Wk 4 Publishing Leadership Project

I am planning on presenting my project at the eTech conference in Ohio. I would like to present there because it is close to my hometown and it would be great to attend and see the other exhibits as well.

Think Out Loud Post #1

Think Out Loud Post #2

Park_Ashlee_PubLeadProject.ppt

Think Out Loud #2

For my first choice, I would like to present my presentation at the Ohio eTech Conference. My second choice would be the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C).  Both venues would be perfect for my subject. 

My comment to Janene

Janene's Post...

Wk4 The Art of Possibility Chapters 9-12

When I started teaching over ten years ago, I believe my whole body was filled with lighting ready to transfer to others. I wanted to relight a spark in my students, so they would be ready to take on the world.

Recently, I think my inner light has fizzled, and I see a dying light in my students.

Maybe it is the end of the year. Maybe I feel a little burned out. But when I read these last few chapters, I realized, I need to make a change in my thinking. I can still make a difference in my students’ lives. I can still light that spark.

How do I rekindle that feeling of making a difference? I know myself. I need to make a change with my professional life about every three to four years. Do something different like changing schools, positions, or curriculum. This really helps me with keeping my ideas fresh and new.

However, what about the students that have that darkness inside, but don’t want to let in the possibility of light? Every year, I try to motivate a student that just doesn’t want to work with me. Usually it’s a student that just wants to goof off, play around, distract others, and try to be the “cool/bad” kid. You all know them…we all have at least one in our class. This year, I just so happen to have two of them in one class. This is how I overcame this type of behavior. I gave both students a lot of leeway.

I let them work on a multimedia project together that consisted of a rap creation they created in Garageband Loops. I saw the spark...they showed the light.

Instead of me running around yelling at them to get to work, saying, “stop this”, or “stop that”, I provided my students with endless possibilities. My students found new technology knowledge, created a content skill rap song, minimized distractions, and had fun. I was able to do my job…which is mold young minds. WE all learned from this experience.

My comment...my comment said it needed approved, it didn't show up, but I did comment?? So I had to retype this may not be verbatim but it works...

Hi Janene, 
I think its great that your sharing what you have learned here with some students who need something different. I am sure they loved every minute of it! I also think its great that you know yourself well enough to know when you need a change. I know several teachers who needed a change some time ago but didn't want to put forth the effort that a change requires. A good teacher knows and will change for herself and her students! 

My comment to Laurie

Laurie's Post...

The chapter Lighting the Spark in Zanders book, Art of Possibility states that passion rather than fear is the igniting force of possibility.  He discussed how the practice of enrollment is about giving yourself as a possibility to others and being ready, in turn, to catch their spark.  You become partners in a field of light.  I have experienced this many times through use of enrollment, getting others to see the light, through my passion verses using manipulative means to engage them.  Allowing them to see your passion gives them different perspectives thus unleashing possibilities that they would not otherwise have seen.  I am passionate about incorporating what I call the fun factor into my corporate training courses where my French colleagues culturally oppose this.

Fun training materials - Photo taken by Laurie Kish

Photo taken by Laurie Kish with permission

I prepared a training course on Project Management that I intended to release world wide to all our global sites that involved an interactive team building pirate adventure where they were required to dress up as pirates and journey across the open seas with the mission to find the treasure within a specified time-line, specified cost, and with a certain performance measure.  I presented this to my French colleagues just prior to launch and the mere idea of this seemed childish and they closed their minds immediately.  Of course fear ran through my soul and I felt attacked, and defeated after spending many weeks developing this module.  I decided to show them how passionate I was about learning effectiveness when hands on fun activities are integrated into the modules by convincing them to participate in a session to experience it first hand.  They agreed and in the end I opened up my module for their critique and comment and asked them to help me improve it so it was culturally acceptable to the French.  By doing this, I could see the light in their eyes as they engaged in helping me add more fun factors.  They were sold and to this day they often contact me to help them incorporate other fun examples into some of their training sessions.  The sparks of possibility are living within all of us; we just need to imagine that all people andsituations can be an invitation for enrollment.  

My comment to Laurie...

