Friday, July 20, 2012

Anthony Hunts Week 3 Reading

Thursday, July 19, 2012

WK 3 Reading "Art of Possibility"


Once again “The Art of Possibility” enlightened me. During Ben’s discussion in “Leading from Any Chair", I began to think about my approach to my program. His approach is very similar to mine as well as other directors I know. Our concept is to mode students to understand the interpretation of each piece for any performance. In no means am I specifying that this is a bad thing but I never once thought about if I were enabling students from performing to the best of their abilities.
I don’t think I have ever been in a rehearsal setting that did not allow engaging conversations between the director and ensemble. I make it a point to have meaningful discussions about music my ensemble is performing and about life in general. I always want students to have an enjoyable time learning about and performing music. They will also be the first to tell you that I will acknowledge any mistakes on my behalf and apologies without thinking twice. We are all humans and no one is perfect (Even though my students try their hardest to catch me on this since they think I know it all!).  I did enjoy the read about giving an individual with the precious knowledge of a particular craft an opportunity to lead. I occasionally try this with students whom I know are capable. And not just the leaders of the band; I’m referring to all with the burning desire to achieve. I do get some that are too embarrassed to come up to the podium, but those who accept are really appreciative. Maybe I will use that line on listening to the music from the back of the theatre to get more to participate. Oh, and the statement under the subtitle “Leaders Everywhere” fit perfectly with my Capstone Project. The Youth Philharmonic Orchestra had to “sight-read” a complex composition by a Cuban composer. If they did not properly prepare to sight read advanced music, they wouldn’t have been able to make it through the piece.
If Rule Number 6 isn’t one needed within my facility then I don’t know what is! One thing I can’t stand is friction in my program or in the building. I do like the fact that Zander mentioned humor as the best way to “give over ourselves”. As previously mentioned, we are all humans and we will make mistakes regardless. Instead of becoming unprofessional and acting outlandish, lighten up and laugh about it (Just venting). I can admit that during intense rehearsals preparing for a performance I can become a very rude obnoxious individual because I strive for perfection. It does somewhat stress the students out because they do not want to make any errors. Very recently have I begun to tell jokes and make a fool of myself to give them something to laugh about and ease the tension. Doing so has actually allowed them to perform better and enjoy doing so. I do appreciate the stories associated with the chapters to give personal accounts on how they approached scenarios. I don’t think I’ve been this excited about reading a book in a while.
In the chapter “The Way Things Are”, Zander expresses the need find ways to overcome negative aspects by introducing positive pathways. I try to bring this example to the table when dealing with my program. You hear so much about the Arts being underfunded; I can tell you that this statement doesn’t explain half of how much funding our programs actually receives. It becomes frustrating when we have to sustain a program with instruments purchased 3 to 4 decades before you were born. Of course, instruments that old may be beyond repair. Instead of concluding that those instruments would become doorstoppers, we find home remedies to repair them to the best of our abilities. Even though they may not be the best quality once repaired, students would still have something to use in order to participate with the rest of the class. As an educator, we have to find pathways to deliver us from certain negative aspects, which would prevent students success.
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Anthony I couldn't have said it better.. I do not like misunderstandings either however in this field in which we have the pleasure to work that seems to be the leading issue among our staff. I too think that the Remembering the Rule Number 6 can help enlighten a lot of staff friction. My only concern is how do you address those staff members who are not really approachable. I am sure every school district has one or two. The one that never agrees with any form of change be it good or bad for the overall climate of the district, I just wonder if the Rule Number 6 would offend that person.
Posted by Blogger TracyM at 5:05 PM 0 comments

Justin Fishel Week 3 Reading

Friday, July 20, 2012


Wk 3 reading – The Art of Possibility (chapters 5-8)




