Week 4 Comment - Nandi

Nandi's post:

Blame is an awful excuse that lets go of your ability to take responsibility for the set of events that are happening. The opposite of that is taking responsibility for what happens. Being the board itself is like being on the front line of any game. You have the power in your hand to transform any condition given to you. Should haves are common place in my life. I have been at the helm of my fault game for decades, unceasingly blaming myself for all shortcomings.

I think it was a great strategy to get Cora back into the orchestra. I am a director and know what its like when people don't show up for rehearsal. I have had to apologize for my frustrations to students. "You do not find compassion simply by listening to people; you open the channel by removing the barriers to tenderness within you." This quote is to die for because where always feeling that something will be taken away from us if we show compassion to others or show humility.

The story of the little bald girl was my story. Here it was that my hair had been very damaged so my father cut my hair down as low as a boys. Eventually I stopped wearing the scarf to school. All the children laughed at me but then they got over it and just asked me why was my hair so short. My teacher was bossy and she commanded that I remove my scarf. I knew that they would have taken it off during recess time anyway.

As far as leadership is concerned, the leader must be willing to understand what control is. It is not something that could kill the joy of living. The teens in the New England Conservatory stayed up all night because they were excited to be in Brazil. Now how do you control that inspiration. They didn't need a punishment for living it up in a foreign land. Mission statement is let's have fun. When talking about vision while looking at it in a possibility way, a vision does not contain no specifics of time, place, audience or product. A vision is freedom.

The beauty of life is to pass off the good energy to another. I think that happened when they sent their letters to NASA. They were inspired about the reason why they do what they do. You would think that such a huge organization wouldn't have the time to look at letters but they did and they were changed by reading them.

The We principle is only hard cause its so easy to get back into the ego. I for one can’t stop thinking about my problems that I face everyday let alone start thinking about the other person and how they may be negatively affected by my actions. But I will consider this practice as it will free me from being to consumed by myself.

My comment:

Nandi,

I too spend too much time blaming myself for shortcomings. Mostly this happens in my parenting. I always worry that I'm not there enough for my kids. It's a nagging guilt and regret that gets to me sometimes. Still though I think my kids understand, and I'm being careful to make special time for them, and to do a better job at listening.

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Week 4 Comment - Laura

Laura's Post:

During this week, I have had the opportunity to really put into effect some of the practices of this book as I have watched my mother-in-law rapidly decline in health and then pass away. We were all there and it was incredibly sad, but incredibly peaceful as we said goodbye. I have been actively trying to just be present in this moment, with all that it is. I have tried to help my children, who were very close to her- we are all a close family- to also be present and just be, whatever that means for each one. We have not gone to the games of regret or blame- we have simply been here. My presentation Tuesday was very rough and my children were sometimes loud or awkward at difficult times, and I found myself later saying- “How Fascinating!” It was so freeing to my soul to just experience what is right now and to give that to the others around us.

As I read through the rest of the chapters, I have decided to add this one thing more to my classroom- I plan on creating a class vision with the students. This will be my goal when we return from break, to create a place for the We that each student can identify with. I would like to help them reach for the possibility in other ways and teach them some of the principles as the year goes on. I will be rereading this book- and adding more each time.

On a side note of being- as I was writing this entry, I could see my four year old backing up to me while I typed. I quickly put up the computer so he could take his favorite place on my lap. It was glorious to bask in that quiet moment together.

My post:

Laura,

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. My grandmother passed away almost two years ago, and my children still talk about missing her. Each of my children chose things of hers that were special to them. This really helped them feel like they had their own little piece of her.

This book is one that I will definitely re-read. I really appreciated how the author seems to speak to each of us individually. I think that it was very thoughtful of our professor to give this to us at this point in the program as well.

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Week 4 Reading

Being the chess board for me is the delicate balance of "wearing many hats". I have many roles in my life. I am a head of household, a mother, a girlfriend, a coach, a teacher, a friend, a daughter, and probably other things to. Oh yes, and a student....soon to be a graduate! My life is definitely an ongoing game of strategy, but usually so long as I get enough sleep, I manage things quite successfully.

I especially liked the quote, "as the board, or the context in which life occurs to you, is to give yourself the power to transform your experience of any unwanted condition into one with which you care to live. It's so true! There are so many things in life that don't go as planned, and some of them can be pretty bad, but it is possible to find something good that comes from these situations.

I find that so many people refuse to accept responsibility for what goes on in their lives. Especially being a high-school teacher, I hear my students blame anyone and everyone but themselves. I try to teach kids to consider the consequences before they make choices, rather than afterward. I teach them to be accountable to themselves. It is always easier to blame someone else though.

The Art of Possibility is a read that reminds us of many things we already know, but forget while going through the daily grind. It's been good for me to be reminded. I'm sure my family will appreciate my reflection from reading this book. I'm a better person for it.

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Wk4 Publishing/Leadership project part 2 of 2: Exergaming in Physical Education

1. I have chosen to do a presentation, and would like to present at the E-Learn 2011 Conference in Honolulu, HI. More specifically, I will be submitting my presentation in the category for Tutorials/Workshops. I chose this category, because I think that many educators are still skeptical about how video games can be used for exercise. By providing a demonstration of the circuit and having people participate, they would be able to see what Exergaming has to offer to individuals or classes of students. This particular conference has a wide, multidisciplinary focus, including e-learning in in corporate, government, and healthcare communities. Although my AR project focus was on high school students, the Exergaming lab can be duplicated and adapted for any age or environment.