Hi Laurie,
This is really amazing! I love that you didn't get discouraged when others weren't "on your page." This story is rather inspiring to me as sometimes I have an idea and I feel like the more experienced teachers at my school would think I was crazy...for lack of a better term! I think after reading this chapter and your experience I could "get them on board" well maybe have more courage to try to "get them on board" Thanks so much for sharing!

Week 4 Reading...The Art of Possibility

When reading chapter 9, I was inspired by the term enrollment. I immediately thought of my classroom and how different it would be if the kids in my classroom could understand this term. I think if I were a high-school teacher I would read this portion of the book to my students. I really liked the story about the boy with the ten-dollar bill and no air for his bike tire, as well. In the book the author said, “ The scene changed right before our eyes from bankruptcy to abundance…” I loved this quote and isn’t it great that with a few different words everything can change?  This reminds me of when I was in the third grade and one time I asked my teacher, “Can I go to the bathroom?” She looked at me and said, “I don’t know, can you?” From then on I learned that I needed to say “May I…” This is totally different from the meaning of the book, but it just goes to show that the way you say something or look at any given situation really does make a difference. If the boy didn’t change the way he asked for the quarters the three wouldn’t have reached abundance, and if I didn’t learn to say “May I…” I wouldn’t have gotten very far in third grade!

In chapter 10, I was excited about the advice for what to do when feeling at my wits end…I thought to myself, wow now I might have all the answers!! From this chapter I gathered something that my father has told me my entire life! My father is famous for saying “You’re responsible for you and nothing else!” The quote I emailed to him was, “Gracing yourself with responsibility for everything that happens in your life leaves your spirit who and leaves you free to choose again.”  I really appreciated being able to give this to him and I know he’ll appreciate it.

This book has been a great read. I love all the personal stories shared and all the memories that it brings back to me. It allows me to reflect upon and rethink my everyday decisions. This has been the best textbook I have ever read so far throughout my entire education.  Thanks for a great read!

Week 3 Wimba Post

Watching the wimba archive was beneficial for me as many questions that I had were answered about the abstract and the week 4 wimba presentation. I am always thankful for the archive because I get to listen to other people's questions and I typically have no questions afterward and I can go about getting my work completed correctly.

When discussing the text...The Art of Possibility I agree that this book is a great reminder of things we already see and know everyday. These things may have been in front of us all along...just like the Honda Element, but now they speak to us or they are more clear. I think this book is great. Chapter 5 really spoke to me, but I can't say it's my favorite chapter. I like them all!

Month 11 is almost over...Post #4

I am just amazed at how fast these past eleven months have zipped by. I am starting to look forward to graduation and meeting everyone in person. I am even more excited about going back into my notebook  to sort through the hundreds of websites, web 2.0 tools, and technology ideas and figuring out how I am going change my classroom for the better. I am so blessed to have this opportunity and be able to provide new experiences for my future students.

Comment to Karl...Post #3

Karl's post...

MAC Week 3 - Post 1 Reading

As I read this week’s reading assignment, chapters 5-8 of “The Art of Possibility” by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander, I was slow in getting started. I admittedly was a bit distracted with mind chatter from an argument my wife and I had earlier in the morning. As I progressed further into the chapter on leading from any chair, I found I was getting back into the book. I loved the part where Ben talked about his trip to Cuba, where a local conductor working with a mixed group of Cuba and American musicians got frustrated and was ready to throw in the towel, Ben jumped in and had the Cuban musicians teach their American counterparts how to play the piece. Instantly, the two groups were playing it perfectly. Then they went to play a piece Ben had sent ahead for the Cubans to learn which had gotten hung up in the mail system and never arrived. The American musicians were then able to turn around and teach the piece to their Cuban counterparts and again the day was saved. To me this was a tremendous example of the lesson of leading from any chair.

I then started in on Rule # 6. This chapter could not have come at a more perfect time, as it was completely relevant to the argument that my wife and I had just hours before. This served to completely change my perspective of the argument; it also led me to look at my wife and our relationship in a new light. I just wish I knew how to follow Rosamund’s lead and she did in the section on the inventor and the money man. The chapter as a whole spoke to me in a profound way; I now need to get a sign to hang over my front door that reads, “Remember rule # 6.” This way every time I would see it as I walked out of the house and it would be a daily reminder to not take myself of life so seriously.

