Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wk 4 Reading - Is it worth the blame?
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and for a non-reader, that is really saying something. I even plan on rereading this book while vacationing in Daytona after graduation. I loved the story that was told about handing out the blame, and how Zander realized that it could only divide the group. The purpose of making beautiful music, is being able to work cooperatively with each other to create memories. Each performance happens that one time. It is only within that moment that the opportunity for that performance of a particular piece of music can exist. I have found that the field of education is very guilty of using reward and punishment as a means of accountability. If you don’t show for a concert, or turn in a piece of homework, then your grade suffers. Is that really creating motivation?
The analogy of the bus not liking my suggestions or following my advice, can reapply to classroom situation so easily. Let’s think of them, rather than me. Why should I allow myself to lay down or create unnecessary boundaries. Shouldn’t we come together as one? What can I do to help in the cohesiveness of our group? Can I do something differently? Is it me that is holding back the progression of things? Shouldn’t’ I be working on my relationship with my students and my encounters rather than setting unnecessary boundaries.? These are tremendous questions that have popped into my head over the past month. I think I am ready to reread to better absorb, and open myself and my teaching up more to the world in which I exist, rather than the world in which I think I should exist.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Wk 4 - Response
Steve! What can I say but WOW! THAT SOUNDS AWESOME! I can tell you have really put some thought into what you would want in your environment! I hope you make it happen.
My ideal environment to teach students would be a classroom made from an old planetarium. I watched the movie Meet the Robinsons with my children in the theater when it first came out and that home really impressed me. I think having my own school in a planetarium would rock! All the ancillary rooms would function as workshop rooms (classrooms) and the main planetarium observatory would be the main classroom. Each seat would be set up with connections for the students to plug in their laptops and school would be held as a great instantaneous collaboration. Students would have the collective meeting at the beginning and end of the day in the observatory and during the middle part they would go to the ancillary workshop rooms specialized in each of the academic disciplines. The morning collective group time would be for presentation of the problems of the day and the end of the school day would be for presentations of results.
Each of the classrooms would be set up with wifi, camera presentation presenters, ceiling mounted LCD projectors, long tables with stools in the central work area for collaboration, desks along the walls for quiet individual working time, audio system ceiling embedded, and smartboards for each classroom. I also think that a holographic table like in Ironman would rock! When are they going to make THAT reality!?! Several of the rooms would be converted into weight training, spin, and dance classes. Two large auditoriums would be necessary for music instruction, as well as adjacent practice rooms. The outer grounds would also have wifi and students could work in more of a natural environment with beautiful Japanese gardens, Italian pergolas and sitting areas, and wide walkways where students could walk and stay healthy while completing school work. There would also have to be a large outdoor amphitheater for music performances. I don’t want school to be confined to the four walls of a classroom alone. I think that this school would have to be private and I want to be the principal in charge of curriculum and instruction.Kimberly,
I could function in your vision just as well. Maybe we could find a way to incorporate them together.Your vision appears to more campus oriented, and I think I could “struggle” to function within the confines. I think that the combining of these two visions could be nothing short of fabulous and effective for all learning.
Wk 4 - Publishing Project Thoughts
I think I have decided upon publishing as my project submission. In reviewing my notes and web site recently I began to put thoughts together. What I came up with was a rather nice piece of writing (I think) that could be helpful to fellow music educators. As educators we are always looking for new and inviting ways to teach. When information is posted in one of our journals, the quick reading articles tend to help with decision making. Often we are so enveloped in our work that time demands are limiting for research and the submission of informative articles of things that work or don’t work help to shed light on factors that affect our decisions. I plan to submit to The Music Educators Journal, MENC, and the Music Technology Journal for consideration of my project.
Wk 4 - DB 2 Dream Job? - Maybe later
What stands between me and my dream job? Economic issues, location, and commitments are barriers.. I live in a small rural town and have been here for a number of years. I prefer the big city life much more but circumstances keep me here. I feel that I am a very creative person and have lots of visionary insight that can be used in many areas of the arts. But, due to my location those gifts are not used to their fullest and when they are used they are taken for granted by small minded, small town mentality. Twenty years ago I probably would have felt more inclined to say that I deserve a dream job. But as I near my retirement from education I suffice to finish out my time here. Perhaps after retirement, in my next life I can find a better outlet for my gifts.
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What has stood before me for my dream job is a misconception of my perspective of living and acting under authority. This concept was taught to me about 20 years ago, and I now see that it is a barrier. The perspective that we are all leaders and teachers and contributors is much more the WE story, proposed by the Zanders. I look forward to the coming months as I practice developing the WE story for my dream job.
I’m with you Deborah. It is difficult to break out of the old ways. Zander speaks so eloquently and offers so much insight into accepting our existence around us. I thought that many of his comments and ideas are so worthwhile pursuing. Especially as someone who has been in the same routine and guidelines for many years. I would like to think that through more self exploration and soul searching I may be able to be more open and aware of making mine, and others, worlds more accepting.