Wk2 Comment #2 to Peter Binskin

http://binskinsmindbogglingblog.blogspot.com/

Peter wrote:

The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander (2000) is a great book to read! I think that having us watch the TED video of Benjamin Zander first was a great idea because it puts much of the book in perspective and gives the book a voice (I couldn’t get that joyful British voice out of my head as I read it). It really is a book of stories on changing perspectives and finding the joy of living in everything. It also asks us to look at a broader world of opportunities, not for what we can gain personally, but what we can gain by giving ourselves to those in our field of influence.
As a teacher the Michelangelo analogy was very strong for me. Do I see my students as infinite potential or am I just there to deliver the curriculum and compare them to other students? It’s a hard thing to rejoice in an individual’s abilities when the parents too are asking how are they doing compared to the rest of the class or the state. This measurement world is very strong and is continually being used as justification and blame on those who do not measure up and those who are charged with the job of raising people up to those invented standards. I have to admit that I myself have been focusing on measurements throughout this course and get stressed at each activity, wondering if I have done what is required to satisfy the course requirements rather than being a contribution to those around me in my academic community, both inside and outside the course.
One thing I can say is that I am quite energized by this book and I hope I can find a way to let myself give up my measurement driven way of thinking to something more uplifting. I’m enjoying this book so much that I am recommending my wife read it to give her tools to help with managing people at her work.

Peter,

I also liked watching the TED video before reading the book.  Interesting perspective you have on measurement, I liked how you related it to the teaching profession. As I have gotten to know you this year I find it hard to believe you are just a deliverer of the curriculum. (Look at the President’s song) I believe you will help your students’ to find their infinite potential and chip away any obstacles they may face to reach it.

Wk2 Comment #1 to Heather Anderson

http://teachingfire.blogspot.com/ 

Heather wrote:

The Amazing Power of "A"

I have never liked grades even though I have always strived to get straight A's or high scores of some sort. Grades and scores on tests never really seem to describe my potential as a student or a person. I could get 100% in a class and feel like I have learned nothing. I could also try really hard and spend countless hours on a spanish essay, yet only recieve a B, because the teacher didn't believe I was capable of every achieving an A. Needless to say, I didn't always try my hardest to achieve the grades, but I always expected good grades.

After reading the third chapter in the Art of Possibilty, I reviewed my perspective of both giving and receiving grades. If there was no struggle to worry about the grade and the outcome in the end, would the student apply herself more during each lesson? Would she worry more about what she is learning rather than what label she is going to receive at the end of the course? I thought about my experiences throughout all of my education. Through high school, it was only about the grade, I don't remember what I learned or why teachers chose to teach us certain material. But in college, I started to pay attention to my learning more. I found myself enjoying studying the material and I could actually remembered what I learned! I stopped caring about the grades. But with this new found love and enjoyment of learning, the high scores and A grades came naturally.

I love the idea of giving everyone an A at the beginning of the course or class. It tells the students that you believe in them and you believe in their successes as students and people. I would love to try this with my students, however my students are still very young and haven't had much exposure to grades, so they don't quite understand the pressure yet. I think I will try it with an older grade at some point to see how they act differently.

We should get rid of grades altogether, but unfortunately states think that numbers and grades are what defines a school and it's students. If that frame of thinking were to change, then I think everyone would be more successful regardless of who they are or what they are studying!

Heather,

I agree giving everyone an A at the beginning would certainly convey the belief you have in your students’ success. Isn’t it funny how reading something can throw you back in time and have you relive an experience with a teacher. (Good or Bad)

Image from Creative Commons
moonstarsandpaper.blogspot.com

That is why as educators we must take a hard look in the mirror. What other profession has such an impact on the lives of others?

 

Wk2 Reading: Art of Possibility

Is your Cup Half Full or Half Empty?

Image from Creative Commons

By Jesiehart's Photostream

After reading the first four chapters in the Art of Possibility, I began thinking about my personal story and my survival thinking. I use the personal motto, “attitude is contagious” and try hard each and every day to live it.  Although, people try hard to crush my spirit I don’t let them defeat my positive outlook. 

 The reading shared the story of the shoe factory with one marketing scout seeing the negative “no one wears shoes” and the other seeing the positive  “they have no shoes”.  Which describes you? I tend to look for the positives in any given situation.

As a teacher, I am constantly looking for the positive and potential in my students. It wasn’t until I read chapter 3 and the Michelangelo quote that it truly became clear. We must chip away the obstacles that tend to get in the way of each child’s developing to their fullest potential. Using the practice of “Giving an A” could transform attitudes and open the universe of possibility for even our students. 

As I reflected on this chapter, I wonder what grade my students would give me?

It really made me reflect on my own teaching and even my personal relationships. Revealing I must talk and get to know the why behind the attitude, before I can truly change the thinking.

Wk1 Free Post

To Let Chat or not to Let Chat?

I am stuck in a dilemma, whether or not it’s okay for my students to chat live with one another during my lessons. 

My first instinct was to say NO.  But as I am immersed into all this technology and new ways to teach these digital savvy students, I wonder if my first instinct was correct. 

Since today’s 21^st century learners are proficient at multi-tasking, should I be looking for better ways to teach these "natives" the way they learn best. I have struggled with this point all year. I guess my struggle is possibly with the quality of the chatting. I teach 7^th graders and their maturity level is sometimes nonexistent. 

