Week 3 Comment to Bruchetta

Bruchetta Jones says:

With the chapters of The Art of Possibility, I understood the reference to a conductor not knowing his orchestra, as I was once part of an orchestra.  When there is a performance, the conductor and principal chairs (the 1st seated and usually best player in that section) receive the kudos.  I think that this can reflect in the classroom.  When a particular teacher's students gets high marks on a standardized test, it may be the teacher or the principal that gets the accolades, not the students nor the parents.  That is why in many professional development and master's courses in education, the word "facilitator" is stressed so much.  Instead of being the frontrunner or the one who takes all of the credit, be the run who "runs" with the group and helps along as needed.

As I read this book, it does reflect on emotions, moods, and how our personalities may effect others.  These are great things to think about not just as people, but as educators who have the ability to effect many lives. We need to be able to "forget" our troubles for the moment, which yes, is a hard feat in itself, and focus on the lives that we can shape, so then they will be able to spread that notion to others.

My Response:

You bring up an interesting point about who gets credit when a student does well (or poorly). You said, "When a particular teacher's students gets high marks on a standardized test, it may be the teacher or the principal that gets the accolades, not the students nor the parents." 
The state of Florida is about to go to merit pay, which means a part of the teacher's salary is dependent on his/her students' standardized test scores. As if it weren't enough that we assess a student's learning based on a standardized test, now teachers will be judged by them as well. It seems we are not moving toward facilitation, doesn't it?

Week 3 Comment to Kathy

Kathy Valunas says:

The possibilities are endless... or so one might believe after reading this week's chapters in our book for reflection. But what it really boils down to is attitude and perception. It was so easy to visualize from chapter 5 how the conductor- detached as the ultimate leader- was to provide the ultimate guidance as his orchestra played. But their jobs were probably even more stressful and complex because it was the instrumental players who were responsible for interpreting the every move of the conductor so that every note and accent was flawlessly played. They had to be totally in tune with his direction of the piece would fail.

So it is with educators, or business managers, corporate big-wigs, etc. etc. etc. The list of players could be any group you wanted it to be and the maestro or ultimate leader could be that president, administrator, CEO, the one we place on the pedestal- the unreachable or untouchable bronze statue, etc. Regardless of who those people are, there has to be a leader who can nurture and mold his group, direct them in such a way as to encourage perfection with their craft. Ultimately, that perfection is evident when we see the final outcomes, the reactions of the audience as well as the performance of the players.

But the process doesn't end with the performance- that might be just the beginning of the interpretation or understanding. It is the facilitator who leads with compassion. This is the one who exhibits just the right mix of expertise and humor, but who is willing to admit when they too are not perfect but just the vessel used to hold all of the strengths necessary to fill up the whole pitcher of perfection. With that, we then need to ask ourselves, what is perfection? What one might consider perfection may be failure for another. The trick then is to find the right balance or mix of all the ingredients necessary to make the presentation of skills and talent delectable, cherished, and unscathed in the eyes of the beholders, the listeners, the audience, the evaluators, and the critics.

So I will consider my purpose as an art and let my mind wander around the sea of possibility until I complete my journey and lead others to achieve their possibilities... let this art experience begin!



My response:

Perfect is an impossible goal, yet we still expect ourselves and others to do things without mistake. How unrealistic is that? I think it's more about what we do when we make mistakes. Do we take it into stride and keep trying or do we give up or even worse beat ourselves up for not being perfect?
As a self proclaimed perfectionist, I have learned a lot in recent years about how this seemingly positive trait has created stress and anxiety, which in turn made me less able to perform with a high level of success. I have found much freedom in letting go of the expectation to be perfect and I have accomplished much more because of it.

Week 3 Reading

I thought last week's reading was really good, but this week I couldn't stop reading. I was blown away by the chapter on being a contribution. I love the thought of being a meaningful contributor instead of focusing on competition. Although I do have a competitive spirit, it's generally within myself. I strive to grow and be better than I was the day before. I especially enjoy collaborating and working together for the greater good. This chapter empowered me to value this about myself and strive to incorporate this in my future career path.

i also liked the chapter on accepting things the way they are. I realized that I spend tooo much time focusing on how I think things should be or I would like for them to be. Instead, if I allowed things to be just as they are, I can use my time to be in the moment or find solutions that would work better.

Week 2 Reading

The first four chapters of the Art of Possibility are truly inspiring. It really got me thinking about how I see my students and the expectations I place on them. I was particularly inspired by the authors' idea of celebrating and valuing mistakes. "...I actively train my students that when they make a mistake, they are to lift their arms in the air, smile, and say, "How fascinating!"" So often our students feel that if they do not have the right answers they will be punished or get a bad grade. I would like to work on this in my classroom and foster a more open environment where students feel comfortable enough to make mistakes and learn something from them.

I was also interested in the concept of 'giving an A' and enjoyed reading the letters from Ben Zander's students. It was inspiring to hear a student's opinion on what an A would look like for them at the end of the semester. So often we tell students what the final outcome of a course should be, without giving them the opportunity to take ownership of their learning along the way.

The only concern I have about what I have read so far is that it all seems very idealistic. I imagine that it is harder to apply these principles consistently.

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.