This also serves as a great lead in into “The way things are”. Learning to just accept things for being as they are can definitely have a profound impact on ones perspective and approach to life. You may never be able to change things in life, but learning not to dwell on the things in life that you cannot change and to just accept them for being what they are is huge. Why dwell on the fact that you are stuck in a 2 hour traffic jam that is going to make you late for an appointment? You can only get there when you get there. The over drive button on your shift level is not going to allow you to drive over the traffic that’s ahead. Why stress over the things that are out of you control? Instead would you not be better served to tell your self, this is what it is, I will get there when traffic will allow. Take advantage of the time to de-stress, instead of getting stressed. Go over what it is that you might want to say in your meeting, or to make some important phone calls that you weren’t going to be able to get to otherwise. Take advantage of that which is out of your control and find a way to make it work for you instead of against you. This chapter has tremendous possibilities in life.

Lastly was the chapter on “Giving way to passion”. To me this chapter makes sense but was the least meaningful by far of this weeks reading. It certainly makes sense to follow the advice of the chapter title, but at the same time, it doesn’t have impact to me that any of the preceding chapters do. Perhaps this is due to the way that the chapter is presented. It is a much shorter and less example filled chapter than the first seven in the book.  To me this approach didn’t give it the same impact that any of the others thus far have had.

My comment...

Hi Karl,
I was especially moved by the part about anyone leading from any chair. I witnessed this in my own classroom and it was very moving for me.

Rule #6 is great. On the inside of my front door at home I have a sign that reads "Make yourself proud." My grandfather always said this and he made a sign for me. I hung it on my door so I have to read it and remember his advice everyday before I leave to go anywhere. As I read this chapter I thought I should probably add another sign that reads "Remember Rule #6!!" Wouldn't life be much easier if we could all do this everyday!

Comment to Heather...Post #2

Heathers post..

A little honesty and humor in all that you do can be liberating!

After reading about the rule #6, I found myself completely agreeing with every aspect of it. I grew up an honest person, but never as honest as to help someone else realize their true ideals and personality. And I was never honest enough with myself to find the humor in it all. This chapter reminded me of the chapter on giving an A. You need to allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them in a positive way. In the Giving an A chapter, if you made a mistake, your just announce how fascinating it is. In this chapter, you discover your own faults and find the humorous way to acknowledge it, bring it to the surface and fix it. 

I enjoyed reading about the argument between the senior and junior partners at the company. Clearly, they both had their ideas and they both thought that the other was in the wrong. They let their egos, pride and selves get in the way. I wonder if they had thought about what is best for the company first instead of thinking of themselves, would they have had this argument? Bringing out the honesty in both of them, the kind of honesty that addresses the company and their values and abilities that correspond to the company, was highly valuable and helped them resolve their issues quickly. 

Occasionally, my mother and I have arguments on a level like this. But I have discovered that honesty in the situation can resolve things quickly. The honesty may hurt, but when I receive the feedback from her from now on, I will know to try and find a humorous way to look at it instead of focus on how it hurts my image. I just need to teach her the same thing so that we can always have an honest conversation, resolve our issues quickly and improve our relationship every time we talk!

My final thought on this issue is that I wish more people would let their images go and be honest with themselves. I highly dislike parent teacher conferences because I can never be as honest with them as I would like to be. Many parents hold up their guard for themselves and their children, but sometimes that guard is so thick that they are doing more harm than good. If we teachers could get through that barrier with a higher degree of ease and humor, than I think children could benefit from the home-school connection quicker and more successfully. Until then, I will have to keep sugar-coating everything!

My comment...

