 a great scenario was born!     As she remembered back to a time when she was ten and her father left on a train in his three-piece suit she thought about the answer her father gave her when he returned and she asked why he had to go.   He said, “Certain things in life are better done in person”.   In 1981 she had a task to complete and remembered the comment her father had made and realized what he meant.    She was trying to get Slava to come play at a special concert and tried to call and was shuffled off by his assistant who said he was booked until 1984 and she asked if she could get his number to talk to him directly.   Reluctantly she was given a time that he would there and she could call then.   She took her father’s advice and went there in person and after they exchanged words as she listened intently to him describing Dutilleux as a genius, she asked “Is it possible”?    The end result is he agreed to do it because of his passion.   She was able to light a spark.   We all have life lessons before us everyday.   The result is up to us… and what we do with what presents itself to us.   Do we just shrug our shoulders and say nothing and move on or do we take the risk and go for the gold!

WK 2 Reading

I love how positive this book is and he uses great analogies to show us something if we are open to it.   Chapter 5 grabbed my attention because as a teacher we are very much like the conductor spoke about here.   When we look at our students who are listless, we can decide they are bored or we can greet in them the original spark that may entice them.   A great question was raised "How much greatness are we willing to grant?"  

Now, we have to decide what we want to do when we step up the podium or head to the front of the classroom!

WK 2 Comments on Dana Kohl's Blog

Chapter 4: Being a Contribution

"The drive to be successful and the fear of failure are, like the head and tail of a coin, inseparably linked."-Zander

I have never thought of it this way, but one does not exist without the other. As I read this chapter for the week, I questioned why I should see the world in this light. What anxiety this outlook creates. I have always lived aspects of my life in survival mode, have to be something, learn something, and so forth. And as Zander found, the more accomplishments and achievements don't actually lessen the anxiety and tension. When will I arrive and breathe a sigh of relief? Now I'm thinking what about contributing? On a basic scale, I feel I do contribute quite a bit; however, I honestly can't say I've been living my life daily from a place of contribution.

This chapter embodies the power of positive thinking. Zander instructs us that by being a contribution "You instantly shift the context from one of survival to one of opportunity for growth." Such a simple concept, yet without it being brought to the forefront of my mind, or reminded on a consistent level, I can easily sweep it under the rug. I'm loving the shift...and now, according to rule 6, I have to not take my self so seriously. It's a work in progress.

Posted by Dana Kohls at 9:27 AM

1 comments:

loriluvboyds said...

Dana,

I loved how you brought out such a great point in our reading this week. We have all been in the survival mode at some point and in my case... too much of the time. Why add the anxiety and tension of feeling like it is going to be what it's going to be no matter what or are we looking at it wrong. The reality is there will always be things we can change and things we cannot so the power of positive thinking is a plus in my book. I know it is hard sometimes to realize we all contribute good and bad to our world but it is important to realize we have value and our contributions are worth something. I think your absolutely right that we need to take ourselves seriously and make life change for the better every chance we get!

September 13, 2010 7:09 PM

WK 2 Free Choice on Motivation

Great website:   http://www.motivation_tools.com/

This is a great motivational site to check out.   One comment made under the Elements of Motivation struck me.   It was as follows:  "People who have a vision control their destiny and lifestyle.   For people without a vision, their destiny and lifestyle is controlled by others".   We all have different thoughts on the word destiny, but the one thing we can agree on possibly is if we do not have a vision we do not know which direction we would like to go in.   

The graphic above is how teenagers desire to excel and is found on this site.   It breaks apart the path of intellectuals and non-intellectuals and what could possibly happen with them, but tells us how one things is evident... all students need alternatives because there are too many factors when deciding someone's fate.   This is worth checking out!  Let me know what you think!

WK 2 Comments on Donna Thomas' Blog

Preparing for the Final AR Web Phase

Donna Thomas

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Month 11 has finally arrived and it’s as if I finally get the Full Sail University process. Over these months, I’ve been given tasks that seem to be a part of a puzzle. From time to time, I wouldn’t always be on board with what was needed, but I knew it was necessary. As I prepare for updating and preparing my Action Research site for scrutiny by my professors, I see why we were given the opportunity to build the site month by month. This process gives the learner the ability to construct and deconstruct what has been done and gain greater insight on what not only our topic is, but the research process itself.

Lori Irwin

Donna,

Well said!   I agree that over time I didn't always understand the process even though they told us that over and over again, but it's clicking now and I finally realize why I struggle more than I should.    Even though I feel like the process is tedious at times, it is making me a stronger student and scrutinizing my work more closely.   The research process has been a real eye opener for me.    I'm glad to see someone else has gone through the same thought process.   Good luck with your last couple of weeks with this program.

Monday, September 13, 2010 - 08:43 PM

WK 1 Wimba

I was able to watch the archive for the Wimba session on August 31st and was taking notes like crazy!   There is a lot of information and your right when you say that September is a busy work month and a busy month for completing some very important assignments.    I found it very helpful that the information needed on our AR websites was broken down in a way that I was able to understand more of what is expected from me.   I do plan on checking into either Time Machine or Drop Box to back up my AR website.   Listening to the questions and answers given is always helpful because so many times I have the same questions.   I am nervous about all that is expected but hope it will continue to clear up with each step as we go.   Looking forward to the rest of this month...

WK 1 Free Choice - Ron Clark

I love true-life stories where educators make a difference in someone’s life.   When I watched the Ron Clark Story I was fascinated with his life story.   He was a North Carolina teacher who had an amazing record of success with students and he taught them to Dream Big.   This has been my motto long before I ever heard of Ron Clark.   But, he took it a step farther and quit his comfortable job and went to New York City to teach a class no one wanted.   Because he saw the potential in each one of them and did not give up on them, they are successful even today.   He has since then written many books and has an academy in Atlanta, Georgia that I was lucky enough to go and visit.  