My school district has blocked most of the sites students use for chatting during the school day. But as you know students have already found multiple ways around the blocks. So if they are caught chatting during class, they could lose their computers for up to 3 days at the discretion of the principal.  So with this rule comes the age of cyber sneakiness.

As for me the level of text chatting during Wimba each week drove me crazy in the early months. I kept asking myself, “Is it because I’m older and I didn’t have all this technology when I was younger?” I think it’s just because I’m A.D.D. and it was hard to retrain my brain when to focus on content and when to focus on chatting. Shockingly after a few short months I am competent at multi-tasking. (listening and text chatting with more than one window opened) 

So I guess my questions to ponder are:

1. How can I teach students the appropriate times to use chatting?   
2. Can I incorporate lessons that allow chatting to enhance the learning opportunities?

Or should I just take a chill pill and let them chat away.

Wk1 Comment #2 to Ginny Holms

http://vholm.blogspot.com/2011/05/copyright-issues.html#comments
Ginny wrote:

As we move further into the age of technology, our simple and easy to understand (and enforce) copyright laws are falling the wayside. Just interpreting each individual's view of what infringing upon a copyright is becomes very broad. After listening to both sides, each one is valid. How do we address the one million ways to obtain and distribute information and content via the Internet? Perhaps we need to rethink the copyright laws and try to come up with a way to distribute to the global masses and yet somehow give the artist the credit they deserve. Maybe we need to narrow the spectrum on some things such as printed materials, and broaden it on others - such as music and songs that aren't somehow documented. I'm sure that music composers and songwriters will have other thoughts. I'm a graphic designer. I know if someone were to copy my work and profit from it without my consent, I would be miffed. On the other hand, if they used elements and made them their own I would be flattered. It's hard to copyright an idea or concept as original. In film, music, art, and advertising its seems everything is borrowed from something, even if it is just a tiny element.

Fair Use has benefited me quite a bit through the course of this program. Allowing to use copyrighted images and ideas in presentations for the sake of teaching is a good thing. I can honestly say I didn't know about the rest - parody, news reporting and critical commenting. Good to know. As for the duration of a copyright, well bad for someone who wants to use it, but great for the artist.

I also learned that Creative Commons has variations on how each artist allows their works to be used. I had assumed that it was only for educational use and you had to obtain permission from the artist for anything else. I am so glad that I learned what these symbols represent so that I don't infringe upon their wishes. I have to be honest I've only used CC for background music. I think I'll have to explore it further.

Ginny,

You are so right about the broadness of the copyright laws interpretation by each individual and their views about what infringing really is. I agree that both sides make for an interesting debate and new laws for distribution should be developed to give credit where credit is due.

I also found it nice to finally understand what the Creative Commons symbols represent.  Increasing my awareness certainly added to my anxiety about how much I don’t understand and need to learn about copyrighting.

 

Wk1 Comment #1 to Pat Ort

http://edubabel.blogspot.com/2011/05/week-1-discussion-copyright.html#comments
Pat wrote:

I think teachers really get squeezed when it comes to copyright because many don’t know where to look for copyright free material that is also cost free.  The Internet is a really big place, and resources that seem obvious to some are not all that easy to find for others. FSO has really helped me with that this year. As other students have shared resources, I have finally begun to find places to get music that my students can use and which don’t cost me anything.  I still need to broaden that list of resources, though.

The drive to integrate technology into the classroom puts teachers and students in situations where they may need music or images they can’t make themselves.  Digital natives resist the idea that they can’t share the things they find on in the Internet freely, and in any way they like. I have spent all year reinforcing the idea that you can’t use someone else’s work without their permission.  We are doing better, but often kids have a specific image or piece of music in mind when they think up a project.  When they find out they can’t use those things, they have a hard time coming up with alternatives.  Actually, sometimes so do I.  I needed medieval music for my class movie.  I did purchase some music from iStock Photo, but it was a very limited selection. And no. I can’t make that in Garage Band.

I use online videos a lot, embedding them in my school web pages or blog.  I could never create all of that myself.  The rules about copyright can be a little slippery, too. Colleges, for example, can do some things that K-12 can’t, and vice-versa. And the rules change.  I have required my students to use copyright free sources and to document their sources.  However, it is still hard to be sure every item is safe and to check every student’s sources.

Pat,

I agree that our digitally native students must be required to use copyright free sources. Often times it’s a battle because they are so adept at sharing and copying. (Not necessarily all legal) I feel the only way to change their thinking is to educate them further on the copyright legalities. These copyright laws must be taught in correlation with the projects using technology.

Wk1 Reading Copyright

The copyright videos were interesting and a little overwhelming. I was totally oblivious to the depth of the piracy on media. The film “Good Copy/Bad Copy” opened my eyes to the extent of the piracy not only on music but on the motion picture industry as well. I have always wondered about those advertisements at the beginning of DVD’s about piracy being against the law. I guess I thought it was geared more towards big time offenders than just everyday people. 

 

The top ten copyright myths by Brad Templeton were also very fascinating. Several have been discussed in depth at my school. (“If you don’t charge for it, it’s not a violation”)

This program at Full Sail has certainly heightened my awareness of copyright issues. I have on numerous occasions searched for copyright free images and have been disappointed when I open the image.  Most images appear with the statement “This image may be subject to copyright”.  

 What does that really mean?  Where can I find material?

As I am immersed into the legal and illegal aspects of copyrighting this month, I hope to gain the necessary information to better educate my students.

We must prepare our students for success in the future by urging them to create original work and educating them on the laws of copyrighting.