Honesty is the best policy...I agree! Great post...
I used to dread parent-teacher conferences as well, but recently we stared RTI (Response to Intervention) and we started documenting everything we do with a child related to intervention or even behaviors. Before this method was put into place I felt like there was more that I could be saying, but I didn't want to step on toes or maybe I wasn't as prepared with documentation. Now I don't sugarcoat. I have the documentation of where the child struggles and what I have been doing about it. This makes parent-teacher conferences better for everyone involved. I get to be brutally honest and its usually an eye-opener for most parents. It definitely has made those conferences a little easier on me.

Week 3 Reading...The Art of Possibility

While reading chapters 5-8 this week I enjoyed reading about the “silent conductor” and how you don’t have to have a special chair or podium to be a leader. Chapter 5 said that anyone can be a leader.

These words reminded me of a little girl in my classroom.  This particular little girl is very small and soft spoken. She is 7 years old and weighs approximately 35 pounds. She is very sweet and everyone loves her. She struggles with class work and with reading especially, but she always tries her best and her classmates are always willing and ready to help her complete any given task.

At the end of the year in my class 1^st graders learn how to do String Art. String Art is difficult but once you get the hang of it, it is fun. Typically I have several students who catch on quickly and typically these are students who are higher achieving.

This year this wasn’t the case.  Most of my high achieving students struggled with learning String Art, and I had a “silent conductor” step up to help these students. My “silent conductor” was the little girl who typically relied on others to help her. I have seen this little girl struggle for a whole year with almost everything we have done, and now she was coaching and encouraging students who rarely ever need help with anything.  Needless to say she was doing this with a huge smile on her face!!! I have never seen her be so proud of herself.  I watched several students praise her and ask her for help and the look on her face brought tears to my eyes.

This story goes back to Multiple Intelligences and the importance of teachers being aware and providing ample opportunities for students to thrive and have the chance to be a leader. I’m so glad I was able to see this little girl thrive on being able to give back to others and be a leader.

Week 2 Post #4

Now that my ARP is complete I can say that my results turned out pretty much as I expected. I am just happy that I realized that my old methods were not working as well as I wanted them to and now I have a method that seems to work better. I am happy to have had the opportunity to incorporate more technology into my classroom instead of boring flashcards! Next year I plan on involving all my students in learning sight words through technology. It will be fun for all.

On another note, I was just informed that I will have a student teacher starting the first day of school next year. Does anyone have any good advise for me? I want to give her the best experience possible and I would love any creative advise to make sure this happens. I know that I plan on sharing as much as possible from what I have learned through Full Sail especially. Thanks everyone!

My comment to Brian...The Art of Possibiliites Post #3

Brian's Post...

Week 2 Reading - A Revelation

I think the thing that I learned most from the first two chapters of this book was something about myself. This “thing” is something that I’ve had to deal with throughout this course and upon reflection, throughout my entire life. I’m talking about the types of books that speak to me and the type that I really cannot in any way relate to.Unfortunately, this book seems to be of the latter. I would classify it as more of a philosophical get-in-touch-with-your-inner-self type book. After finished up the first couple chapters, I felt a rush of all the books I’d read come back to me – those I enjoyed and those I did not (regardless of the genre or content). As an individual with a severe case of concrete logical-mathematical thinking, I realize that my brain has a particularly hard time processing text that is deeply philosophical, yet reading a physics, chemistry, or calculus text is relatively easy. As is reading any manual on whatever the topic. And I find some of the statements in the book particularly hard for my brain to accept. Take this passage on p.20 for example: “The pie is enormous, and if you take a slice, the pie is whole again.” (Zander, 2000) Now, as we all know, if you subtract a part from the whole, as long as the part is > 0, you no longer have the whole, as is insinuated by the authors.

Poor mathematics aside, the awareness of my own strengths and weaknesses in reading opened my eyes to the difficulties that some student may have in reading such texts as I enjoy, and quite truthfully, this was my greatest take-away from the first couple chapters.

So, that aside, I do see the value of thinking outside the box, as explained in the text. Another part of the text that resonated with me was the part about scarcity thinking. I believe as Americans, we have really fallen into that mind-set and try to accumulate as much as we possibly can, without much regard for those that have little to nothing.

Moving into chapter three was fearful (because it was much longer than the infinitely long previous two chapters combined) but I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the authors take on “giving an A” and thought at length about what kind of effect that would have on a student population I might be working with next year.

