Week 3 Wimba Session: Art of Possibility

Well, as I waded through my brainwaves of confusion for what I am going to be doing for my Publishing/Leadership Project for week 4 and Month 12, I feel I have a better grasp on what I will be presenting. You know those times when you think you have a clear idea and plan as to what you will be doing to execute something? Well, that’s what I thought I had going for me until Wimba session 3 hit me. I was way off with my initial thoughts on my leadership project, but I think I’ve straightened myself out now. Thanks for clearing that up within this session Joe! It was much appreciated.

Now, “The Art of Possibility” discussion was very enlightening. I enjoyed watching the old “Right Now” video from Van Halen. I think I was in like 8th grade when that came out. I wanted to go and get my white-washed jeans, peg my pants, and go ride my old school Powell Peralta skateboard! At any rate, the message was clear with how the video portrayed the message of “choice.” As I read “The Art of Possibility” I really was getting the message about how to fully understand that we are in control of creating the possibility for making change. We as educators have a choice whether or not to create a learning environment that is meaningful and conducive to our students. It is not going to just happen through pacing guides and administrative duties that are pushed down our throats from the leaders above us that are not in the classroom. Teachers need to realize that above all the state standards and bureaucracy that is attached to education these days that we still have the power to provide the education that our students deserve. So, the book really opened my eyes into how choice is still out there for educators to take power in.

My favorite chapter in the book so far was the 2nd chapter on how we measure ourselves from a worldly perspective, but rather viewing life as a universe of possibility that we have control of. “The Secret” was mentioned earlier in the Wimba session and I remember the huge uproar that this created, especially since Oprah endorsed it. I think what this book missed on was the fact that there is still action that needs to be taken, other than just positive thoughts or vibes, when true change is desired. More than likely, things are not going to happen if you just think it. Rather, we make it possible by creating an environment that makes students want to learn through change. This is how students, and teachers, become ok with the possibility of making mistakes and therefore taking more risks through this thing called life.

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

Photo Attribution:
“Old School Skateboard” AdolfGalland

The Education Experiment with Gregg Eilers

Wk3 BP Entry 1 – EDM613 MAC – Art of Possibility Ch. 5-8

Wow! As I read through chapters 5-8 in “The Art of Possibility,” I couldn’t help but think of two things: 1) teacher-talk in the staff room, and 2) the power of student- to-student learning. Allow me to explain.

The whole concept of the calculating self vs. the central self completely changed my thinking about how I view certain aspects of the teaching profession. I asked myself, “Self? Am I a person that tends to take things too seriously to where it effects how I interact and lead my students?” Fortunately, the answer from my “self” was a resounding “No!” But what my inner self was convicting me of was how I can somehow be effected by how others relate themselves to the calculating self analogy. In other words, I can at times get sucked in to a conversation at lunch with other teachers that revolves around the common complaints of standardized testing, state standards, decisions by administrators, micromanagement and a plethora of other topics that educators seem to find the time to rant about. I discovered that I will listen to these conversations and walk away wondering what good did that just do for any of our students, other creating a free therapy session for these teachers at my expense? My point is, and I think this is what Zander was getting at, was the fact that there will always be something to disagree with, something that doesn’t go the way we want it to, or someone that doesn’t do things the way I would do them. But the question is whether or not I choose to stay stuck in that rut or way of thinking, or do I choose this presence without resistance approach? Do I let the obstacles stand in my way, or do I allow myself to say that is the way it is and allow myself to be creative and open the pathway for possibility? Obviously my goal as a teacher is to do the latter, but I know I am guilty of allowing my calculating self shadow the central self and the possibility it can unleash.

Secondly, the whole idea of students teaching other students kept running through my head. After reading the story of the Cuban and American orchestras teaching each other how to play different and difficult pieces, I started thinking about how much power students have when teaching other students. I use this strategy in my own classroom to a certain degree, but this concept of the “silent conductor” really highlighted my thoughts on how I can enhance the learning by disappearing from the lead of the room, so-to-speak, and let the kids lead their own learning with each other. Automatically, my head began spinning with different ways to approach some of my lessons and how to implement a more centralized learning environment to where I enable or give students the freedom to learn from each other. By doing this, I think the dynamics of my classroom would completely change, and if nothing else, a great social experiment for my 6th graders who are mostly English Language Learners!

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

Photo attributed to:
“I Complain” – shtikl

The Education Experiment with Gregg Eilers

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!

The Education Experiment with Gregg Eilers

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!

The Education Experiment with Gregg Eilers

Wk2 BP Entry 1 – EDM613 MAC – Art of Possibility Ch. 1-4

As I read through the first four chapters of “The Art of Possibility,” I couldn’t help but think of two things. Both are serious thoughts, but one more serious since it has to do with my daily life. So let’s start with my initial thought. When Zander begins to compare the measurements of the universe to the universe of possibility, I immediately thought of the show Lost. I am deeply saddened that this show is done with, but it took something that was already invented, and expanded the universe with it by allowing the viewer to decipher what was happening, or what was going to happen, as the series unfolded. It basically took the audience to a realm of possibility that gave the brain the freedom to discover and learn from the dynamics of each character. And I believe that was the main reason why Lost was such a success.

Now, my second thought of this compare and contrast of a measurement world to a universe of possibility hits a little closer to home. In Chapter 2, the author presents the measurement world as a setting a goal and then going out and achieving it, compared to the universe of possibility as the individual creating the contexts and letting life basically take the reigns. I couldn’t help but think of how the state of education has wrapped itself up in this standards-based, must reach proficiency era, and it has basically cornered itself in this measurement world feel. As an educator, I unfortunately am caught in this web and try my best to reach the goals that I set for my students and myself. However, as I reflected on this way of thought, I realized that this world of measurement doesn’t allow for much freedom when attempting to learn for the love of learning. In other words, I don’t feel that I have the freedom to teach in a “universe of possibility” classroom because of all the pacing guides, rigorous standards, and scripted lessons that I “must” teach to in order for test scores to increase. Where has this universe of possibility within education disappeared to? And how am I as a teacher trying to reverse the effect and give my students the feeling that anything is possible when grades and performance are at the forefront? I would rather my students understand that taking risks and making mistakes are the priority. I would rather hear my students say to themselves, “How fascinating!” when they receive a D on a test or make an uncommon error. That is real life learning and having a vision in a world of possibility!

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

Photo attributed to:
“always make new mistakes” by elycefeliz

The Education Experiment with Gregg Eilers

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

The Education Experiment with Gregg Eilers

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!

The Education Experiment with Gregg Eilers

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!

The Education Experiment with Gregg Eilers