Within The Art of Possibility, chapters 5 through 8, I found several of these chapters to be quite interesting and substantial to my every day work and personal environments. Here are my takes on this weeks reading.
Within Chapter 5 (Leading From Any Chair) of The Art of Possibility, I found that this chapter was about the fact that leadership can in fact come from anybody who possesses greater self-sufficiency. Mr. Zander’s consistently praises that individuals are able to shine when they are given the opportunity. As an educator is can be sometimes difficult to let go and allow your students ‘to prove you wrong’ so to speak. This method is becoming quite popular within my classroom because of my personal experiences as a student, I enjoyed to be challenged and really enjoyed proving my educators that I could do it and exceed their expectations.
Chapter 6 (Rule Number 6) within The Art of Possibility spoke itself quite strongly towards me. Many times I am criticized for being to laid back, easy going and should take things more seriously. Mr. Zander discusses several different aspects that we as individuals can do to see the different possibilities that surround us in our daily lives.
While reading chapter 7 (The Way Things Are), I noticed several aspects that encourage individuals to see things for what they are and move on with life. I am a firm believer for moving on and when less time is spent dwelling on the past, the chances for new possibilities becomes an illusion and not reality.
Reading chapter 8 (Giving Way to Passion) spoke to me in such a way that it expressed to me to be free and passionate about what I do within my everyday life. Individuals must allow themselves to be free and passionate and not so attached to the ways in which other people may view or judge them. If they can achieve this, then high levels of achievement will be reached.
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Justin I really like how you broke down each chapter. Your insight is very on point especially as an educator. It is very difficult to let go and give students a chance to prove you wrong but it is very rewarding when they can because at that moment you know they have reached the next level. We also share the same opinion about spending little time dwelling on past and moving forward. I see it as opening the door to new and better possibilities.
Posted by Blogger TracyM at 4:55 PM 0 comments

Week 3- Reading- Art of Any Chair


         Once again I found several interesting points that apply to my everyday personal and work environment while reading this week. These are my take away points or “ah ha” moments from Chapters 5 through 8 of The Art of Possibility. We are all…human and are capable of making mistakes. 
         I can relate to the story of the conductor apologizing openly to the percussion section for the error he made. This past school year I had several visitors in my class observing my students as well as me.  My students are encouraged to talk and interact with one another often so its expected to be loud during class time.  However one particular day a few of my students were off task (or so I thought) so instead of me going over to the group I yelled out to them to get to work as I continued with my reading group.  I realized very shortly that not only were all of my students working, they were on task and actually creating a debate for their challengers.  I stopped the groups brought everyone to circle and apologized to my class 1) for yelling out and 2) for assuming that the group was off task.  I discussed with my students the importance of admitting when you make a mistake and apologizing when you are wrong.  I can remember telling my students that we are all human and we will make mistakes in life but the important thing is to learn from those mistakes and try not to make those same mistakes again.  


         For me that was a teachable moment because I had so much remorse about yelling at my students.  I had never done that before- the moment those words came
out of my mouth in that tone I could immediately see my 1st  grade teacher wagging her ruler at us screaming to the top of her lungs. The truly sad thing about her class was she never treated us like we were human and she never apologized.  I never felt good in her class and I made a promise to never treat my children like that and here I am sounding and behaving just like Mrs. Such-In-Such.  So I had to make the needed change within me and I had to do it fast because I never want my students to have that mental image or feeling about school that I once had.    
Posted by Blogger TracyM at 4:41 PM 2 comments

Friday, July 13, 2012

Leadership Post 2 - Where Do I Want To Share My Project


            As I looked through the publication list of potential journals to submit my article to I became increasing overwhelm with the endless possibilities that I found. This list was full of great resources my problem was narrowing down now growing list of possible journals to consider for my submission. As I suspected most frown on you trying to submit your work to anyone else so I have to choose wisely. Which makes my decision a very difficult task.  The two journals I have narrowed my search down to are listed below.  I am focusing very heavily on these two because of the specific areas of benefits to my action research.


