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.

 

MAC_Week 3: Reading Reflection

My Perfect Inspiration
Creative Commons / Flickr
by kuddlyteddybear2004

This book continues to be full of ideas and inspiration. Each chapter opens up ideas to share with my students, and fellow faculty.  Many of the practices, in my eyes, are common sense and should be easy to do. I try to live by several of them. I agree that the calculating self is hard to ignore or work through, but we need to; at least we should recognize it. I will be the first to admit if I have done something incorrectly or don’t know something, especially with my students. I think they need to know that I’m not perfect nor do I want to pretend to be. I am emotional and sometimes it does get in the way but it never turns defensive.  So I guess my central self is working well. However, I do think that sometimes my central self gets in my way of letting go and doing something really out there.  I have given away my passion for some things, but I have kept my passion for graphic design. I tell my students that in order to do well in school and whatever they decide to do they have to be passionate about it.

Rule number 6 really resonates with me. I’ve come from a family that doesn’t take ourselves too seriously and if we did someone would say something that would lighten up the situation. However, it seems that as people move up the corporate ladder they forget about this rule and their calculating self comes out and they need to remember where they have been and that the rug can be pulled out from under them and lighten up.  

Practice seven is very, very important. I’m not sure people think in the present until something happens in their lives that wakes them up, like a death to someone close or a terrible accident, etc.  We seem to have to have that life changing moment to wake us up and to live to optimum possibilities.  Ben Zander states, “that we need to focus on what should be and not what is. “  My students are always dwelling on what went wrong with their project and not what it is. Therefore, the first thing I tell my students during their presentations is not start with the negative of the piece or what they didn’t do or what went wrong with the printing, just sell me on what you have. If they knew it wasn’t working then they should have fixed it. They are always blaming someone else for what went wrong instead of owning what happened, learn from the experience and make adjustments for the next time.

The ideas in chapter 8 are my downfall when it comes to my personal life. I am working my way out of it though. The first step was deciding that I needed to get out among people again and that I needed to give back, hence I started teaching. Teaching lead me to Full Sail and what an experience. I only hope I can keep moving forward and keep on with the BFTI. Thank you for everyone for helping me along the way.