Week #3 Blog Post Comment #1 Lewis "Smitty" Smith

Wk3 Blog: Leadership Blog- The places I hope to be read well…

Following last weeks post I have narrowed the field down to two of the publications which I have been actively reading as a classroom teacher over the last 5 years. 

The first is the eSchool News. When I first was sent the invitation for a free subscription I found that it contained many advertisements and almost discarded it. Then I looked between the ads and found some really great applications that I could apply in my learning space right away. Part of my goal is to see the technology tools and systems I am employing through my CBR take hold and find success through replication, I would like to see the article accessible without having to be a paying subscriber or member of a journal organization. This opens the door to teachers that lack the means to afford membership, but are looking to innovate. Further information about submissions can be found here: eShcool News Submission Guidelines.

The second publication is again an approachable and readable non-scholarly publication that many people receive as part of their membership in the ISTE, called Learning and Leading with Technology. I have been reading this magazine for well over 12 years and as a technology specialist, grant coordinator, and of course classroom teacher, I found things monthly that applied to my various roles through out the years. The magazine has only gotten better with age, and the new online accessibility again offers a chance to share my experience and promote replication across teacher in many walks of life. It would be an honor to share and show my work here. Further information about submissions can be found here: Leading and Learning with Technology Submission Guidelines.

 

Dwayne BuchananFeb 18, 2012 07:10 PM

Smitty,
I have no doubt in my mind that you will get published in one of these. You have a way of getting your point across so eloquently. I get the eSchool News and really like it, I have not heard of the Leading & Learning magazine. Good Luck and hope to read your article.

 

Leadership post: Where Do I Want Share My Project

When thinking about a conference to present at I began to run into some roadblocks. The main roadblock that presented itself was time frame. I could not find a conference that was taking applications at this time. The other roadblock was probably set by my own indecision, there are a tremendous number of conferences that sound great to present at. I narrowed my search down to just technology conferences since my CBR is on integrating technology in the classroom through in-house professional development. I have chosen two for different reasons. The first is the 2013 Florida Educational Technology Conference in Orlando, Florida.  I attend this conference each year and go to many of the workshops. I find that there are few workshops on my topic and think it would be well received. The only drawback is they are not taking applications until May of 2012. The second conference is the Georgia Educational Technology Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I like this conference because it 250 concurrent sessions being given by educators and vendors. This ones time frame is more doable with applications being accepted starting March 2012. We will see what happens!  

Week #3 Reading Blog: EMDT-MAC

The chapter Leading From Any Chair was my standout for this week. I see all to often teachers squash the hopes and dreams of students by their words and actions. I can even remember times that I said something that completely changed the mood of a student for the bad. It may not be what is said but in the manner in which it is said that destroy a student. The conductors were all too often thinking about themselves and not the musicians. Well, the students are the same way, they have feelings and they really just want to be accepted.

Lets turn the table for a moment, what if we took the responsibility for ourselves and admit if we have done something wrong or made a small mistake. Imagine the impact and influence we could have on our students. If we are honest with our students and treat them the way we would want to be treated then things then the student’s attitudes would be a little better. A little praise and a humble heart will get you along way with your students.                                                                                              

Week 2 Wimba Blog

In listening to Thursday nights Wimba it was good to hear that there are some artists that will give their permission to use their work. When I wrote my thesis I wanted to use the LEGO logo because my thesis was written about a LEGO robotics program and its effect on attendance and grades. I wrote them about using it and it took three months for them to answer and then they said no. I had to go back in and change LEGO robotics program to afterschool robotics program.

I am glad that you explained creative commons better. I knew somewhat about the meaning but this would have helped tremendously at the beginning of the program. When you said in the Wimba that they were creating something as a help I felt like my students, they always say “That’s not fair why are they going to get that next year and we don’t get it now”. I understand and hope it helps the next groups of students.

Week #2 Blog Post Comment #2 "Vivian Tejedor"

Friday, February 10, 2012

Week 2 Reading Reflexion

Earth from space, image by NASA, Public Domain.

