#CUE16 Reflect

So it has been a few weeks since the infamous monster conference we call National CUE (formerly known as Palm Springs CUE).  It has also been over a year since I last blogged, so I thought this would be a good time to start up again.  This was my second time attending the conference and had so many thoughts go through my dome regarding what I learned, experienced, and shared over the culminating three days.  As always, the highlight of the show was the networking amongst the incredible educators that I met there or already had a relationship with.  It is always an honor to connect with other teachers that have a passion/desire to learn more about how to integrate technology into their specific role, whether that be in the classroom, administration, or as a tech leader.

Now that I am no longer in the classroom and in a role of training teachers in the art of tech integration, I kept finding myself viewing the sessions that I attended through a different lens compared to when I was an everyday teacher.  For example, I attended +Mari Venturino's session, Gamify Your PD with Badge List and throughout her presentation I couldn't help but think about how I could utilize this idea of badging with the trainings I lead with teachers.  Whereas before I would have been racking my brain on how I could implement a more effective badging system with my 6th graders.  So my perspective on conferences has now taken a different turn and I love that because it is something that challenges me to figure out how to make teachers think/see how technology can enhance the learning experience for our students.

The other thing I appreciate about a conference like this is the opportunity to be inspired by others.  I think education can be such a draining occupation at times and it is important for us as educators to revitalize and refresh by attending an event like CUE to allow that moment of inspiration to happen. Not just to become better teachers, but to remember that we are not in this alone.  I think it is also important to remember to not get frustrated at something NOT going exactly the way you thought it would.  For instance, a tech conference is never going to be flawless (i.e. the electricity goes out or the wifi is spotty or we can't find a seat at the session I really wanted to attend and had to sit on the floor for an hour).  Much like the desire to teach that perfect lesson, the reality is there will never be the perfect conference.  Yet, so many of us focus on the negative instead of focusing on the many moments/gold nuggets that we experience at a conference like CUE.  We can all still have a positive experience no matter how many snafus come up in the process.  So with this spin on positives, I feel like posting the positive moments I had through picture and video.  Here are just some of the positivity of my #CUE16 experience through the lens of my iPhone.

CUE16 getting amped for Brad Montague's keynote!

Brandon Schut on #DigCit

Creepy face swap with Brandon

Burt Lo - Platinum Disc

Luke Hibbard - Lunch'n Learn Session on SAMR

Fellow ClassDojo Ambassador - Nick Clayton

Brandon Schut's Karaoke!

My Lunch'n Learn session on EDpuzzle

Amy Fadeji - Site Leader of the Year

Burt got to visit the infamous Donut Man on the way home.

#YourEdustory Week 5: Learning in 100 Words

So I struggled with this week's topic, but I feel I got it right.  I have been challenging my students to blog about the same topic (or a modified version) as the #YourEdustory topic comes out each week.  It has been interesting to compare my blog posts to those of my 6th graders, and that is what influenced me to do my 100 words on learning this week.  I decided to create a Tagxedo of my students posts on learning and their 100 words they chose.  I figured it was perfect because honestly, my students are who I learn from the most in becoming a better teacher through our successes and failures together.  So yes, admittedly my blog is a little bit of a cop out, but I feel it captures my definition of learning perfectly.

#YourEdustory Week 3: Where's the Beef?

I had many favorite teachers as I worked my way up the proverbial K12 escalator we know as education.  Although my K-5 teachers are somewhat foggy to me, I do remember benchmarks/memories of certain things I learned that I have taken into my profession/teaching style today.  For instance, I clearly remember my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Falk, exposing our class to the Space Shuttle Challenger launch.  We did a whole month long project/unit on NASA, robotics, and engineering and how math applied to this field.  She was ahead of her time as far as STEAM goes today.  At any rate, I really enjoyed the hands-on activities and approach that she took leading up to the day of the Challenger launch.  We all eagerly anticipated that day and watched in class on an old 32" Zenith tube TV.  Obviously a day of tragedy and tears to say the least, but I remember the way that Mrs. Falk handled the situation.  As the Challenger exploded I remember her stating that there had been a malfunction with the shuttle and the plan didn't go as they thought.  As I sat in my seat, I remember being really confused and didn't exactly know what was going on.  I did notice some girls crying and asking, "Is the teacher on the shuttle ok?" over and over.  However, for some reason I remember the calmness that Mrs. Falk displayed while many other teachers excused themselves to hide their emotions from the rest of the 9 year-olds in the room.  Mrs. Falk I am sure was doing all she could to keep her own emotions under control, but she led her 4th graders in the midst of unexpected tragedy with leadership that as I look back on now as someone that proved to be a hero in her own right.

Now, you are probably wondering, what does that have to do with my title: "Where's the Beef?" Well, my 6th math teacher at Castillero Middle School was always one of favorite teachers and really caused me to engage in math in a way I hadn't  before.  I remember on the first day of class she wanted to get to know her students and make them feel comfortable by asking each one what she would like to call them.  When she came to me, I had somehow been given the nickname Beef  in the 5th grade.  To this day, I don't even remember who or why I got that nickname, but it stuck back then (By the way...I am no longer called that today).  The only thing I can think of were those Wendy's commercials and motto was "Where's the Beef?" showcasing that old lady in the drive-thru asking "Where's the Beef?"  Anyways, Mrs. Burke honored my nickname and always referred to me as Beef from that day forward.  Why do I share that with this blog post you ask?