Ironically, I didn’t really start to get into the text myself until I watched the TED talk (which I had seen a couple years ago) and remembered how much I enjoyed watching Ben Zander. And at that point, I decided to give the book an A, and have enjoyed it much more ever since.

My comment...

I gave the book an A as well after reading chapter 3 anyway! I am glad that you found your own way to appreciate and make a connection with what was being said! That's great!. Chapter 3 was my favorite and it even inspired me to write my own letter. I know my letter doesn't have the same affect as I wrote it when we are almost finished with our degree but it really made me think about all I have overcome and accomplished in the past year.

My comment to Tiffany...Art of Possibilities Post #2

Tiffany's Post...

Are you READy? Art of Possibility, Chp 1-4

This weeks reading was AMAZING.  Beginning with the story of how Ben tells a little girl, He is doing, "perfectly"....we are given new ways to think, new possibilities for living a full life.  The first parts of books are usually something I skim, or it may take me a little bit to get "into" the book.  That was not the case with Art of Possiblity by Rosamand and Benjamin Zander. The conversational, easy going style of the prose is engaging and provides a great flow as the chapters reveal a new attitude and vantage point to life.  The authors' passion and enthusiasm for their work really comes through. One of my favorite ideas was the constraints that we put on ourselves.  The unspoken, unwritten parameters that we perceive to be there that truly are not.  This was depicted with the discussion of the nine-dot puzzle, there is a square of nine-dots and the directions say to use four connected, straight lines to connect all the dots.  Most people will think they need to stay within the "box" created by the dots.  The solution is that you must make two of the lines extend outside those parameters in order to solve the puzzle.  Therefore, the image is there to remind me to always think outside the box!
I am inspired to open up my mind to new possibilities.  Just like this amazing course at Full Sail.  I can't stop telling people how awesome this program is and I always begin by saying, "I was really just an emailer" when I started and now I have been introduced to a whole new world.  I have not only been introduced but I have been taught how to be an active participant in an entirely new way of thinking that I had truly never dreamed I would be a part of.  The EMDT program has been such an inspiration, I don't want it to end... the desire is instilled within me to continue this technological journey.  Where it will lead me.... who knows? It is like learning to ride a bike, climbing a mountain, and riding a roller coaster all at the same time. I can only say that the Possibilities are endless!!

My comment...

his book also reminded me of when I first began at Full Sail. We have chose to open a door that will take us many many places and also touch the lives of others in the process. I agree the possibilities are endless and I am so happy to have experienced such rich learning experiences, such as this book, which wouldn't have happened without Full Sail.

Week 2 Reading...The Art of Possibility

When I first read the title of this book I asked myself, “How is this technology related?” Come to find out it is not. I really like this book and taking a step back away from the norm over the past (almost) year…yay, we’ve come so far!!

This book really is an easy read that makes you think differently.  The first chapter said, to me, that life is about taking the time to think differently. I tell my students they need to think differently. Quite often I will give an assignment that is so easy but requires a different perspective.  Eventually my students figure it out they get the entire point of the assignment. For instance I use note cards and write one letter on each note card. These are the letters on the cards… j-u-s-t-o-n-e-w-o-r-d .  Then, I ask my students to think differently and use all the letters to make just one word. They try to use all the letters in one word instead of spelling out the words--just one word.  Eventually someone figures it out and shares it with the rest of the class when they see the results they get really excited and this shows them that there is another perspective.

Chapter 3 also spoke to me as well.  I really like the idea of giving everyone an A as it would take away the measurement factor mentioned in chapter 2 and not to mention the stress that overcomes students. While reading this I couldn’t help but think about if Dr. Wiley told us on our first day of class about a year ago that we would all get A’s in all of our classes and all we had to do was to write a letter describing ourselves in the future. I thought about what my letter might say…

Dear Dr Wiley,

I am amazed at who I have become in a technological sense. A year ago I didn’t even know what a podcast was.  Now I can make them with my students. I have become a mentor to my mentor who cannot even print an attachment to an email. I have become an advocate for technology who shares and strives to convince others to be the same. Most importantly I have taught my students things that they will use in the future. I have sparked an interest in them that may have never been sparked if I had not taken this risk to make myself a 21^st century teacher. I am proud of the things I have learned and shared and I hope to impact more and more lives in the future.

