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.