Well, as much as I respected her for that and the way she led her math instruction, I remember that she never would get up from her seat to move around and monitor the classroom,  As a teacher today, I am constantly monitoring my classroom and am very active around the room.  In fact, I don't even have a desk in my class anymore!  I always recall Mrs. Burke's math class as an enjoyable class, but I also remember there being quite a bit of rowdy and unruly behavior in there partly because of the fact that she was always in the front and never would walk around to see what students were actually doing. So I credit Mrs. Burke as being a favorite teacher of mine and calling me by a nickname that was kind of cool, but more-so someone who I learned as an educator to not always be in one spot.  I think being in the center of the room causes students to see that the teacher is the one always guiding the learning, as opposed to the students owning their education.  Now obviously I need to instruct and guide, but I don't want to always have that front of the room presence.  So, as I learn from my previous teachers, especially my favorite ones, I know there is always a different approach that is more effective for a group of students from year-to-year.

#YourEdustory Week 2 - Inspired by MLK: How Will You Make the World a Better Place?

How will I make the world a better place?  Wow!  Can there be a more powerful question to take a moment and think about then that one?  As an educator who takes a lot of pride in my job every time I step foot into the classroom, I take this question extremely serious.  And who better to get influence from then the one and only Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Every year I start off day 1 with my students talking about how time is a big deal to me and should be to them.  I tell them that there are only 24 hours in the day and I only have about 6 hours a day with them to lead them in their education journey.  This is mainly a pep talk to myself to remember that I need to use the most of my time with my students because I truly only have a limited amount in their lives to instill in them the lessons that I believe will assist in making their world (and ours) a better place to live in.  Time seems to be that one thing that teachers always complain about not having enough of.  Am I right?  No matter what sector you are in education, time is always the enemy.  I hate this because I do cherish the most of my time with my students to expose them to as much as I can to truly get them to understand who they are as people.  The thing I always wrestle around with is how do I get this accomplished amidst the day-to-day curriculum, benchmark exams, IEP meetings, and all the other minutia I wade around within 180 school days?

One thing I take a lot of honor in as a teacher is to not only teach my students what they need to know for 6th grade, but to also guide them in learning what their purpose is and what they are truly good at. If I truly am going to make this world a better place, it is my job to instill in students what their sweet spot is under my watch.  I know some teachers will disagree with me in that this is one of our responsibilities as a teacher.  Now it might not be written necessarily in our job description, but I believe we have a huge role to play in supporting students in finding what they are created to do. And I might not get them all the way there in one year, but I feel the time I have with them I can make a huge dent in getting them on that path.  I think if I keep this at the forefront of my mind everyday I plan, prepare, and create I can bring out the best in my kids which will in turn assist in making students the best they can become and therefore making this world a better place.  Not an easy task, but something I long to achieve for the benefit of my students.  Then again, the task that MLK set out to do was not an easy one either.

Image credited to Wikipedia Commons

Bonsai

bonsai 
[bon-sahy, -zahy, bohn-, bon-sahy, -zahy, bohn-]

noun, plural bonsai.

1.

a tree or shrub that has been dwarfed, as by pruning the roots andpinching, and is grown in a pot or other container and trained toproduce a desired shape or effect.

2.

the art or hobby of developing and growing such a plant or plants.

bonsai

Ok.  So I chose the word bonsai for the word that will inspire me in 2015.  You are probably wondering, why did he choose a word that automatically makes me think of Karate Kid? Obviously not part 2 or 3 because as we all know, those were, well...lame.  My intentions were not to make you think of this classic 80's film, but rather it is a word that is intended to inspire me when it comes to my students.  Each day my 34 6th graders enter my dojo (see what I did there?) ready to be shaped and molded into who they are to become. Naturally I want to say that I alone will be the one that shapes my students, but I primarily chose the word bonsai as a reminder that my students are the ones that are to do the main pruning and training with their learning.  Obviously I am the one that assists them in giving them the "pruning sheers" so-to-speak, but ultimately I want my students to own their education and how and why they are creating their own "shape or effect."  

So as I begin 2015, I shall enter in with the wise words of the late Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi), "BONSAI! Daniel-san. BONSAI!" 

P.S. I was even inspired to buy my own bonsai tree to put in my classroom!

Photo Attributed to:
Pixabay

Messaging + ClassDojo = Genius

What a week in room 18!  While we dove headfirst into the SBAC and swam among the new forces of measurement and Performance Tasks, something arose out of the dark and murky waters that brightened up the week and helped us (me) stay afloat.

+ClassDojo, a free, online classroom tool that assists teachers improve student behavior, released a brand new feature in the iOS and Android app called "Messaging."  This allows parents and teachers to build a stronger line of communication regarding each individual student.  Essentially, this feature makes it possible for teachers and parents to text message back and forth, via the ClassDojo app, without exchanging contact details.  Messaging allows teachers to message either individually to parents or via broadcast to where the message is sent out to all parents with a ClassDojo account linked to their specific child.  Both are incredible options when I need to let parents know about a behavior immediately (positive or negative), or anything else for that matter.

