Week 2 Comment to Angela

Angela Alipour says:

How can we think outside the box we live in?
Great question. There have been many times when I ask myself that question. Thinking outside of the box is what gives birth to creativity. Yet much of what we are taught as being accepting and normal keeps many people inside of the box. I have fallen in this trap many, many, times. I do find that as I get older I have actually began to think out of the box.
What might we invent that would give us other choices?
A positive perspective and knowing that there are an abundance of choices available to each and everyone of us would give us other choices.


My response:

I too was struck by the concept of thinking outside the box. It seems like all my life, doing things 'by the book' was what was expected, so I sometimes feel uncomfortable with the idea of thinking outside the box. However, I do see the value of it and like you, I am working to get out of the habit of expecting that from my students.

Week 2 Comment to Sarah

Sarah Baker-Dykes says:

I have really enjoyed reading the first four chapters of The Art of Possibility.  Chapters 3 and 4 really struck a chord with me. The ideas of “giving yourself an A” and “being contribution” are so inspiring.  When I was finished reading, my brain was spinning with new ideas to bring to my own classroom.


Zander so clearly showed how one’s outlook on people and situations can change the outcomes and our emotions.  By beginning each situation or each relationship by giving an A, we automatically treat it with so much more respect.  Because of the invented game and what an A stands for in our minds, when we start off a relationship by giving the other person an A, we are opening up a world of possibilities.  Rather than focusing on the negatives and picking things apart, we can view others as a masterpiece.  Zander likened this to Michelangelo and how he described a block of stone that has a beautiful statue dwelling inside.  The excess material must be removed to reveal the beauty inside.  I found this to be such a wonderful illustration for how teachers approach students.  Zander quite perfectly stated that, “this A is not an expectation to live up to, but a possibility to live into.”

The most intriguing idea I’ve gained so far is that of being a contribution.  This idea of trying to make a difference each day is very inspiring.  In the book, Mr. Zander had his students tell a way they made a contribution each week in any avenue of life.  What a great idea! I think it’s the goal of most educators that we see our students grow into responsible and caring citizens.  By embracing this idea and showing students how they can make a difference just by one small thing they do, can have a huge impact on their lives.

This idea can be adapted by anyone at any age. I’m quite confident that my third grade students would take hold of this idea and run with it.  I can’t wait to introduce this to my class.  Likewise, applying this principle to my personal life can have a great effect. If I greeted every relationship and circumstance with the question, “What contribution can I make and how can I make a difference today?” my life may be very different.  Even now as I type this, I’m still inspired by these questions.  My hope is that I’ll be able to apply this idea to my students.  To look at them and think, “what can I do to make a difference in your life?”  It’s such a powerful thought.  The idea that this question could be embraced by my students is exciting.  I would love for them to look at their classmates and community and think, “what contribution can I make?”



My Response:

I was inspired all over again reading your post! I like that you are looking for ways to apply the ideas of the book not only in your classroom, but in the relationships in your life. I am sure you will be able to find a way to apply these ideas with your students and others and make a huge contribution to society. 

Week 2 Blog: Wimba Session

http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4371001458/

If I thought my head was spinning after last week, this week is worse! I get the difference between copyright, fair use and creative commons, but I am still confused about all the gray area. Creative Commons is the only one that seems a little more clear-cut. The symbols make it easy to understand what can be used and how it can be used.  I particularly appreciated Joe's suggestion to use flickr.com/creativecommons when beginning a search for images. I used that website to get the image above and I hoping I did it right or will get some feedback on what I should do.

Week 1 Intro to MAC

Wow! I have to say my head is spinning! That first Wimba session will probably be one I will refer to all month. There is a lot of details to remember and with every assignment I have done so far, I keep thinking I am missing something or am not doing it right. I am looking forward to seeing the grades from the first week, so I can at least be sure I am meeting the requirements.

I am very nervous about the publishing/presentation project and have no idea which one to pick. I realize I will have to figure that out soon because that will be the easy part. It's the 1200-1500 words by the end of April I am most concerned about. Writing is not my forte so it takes me a long time to process thoughts and organize them in a cohesive way.

Oh well! Like they say, I'll take it one day at a time and pray the rest falls in place!

Week 1 Comment to Curt Isakson

Curt Isakson says:

I think the title says it all.  Copyright on both sides of the wall is both a confusing and an important issue.  The creator needs to protect their art and be able to make a fair living, and user should have access to the work to be informed and inspired and be able to use these ideas for their work too.  Sometimes I feel this is a deeper and more complex subject than arguing Politics!

As a musician that has written, recorded, and performed many forms of music, I have been on both sides.  I have appreciated payments for my personal writings and performances, and I have had no problem paying for the rights to use others work.  Just last year I wrote a check to Hal Leonard for $100 that paid for the right to arrange and perform an Aerosmith song at graduation. So Steve Perry and Neil Schon received a few bucks from the kids at Shelby. Do many high school bands do that?  I doubt it.  Why shouldn't the publishing house and the writers gain from their work and their art?  No question there from me.

When talking to my students, they all believe that what ever is out there on the Internet is theirs for the taking.  This is where the concerned parties should be investing their efforts: in education.  This could probably save a tremendous amount of time and money in court if we could change and/or educate the students and the public early.

A valuable resource on copyright issues as it pertains to the music industry is at the Hal Leonard website.

My Comment:

Curtis,

I remembered you are a musician, so I was particularly interested in your opinion on this very controversial issue. I am surprised you only had to pay $100 to Hal Leonard. I would have guessed that number to be much higher. You bring up a great point about educating the public. Publishers would indeed save a lot of time and money if they educated the public on the laws.

Week 1 Comment to Kathy Toth

Kathy Toth says:

Early in the EMDT program, we had the fear of copyright law instilled in us.  Now we are being encouraged to bend that law, if not out and out break it, for the sake of literacy and cultural progress.

My question is:  Who owns the rights to the video above?  I took the video (not a great video, I admit.  I wasn’t planning to until I remembered I could capture the moment on my iphone.)  There was no announcement before the performance, like I remember before Bob Dylan started playing, that the use of video equipment was prohibited.  But I did not write the song and I did not perform the song.  Do I need permission?  Can the songwriter sue me for using this video here on my blog?  The songwriter posted one of my videos on his facebook page.  We never talked about permission.  Can I sue him?

Common sense shows us the absurdity of the situation.  How would it benefit either one of us to try to maintain control over a three minute piece of video that should be freely shared with anyone interested in viewing it.

Imagine if early oral storytellers wielded the power of copyright we may never have had the tradition of stories passed on orally throughout the generations.  Our culture is richer when we share.

My Comment:

Kathy,

I do agree with you about our culture being richer when we can share information readily and easily. However, I do think we need to look at the viewpoint of the artist. With so many struggling artist out there, how will they make a living if they are not compensated for their work? If anyone can use their work and profit from it, will they be able to continue exploring their creativity?  It's such a touchy subject with little or no black or white answers.

Post #1: Copyright Laws

Strict copyright laws serve to protect the big industries and artists that make enormous profits as it is. It also stifles the creativity of society in general and discourages freedom of speech that may be based on someone else's work.

Don't get me wrong. If I created an original work, I wouldn’t want someone to just blatantly copy it. I completely understand the need for copyrighted material, but I think it should be more like what is done in the literary world. Someone should not be able to plagiarize your work and call it their own, unless they have your permission to do so. However, if samples of your work are used to create something else, citing the original creator should be enough, just as Girl Talk does.