Ashlee Park

Week 2 Wimba Archive Response

I was unable to attend Wimba for week 2 due to a prior commitment on Monday evening. After watching the archive I have a better understanding of copyright, fair use, and using Creative Commons as a resource. I typically don't used creative commons because I would rather use my own work, but learning more about it has encouraged me to see what the site has to offer.

Creative Commons Image

The part of Wimba that really stood out to me was the q and a portion. I always enjoy when Wimba becomes interactive and gets me thinking. It was also interesting to listen to the questions that my classmates had. It always seems like we all have the same questions, but there's one brave person who steps up to the plate and asks.

A comment in the chat box after all being said was..."When in doubt make your own!" Janenne said this and I feel that this is the only way to stay safe...or just be sure to give credit where credit is due. We are all Garage Band experts by now anyway, right??

I am more clear now, but feel like I still have some questions, so I will be sure to use the website: http:www.copyright.gov/ to do some more research when time provides.  

Week 1 Post #4

This week I have been a little stressed about the Publishing/Leadership Project will be doing. I am not sure which route I should go. I feel that I am definitely not the best writer, but I also get nervous about speaking in front of anyone over the age of 7! Then there is the issue of what to do. Wow! I really need to buckle down and make some decisions. I know we're all in the same boat, but any suggestions would be great!!! Thanks everyone and good luck!!!

Comment to Tawyna...Copyright Issue Post #3

Original Post by Tawnya...

As educators we need to be aware of the legal consequences of not monitoring proper copyright procedures.  There are a number of possible copyright violations happening in schools today. Is it possible to have everyone within the limits of copyright?  Teachers must be informed about the real legal limits of fair use.

Looking back at all of the projects I’ve created and seen created in the last fours years, there have to have been numerous copyright infractions. It is a balancing act between someone’s right to create vs. another’s right to protect what he or she created.

Creative commons allows the works of others to truly contribute to our culture. It is a sharing community around content.  It allows us to behold creativity and to educate without concern about violating laws. As an educator, I would encourage my students to view and use information from places like Creative Commons.

My comment to Tawyna...

I believe that I have not been completely compliant to copyright laws as well. Until I came to Full Sail I had always been forced to be aware of plagiarism consequences but never copyright. I agree that Creative Commons is a great resource that I will continue to utilize. I will also discuss this issue with my peers who are creating and possibly using others work without realizing the legal limits of fair use.

My comment to Hunter...Copyright Issue Post #2

Original Post By Hunter...
I really liked this video. For one it's funny. Secondly it can be shown to my students to help clear up potential copyright issues. I believed that it presented information vary clearly. It helped me tremendously on the Creative Commons. I have went to Creative Commons before but this video helped to clear up some of the uses of Creative Commons for me. I viewed the other videos in the assignment but this one was the most helpful for me.

I also was unaware before this assignment that parody is allowed under copyright laws. This is crazy. I had no idea. I also learned that Fair-Use is not a right but is a defensible position in court.

My comment to Hunter..
Hi Hunter,
I thought this video was great too! Especially if you're introducing Creative Commons or copyright to jr. high or high school students. It has a lot of great information and it is engaging as well. It is also simple and easy to understand for people like me who didn't know a whole lot about copyright.

Copyright Issues Wk 1 Reading

Copyright is not something that I have ever really discussed with anyone. This doesn’t mean that I don’t feel that its important because I feel that everyone should receive credit for the work or time they put into something. During all my college classes plagiarism has always been the hot topic. Never, until I attended Full Sail, had I been advised to look for copyright protected works.

I can honestly say that I didn’t know much about the subject until over the past year and more so now after watching videos and reading articles. I am glad that works can be protected, but I am also amazed at the consequences. It is a little scary to me. Copyright laws actually make me want to only use things that I create myself.