So as I dove in headfirst with the SBAC, I eagerly dove in with a triple back flip with ClassDojo messaging and sent out my first broadcast message.  I was able to see immediately who it was sent out to and when my parents received the message with "read receipts."  As a huge ClassDojo user and advocate, I am encouraged to see this incredible resource grow and become even better for the use of teachers.

#ETC14

Wow!  What an incredible year at the ETC! Conference this year in Modesto!  Being this was my 9th year attending this tech conference, I was very encouraged to see the number of attendees reach 800+. Unbelievable turnout for this conference that I consider my tech baby as this is the event that really started to change and alter the way I integrate technology into my classroom.  Marianne Pack, +luke hibbard and the ETC! crew really were on it this year with making this experience one that everyone wouldn't forget!  It was also a bonus that the conference was powered by +Edmodo and this really helped make ETC! what it was by offering a place to backchannel during the sessions and after the conference was over.  

The ETC! experience was a little different for me this year as I presented during all four session slots.  Two of which were on my staple preso, Edmodo: Learn Anywhere with Social Media, and the other two were on +ClassDojo with my buddy and co-presenter, +Chad King.  We titled it ClassDojo: Manage Your Class Like a Ninja and apparently they were such a hit that the Modesto Bee caught notice and snapped a picture or two and featured it in the paper the next day!  Take a look at the article here: 

Reflection on Edmodo: Learn Anyway with Social Media

So I designed this session as a two-parter as I wanted to have more time for my participants to really get a chance to have a hands-on approach as they create and design their own Edmodo groups for their class.  The first hour included my normal demo of what Edmodo is, how to sign up, features, etc...And I feel that I got most of my attendees appetites ready for what I was hoping to accomplish in the second hour.  This was creating a more interactive, sandbox session that allowed everyone to dive into what Edmodo was really going to look like in their own environment.  I was really happy I did this after all was said and done because people went away with something constructed and ready to implement as they walked into their classrooms on Monday morning.   If there is something that I appreciate at conferences, it is when presenters allow for takeaway time and give an opportunity to actually do something with the resource or ideas they are presenting about.  This was what I really desired to provide in my second session.  Overall, this double session on Edmodo really allowed me to dive deeper into not only how I use Edmodo with my students, but it also gave me a better grasp on what teachers want to initially start up with when designing their groups.  

ClassDojo: Manage Your Class Like a Ninja

So the highlight of the day was presenting with Chad on ClassDojo.  ClassDojo is an interactive classroom management site that allows teachers to reward positive and negative behaviors in a fun and techie way during class.  Chad and I decided to use the name and design our presentation around the theme of a ninja. So what would anyone do with a presentation themed around ninjas?  Dress up like one of course So that is what we did.  And yes, Karate Kid, Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee clips and sound bytes were extensively used throughout to entertain.  Above all the fluff, Chad and I really wanted to show and demonstrate the power of this site to our attendees in a way that they were going want to start it immediately in their class come Monday morning.  So again, just like I did in my Edmodo session, we made sure that our ClassDojo session allowed time for teachers to begin creating their ClassDojo account and start collaborating on how best to use the Dojo within their classes.  I felt that Chad and I gave them enough info to start up and take the plunge in using something so powerful to not only manage their classrooms, but have some ninja fun doing so!

Summer Tech Fest 2013

So when you think of Professional Development in education, what comes to mind? Is it a boring lecturer rattling off features of a program that you know darn well in your heart that you will never use?  Or do you think of PD as an experience that is not only a one to three day event, but is something ongoing and you will continue to explore and receive continual help and advice? Well, I would hope it is the latter because that is what Summer Tech Fest was for myself, and I believe many others who attended. I was honored to not only be at the Stanislaus County Office of Ed's/CTAP6 STF13, but to also present on +Edmodo alongside the great +Lee Ollar  and +luke hibbard. Sessions featured +Google in Education , Social Media in Education, iPad Apps and SBAC, interactive whiteboards, Flipped Teaching, and the grandfather session of them all, Appapalooza. The thing I loved most about this event was
the intimacy of each session. Most PD conferences, or unconferences, involve large groups or breakout sessions of 40+ people. Whereas STF allowed each participant the opportunity to dive in to whatever the tool or tip they were being introduced to. I found this to be highly effective for not only me as a presenter/co-presenter, but for the audience as well. And isn't that what PD should be about? Giving educators the opportunity to enhance their skill set with tools that they are actually interested in and using in their classroom environment.

So to close, I am very encouraged with what took place this year at STF13.  I believe it was an experience that all participants gained a little more knowledge in something that they will take back to their sites as the summer rapidly gets closer to an end. Already looking forward to the next CTAP6 event!