            My first choice so far is the Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education- this is on my list because this journal offers a lot of what my action research focuses on with the use of technology.  The emergent technologies offer opportunities for students to understand concepts in deeper, often different, and more meaningful ways. However, this growth in understanding will occur only if teachers learn to use these technologies effectively. The most effective uses of technology require a deep understanding of content and related pedagogical strategies, a framework referred to as technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK).  The goal of this initiative is to ensure that future teachers are prepared to use technology effectively by building upon prior work, such as Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology and the Partners in Learning program, and continuing to advance this effort by incorporating new and emergent technologies.



            My second choice for submission is the Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education (CITE Journal) - a peer-reviewed publication of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE).  It is an interactive electronic journal, that can incorporate articles video, sound, animated images, and ongoing dialog about issues that advance the field of education.
Although many types of articles may appear, the key is that the study, theory, case, review, research, or education model described in the articles of this journal are grounded in the literature. The Current Practice section values promising ideas, implementations, and preliminary findings from research studies that may not be complete.

            As I continue to look at these options I also have to consider which one will help me reach an audience for this type of research and I feel confident that both will appeal to a massive group of individuals in the educational world.
Posted by Blogger TracyM at 1:05 PM 2 comments

Kathy Thoreson Week 2 Reading- Art of Possibility

Thursday, July 12, 2012


Wk 1 Reading: The Art of Possibility - Constructed Reality?

The idea of "flight paths to the eternal", a quote from the book The Art of Possibility written by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander generated some reflection on self-actualization. See the TED talk here.


At the college I teach at, I am continually preoccupied with the concept of establishing pathways for these predominately first generation college students. If the idea of higher education was not a path that was established in your brain as a child, then it is difficult to imagine what and why college education is and how can it benefit one. I've found that instead of preaching the benefits of higher education, I need to "show" rather than "tell". This is agreeable with the ideas in the book where the authors discuss the idea of "generating active practices that shift" rather than forcing or arguing. . . 


I apply this to my own life when I encounter obstacles. I think about my past self, my present self and my future self. Where do I want to be and how can I begin to grow and establish paths and "shoot" out tentacles to attach to success? 


Let's deconstruct the notion of "we create our own reality". The book establishes an more in depth exploration into this popular catchphrase. The authors call it "It's all invented." They make analogies between how a frog sees the world and how that idea can metaphorically be applied to our perceptions of reality. The frog, according to the book, has extremely selective perceptions that it needs for basic survival. Humans, although more complex, also perceive those attributes that we are programmed to receive. Therefore, we are not seeing all of reality. If we could "reprogram" what we see to create new pathways for perceptions, then we could possibly create our paths. 


Let me give an example of this at work. I'm testing my own hypothesis of how we create experiences of survival. The other day I was driving in a large major city. I am unfamiliar with driving in the city and am somewhat overwhelmed. After residing here for about a month, I figured out (learned behavior) that there are major arteries of "paths" or highways/interstates. Not unlike the human circulatory system, the minor arteries (side roads) feed into larger vessels/routes. I was trying to get across the Columbia River, which is a large river. I needed to cross a bridge. I figured it would be really obvious, plus there was a sign that said I5 (the major artery bridge) turn right 3/4 mile. Wow, ok that's easy. I was discussing the idea of the nine dots with my son. Ironically, this puzzle is about perception. The directions are to: connect all nine dots using only four lines: Here's some examples of how some folks have attempted to solve this problem. 












And so on, try it yourself. I will not give you the answer because I know that you can look it up. Here's a hint: like I said before, it has to do with being open to possibilities and thinking "outside the box". 


While discussing this with my son, I completely missed the exit. How could this happen? I was astounded. There is not another exit for six miles. You would think I could see it as my vision is unencumbered by buildings - it's a river for goodness sakes! It's like the exit completely disappeared. There are three explanations for this: 


1. I was distracted with the discussion with my son, and 
2. My perception was askew. Let me give a more in depth explanation of this phenomenon. The exits are counter intuitive to a newbie like me. When you are expecting the exit to go right, it actually goes left and then 180 degrees merge. 


