MAC Wk 4 - All Good Things...

Well, here we are at the end of another course. I am feeling pretty relieved, but I guess maybe I will miss this program after it is over. I really have learned so much, and so much of it I can actually use (and I am using!) for my work and future. After I graduated from college, I felt like I had a worthless piece of paper in my hand, but now all of this hard work is already starting to pay off. I hope that my classmates have gotten as much out of this program as I have. Well, 11 down, 1 to go!

MAC Wk 4 - Comments to Karen

"I saw 3 of my students at the grocery store today and they said they couldn't wait for school to start.  I told them I've already been thinking of my lesson plans and I am going to start with spanking everyone and throwing them in the garbage can!  They all laughed and as they were hugging, they said, Yea, I love music class with you!  Not even such a silly remark could make them think I would really do such a thing to them!  They know what ever we do, they are going to love it.  They are so trusting.  I have a huge responsibility, of teaching these children the standards, and doing it with love and such enthusiasm and fun that they catch and keep that spirit."

I'm really sorry to hear all the stuff you have gone through with your computer. And what happened with that one professor. You'll have to tell me who it was! Just kidding.

It makes me happy to know that some kids are looking forward to school starting. I don't ever remember feeling that way as a kid, and it is hard for me to imagine kids feeling that way. I hope that once my kids at my new school get to know me, they will be looking forward to school starting too.

MAC Wk 4 - Comments to Kenya

"When we teach children to accept responsibility, we must be mindful that we, too, must do the same. Accountability is the name of the game. We must indeed be the board that the game of life is being played on for every move our player takes, is one that we have caused whether through knowledgeable desire or ignorant indifference. I don't know about you but I prefer to be the control behind the pieces rather than just a pawn."

I love what you said about how we must do what we are teaching our children to do. It's no wonder that kids are always trying to blame things on other people. They learn how to do that from the adults around them! Even though new laws say that everyone must be accountable, people always want to blame someone else when things go wrong. Administrators blame teachers, teachers blame administrators, and it goes on and on. We can't fix a problem if we keep chasing our tails.

MAC Wk 4 - Telling the WE Story

I admit, when I read this post, I could not think of a single person who I had helped to achieve their dreams, but I just got a facebook message from a close friend of mine who is starting her dream as I sit here and type this. She is on her way to London to participate in the Fulbright teacher exchange program and she couldn't be more excited. She has always wanted to go overseas and teach, and she says that I inspired her to do it. I don't really think that I did much, but she says when she heard of my experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bolivia, she wanted to do something similar. All I really did was be her friend for a few years, but she says I had something to do with her fulfilling her dream and going to London. I am very proud of her and I hope that she stays long enough for me to go and visit!

MAC Wk 4 - Lofty Goals

I guess I have some pretty high aspirations when it comes to places that I would like to present, but hey, I might as well aim high, right? I would like to do a national conference because I want to travel, is that so wrong? Well, most of the ones that would be likely are right here in Austin, TX so I would only get to travel up the road a ways. One is all the way down in San Antonio!

Seriously, I think the TABE conference or the TCEA conferences would both be good choices. Some of them, like the gaming conference, I might be able to do once I add in the information that I will be getting as I work in the Globaloria program in the upcoming year. Speaking of Globaloria, I will be going to the Globaloria summer workshop in two weeks, so while I am there, I will ask about presenting at the December workshop. They already know me, so they just might let me do it. Also, the Region XIII Education Service Center offers professional development for teachers here in Austin year round, so that is definitely another avenue I am exploring.

I did find something that was especially promising. On a website called WeAreTeachers is having a video contest with the prompt "What does 21st Century Readiness Mean to You?" They are looking for one minute videos addressing the prompt and the winner receives a trip to the National Summit on 21st Century Readiness in Washington, D.C. in October. I think I might just enter, if I ever finish all these blog posts.

MAC Wk 4 - Now Where Do I Go?

OK, so here are some ideas of where to present:

Texas Computer Education Association Conference (February 2011)
Texas Association of Bilingual Educators Conference (October 2010)
Texas Association for Alternative Education Conference (February 2011)
International Society for Technology in Education Conference (June 2011)
National Middle School Association Conference (November 2010)
Texas Charter Schools Conference
National Charter Schools Conference
Texas Council for Teachers of English Language Arts (January 2011)
National Council of Teachers of English (November 2010)
Teachers Teaching With Technology International Conference (February 2011 - San Antonio)
National Science Teachers Association National Conference (March 2011)
Austin Women in Technology Conference (February 2010)
Games for Change Festival
Cyber Summit on 21st Century Readiness

MAC Wk 4 - To Publish or Not to Publish?

That is the question. Well, that's not really the question. The question is: To Publish or to Present?

