MAC_Week 4: Leadership Role Model

When I started this adventure 11 months ago I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The EMDT program sounded interesting when I was reading about it and knew it would be  something that would help me in the classroom but possibly expand my graphic design business. Well, here we are at the end and it has been a great experience. Every month has been filled with new ideas and ways of thinking. I have met and worked with some amazing people and I hope they are a part of my life for a long time. When I started the CBR project the unknown was just as scary. The plan of my CBR project was to increase the motivation of my second quarter college students in completing their homework projects. During this month 11 determining how I was going to share this project with the world, I have decided to submit a paper to the Journal of Computing in Higher Education as it focuses on course management tools and teaching methods, integrating technology in higher education. 

Here are my links for my leadership project blog posts and my journal article:

Week 1:
http://dodesignblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/macweek-1-leadership-role-model.html

Week 2:
http://dodesignblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/macweek-2-leadership-role-model.html


Week 3:
http://dodesignblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/macweek-3-leadership-role-model.html


Journal article: 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M5KfDlbvgnHlMJesXLJSXgj77oXoiVZOEPlgvkvIJMY/edit


Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my EMDT adventure!

MAC_Week 4: Comment #2 – Hunter Menning's Blog

My Comment for Hunter Menning

Hunter–

I loved these two stories as well. It seems that he was the only one that believed in the young children and their possibilities to sit, enjoy and learn about music.  In his story about Cora it was nice to see that he even started on the wrong foot and forgot some of his own practices but, boy, when he corrected himself he used so many of the practices to fix what he had done. He is one of a kind that is for sure, but I believe    sharing this book with others that we all can even more special than before.  Have you watched any of his TED lectures? I’ve only watched one but there are many. He is as dynamic speaking as their book.

Hunter Menning’s Blog Post 

Benjamin Zander, author of 'The Art of Possibilities,' is one of those rare individuals who truly ‘Cares’. Is must be a rare gene strand of DNA? He shows this care by placing his visiting students on the stage near his orchestra so they could experience the truest form of ‘passion’ and orchestral performance. These students had already sat for a few hours in previous meetings and now they were going to sit through a concert – they might fidget and be distracting, yet they knew Benjamin was giving them a gift of a lifetime and they were perfect. That takes intuition and a lot of trust. When do we ever go out on a limb like that in the aspect of trusting someone?

And then when Benjamin shares the story of Cora his 2^nd chair violinist, he really opens up his soul. He shows us that he didn’t always have this ‘Pure Care.’ He once was, let’s say, in development. Cora changed his life for the better because she stood for something that mattered to her. He lost her in his orchestra and that is what caused a paradigm shift to create the Benjamin we know today. So what am I really saying? We all need to stand up right now, put our hand over our heart, and say, “Thank you Cora.”

MAC_Week 4: Comment #1 – Kimberly Duran's Blog

My Comment for Kimberly Duran

 Kim –

Chapter 12 really sparked so many thoughts in me this week. Often times in education,or at least the trainings I've been to the past few years, we practice "I" messages. Telling our students what "I" need to see happen, or what "I" would like to see happen rather than just telling kids what "they" need to do. "I" messages seem to be all the rage at my school even, and I didn't realize until I read this chapter about the We story. The "I" messages have worked decently, but what a concept to make it about we to show that I am there in support of my students, staff, and other co workers. I even tested it out today on one of my tutors that is a college student, and it worked so wonderfully. He really felt a part of the decision making process, and felt as though "we" (he and I) found a solution to something. I could totally see his confidence shift. It was astounding, truly. I really want to practice this more. I must deprogram my brain from the "I" message and allow the WE to sing out of my mouth!! What a great way to end this amazing piece of literature. This week I will begin my transformation from I to we.....!!!!

Kimberly Duran’s Blog Post

Don't think the "I" syndrome is limited only to education, I see it in business, in my students, as a matter of fact, almost everywhere. For me "I" thoughts all the time lead to selfishness and pointing fingers toward others if something goes wrong. I hope I use "WE" enough but will be more aware of how I approach people from now on. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this chapter. Think one of the main reason groups or companies succeed is that they work together as a team, accept the positive and negative responses to things as a team and never but one person out to accept the acknowledgment or take the blame.

MAC_Week 4: Reading Reflection

What is your next move while
looking a the whole board?

Wow, this book continues to my ideas to the possibilities that could happen. I really agree with chapter 10 about one can only be accountable for what one has control over. I think that is all we can worry about. However, the idea of looking at every situation as a chessboard is very interesting. It seems to me if more people would think more like this we would have fewer lawsuits and maybe things we need like insurance wouldn’t be so expensive. The business world also wouldn’t always be thinking, “we need to cover our behinds”.  I love the board question, “How did this get on the board that I am?” Seems like self-reflection is a very important part of this whole art of possibilities.