ETC! 2012

So I am finally getting around to reflecting on my presentation at this year's ETC! 2012 conference. This was my very first presentation, so I was really excited on sharing the knowledge and power of Edmodo, a social networking site for education. I wanted to not only convey the many uses of Edmodo, but at the same time get the message across that this was not something that had a huge learning curve to master. In fact, most of the people that attended my session were already familiar with Edmodo and had some experience integrating it into their classroom. So that was a plus because you never really know your audience until you get into it and see what people are there for. I was able to skip through most of the beginning stages in how to create a teacher account, setup groups, and invite parents. This allowed me to spend more time in highlighting the many uses of Edmodo and how it can increase motivation and engagement in and out of the classroom with your students and parents! Which is the whole reason I use Edmodo practically everyday with my own class.

One of the huge eye-openers for me as a first time presenter was how many questions there were throughout my presentation. I mean, I anticipated and planned time for questions from the audience, but I guess I didn't realize how many there would be and how much conversation it created away from my preso. Don't get me wrong, all of the questions were really thought-provoking and helpful for people to grasp the use of Edmodo, but I was a bit naive when it came to the time aspect of it all. At any rate, the questioning is something I need to plan for a little more the next time I design a presentation.

All in all, I was very happy with how I presented. I feel I represented Edmodo in a positive way and I felt that I offered my audience the information needed to start up their Edmodo groups and/or continue using Edmodo in their classrooms in new and powerful ways. Oh yeah! I also gave away some fantastic Edmodo t-shirts as door prizes via my Lotto app! That was a huge hit to leave my audience with as well! A definite plus and a huge thanks to Betsy Whalen from Edmodo in donating those for my presentation. Until next time, I will keep on Edmodo-ing along with helping others jump onto the Edmodo bandwagon.

#FallCUE Conference

Wow. What an amazing 2 days in beautiful Napa, CA! I was able to learn, connect, and reflect at CUE's annual Fall Conference at American Canyon High School, which is an incredible campus in its own right. The conference was split into two days which challenged, inspired, and mentally wore me out thinking about how to flip, disrupt and Googlefy my classroom. I was continually reminded that technology is not just something to use in the class, but rather something to enhance the learning of today's 21st Century learner. So here is a summary of that reminder and my experience at Fall CUE.

Day 1: Google Apps EDU Certification Training

I was really excited about this training and learning how to expand my knowledge in the arena of Google Apps for Education. Little did I know of what all this entailed. I was lead by three fantastic Google Teachers, Danny Silva, Dave Childers, and Alice Keeler. All three were trained in the Jedi ways of Google and really gave me a better grasp as to how to not only use Google Apps more effectively in my class and school, but it also gave me a deeper insight of what Google EDU can do to enhance learning and collaboration. I was also blessed to have a great partner, Shauna Hawes, to work through the day with and bounce Google Apps language between the two of us.

Throughout the day training I became better accustomed with Google Docs, Forms, Spreadsheet, Sites, Calendar, Gmail, Marketplace, and Dashboard. All of these absolutely blew my mind with how they work together and are used to better the classroom effectively. Now, implementing them amongst my staff will be another journey, but what I discovered was the need to gain approval for our school's own domain for Google Apps. I think that will be my next step in getting staff and others on the Google Apps train for success.

Day 2: 5 Excellent Sessions

Session 1: Technology + Student Directed Learning = Success for All!
What a fantastic first session to start my 2nd day at FallCUE. Julie Garcia and Tim Weidmann presented on how to use iPod Touch's, Math Apps, and Wikis in the classroom to enhance learning. We were split up into three stations that allowed us the opportunity to listen in on their specific classroom strategies and ideas. Tim had a fantastic example of how to use Wikispaces to allow students to collaborate and access projects and resources for math experience. I was then able to get a hands-on experience with some IPod Touch's and some radical apps that supplement math standards. One in particular was Math Legend which is an app that allows students to feel like they are playing Guitar Hero but apply the math skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Finally, Julie Garcia showed some great video ideas to implement into the classroom with particular math objectives. I really enjoyed hearing her ideas of using video to capture math in a way that is disruptive and innovative for the student.

Session 2: Knowledge is Freedom: CIPA, COPPA, and FERPA Explained Succinctly
Ok...this session was really an eye opener for me! Mark Wagner, Google pro, was very specific in describing what these laws say and how they apply to the classroom when using the Internet within the classroom and throughout the district. I really appreciated how Mark lead this course in sort of an open discussion/forum. Many of the people that chose to go to this session had some connection with how these laws effect them in some sort of way, either positive or negative. At any rate, I feel that after this session, CIPA, COPPA, and FERPA are a little more clear to me and what my actual rights are in using the web in a more accurate way.

Session 3: Google Earth
Now, if I do have to pick one session that didn't impress me as much, it had to be this one. Unfortunately, the projector was not as clear, which was out of the presenter's hands, but didn't help his particular presentation. However, with that said, I did begin to see the amazing things that I can use Google Earth to enhance lessons, specifically in the subject of Social Studies. I discovered the use of 3D Buildings and Tours as being two fantastic tools to utilize within the Google Earth application that could be truly powerful.

Session 4: A 45 Minute Social Studies Makeover
If there is one area that I always feel I need to improve in is the subject-area of Social Studies. Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the curriculum of Social Studies, but there are times that I really struggle with teaching my 6th graders in that captivating way that I was taught that gave me the appreciation I have for history today. James Gates did an incredible job in sharing specific resources within Google search that could really illuminate how to research and find specific things on the Internet. I also learned about using the Pecha Kucha method to implement when students present. Basically, the Pecha Kucha limits the students to present their slides in a 20 second per slid fashion. It also makes it to where students cannot use bullet points to help them in their presentations. Overall, a fantastic course on how to make Social Studies a little more interactive and interesting for my students.