Well, I really don't like giving presentations. I get really bad stage fright. Even sitting here typing this post is kind of making me nervous. Yet, despite all this, I would rather present my work than publish it. I would really like the personal connection that I won't be able to get if I simply publish my work. If I were to present it, I might make a connection with an educator that wouldn't necessarily have time to read certain publications. I can tell stories, I can make it more personal, I can make it real. When you publish this type of academic work, you don't necessarily get that opportunity.

So, where should I present? I would like it to be somewhere with some regular, everyday teachers. I might consider presenting also at some type of technology teachers association, but technology teachers probably already have an idea about using social networking sites in education, and I would like to reach some teachers that perhaps may have never thought about it before. Since I prefer small groups, it would be even nicer if it was a small venue, or even a panel situation. I went to the National Science Teachers Association convention last year, and it was a very well-organized conference with lots of rooms and a great variety of topics being presented. I think that might be kind of a big goal, and I don't know if this really qualifies as science, but I would like to go back to a conference like that.

MAC Wk 3 - E-Books

I love technology, I really do, but I do not love e-books. I am enjoying reading the Art of Possibility, but every time I sit down to read, I can't help but think how much more I would get out of it if I was reading it in my nice cozy bed. I just can't curl up with a laptop like I can with a book. Although there are some things about technology that can help us communicate and connect to others (skype, facebook, etc.) but I am also recognizing that it can also separate us from each other. I could spend all night on facebook, or I could go out to a coffee shop with my friends and interact with live people. For some reason, reading a book (a real book) seems like a much more intimate, personal experience than reading an e-book.  I also get too easily distracted when I try to read an e-book. There are so many other things on my computer to distract me, that I am finding it very hard to read. If I just had a book in my hand and could go to a room with no computers or outside or something with very few distractions, I could read this book the way the author originally intended.

MAC Wk 3 - Comments to Isabel

"I believe that is in this chapter that Roz mentions walking alongside a river in New England where “the river roared like mad, its water roiling by with incessant energy”.  In this instance she takes an existential leap and asks the river’s force to run through her.  Something about this story really struck me- the idea of calling on nature to let its beauty and energy flow through you.  I take time everyday to watch the sunset- it is that moment of peace I give to myself each day.  I like to do this alone- I don’t mind company but I prefer to do it alone. I am always amazed by the beauty of nature but I ad never once thought of it as a force- something tangible that I could command or that had anything to offer me.  So I decided to try it out on the next sunset and I will admit I was expecting some kind of life changing experience but it was nothing like that.  I still enjoyed it and plan on doing it again. 

Maybe its because I am not musically inclined but I find that I relate more to the stories shared by Roz in these last 3 chapters.  Her stories have a connection to nature that I enjoy and relate to.  Is anybody else feeling more in-tune with one of the others than the other?"

Isabel,

At first I found it hard to relate to Ben Zander's connection to music. The concept of conducting an orchestra seems so utterly foreign to me, but I can really relate to a lot of the things that Zander says. I am beginning to see that conducting an orchestra is really a metaphor for many other things be it being a teacher, administrator, parent, or in some type of corporate management type position. I will be looking for Roz's interactions with nature as I continue reading. Thank you for pointing this out.

MAC Wk 3- Comments to Karen

"We need to always see the other side.  I had to stop working on my lit review to take an elderly woman some CD's my son is selling, to make money for his trip to Syria (he leaves Tuesday).  I took them, and ended up staying for almost 4 hours because she needed to talk.  It turns out her husband is about in the same situation my mother in law is in and she never gets to talk to people who remember what she says.  Her husband was our assistant superintendent for years, so it's difficult to see him like this.  I pray I can get this lit review finished as those 4 hours were important for work, but how could I leave her?  I think I was meant to be there, so I am praying God will help me as I work on these references to get them into APA order, in spite of the computer NOT working after getting fixed and my eyes are getting worse, not better. Whew"

Karen,

I am glad you took time away from your busy schedule to spend time with your elderly friend. In my opinion, we so rarely take time just to appreciate our friends and family. No lit review (or phone call or wimba) can take the place of those four hours you spent with that woman. It probably meant so much to her. When we immerse ourselves so fully in this world of cell phones, computers, and work, we can easily overlook those tender moments of human interaction. Even though our program is very important, I try never to put my priority on a phone call or homework, or something inanimate, when there is a live person right in front of me. You never know how much longer that live person will be around, and you will never regret that time spent with them when they are gone.

