Week 4 Reading - The Art of Possibility Ch 9-12

http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com/living-in-your-possibilities

Reading through this book was like one big exhale.  Each of the chapters provided great insight and fit into my life at the very moment as I was reading it.  Maybe it was me allowing the possibilities of what I can learn from this book to take over.  Whatever it was, I found this book to be thought provoking, engaging and a reality check in so many ways.  Each chapter provided direct insight into thought processes that I needed to deconstruct and new ideas to approaching life.  It opened up my eyes and reinforced some lessons I have been learning through my own personal journey of growth.

http://www.en-derin.com/artworks/faux-photoshop-15-incredible-images-that-look-altered-but-aren’t

Sharing the things I've learned in this book is one of the main ways that I will "pay forward from my universe of possibility".  I think it will benefit those around me to see me processing things and living life a bit more open to understand the impact of this mind shift and hopefully see how it can work for them.  The possibilities are truly endless and my own creation of those possibilities for myself opens up my world to a brand new existence.  I am rejuvenated, I am free, I am able to inspire and reach more than I thought I could.  My passion and enthusiasm have always been what draws others to me and what propels me to share things that inspire me.  After reading this book, I think my spark will shift to an eternal flame.

http://asads.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/possibilities/

Week 4 Comment - Cindy

My comment:
I'm with you about being skeptical when first reading this book.  I surely did not know what to expect and was glad that I ended up pleasantly surprised.  This book definitely came into my life at a point where I'm going through some sort of journey and most, if not all, of the points are being reiterated to me.  I wholeheartedly agree with you that educators and administrators would benefit greatly from this book.  Anyone will honestly, but our field more so to keep us all grounded and not burn out.  I hope you are staying safe in this weather.

Cindy's Post:

Week 4- Reading The Art of Possibility

We must make our activities desirable to others, as desirable as a banana is to a monkey!

I have to say that I absolutely loved this book. At first I was skeptical but the further into the bok I got, the more I enjoyed it!!! This book could be related to all of our lives in one way or another, especially if you are in education.

The authors made a great point about using we instead of I. This is something we all need to learn to do. We are all in it together, good or bad. In order to be successful, collaboration and teamwork is needed.

Enrolling or sparking others is a must. Educators should create a spark in their students. To get anyone to do anything, we must create a desire in them. Make it endearing and intriguing. Our students must be provided with an anticipatory strategy to hook them in. As with any activity, the participants must be reeled in hook line and sinker. They must want to participate.

This is a must read for any educator! I firmly believe that this book will be beneficial for all of those in the world of education from administrators to educators to paraprofessionals. 

Week 4 Comment - Tiffany

My comment:
I agree with you about the part in the book where being the framework for what happens in our lives is discussed.  We really do only have control over ourselves and it's time we realize that whatever we put out is what's coming back.  The way we express ourselves and communicate pretty much sets the stage for how others will react to us.  When it comes to marriage, I also agree with you that love is not about self determination or sacrifice.  IT is building and growing.  I just celebrated my 10th year of marriage this month and we definitely are still growing together.  The best quote I've ever read which is great to keep in mind is the following "Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate". ~Barnett R. Brickner

Tiffany's post:

Week 4 reading: It's Just Better That Way

Our society today has changed drastically from what it was before. So many people use cell phones as a means of communication and even to handle business. I had to learn the hard way that some things just really need to be done in person. I love the story that he told about his father and how he father taught him a valuable lesson: "Some things are just better to handle in person". When texting no one knows your true emotion or how you said it so in the long run it can lead to more trouble when you could have just met up with the person to have the conversation.

I love this fact he stated in this book which says "I am the framework for everything that happens in my life". I work at an Elementary school and we all know that these grade level students are always quick to blame someone else when caught doing something wrong. In actuality, we as adults still have this problem sometimes. We blame someone else so that we can feel right!! I wish that he would have took the story from a different standpoint like this when talking about the car wreck issue. So here is my way of describing this story: A drunken, young girl immediately slams on her brakes to stop for a car in front of her and the person riding behind this young girl runs into the back of her car. In North Carolina if you hit someone from behind you are at fault regardless. If you look at the story, the person that would automatically be blamed in a line up is the drunken, young girl because she is drunk. So we must remember that we are the framework for everything that happens in our lives. We control ourselves!

Last but not least, Love is neither about self-determination nor sacrifice. It is a context in which two people build the life they want together. In a marriage, we may have to sacrifice some but the most important part is that we are building a life together and the more you build the happier you are as a unit.

Wk 4 Publishing Leadership Project

 The top two journals that I plan to publish my CBR journal article in are the Journal of Interactive and Learning Research and the Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education.  Technology in education is all about innovation and forward thinking.  Journals like these allow us to share among professional peers valuable research and information for what works.  They also provide a forum for educational leaders and professionals to collaborate on the results of valuable research.

The Journal of Interactive and Learning Research publishes various papers on the use of various interactive learning environments in education and training.  This journal presents articles that describe the impact on education and training of the use of systems such as assessment systems, collaborative, multimedia systems, simulations and games, and virtual reality based learning systems to name a few. 


The Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education targets preservice and inservice teachers to provide a forum to share information regarding the use of technology in various fields and departments in education.  This allows for teachers to have another resource to use in researching tools and techniques to incorporate technology into their classrooms.