Session 5: Flipteaching: Using Screencasting and Tablet Technology Shift the Homework-Instruction Paradigm
Now there is always that one session that completely blows your mind and refreshes your outlook at some of our teaching practices. Well, Ramsey Musallam's Flipteaching session was that for me! Now, whenever your presenter starts out with the fact that he might get the phone that he needs to leave because his wife could go into labor at any second, you know you picked the right session to be at! Musallam introduced me to the concept of an "Explore - Flip - Apply" model. This alone was a paradigm shift for me, and it was only the beginning of the session. I have always been intrigued on the idea of filpteaching, but I never really knew how to structure it in a way that made it practical to use with 6th graders. Now, Musallam has access to a lot more resources than I do at my site, but I am tired of that being an excuse of wanting to accomplish something that I think can be seriously effective for my students. One idea that he shared with the group was the use of screencasting to record lessons in order for students to access in order to assimilate the instruction during class. He also modeled how to use Google Docs to help record when students watched the screencast and complete the desired activities for the next day's assignment. I have used Screenflow to capture movies on my desktop, but my subscription has recently expired and I don't have anything to use to screencast any of my lessons. I was bummed about this until Musallam shared that the newest version of Quicktime can record desired sections of your screen and it is free! So that is what I am destined to begin with when creating my screenflows for my lessons. Overall, a fantastic session and completely opened the floodgates with ideas for creativity with flipteaching.

So that was summation of FallCUE! Michael Horn and Tammy Worcester were fabulous keynote speakers begin and end the conference as well. They were the perfect bookends to the conference I was influenced and inspired by the two of them. I think the best thing about the weekend was the fact that I was able to spend it with my beautiful wife. This was our first get away in a long time and it was much needed! Fantastic conference Fall CUE! I am looking forward to next year already!

Wk4 BP Entry 4 - EDM613 MAC - ETC!, Publishing/Leadership, and Thank You's...

For my final free choice blog post of Media Asset Creation (MAC), I have decided to write about the Education Technology Conference (ETC!), put on by the California Technology Assistance Project (CTAP) that I attended in Modesto, CA this past weekend. Every year I attend this conference and I seem to be inspired to try new things in my classroom that have to do with technology integration. In fact, it will always be a special conference to me because this is where I connected with the presenter, Paul Devoto, who was the one that introduced me to the EMDT program at Full Sail University. Paul has not only been a very inspiring educator, but he was also one of my critical friends for my Action Research Project.

Aside from the great sessions I attended on free Web 2.0 resources, CyberSafety education, Prezi, and iPad ideas for the classroom, I was able to get into contact with two people that were able to give me some great advice and connections for publishing my research project. Burt Lo and Brian Bridges were able to give me some great advice on how to get my research published into OnCue, one of the journals I am aiming at for possible publication. Not only were they both very helpful in getting me connected with who to contact, but both, specifically Burt Lo, was very excited in what I found with my research and was going to possibly contact someone at ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) to look at my project for possible publication. I was super excited about this and was extremely grateful to Burt and Brian for offering their time into getting my project published. Not only did I get more information on my Publishing/Leadership project, but I was also led down a path that I was not expecting with the possibility of ISTE picking up my project. Talk about the art of possibility!

At any rate, by attending ETC! this year, I was able to get my Leadership/Publishing Project rolling by connecting with people who could assist me in this part of my Full Sail journey. So I would like to take this time to thank Paul Devoto, Burt Lo, Brian Bridges, and all the people that have been influential in not only my ARP, but through the whole EMDT program. All of my colleagues, mentors, and course directors have been very inspiring through all the courses, projects, team projects, peer-critiques, blog comments, and everything else that came along with the FSO experience. I have enjoyed collaborating with all of our classmates, but specifically Bryan Antos, Pamela Hickman, Brooke McKaig, and Orlando McLin,


whom I worked together with from month 1. We have had quite the journey together and I look forward to keeping in touch with all of you!

Entry 3 - Wk4 Comments to Pamela Hickman: Art of Possibility Ch. 9-12

Week 4-Blog Post 2-The Art of Posibilities Ch. 9-12

Pamela Hickman's Comments:
This weeks reading was very good. I would have to say the whole book was very good I liked how it talks about like possibilities from every angle imaginable. I really enjoyed chapter 10 talking about our life being a game board. It seems like my students over the past couple of years have this sense of "entitlement" there is no self responsibility anywhere. I have noticed students will say "that teacher gave me an F" instead of "I earned an F in math." This generation of kids are looking to blame someone every time something goes wrong in their life. I like how the booked refers to life a board and we are going to make choices and mistakes, but we have to learn from them. Sometimes we have to put our pride to the side and say "yes this is my fault how do I fix it?" I try to teach my students you are not entitled to anything the successes you get in life are earned, but so many students think that they are going to make millions of dollars have a perfect life without hard work. I hate to say this but that is not reality. People in general want to blame diffrent people for hardship and bad things, but the ugly truth is sometime we make mistakes and have to learn from them.