I think that the criteria for a vision is wonderful not only for companies but for personal goals.  Think everyone should have a vision as these visions can be looked at like mini goals. Lastly in chapter 12, the WE is so important and strong. I would think that the WE will always be stronger than the I/You and it could stop the finger pointing or blame we see in our society today.

Looking back at the book it seems that all eleven practices are tied closely to one another if one could achieve just a few of these practices the possibilities that could open up to you would be extreme. Can you image if one could really take into practice all eleven – the possibilities could be endless!

MAC_Week 3: Comment #2 – Kimberly Duran's Blog

My Comment for Kimberly Duran:

Kim,

What a creative way of you to help your student see that walking around negative all the time is more harmful to his future than seeing the world as a good and positive place. We all have ups and downs but how we handle those times is what makes us or breaks us. I know that for a while I was very negative about things, I call it the "why me syndrome".  When I was in there I didn't make good decisions (if I made any) and I had to get out of it.  Now even if I make the wrong decision, I look at what I did or didn't do correctly, learn from it, make adjustments and move ahead. I don't think kids are taught that today and I think this book is really talking about that. I hate when people complain about everything, what good does that do?

Kimberly Duran's Blog Post:

I really enjoyed the Babe analogy in Chapter 7-The Way Things Are. I have seen this movie so many times and it went so well with how the authors were trying to get their points across about being present to the way things are. I have a student that I swear this chapter was written for. He is what I call an Eeyore kid. Kind of negative all the time, walking around with a rain cloud over him. Always making road blocks instead of paths. Being much like the cow in the analogy, the oh well that's the way things are kind of mentality. I showed him a couple of snippets of the movie Babe after reading this chapter, and then we spoke about being present to the way things are instead of just accepting things the way they are. How this type of thinking is a catalyst for change, and how this could help him to improve his way of thinking. He really enjoyed the analogy as well and said that it pointed things out to him in a different way and really put things in perspective. The simple trick of turning the word but into and was like magic. He and I have been trying to find ways to turn more dreary outlooks into positive experiences. I just LOVE this book, it has been so insightful on so many levels. I have found so many uses for the things I have learned, I really am floored by all the great stuff and thankful we were given the opportunity to read it!!

MAC_Week 3: Comment #1 – Hunter Menning's Blog

Downward Spiral
Creative Commons / Flickr
by  Ray Tomes

My Comment for Hunter Menning:

Hunter, your view on everything is so positive; in these 11 months I have never seen a negative or defeated attitude from you. I am sure that you bring that into your classroom. I do agree with you the Benjamin is changing more than just minds in this book. Everything he has said made me think about how I need to encourage students to become more aware of their potential possibilities, which from your blog posts you are doing the same thing. You also make me smile when you write so you are up there with Benjamin as well. The avoidance of the downward spiral conversation is a wonderful idea but think it is so hard from many people today because they are so negative and cynical to begin with.

 Hunter Menning's Blog Post:

Benjamin Zander, YOU awaken the mind in a refreshing way like no other. I live to awaken the possibility within others. The truth is, if people are at a level 4 out of 10 in their life of possibilities, they cannot just jump to level 9 or 10. They must go through level 5, 6, 7, and 8 first. That takes so much time and so much care. Benjamin, you smile as you speak and I can tell that you smile when you write. How did you even conceive having students write about who they will become by the end of the year? That is pure genius. You are transforming souls, not just minds. You tell us to stay away from the downward spiraling conversations. You applaud the greatest leaders who have the ability to distinguish the downward spiral and move people to empowering radiating possibilities. If you were in charge of the planet, there would be world peace! Do you want everyone to just love their neighbor as themselves? Well, please sign me up! And then your chapter, ‘How much greatness are we willing to grant?’ Ok., how did you invent that title?! We must have lunch. We can eat at ‘Rule Number 6.’ They have an excellent strudel there. You are the problem-solver of the world, and Roz probably taught you everything you know, of course (wink wink). Thank you for intervening to help so many people out there. I’m offering help whenever needed. Hey, that’s what great friends are for! Let’s do lunch soon – my treat for sure!   - Hunter

MAC_Week 3: Leadership Role Model

I have decided to submit my CBR in the form a Journal. I have looked at several that would help educators in a design-type field, such as graphic design, interior design, media arts, game art, etc. and have selected two. The first is the Journal of Computing in Higher Education as it focuses on course management tools and teaching methods, integrating technology in higher education. The second one is the Journal of Design Communication because is directed more towards educators and researchers in the design disciplines. The faculty where I teach receives an weekly online journal called Faculty Focus that I would like to submit to as well, but does not have the requirement standards we were told we needed to look for; so maybe later on.