“The meanings of our minds construct may be widely shared and sustaining for us, but they may have little to do with the world itself. Furthermore, how would we know?” The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

After reading these lines in The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander I was skeptical.  To me not being able to trust your mind is the definition of madness. But what the authors were suggesting was to get rid of preconceived limiting notions of the world to make room for a new vision of a world full of possibilities by eliminating non-real but believed as truth limiting conditions.  

As I read the chapters I keep thinking about how my world is so easily limited by space, my classroom, the roads I drive everyday to and from work, my family needs. I find it so easy to forget there is so much more out there.  Because, I am consumed by everyday tasks, this passive acceptance makes me angry.  Not because I was not aware of it but I let it be that way, I have accepted it as life.  Then the authors remind me is really just about choice. I have the power to choose differently.

Time to step into a world of possibilities. A world of possibilities and scarcity thinking just don’t work together. I am enjoying this view of a world without self imposed limits. Now the most difficult part, giving an A, I am taking this A as an A for acceptance by eliminating negative judgment.  What a great way of shifting competition from one person against another and turning competition into personal growth. The possibility of letting go of limiting mental gauges, fear and failure among others is the road to being a contribution. To be a contributor that A has to come from within. The possibilities of a paradigm shift.

Dwayne BuchananFeb 12, 2012 09:25 AM

@ Vivian Tejedor
I agree with your statement that our world is so limited by spaces and most of the time we are the ones creating those spaces. Putting limits on what we do and what we expect out of our students and ourselves is sometimes determined by outside factors but all to often we do it to ourselves. I believe it is time for us to take the bull by the horns and start making those changes that will help wipe out the negativity that we often see. You see we do live in a World of possibilities and I think we need to be more accepting and thinking our students are A's.

Week #2 Blog Post Comment #1 "Smitty"

Wk2 Reading: Shredding the box

During my high school graduation my class was given a great speech by a former student on the theme of paradigm shifts. The first chapter of this book reminded me of the full import of his admonishments to change viewpoint to change our worlds. The chapter admirably makes it clear that the world we inhabit is one built upon perception more than reality. We have to shift our view to see this clearly, and for me, that was the paradigm shift I found enlightening. We know and acknowledge that the world we inhabit is all about a sensory experience, but sometimes we forget that those senses are limited. There could be a large part of the world that we are missing from moment to moment simply because we are unable or unwilling to experience it. As we open ourselves up to seeing outside of this preconceived world, the limits are removed.

For me this is just so. Having read the chapter I quickly saw that there were so many walls around my daily activities that I had not previously recognized that I wanted to knock them all down at once. The reality is however that I need to move slowly out of the confines of traditional structure and explore the possibilities. From a teaching standpoint, the inventions abound! Especially the grading and behavior models we have created to keep students aimed toward the goal of success. Asking students to demonstrate differently and share their talents and abilities along with their learned knowledge could really strengthen the meaning behind the learning done daily, while adding context and experience in the process.

1 comments:

Dwayne BuchananFeb 12, 2012 07:48 AM

@Lewis "Smitty" Smith
I completely agree that I wanted to tear some walls down very quickly. but then I stopped to think about how far I have traveled in the past 11 months. Through all I have learned and implemented in my classroom, I feel some of those walls are already coming down. You were right when you said that you would be able strengthen the meaning behind the learning done daily by letting them share their talents and abilities. I have seen a different side of my students when I have let them demonstrate their abilities and talents.It has also demonstrated to me that the education system has done the students a disservice by taking the arts away from them over the years.

To Publish or Present?

To Publish or Present? This was a tough question for me to answer. I have often thought about putting things together on several projects that I have done to publish or present but didn’t follow through. In my first Masters degree I had to write a thesis and it was published. I have been a co-presenter at the Model Schools Conference in Orlando about five years ago. I love the idea of writing it all out and then seeing it in print. When it is in print I feel that I can share it with more people. On the other hand if I present I will be able to show the passion that went into the project. I will have the opportunity to demonstrate and answer questions about integrating technology with a veteran staff. I would be able to express why it is so important to walk colleagues through each step and then go back and mentor them until they feel comfortable using it. After weighing the pros and cons of each I believe I am going to choose to present. Now to decide where to present.