I lost my brother four years ago to this "game" called the choking game. I was so heartbroken over the lose of my brother. I just wanted to blame the kids that showed him how to "play." I wanted to blame the God, but I didn't want to blame him for doing it. I guess we never want to blame the people we love for bad things that hurt us. The ugly truth was my bother made the choice to play and the consequence was that he died at 19-years-old. I guess in that first year of losing my brother I just wanted life to stop and people to just piety my situation. I got alone with God and my Bible and realized life hasn't stopped people will not continue to piety my situation. I began to think OK this has happened know what can I do to make a difference. My family and I began to give speeches to youth groups in churches in the area about the dangers of the "Choking Game." My family and I didn't want this to happen to another family so we are trying to make a difference through educating parents and teens on the deadly game. My challenge to everyone is this when God allows bad things to happen to you use it to help others. God allows bad things to happen to good people because He knows that we can handle the bad thing and use it for His Glory.

Posted by Pamela at 3:10 PM

My Comments to Pamela:
Pamela,

What a heartfelt blog post! I think it is interesting that human nature is always ready and prepared to point the proverbial finger at anyone but themselves when they should be looking at in the mirror in the first place to evaluate what they could have done differently (which I do believe has some biblical application). I think today's student/individual spends so much effort on how to cast their problems onto someone else rather than "being the board" and looking at life from that perspective. I think as teachers, we shoulder a lot of the burden in attempting to persuade our students into believing that they can accomplish something great in their lives, but we also must realize that at some point the student must be the one that has to take that initiative and discover their own art of possibility. And as a educator, I am always trying to be a catalyst in each of my students' lives to be the one that generates that spark of possibility that encourages them to take that risk that leads them down their "road of passion" so-to-speak. But at some point, I must be content with the fact that I have done my best to reach each student and now it is up to them.

Anyways, I was really touched and inspired by what you shared about your brother. I know that with the strength of God, you and your family have seen the positives that came from this event in your lives. As hard as that is to understand at times, those are the instances that God uses to give us clarity and perspective about certain aspects of this thing called life that we would have never understood before. Thanks for sharing Pamela!

Entry 2 - Wk4 Comments to Saray Taylor-Roman: Art of Possibility Ch. 9-12

wk4 reading - Chapters 9 - 12

Saray's Comments:
I have truly enjoyed this book. It has open my eyes to the possibilities around me in my job, my marriage, and my life. In three years of teaching, I had caved into the downward spiral of the teacher's lounge. In three years, just around the time to be granted tenure, I had become whom I swore to never be as a teacher. I had lost my vision. I had forgotten why I went into teaching.


My calculating self blamed my students for their lack of enthusiasm and work ethic in my class, blamed my department for lack of cohesion, blamed the administrators for lack of communication, trust, and leadership, blamed the parents for lack of involvement, blamed my master's program for taking away too much of my personal time. I was taking myself way too seriously that instead of seeing everyone as a contribution, I saw them as obstacles. There was a clear distinction of the I and Them. There was no WE.

Then, came this book "The Art of Possibility" and the video that all of you watched was more a message for me than anyone else. When I watched it the first time on YouTube I cried as I realized no one was going to do change things for me, I had to take the initiative. I had to put on my shoes and start the walk...


Really, it was not until I accepted the way things are and that defined myself as the board that my perspective changed and I saw opportunities rather than obstacles.
I'm not saying that suddenly I'm living a fairy tale, but I was given the opportunity to dream,


to redraw my professional framework, to redesign the rules of my own invented game and, in the process, I've gained a refreshing vision and I'm starting to see the change: first in me, then in those around me.

Once, I had a clear vision of who I am as a teacher I was able to see the power of enrolling my students in my course. I have seen the power of enrolling the head of my department and the principal of our school to get an Apple Learning Lab with 30 mac books and a mobile cart for my classroom next year. It is now that I can, once again, be excited --like Zander's friend when she was six years old and about to play the cello in the competition- right before I get to teach each of my classes and my students have seen the change and they want to be a part of it. Like Ben put it "enrollment is the art and practice of generating a spark of possibility for others to share." (pg. 125)


Let's share that spark!
Posted by Saray Taylor-Roman at 9:04 PM

My Comments to Saray:
Saray! Awesome blog on the last 4 chapters of "The Art of Possibility! You had some great insight on the book, as did I and many others in this course, that we will take with us into the fields of education and corporate training.

I think the part that struck me the most was your observation on Zander's, being the board analogy. I like how you stated that it wasn't until you accepted the way things are is what began to define you and that is when perspective changed. I can completely relate to this because there are times in education when it is so easy to get jaded because of the way the system is designed that we can lose sight of why we became a teacher in the first place. But it is not until we change our perspective and realize that we can only control what is in front of us everyday that causes us to view things differently and approach our practice in a refreshing and more effective way. Anyways, I enjoyed reading your post and enjoy the endeavor of lighting a spark of possibility for others!