Thinking Out Loud Post 1

Thnking Out Loud Post 2

Vereen_Stephania_Publishing.docx

Week 3 Comment - Sheri

My comment -
No matter where we are or what outside responsibilities take hold, life happens!  And when you have a family, life is that family over anything.  That's insane that your daughter had to miss the first 2 days.  AS important as those days are, we all know that things don't start truly swinging until about the 3rd day after all the paperwork and getting to know you's are out of the way.  When we have families, there is always a moment that will take precedence and make you realize that being with your family is exactly where you need to be.  It's sad that there are some people who place work above taking care of themselves and their family when the truth of the matter is, no matter how great you are at what you do, when things go downhill, your position is always dispensable.  I'm glad that Kaia is better!

Sheri's post -

Wk 3 Free Post-The First Week of School

The first week of school is my favorite time of the school year.  There is an excitement in the air that seems to dissipate as the year goes on.  Everyone is excited for the possibilities the new school year holds.  Students are buzzing about what teachers they like or dislike and what projects they will be doing.  Both students and teachers get a fresh start.  I love that each semester, I get a new beginning to reinvent my classroom.  The opportunity to try again in new ways is exciting.  

Every year holds its own challenges and rewards.  This year my daughter also had her first week of first grade.  She missed the first two days of school due to a sinus infection and pink eye.  My husband stayed home from work the first day so that I could go to my own first day of school.  When I got home after work, I had to take my daughter to the doctor.  She needed to stay home another day until the antibiotics could take effect.   I had to miss the second day of school to stay home with my daughter because my husband had a video shoot he couldn’t miss.  Though it’s a challenge to miss the second day of school, I was where I needed to be.  The situation made me evaluate my priorities.   My family will always be a priority over any job or career but I cannot help feeling guilty knowing that so people are depending on me.  My students where very understanding about the situation.   

Just like I told my students…it’s not ideal to miss the second day of school but sometimes you just have to roll with whatever life throws at you.  My daughter is feeling much better and was able to go to school on the third day.  Soon it will all be a distant memory and forgotten as new challenges begin to surface.

Image of Kaia by Portrait Innovations

Week 3 Comment - Edwin

My Comment -
That's amazing that you had an actual real life opportunity to apply the readings.  It definitely is no coincidence that your laptop crashed around the time as you are reading this section.  Imagine if we weren't even reading this book.  I'm developing some anxiety just thinking about it!!!  Needless to say, just goes to show that this program has managed to teach us marketable skills to improve our careers and life skills to manage our lives!

Edwin's Post -

WK 3- Reading

Photo by benny7am via Flickr

Timing is everything.  That can be said for the week I've had and reading The Art of Possibilityis the perfect timing for me to write this blog.  So I will start with the way things are.
When your computer's hard drive crashes and the program is about technology you have different ways to react.  I could have freaked out and stressed all day and night until I the computer got fixed but I thought about each aspect of school and solutions to each task instead of what I could not accomplish without my laptop that had everything on it.
That's where I think the reading is beneficial to the class and program as it gets me to think outside of the norm and not to take myself that seriously about things I may not be in control over like my hard drive crashing.  The book points to thinking in a spiral that will only lead to one direct or for different solutions.  The way the authors write their examples help to relate the story to the reader. 
The more I get into the book the more I think about a post I read last week from Bruce Kramer in his blog last week.  Since the book offers no tools but your mind and self thinking there are times that you feel a lack of control if you are not in a position to make changes.  With the state of the world it is today we are often worried about how to pay to survive instead of living.  I know this sounds pessimistic or a talking in a downward spiral, but as humans we do have emotions and worries.  All too often it revolves around money.  I start to think about this similar to putting the cart in-front of the horse and then I think about so the horse in now pushing the cart instead of pulling so in the end I answer my own concern about we can stress about all aspects of our life or we can look at each individual problem separate from each other and find solutions piece by piece.

Week 3 Free Post - EEK! We're really almost done!!!

http://www.hrmreport.com/news/workplace-stress/

I am battling a little bit of anxiety as we near the end.  Ok, more so like a lot.  I'm trying very hard to keep it all at bay because we all know anxiety breeds chaos which leads to Murphy's Law being activated in full effect.  But, I can't help it.  Finalizing the CBR has been so nerve wrecking and on top of that, iWeb is not totally being my friend as it should be.  I've heard a few stories of our peers who've lost their entire CBR in the earlier months and have had to do it all over!  Now more than ever, I'm trying to keep the power of positive thinking as my energy and stay calm as I go through these last few steps.  But the stress and anxiety are brewing under the surface, which leads to the extra harsh criticism from my own worst critic, myself.  

http://prprep.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/dont-have-a-cow-managing-your-stress-at-work/

Whether this is normal or not.  I guess it is a rite of passage for anyone nearing the end of a major accomplishment.  When you have something you've dedicated so much time and effort to, when you reach the point where it is almost done, something wicked settles in.  "What if it's not good enough?"  "I should have done it this way, but it's too late to change!"  "No one will care or appreciate this anyway."  And I'm sure many more of these wicked thoughts settle in.  But, I'm working hard to battle those away, to embrace the journey as it was and appreciate the connections and knowledge that was earned.  I'm trying to stay focused on the application of all that knowledge and how it has improved me in this time.  I'm trying to move from seeking validation, into seeking the opportunities and possibilities that this will lead to.