The final explanation: 

3. This is somewhat more nebulous and illusive. Perhaps we are unconsciously creating pathways, inventing realities. For someone who has no experience of the city, my mind perceives what I program it to receive (I know you are singing "Hotel California" at this point). Whoa! that's wild. And a little out there. . . .
Posted by Kat Thoreson at

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Kat I completely get what you are saying here with perception and possibilities. I have had this very thing happen to me when I lived in East Lansing. I was not sure of anything, but I what I found that worked great for me was making friends fast. It made my stay so much better and I didn't get lost quite as often as my first 2 or 3 months there. Really enjoyed your reflection here hadn't thought about living in East Lansing in about 20 or so years. It was good to bring back those memories.
Posted by Blogger TracyM at 9:49 AM 0 comments

Julia Hutchinson Week 2 Reading- Art of Possibility



Week 2 / Blog 1 – The Art of Possibility (Ch. 1-4)


I had no idea what to expect from this book, and was actually puzzled as to why this course was even assigned a textbook. Now that I’ve read the first four chapters, I am starting to understand the timing and relevance of this book. “The Art of Possibility” is my personal Oprah/Dr.Phil, causing me to take an objective, external look at Julia Hutchinson. Here’s a look at some of my “ah-ha” moments:

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve convinced myself that an opportunity was unattainable because of one reason or another. At one time, I had an idea to start a business. I didn’t. Why? Because I convinced myself I didn’t have the knowledge or the money to do it. When I got the money, I didn’t have the time. When I had the time, I didn’t have the….well, you get the idea. I kept pinning myself inside this box of limitations, rather than enlarging (or even removing) the box.
As a instructor, it is easy to position myself on the throne of rightful authority. What I say goes because I’m the teacher and you are the student. Why else would you enroll in my course? (And we wonder why students have attitudes.) Over the past few years, I have relinquished my total authority in exchange for a more democratic approach to student projects, even going as far as allowing students to set the criteria and choices for certain projects. What a difference it made! When I let go of the reigns, the truly creative students fly!
Posted by Julia Hutchinson at 3:05 PM


1 comments:

Julia you said a mouthful..When I was younger I had so many ideas that I would tell myself I couldn't do because of this or because of that. I realized that the limitation I had placed on my self were because of my own reservations in my skills but once I removed those and broaden my scope the possibilities were endless for me. I wonder if these limitations we place on ourselves has anything to do what could have been relayed to us when we were younger. I am just thinking out loud...
Posted by Blogger TracyM at 8:54 AM 0 comments

Week 2 Reading - Art of Possibility


       
 When I first opened the book The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, I didn’t know what to expect. I enjoy reading in fact its one of my hobbies however when it comes to course work I dread it for some reason.  However I am really enjoying reading these few chapters. What I got from my reading was a pure enlightenment on how I can approach my career differently.  Chapters 1 is centered on understanding that you break through barriers that has kept you in a box you may have created.  So the question I have to ask is “How can we think outside the box we live in?” 
·     Not doing the obvious
·     Moving in different directions from the crowd sometimes
·     Using every opportunity to learn something new that will help improve you
Chapter 2 deals with moving away from the small and looking at the world as an open place of opportunity for growth and prosperity.
1.  This can be accomplished by having an optimistic outlook on life
2.  Using an hourglass to see the meaning in life’s many avenues
Chapter 3 really focuses on being creative without worries.  Teachers and students are on equal playing fields and work together to produce greater possibilities with better results.  
·     I like to say you can achieve this by putting your best effort in everything you attempt
Chapter 4 centered a round making contributions that made differences in the lives of others and taking the focus off of self.
·     Perception is everything
·     Positive interactions to problems and circumstances



Posted by Blogger TracyM at 7:49 AM 2 comments