Wk4 BP Entry 1 - EDM613 MAC - Art of Possibility Ch. 9-12

There are the books that we read that are intriguing at times and sort of tails off into nothingness. There are the books that we read that start off great and seem to go nowhere chapter after chapter and we regret the fact that we cannot get those hours of our life back. And then there are the books we read that are thought-provoking and life challenging. "The Art of Possibility," to me, was one of those books. I was really impressed at the perspective and the direction that this book aimed to achieve through each chapter. Chapters 9 through 12 were no exception.

There were several things that caught my eye during this reading, but I think the two things that impacted me the most were the ongoing theme of the downward spiral and us "being the board." As I read about these two concepts I kept thinking about leadership and how I as a teacher can influence so many minds with each learning opportunity in my classroom. One thing that I connected with this "being the board" concept is how I present content to my students. I am a huge believer in the way that I present my material is how my students will receive it. For instance, if the lesson is something I am not that excited about, my students will receive the lesson the same way and not be motivated to learn what I want them to learn. "Being the board" sort of confirmed to me that I have control of the situation no matter what the scenario with my students. This especially holds true when I feel that no matter what occurs during the a common day of teaching, I can "declare that I am the framework for everything that happens." In other words, I am the leader of how each situation and each aspect of my day is approached and dealt with. The kicker with all of this is how easy it is to get caught and brought back to the downward spiral. I don't think that Zander ever wrote in this book that any of these concepts were going to be easy to put into practice. So I must be conscious of the fact that the downward spiral is close by and take me right back down into my old ways of pessimism and negativity.

My vision is to understand that my goal is to keep these concepts in the forefront of my mind. These new ways of thinking are just that: NEW! So I know that I won't be able to ascend as quickly as I want to, but rather, I probably will find myself on the downward spiral. But just like anything, I know that it has to get harder in order to become easier when a new way of thinking is out into practice.

The photos used in this blog are from Flickr, under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

Photos Attributed to:
"Stockmann spirals" - hugovk
"chess board" - niznoz

Wk 4 Publishing_Leadership Project

My initial plan is to propose my Action Research Project to be published into two educational technology journals. Since my project deals with the idea of using age-appropriate social networking in the classroom (Edmodo), I wanted to aim for two publications that might be interested in publishing the research that I discovered. My first choice of publication is through the nonprofit education organization, Computer-Using Educators, or CUE. This organization's goal is to advance student achievement through technology in all disciplines from early ages through college. CUE publishes a quarterly journal entitled OnCUE and I thought my research would benefit the audience and readers of this publication.

My second choice for possible publication is through a journal dedicated to informing and educating educators from the K-12 levels in improving and advancing the learning process through the use and integration of technology. This journal is entitled T.H.E Journal and is perfect for the possibility of publishing my Action Research Project findings and discoveries. In fact, T.H.E. Journal recently published a whole article on the use of social networking in the classroom and Edmodo was one of the featured sites. So hopefully the journal would take note of my research and possibly publish it in lieu of their recent articles on social networking in schools.

* Link to Publishing/Leadership Think Out Loud BP1

* Link to Publishing/Leadership Think Out Loud BP2


* Eilers_Gregg_PubLeadProject.docx

Publishing/Leadership Think Out Loud BP#2

After further thought and several moments of clarity, I have made the decision to present my Publishing and Leadership project in the form of a document to propose for publication. I feel that this would be the best way for my research to be highlighted and made public for others to not only read about my findings, but to hopefully encourage other educators to continue further research on social networking in the classroom. I think there are a plethora of journals out in the educational world that would consider publishing my action research for others to read about. Another reason that I chose the path of publication instead of a presentation is that the audience that would read my research would probably more likely go and attempt it in their own classroom. And for the sake of research, that is what I would most desire from what I discovered and worked for within my project. So there it is. I am finalizing my decision on publishing my ARP into a journal. Now the question is, what journal do I want to attempt to use? That is soon to be determined. Stay tuned...

The photo used in this blog is from Flickr, under the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License.

Photo Attributed to:
"Writing" - jjpacres

Wk3 BP Entry 4 - EDM613 MAC - The Impossible is Always Possible

So for my free post of the week, I wanted to share and explore an amazing artist that I recently discovered. His name is Diego Stocco and he is one of the most creative musicians I have ever heard. His whole gig is to create music in the most innovative ways possible. He has composed music from a burning piano to creating a song out of a tree. Talk about someone that understands the idea behind "The Art of Possibility!" Whenever I watch one of Stocco's videos, I am always reminded that the impossible is always possible. As an educator, I need to be reminded of that from now and then, working in a field that is overwhelmed with budget cuts, increasing class sizes, district mandates, and cookie cutter curriculum.

Here are a few links for those of you curious to check out his work. If you haven't heard of Diego Stocco, prepare to be blown away.

Click on this to go to Diego Stocco's Web site.

A video of Diego Stocco creating music from a tree. (My personal favorite!)

Entry 3 - Wk3 Comments to Jacqueline Jones: The Art of Possibility Ch. 5-8

Wk3-Reading: The Art of Possibility, Chapters 5-8

Jacqueline’s Comments:
You know, if everyone saw themselves as a leader, individuals would take more responsibility for their own actions. And, they would appreciate what others have to offer to the team. I use to facilitate a leadership program in a company and we called it "niche" leadership. The concept promoted the idea that each person was a leader in their assigned roles and others depended on them. This concept is hindered when Rule Number 6 is violated.