MAC Wk 3 - The Way Things Are

Reading chapter 7 of Ben Zander's The Art of Possibility entitled: The Way Things Are was really the first time while I was reading that I began to disagree with him a little. I don't necessarily think that you should always simply accept the way things are. Zander compared human beings to the animals in Babe and said that the duck speaks for most of us when he says that "The way things are stinks," but I disagree. I believe that one of society's biggest problems is that too many people act like the cow and accept things that they should not accept. There are way too few people in the world trying to change things. Of course, if you just complain about how much things stink, you won't get anywhere either. I understand that Zander is saying not to simply accept things like the cow does, but not to live in denial about the world. It reminds me of the serenity prayer:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

The key here to me is the wisdom that Zander fails to mention - maybe it will come later in the book. His point is a little clearer to me later on when he discusses glasses that are half empty and half full. What he is really trying to say is that all we need to do is change our attitude, our perspective on the world and our circumstances. I think the key is not to accept the way things are, but to understand why things are the way they are. If we understand why, then we can know the difference between what we can change and what we can't. Focus on the why.

MAC Wk 2 - Passing on the Possibilities

Now that I think I finally have my own life under control (at least for the moment) I have been called upon to help someone else and I am struggling. A friend of mine who lost her job a few months ago called me this week and asked if she could move in with me because she had no other place to stay. She is an older lady in her 60s and she was recently diagnosed with glaucoma and is losing her sight. She is feeling very down on herself right now and doesn't feel like anyone would want to hire her even though she is talented, articulate, and good at her job. I am especially thankful that this month I am reading The Art of Possibility because there are some very good ideas that I can not only apply to my own life, I can pass them on to her. I also, for the first time, am thankful for all the hell I went through over the past year because it really has made me a stronger person and has given me a set of skills and experiences that I can use to help other people. But this is a difficult journey. Being depressed is difficult and since I have only recently come out of my depression, being around someone who is also depressed is especially stressful. I will continually look to Ben Zander for help.

MAC Wk 2 - Comments to Patti L.

"In fewer than three weeks, I will be starting a new adventure in my life (no… not the parenting thing… that comes about in the spring).  Last year, I received a letter of non-renewal for my position as a 9th grade English teacher.  I was devastated.  I thought I had found a home at my school, and I had no plans to leave it.  I was in love with my students, my faculty, and my successes as a teacher.  However, as some of us are aware, when you’re low man on the totem pole, it doesn’t matter how much of your heart and soul you commit to your job.  Now, through the goodness of a former principal (from the same school), I will be trying on my new hat as an 8th grade reading teacher.  As part of my students’ reading response journals, I’m going to try Ben Zander’s assignment of having my students write down their contributions.  In an age where the written and the spoken word are being replaced by the digital media world, it is important for students to tell stories and to show others the joy of reading and writing."

Patti,

I am so sorry to hear of your experience at your former school. I can definitely relate to it and I am glad that you have found another place. I am also embarking on a new adventure this coming school year, and I wish you the best of luck. I can tell that you are a passionate and compassionate person and that is the most important thing you have to contribute to your students.

MAC Wk 2 - Comments to Becky

"At one point, the author stated that “the conductor decides who is playing in his orchestra.” When he comes in, everyone is in their seats and he can recognize who is bored and how they are going to participate. I relate this to being a teacher, especially of mathematics. When I start the year, I can see the students that enjoy math and are excited about math. I can also see the kids that have a goal of not being noticed the entire year. I am the conductor of my class and I get to decide who plays and how they participate. I don’t think my students know this, but I try to find those students that are not confident and math and I try to get them involved as much as possible, especially at times that I feel they will get a correct answer to build their confidence. "

Becky,

I like how you related being a conductor to being a teacher. I agree that we are the conductors of our classes and we are responsible for getting our students to play the most beautiful "music" possible, even if our music is in reading, math, or science. Allowing our students to conduct from their seats and do things they never thought possible is something we as teachers should always strive for. Thank you for sharing.

MAC Wk 2 - Being a Contribution

I have to say that the book The Art of Possibility is very uplifting. Right now I am at a relatively good and stable place in my life but in the past there have been moments when I definitely did not feel like I was much of a contribution. In today's world, it can be very easy to get wrapped up in the competitiveness of day to day life and get down on ourselves.

Last year was a hard year for me, a time when I had very few days when I felt like a contribution. When I think about the past year, it is easy for me to slip back into my old negative ways. Now I have a new job and a new outlook on life.  I am now able to pass on the positivity to my students, friends, and family.

Have I been a contribution today? I think that I have, but the biggest contribution that I think I can make right now is by passing on this information to others. I have a friend who recently lost her job. She was no longer able to afford an apartment of her own and she asked if she could move in with me. I didn't really know her very well, at work we were basically just acquaintances, but I agreed to let her stay with me. Is this my contribution? I don't really think so. I was just doing what anyone else would do for a friend in need. But I can contribute to her in a bigger way. Having gone through some terrible things in the past year, I can be a friend and inspiration to her, which can have even more of an impact than simply providing houseroom. I hope.