First hand I was able to see how hard he was on them, but how much they were learning.   They also travel to all of the continents and the field trips are everyday experiences that he turns into a lesson.   He stands on desks, raps with lessons they need to learn, and teaches them respect for others as well as themselves.   His Co-Founder, Lauren Bearden has the same enthusiasm and it motivates me to be a better teacher every time I look at anything on his website.   He was able to purchase the building in Atlanta with money from a book he has written.   One day he was on the Oprah show and the next day his book was in the top ten best seller list and the proceeds went towards the purchase of the building.   The location was not great and he was vandalized quite a bit in the beginning.  But, he quickly realized he needed the locals who were drug dealers and prostitutes to see the benefit for them to keep it safe.   He went door to door selling his philosophy and now they are completely safe.   His story is worth checking out and he has a teacher’s club you can purchase that shares his ideas and suggestions for a powerful class.   Check him out!  

Wk 1 Comments on Jodi Zeigler's Blog

thursday, september 2, 2010

MAC Week 1: Art Of Possibility

The Art of Possibility

The power of positive thinking is truly a powerful tool! Zander’s experience with music is a perfect way to set the “tone” for explaining his views on possibility. I agree that we all seem to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I find myself making judgments and assumptions on a daily basis that are limiting my view on the world and things that are indeed possible. What we can achieve is limitless, but our ability to create a mind set that is open and judgment free is incredibly difficult due to the underlying information we learn growing up in our society. I find it amazing how often I hear my students saying they can’t do something before they have even tried it. It seems people are so terrified of failing that they are scared to even attempt something they may be great at. Zander uses his musical teaching metaphors to explain this view of limitless possibility, as a teacher I feel it is critical for us to embrace this mindset and try to instill it in our students, so their future is full of possibility.

Posted by jzeigler101

at 11:26 AM

loriluvboyds said...

You have said a mouthful... the power of positive thinking has healed many health issues, created positive relationships and helps people who allow it to be a major factor in living an unbelievable life. Music has always been very emotional for me in a good and bad way. I've always told people they can tell my moods by the music I am listening to. I do believe the power of positive thinking is so crucial to our well being. 

I know you talked about how amazed you are at how your students say they can't do different things. We have actually had a funeral for the word can't the first week of school to let them know that word will drag them down and I remind them how they can accomplish anything if they set their mind to it! Thanks for sharing something positive!

September 5, 2010 8:58 PM

Wk 1 Comments on Tamara Collin's Blog

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2010

Week 1 MAC: Collins, Tamara - The Art of Possibility CH 1-3

Thus far the first few chapters of The Art of Possibility have been quite interesting. The authors begin with discussing a person’s perceptions. The authors mentioned that we perceive only the sensations we are programmed to receive (Zander & Zander, p. 10). The authors go on to discuss that we are restricted to recognize those for which we have mental maps or categories (p. 11). We have created a world that makes sense to us through our on perceptions. Along with cultural differences interpretations of the world vary from individual to individual or from group to group (p. 13). Our lives constructed through a series of events and memories, which ultimately shape who we are or become. This leads us into the next chapter, Stepping into the Universe of Possibility.

In the chapter Stepping into the Universe of Possibility the authors mention that we grow up in a world of measurement. This is where we get to know things by measuring them, contrasting and comparing them (p. 18). In this world you set a goal and strive for it.

Giving an A is the third chapter in The Art of Possibility. It begins by discussing that in the University of the California a leadership course was given to 50 of the most prominent students of the 27,000-student population. The professors gave a third of letters grades, a’s, b’s and c’s. It seems that we as educators tend to give students grades as a means to compare them to others in their classroom. The book quoted a saying by Michelangelo that inside every block of stone or marbles dwells a beautiful statue; one need only remove the excess material to reveal the work of art within. I agree with the writers when they said that if we were to apply Michelangelo’s visionary concept to education, it would be pointless to compare one child to another (p. 26).

It seems that we often are caught up with not only how much information a student has retained, but if are students are doing what we are telling them. Often times this leads us away from truly acknowledging the different gifts students may possess. The Art of Possibility has begun to show exactly that... what if?

Zander, R., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press

Posted by Tamara Paris Collins at 8:37 AM

loriluvboyds said...

Tamara, I so agree with you when you talked about student's potential. We look at test data and overlook what the students possibilities are. Each student brings something new to the class and can offer a different perspective as long as we realize children are more than just the grade they receive on a paper. We have worked with rubrics last year but really plan to allow them to serve a greater purpose this year by allowing for creativity.

September 5, 2010 8:46 PM

Week 1 Reading

I am really enjoying this book so far because it goes along with a lot of my own philosophies.   In chapter one the author compared what frogs see or do not see to what humans see and I had never heard this point of view before.  Basically, we all (frogs and humans) are selective in what we are programmed to receive.   A frog does what it is programmed to do and as humans we have greater potential, but still have limits.

In chapter two I loved his statement about how we can extend beyond our borders that confine us to everyday reality.   In the world of measurement we tend to survive or try to find ways to stay alive.   As a human being we do tend to seek to acquire more and treat others as competitors.   I believe some of that depends on how we view ourselves and how much play our inadequacies or our belief of what they are have on how we tackle this journey we are on.

Giving an A was an interesting chapter because I could relate to the section that described Michelangelo’s visionary concept.   We tend to think everything must be earned and when we compare ourselves to fellow classmates or friends or family we can fall short and that does affect our performance.