To visit the conference site, you may click on the link below.

http://www.aace.org/conf/elearn/

I also considered submitting a presentation proposal to AECT or Association for Educational Communications and Technology. The 2011 conference is in Jacksonville, FL which is close to home for me and easy to attend. This association is dedicated to improving teaching with technology. To access the AECT site, please click on the link below.

http://www.aect.org/default.asp

To view my presentation, please click on the following link:

Jerue_Julie_PublishingLeadership Project

The commentary for the project can be found at:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B87ou5aVBwNnMGYyMzZiZGMtYzg3ZS00YjBjLTgyNDUtOGQ1NGVhZmVkMTMw&hl=en&authkey=CMu0jfkE

Week 3 Where to Go From Here

I really like the book that was chosen for this class. It provoked a lot of thoughts, some that I'm not ready to accept or that I necessarily wanted to think about. In all honesty, I didn't take the time to read all that was required. What I did read was inspiring and depressing, but the possibilities are up to me to embrace or ignore. Will I take what I have learned and pursue my dream, or will I except my fate and decide that it is too difficult to chase.

I know that my dream job is to work from home, to make a decent wage, to have the flexibility to travel more with my bicycle racing, and be more present in my children's lives. I want to create the learning platform for online education programs. Most specifically with Florida Virtual Schools as it is part of the same Florida Retirement System that I am already a part of. At least for the next three years until I am vested. The job openings are there, but they require experience with CSS, Photoshop, and other similar applications. I want to take additional classes, so that I am qualified to apply. This will come at a cost though, mostly to my children. At what point do I put my dreams aside to make sure they are receiving enough of my attention? This is a constant question I wrestle with. Hopefully the solution will become clear soon!

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Week 3 Comment 2 Katie Lovette

Katie's Post:

The Way Things Are: Sometimes settling for the way things are is a lowering of expectations, sometimes it’s finding a starting point so that one can make things better. Where are you in this continuum?

I don’t think we settle for the way things are, I believe we give in because it becomes too difficult to try to make things better. Sometimes we get lucky and a door will open that allows us to start something that will eventually lead to making it better.

Well I’m not always an optimist and I tend to let things stay if it’s too hard to change it. Where I work if I get the opportunity to change things I do or at least I hope on board with others to help in any way I can.

Giving Way to Passion: Control says that the only way to avoid disappointment and frustration is to not care at all. No hits, no runs, but most importantly, no errors. What are you doing in your daily life that expresses your passion or the things you are passionate about?

I teach and every day I get out of bed, dress, and drive out to the school with hopes that I inspire a student to fulfill his dreams. I want to watch them as the concept of storytelling hits them and they cannot wait to become the storyteller.

At home, I’m passionate about my family and pets. Each evening coming home is exciting. I know comfort and love is waiting. At the door our six dogs greet me as they do every member of the family and I’m thrilled to see each and every one of them. I pet and hug each one until their attention is drawn to something else. If it takes me 15 minutes to talk and pet each one, then it takes me fifteen minutes. I realize if I don’t do it today there may not be tomorrow. I don’t want to miss out on any of it.

Lighting a Spark. It’s not about us. It’s about them. What are you doing to pay-forward from your universe of possibility?

As teachers we’ve all had a teacher in our past that has inspired us in someway. The same goes for me. My inspiring teacher is my mentor today. Ella’s first semester teaching at the college was my first semester as a student there. Immediately she became a class favorite and although I had already been working in the business, she inspired me to branch out and try new areas.

Her inspiration has pushed me to hopefully inspire my students. Taking my cues from Ella, when a student complains he’s not smart enough or talented enough, I point out his strengths. I show him his productions and how well it is written or shot. If one struggles to get to class because they don’t have transportation, I tell them to turn an assignment in through email or online. I try to let them know that I will work it out with them. I try to pay forward the kindness and encourage my students as Ella encouraged and worked with us many years ago. And how she continues the same with her students today.

My comment:

Being involved in this program with Fullsail has been a whirlwind experience, but it has taken a considerable amount of time to fulfill the requirements. My children have paid the price. My daughter announced that she would be happy to go to my graduation, because then I would be allowed to play with them again. This made me feel so badly. This degree was important to me, but at what expense have I earned it? This goes back to the Duck or Cow, I guess. My children have learned that achieving things comes with some sacrifice. Since my daughter said that, I have made a conscious effort to stop what I am doing, and give the kids my full attention. I may not get another opportunity at that fifteen minutes!

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Week 3 - Comment 1 William Boswell

William's Post:

The reality of it all...

“Accepting things as they are” is not intended to be an exercise in complacency. As presented, it is simply intended for one to focus on what is real, rather than ignoring the truth of a given situation. Also, Zander does not intend for one to infer that the facts should dictate any particular course of action. One should not feel defeated simply because of his circumstances, but one also should not create an “alternate reality” in which his actions contradict his situation to the point of insanity. Choose the cliche you prefer: “play the cards you’re dealt,” “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade,” “you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken s%@t.” Our world is full of success stories that exist primarily because someone did not allow circumstances to prevent them from achieving their dreams. Don’t live with your head in the clouds, but don’t stuff it in the sand and ignore the possibilities.

My comment:

I feel the same way. Some of the best memories and opportunities in my life have come from situations that seemingly were not working out. It's been a "when one door closes, another door opens" kind of life. I hadn't thought of it all in terms of cliches until I read your post. It's funny how many there are for dealing with this topic.

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