I went through this period of time where I too myself too seriously. I am probably more challenged by my calculating self on a personal level. Now, if I can't laugh at work, it is probably not the right environment for me. The example in the book where the executive posted "Remember Rule Number 6" in the work area for all employees proves that sometimes the violation of that rule comes from the top. So, if we are temporarily trapped in an environment where Rule Number 6 is being violated, we have to lead from our chair and make a positive impact.

Chapter 7 was an eye opener because reality does have its place. In the opening dialogue, the Duck says, "The way things are stinks." Here is a photo by Terry Border, the Bent Objects Artist, that illustrates this point. Let's take for instance the how the economy has affected people. My Pastor shared a story about an executive who lost his job. He was unsuccessful in finding anything comparable to his previous position. He omitted things on his resume to get a job at Subway making sandwiches so he could feed his family. In that role, he lead from "his chair," which was noticed by the higher ups. Well, within six months he was promoted to manager and later to district manager. He was what the Zander's call "present" in the way things were but he did not accept it.

I love working in a creative environment. In fact, when I talk about my work as an instructional designer, people always respond with the word "passionate." I am also fortunate to work around others who are passionate about what they do. I have been on the other side of the fence and it is not a nice situation.

Artwork by Terry Border: http://bentobjects.blogspot.com

My comments to Jacqueline:

Jacqueline,
Great post! Totally got a kick out of your Voki introducing yourself. I think it is absolutely incredible that we have the possibility of being creative. It's a truly a shame that so many people waste the plethora of opportunities in a given day to release the inner creativity inside us all because they choose to look at their lives from a "calculated self" perspective. I think this is where much of what Zander speaks of anyhow. Through all the examples and stories that the book discusses I seem to always find myself thinking about the creative mind that we all have. Your story about the executive is really a great example of the "Leading from your Chair" chapter in the book. I think this is something that we can all be encouraged and influenced by no matter where we are at in life. Thanks for sharing Jacqueline!

Entry 2 - Wk3 Comments to Bryan Antos: Art of Possibility Ch.5-8

Wk 3 Art of Possibility Chapters 5-8
Bryan’s Comments:
I started out as a PA at my company and then switched over to the edit side, the Yin to production’s Yang. So I loved the first chapter which seemed to be a lot about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes or using your knowledge to help someone else. I was one of the first PAs to ever make that switch and in just my first year as an editor, I was cutting the Super Bowl. That happened because we have intense, pressure-filled deadlines and if I’m editing with production in mind, it makes the whole process easier for everyone. I know what they want and I know what things slow them down.

However, “remembering rule #6” would not be a very useful mantra where I work. A major problem (especially for people coming in from another company) is the amount of intense hostility and shortness at times. You can’t just remember to not take yourself so seriously, you have 60 seconds to know whether or not you have video coming up. You can’t be relaxed. You have to be short, curt, and effective. Facts only. The difference here is that after that incident is over (or more likely: the show is over) you talk with the people involved and tell them no hard feelings. A good producer will work to rebuild after an ugly incident. But most people understand that it’s very serious, and the information has to be transparent and related quickly. Joke after the show, not during.

Not everybody can perform under pressure like that, and it weeds people out. I think that pressure is a good thing most of the time. You are working on instinct and it’s amazing what you can get done in a short amount of time. Now, I’m not like this in every facet of my life, but I am at work, and I am proud of that.

I will say, I did like the story about the two business partners…

The parts about nothing really being good or bad was very intriguing to me. I would say I’m an environmentalist, but when you think about it, what does that really mean? It’s really out of human selfishness. The same with NOT being an environmentalist. When you think about it, millions of species have become extinct. It’s the way of the planet. Greenhouse effects have heated the planet before. It’s the way of the planet. Is it bad for the planet if water levels rise? Not really. It’s bad for humans who have settled near those waters. I’m not advocating one thing or another, I’m just pointing out what book tries to: that good an evil are a human invention.

If anyone reading this hasn’t done so, I highly suggest listening to Bach’s Suite No.2 in D Minor as Chapter 8 talks about. It really is a beautiful piece of music. I suggest listening to Mischa Maisky’s version!

My comments to Bryan:
Bryan,

Once again, you have impressed me with your blogging talents! I totally agree with your thoughts on how Rule Number 6 isn't a universal way of thought in many professions. Yours is definitely no exception! I think that people can take things too serious to an extent, but there is a fine line with that and being professional with the task at hand. Especially in a job like yours, along with the stresses that come along with mine in being an educator today. As much as I like to think I can apply this rule to my life, if I am being completely honest, I know that there are times where the seriousness factor must be in place 95% of the time. Can you imagine not taking myself seriously the majority of the day with 30 6th graders?

I also like your thoughts on not everyone being cut out for performing under pressure. I mean, you don't have to look any further than your boy Jim Kelly. Ok, ok, that was cheap shot. But you're exactly right in saying that performing under pressure is a good thing. If anything, making it this far in the EMDT program has proven that! Great stuff Bryan!