Week 4 Mac - Publishing/Leadership Project

Collins_Tamara_PubLeadProject.Key

Within a small group of four we met to discuss our projects. My group offered awesome feedback. Our meeting was enjoyable and productive.

The group members were Dana Kohls, Jeff Kohls, Donna Thomas and myself.


My group members suggested I add my voice over and speakers notes as well as condense my slides to keep to guidelines. I suggested that Jeff and Dana make their subtitles pop by bolding them in a different color. This would allow the reader to locate the information with a bit more ease. My suggestions for Donna were for her to add her cycle data information.

Week 4 Mac - Publishing/Leadership Project, Part 2 of 2. My thoughts on publishing.

Promethean boards are interactive boards that becoming very popular within the schools. Promethean World is an organization that not only manufactures these boards, but has created an online world for lesson plans, tips for using the board and even flipchart templates for use in the classroom.

This past summer I attended a weeklong conference/workshop for educators. The conference taught the attendees how to use the board effectively. I would love to be a presenter at a conference such as the Promethean World. When using a Promethean Board teachers create or use what is called a flipchart. A flipchart is how the lesson is presented. Because I have created several flipcharts for use in the classroom I have become pretty well verse in how to create them and how to use the actual board effectively within our curriculum. This is something I wouldn't mind presenting to teacher beyond my school.

Week 4 Mac - Publishing/Leadership Project, Part 1 of 2. My thoughts on publishing.

Several years ago I taught in Oviedo, Florida in an awesome Seminole County Public School. They offered me my first teaching position and truly inspired me into becoming the educator that I am today; passionate. While at Tuskawilla Middle School I became heavily involved in teaching my students English Language Arts, but with loads of technology. I did several pilot programs to gain access to more tech for my classroom, but what was most beneficial and most memorable was attending FETC.

FETC (Florida Education Technology Conference) is one of the most awe inspiring conferences I have attended. This is a candy store for teachers who understand that we must meet the needs of the digital natives in our classrooms. I would love to present at this conference if given the opportunity. The conference offers several workshops and showcases many pieces of hardware and software.

My ARP is really focused on my school, but if I could share some of things we have done at my school with the conference goers, it would truly be awesome. To present at conference where many people have the same goal would be a highlight of my career.

Week 4 Mac - The Art of Possibility: CH 10-12

The book The Art of Possibility never fails to surprise and engage me all in one sitting. The first chapter discusses the tenth practice of “Being the Board.” Placing the blames is something that educators come across on a daily basis. This practice correlated perfectly to a special I watched on MSNBC today. MSNBC show cases a town hall meeting for teachers called "Education Nation." Teachers were given the opportunity to discuss what they felt were the major issues. The common answer was teachers being blamed for the state of education in America.

Now what struck me most when reading through the chapters was of course "the WE story." I couldn't help but think about the many "WE stories" we come in contact with on a daily basis, but have yet to stay within the moment recognizing that it's not about "me." Our students connect us all in the "WE story."

Week 4 Mac - Comments for Dana Kohls

"I have seen many educators take an us against them approach and it is so ineffective. Don't get me wrong, I've needed reminders from friends and others in my life to help me see the WE in situations, where I have otherwise lost sight of it. And I have to testify that it really just feels better when I'm living in the WE. I love Roz's story of her sister. It is a prime example of how we can live in the WE and make the most of situations."

Dana,

Living in the WE is sometimes something educators have a hard time with. I love how you mention that you have seen many educators take an us against them approach. This is really interesting because just the other day my husband and I were discussing the state of education in America and we both came to the conclusion: Fingers are being pointed and we are failing to see who we are harming... the students. If parents, teachers, administration and the government would take on the WE approach and handle the needs of students then we would have "less" issues within our schools.

Week 4 Mac - Comments for Jeff Kohls

"The Journey is the Destination.

With this final free post of the MAC class, I'd like to take a few minutes and reflect on some of the people who have been pivotal actors and guides in this journey that is EMDT."


Jeff,

I really love reading this piece. You are correct. We have been on a wonderful journey and what made it even sweeter was that we developed amazing friendship with some of the smartest and most amazing people. We worked well with one another and my hopes are that we continue to keep in contact even after FSO.

Thank you for writing this. Nicely done!

Week 3 MAC: The Art of Possibility CH 7-9

Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve… this is the world many of us live in. We don’t get our way and become weak at the knees with defeat. The Art of Possibility begins its 7th chapter talking about exactly that. It mentions the fact that we have choices in which we can make to either accept what has been dealt to us or simply not. The chapters goes on to discuss the presence without resistance with the pathways being cleared to possibilities (Zander & Zander, p. 110).

Chapter 8 of The Art of Possibility discusses “giving way to passion.” Giving way to passion has two steps. Te first step is knowing you are holding back and realizing the need to let go. The second step of giving way to passion is participating wholly. After reading this chapter I came to understand that most times we as individuals are afraid to giving into what we truly care about. The young pianist has a hard time conveying the true emotional energy of music, but later learns to be a “one buttock playerm” (p. 127). He gives way to his passion, letting go of his stiff demeanor.

Chapter 9 in The Art of Possibility is as equally interesting. The author discusses the ninth practice, "Lighting a Spark". The practice of enrollment is about generating possibility and lighting a spark in others (p. 137). I thought about the students at my school and then I thought about myself. I work in the inner city at a school where the average teacher teaches for an average of 2 years and then quits. The work environment is highly stressful. You see it’s not stressful because the kids are behavior issues or even academically challenged. It’s stressful because the teachers are expected to give the students 150% everyday. They are trained three weeks prior to the beginning of the school year and observed almost daily. If administration can take the time to “to light the sparks” within the teachers perhaps they would stay past the two year mark.