Week 3 Free Blog Post: The 8 Ball

Royalty free from Getty Images

Its hard to get in front of the 8 ball when you start out behind.  I heard the phrase while watching television this week (a rare thing since I started school).  This statement made me think about my students.  They are from low-income families, some live on Medicaid, or from paycheck to paycheck.  They do not have the luxuries of computers or other technological gadgets.  But, I believe and feel that just because my student’s are not middle and upper class, does not mean that they have to have an underclass education.  I believe a teacher that I give my students everything I have to offer that being financially or bring my personal technical devices that I allow my students to use. By doing this I feel that my student may be beside the eight ball or in front of it, but I am determine to ensure that they are not behind that eight ball.

Week 3 Reading: The Art of Possibility Chapters 5-8

Image © Marc Dezemery

These are my thoughts about the following chapters of the book titled The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander.

Chapter 5 - Leading From Any Chair

Effective leaders recognize and understand that there are different leadership styles.  Being a leader and being the front person is not the same thing.  A true leader knows that they do not have to always be in the front to lead.  They inspire the people in the organization to accomplish amazing things. This is the true organizational power, whether the person yielding the power is at the top of the pyramid or a respected line manager.

Chapter 6 – Rule Number 6

Not taking oneself so seriously is a sentiment that I have heard a lot during my adult life.  As I think back I was very serious as a child also.  I feel that I have always had fun, but have been concerned with being labeled as cavalier.  This reminds me of the early chapter about labels.  I love to have fun but sometimes I am afraid to because of what people will think of me but NOW I am at the point in life where I don’t care what others think. I will live a fun filled life.

Chapter 7 – The Way Things Are

With most aspects of my life, I seem to have a constitution that, although hesitantly sometimes, tends to look at the way things are as an opportunity for new possibilities.  A very real example is how I got to Full Sail University.  The initial disappointment in my career initiated pondering and reflection.  From there, I say world of opportunities that have resulted in an exciting journey that is “now”.

Chapter 8 – Giving Way to Passion

I express my passion almost daily and in every fabric of my life.  My passion is the education and impacting of children’s lives, especially the less fortunate.  I lean into these activities, at work, after work, with my church and often in other ways within my community.

Week 2 Comment to Peer: Mellissa

Mellissa stated on her blog

I think in today’s society there are so many families who don’t have meaningful communication at dinner or any other time of the day. So many children equate being successful with earning money and if they did a good or bad job. I think that the concept of contribution builds up the spirit. As a teacher I may not have all children in my class on grade level. However, I know that they have all shown growth academically and personally. I know that the student who was sent to the office every day of Kindergarten only spent 6 days in the office this past year. I know that my student whose father was in Japan during the tsunami was comforted when the class researched the tsunami and showed support. In life there are contributions we make in the lives of others that cannot be measured. Being able to pour into the life of another is immeasurable yet the feeling of being able to contribute is priceless.

My comment

Your lasted sentence is the essence was what it means to a contributor.  I am going to put this on my wall so I can read it everyday.  The point that you make about being able to contribute is priceless is very true.  Further, it is important to remember that the size of the contribution is not important because the impact is relative and in the eye of the recipient of the contribution.

Week 2 Comment to Peer: Elaine

Elaine stated on her blog:

I have lived “out of the boat”. I had allowed life and others to not only get me off track but as the authors stated, I didn’t even know where the track was anymore. Truth is I am just now finding my way back. I would not have thought to think of this life I live as an invention that I could change. Sure I knew all the clichés about “working hard”, “never giving up”, “hanging in there”, and “if it won’t kill you it will make you stronger.” Hell then I outta be SuperWoman by now! But to think in terms of “it’s all invented” makes sense to me. I am already doing it. The moment I decided to start my Masters after losing my job and house I re-invented my wheel to turn into another pathway. Sure I didn’t know if it would work or if the wheel would take me anywhere but I made the wheel anyway and here I am riding a month before the finish line of graduating with a Masters degree.

My comment:

I understand where you are coming from.  I too have allowed others to get me off track but I am now living for me now.  For example, when people found out that I was going back to school and getting another masters they thought I was crazy.  They thought I should get a doctorate degree. But this is what I wanted to do and I am inventing a new life for myself, which I plan to enjoy.

Week 2 Free Post: Copyleft and Copyfree

The first time I heard this term was in my Wimba class Tuesday night.  While the class was still going I had to Google it to further understand it.  My search yielded the definition and a new word as well, copyfree. 

Copyleft is a play on the word copyright.  It describes the practice of using copyright law to offer the right to distribute copies and modified versions of a work and requires the same rights be preserved in modified versions of the work.  According to Wikepedia, it is a form of licensing and can be used to maintain copyright conditions for works such as computer software, documents and art.  Some very popular software products that utilize copyleft licensing are the Linux operating system and the internet browser Mozilla Firefox.

Copyfree is a policy of freedom to copy, use, modify, and distribute what you possess. Wikepedia contrasts this philosophy to both copyright and copyleft, in that it does not seek to limit or restrict your rights regarding your possessions at all. Copyfree is not about maintaining a limited monopoly on the product of the intellect, like copyright; nor is it about dictating terms of redistribution, like copyleft. It is about control over what you possess and allowing others to control what they possess.   Some popular projects that employ copyfree licensing are the Apache Web server software and the Unix operating system.

Week 2 Reading: The Art of Possibility Chapters 1-4

After reading the first four chapters of the book titled The Art of Possibility, I know I will enjoy reading the rest of the book.  The first chapter, entitled “It’s All Invented”, focuses on inventing solutions that will enhance our lives and the people involved in our lives.  In “Stepping into a Universe of Possibility”, the second chapter, we learned not to let labels that are created by others define and guide how we see ourselves.  I am guilty of this and also of letting others define me.  Because of this, I know I am not living up to my full potential or possibility.  This has got to change and that change starts now.

The third chapter is entitled, “Giving an A”, and is a wonderful continuation of chapter 2.  I love the idea of giving myself an A.  This concept will help me push myself to keep the A that has been self rewarded.

Chapter four, “Being a Contribution”, made me reflect on last week’s church worship service.  I am a soloist at church although it is not by choice.  By nature, I do not like attention or the spotlight.  So, singing a solo in church is painful and something I have not shared with my family or friends.   Members of my church are the only people that have heard me sing.  This Saturday, I decided to let my father listen to one of my rehearsal recordings.  As he listened, a smile came over his face and he said that I sound good.  He is planning on coming to hear me sing on Sunday.  Although I was not looking for validation from him, my father is also a singer.  So, I contributed to his pride and happiness and I feel good about doing so.

Week 1 Publishing/Leadership project part 1 of 2: What to Do?

After attending the Wimba session on Tuesday and learning about all the tasks for this class, I began to think about the publishing part of the course.  Questions began swirling in my head like:

• ·      Am I ready for this?
• ·      What will I gain from this?
• ·      Should I do a conferences presentation, a publication or both?
• ·      If I do a conference presentation, how will I present the material?

I know however, that no matter which direction I decide to go, I will grow and gain valuable knowledge.  So I am ready for the challenge.  Over the next few days I plan to weigh the pros and cons of each.