MAC Wk 1 - My Own Possibilities

This past week I had the opportunity to visit with some amazing people and educators in the state of West Virginia. A few months ago I was hired to teach at a new charter school here in Austin. This new charter school is part of an incredible pilot program implementing Globaloria, a curriculum designed to teach kids to develop their own educational, socially oriented, web-based computer games using Flash. The curriculum incorporates many web 2.0 tools and has a truly innovative approach to education. My school is the only school in Texas to be using the program and the only other place where it is being implemented is in another pilot program that has been in place for three years in the state of West Virginia.

While I was in West Virginia going through training to learn just exactly what Globaloria is and what I am supposed to be teaching, I had the opportunity to meet some incredible people who are passionate about what they are doing and why they are doing. It was truly refreshing to see the amount of support the Globaloria program has in West Virginia and how willing they are to implement new technology and new methods. Even though I was so far away, I felt completely at home with the people I met. They embraced me (they gave me an "A") and I realized that what made this program truly special was not the technology, but the people behind it. 

MAC WK 1 Response to Stacey

"Last year the idea of "POSSIBILITY" was so easy for me to envision, but the closer I get to completing school the box opportunity seems to get smaller. I find myself restricting myself and losing sight of a purpose. My thoughts and actions are becoming limited which is moving my passion to uncomfortable. The chance to step into the "Universe of Possibility" that I designed and visualized is becoming challenging and my fear is not allowing me to continue in my transformation. The idea that I must continually question, "how my thoughts and actions, in this moment, reflections of the measurement world?", forces me to acknowledge that there will be struggles and fears, but there are possibilities in the transformation."

Stacey,

I am glad that you chose to write about some of the uncertainties and fears you are facing jumping off of this cliff into the realm of possibility. Many people in school, including our students, face the same fears you are facing. The world of possibility seems so big that at some point it overwhelms you and it seems to come crashing down. I think this book can help us as students and teachers realize that what is really scary is how we are going to be judged. The important thing is to cast aside these fears of being judged so that we can truly embrace our abilities.

MAC WK 1 Response to Lori

"One day after school, a student stopped in to chat. he says’ You know Ms. Pick, your classroom feels better than any other room in this school! I always know I can be myself in here and you are ok with it. I can feel it when I walk down the hall towards the art room. it feels lighter in here!”

This brought tears to my eyes and the student asked me why. I realized that in creating a “ safe place” for myself to create in, I had made it good for anyone who spends time in the art room and this student validated my natural instincts"

Lori,

I really enjoyed reading your post. The most important thing a teacher can start with is creating an open an accepting environment for their students. I am glad to see your students recognize this in you. I was a good student in school, but there are very few teachers that truly stand out in my mind. The ones that do are the ones that create an environment like you have described. Kids can sense a positive attitude. Thank you for sharing your story.

MAC Wk1 Reading: Giving an A

I really enjoyed this reading more than I thought I would. It is definitely a nice change from all of the scholarly reading we have been doing, and in some ways more applicable to life. Although I think a lot of what Mr. Zander said are things that have been said before in other ways (like the power of positive thinking and self-fulfilling prophesies) I really felt that using the term "giving an A" encapsulates his message in a great way. So often we set ourselves up for failure by looking at what can't be done instead of what can be done.

This year I will be teaching an entirely new subject in an entirely new school and for the first time in my teaching career, I will be free of having the dreaded TAKS test hanging over my head. For some reason, I think that by giving my kids an A to start with, we will all be able to go much further than we would otherwise. Since I am teaching an entirely new subject and all of the kids basically start out in the same place, at zero, we might as well all start out with an A, right?

Wk4 Wimba

In listening to this week's Wimba archive, I realized that I had been selecting learning management systems for use in my classroom without even realizing that was what they were. While doing my action research project, I used Edmodo to create an online book club for my class. This site had only a few simple features, but it was a nice way to introduce my kids to online learning. They were able to post links and comments and respond to comments by others, turn in online assignments, and answer poll questions I made up, but it was very limited (kids could not send messages directly to one another to prevent cyber-bullying) and I felt it was appropriate and safe for my fifth graders. I chose Edmodo over Ning because Edmodo is add free and I wanted my kids to focus on group discussions rather than direct messages. For my current position, my school wants the kids to have e-mail and blogs and has elected to use gmail which I am not really comfortable with. I don't feel it has all of the options and safety features that I think are necessary when dealing with young students (I work with sixth graders now) and I have been trying to persuade them to use Gaggle. I have also heard of Schoology and after the discussion, I think this would be worth exploring.