Here's an opportunity to add final thoughts about our experiences - even if you intend to keep following the blog as subsequent groups of teachers engage with this powerful text. If you read this before the session later today please do not add a comment. We'll do that together with two prompts...
1. Please add a comment that relates to a questions like:
-What were one or two key themes that emerged?
-What unexpected outcomes showed up in your own classroom as a result of our blog group?
-How has this experience changed an aspect of your classroom or teaching? Your beliefs about learning? Your outlook on success for our students?
-What do you disagree with, or find to be overstated? What was ignored?
2. Also include a comment to answer the question:
-How was this process/experience for me as professional learning?
If you were unable to attend the session on 4/3/08 please add your comment in the next couple of days so I can complete the Act 48 process on MLP. I've really enjoyed your thoughts and questions. I look forward to sharing in this kind of learning again. Feel free to let me know about any books you think would fit well in this format of book study...Dave
Thursday, April 3, 2008
While We Were Blogging...
I have a PDF file that I'll distribute later today, but I wanted to create a short post with the URL for the article I'm going to reference. While we were doing our book study online the Indian-owned, Tata Motor Company purchased Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford Motor Company for $2.3B!
This information on it's own reaffirms the Asia, Abundance, Automation principle Pink mentions early in the book - but what really makes it interesting is Tata's notoriety prior to the deal. They have introduces a $2,500 car in the Indian market.
Read more about the whole thing at http://tinyurl.com/yr6log Even though the Tata is not planned to sell in the US there's no doubt that some righ-brained thinking is needed to offset the impact of this trend.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Finding Meaning
The older I get I find myself enjoying more non-fiction books. Maybe its the way I connect to a real issue or idea or maybe I am finding them to be more meaningful. I just finished reading "A whole new mind" last night and after reading the chapter "Meaning" the light bulbs in my head were going on like fireworks. A very dear and close friend of mine became seriously ill with a life threatening virus a little over two weeks ago. Jeanne is a strong and healthy 36 year old, stay at home mother to four young boys. She suddenly came down with a form of strep that attacks your muscles. I got the phone call while I was at work and immediately rushed to the hospital. During the eight hours we waited to hear if she was going to make it I found myself asking the questions why and how. How was her husband going to deal with four boys? All the horrible thoughts went through my mind. I went home to my four children scared and desperate. All I could think of was that I was home with my kids an Jeanne was not. I do consider myself a spiritual person but I never realized how much I needed spirituality until that moment. Jeanne pulled through and her operation was successful. Every day she gets better. She lost most of her muscles in her right leg and now she is learning to walk again. Before this happened Jeanne did not consider herself to be spiritual but now she thanks God everyday and is looking at her life very differently. I have spent hours at the hospital talking with her and listening to her speak of appreciating the small stuff. I found myself doing the same things. Pink's chapter really hit home for me, the timing could not have been more perfect. It really makes sense. We need spirituality for many reasons and it should not take a life and death situation for us to realize it. I would like to see more companies grasp the concept of spirituality; people finding meaning in their jobs, home life and other aspects. Children learn from what they see and from what they are exposed to. I would love to see my students finding meaning and appreciation with life! My students are aware of the situation with Jeanne. Everyday at the start of class one or more of them will ask how she is doing and how are her kids.....maybe they are already on the path to finding meaning.
Sorry this blog was so long but it is so fresh in my mind and I related to this chapter/book so much.
Sorry this blog was so long but it is so fresh in my mind and I related to this chapter/book so much.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Design
Most of my walks to the mailbox leave me with a yawn of boredom and this particular walk seemed no different.
My daughter, a Sr. in high school, applied to one school, (this makes sense if you know her), so most college mail goes straight to the recycle bin. But she couldn't resist opening this 1/4"x 5" x 7" box from Columbia College Chicago. Her comment when she opened it was, "I'm not going to this school, but this is really cool!" In the box was a stack of colorful cards. Each had an interesting photo and short saying on one side, with information about that aspect of campus life on the back. Pretty routine, but that's not the interesting part. The cards had a slit cut out on each of the short sides, and 2 slits cut out on each of the longer sides. They can be assembled into a nice tower by interlocking these slits. This really commanded our attention. I remember plastic toys like this from my childhood, (can't remember the name of them). Who thinks this stuff up? Someone at "The Nation's Premier Visual, Performing, Media and Communication Arts College" (or their advertising firm) in this case. They certainly backed up their point!
Here's that blend of one thing, an interlocking toy, to a completely unrelated field, college advertising. The whimsy was appreciated by my playful 17 year old. I'm left in awe of the creativity, and wondering what will show up in the mailbox next.
My daughter, a Sr. in high school, applied to one school, (this makes sense if you know her), so most college mail goes straight to the recycle bin. But she couldn't resist opening this 1/4"x 5" x 7" box from Columbia College Chicago. Her comment when she opened it was, "I'm not going to this school, but this is really cool!" In the box was a stack of colorful cards. Each had an interesting photo and short saying on one side, with information about that aspect of campus life on the back. Pretty routine, but that's not the interesting part. The cards had a slit cut out on each of the short sides, and 2 slits cut out on each of the longer sides. They can be assembled into a nice tower by interlocking these slits. This really commanded our attention. I remember plastic toys like this from my childhood, (can't remember the name of them). Who thinks this stuff up? Someone at "The Nation's Premier Visual, Performing, Media and Communication Arts College" (or their advertising firm) in this case. They certainly backed up their point!
Here's that blend of one thing, an interlocking toy, to a completely unrelated field, college advertising. The whimsy was appreciated by my playful 17 year old. I'm left in awe of the creativity, and wondering what will show up in the mailbox next.
The End Is Near!
No, this is not some alarmist statement - just a reminder that our book group will be closing with a face-to-face session at 3:30 PM in the IV Library on Thursday, April 3rd.
If you've been reading the book, and the blog, but haven't been posting any comments please take some time to join the virtual conversation. The blog will remain online long after the "official session dates" (and you're encouraged to contribute any time) but I'd like to be able to post the Act 48 hours on MLP on the 3rd. If you want credit for Act 48 & Flex hours you will need to do some posting on the blog site.
Raise a question/concern, or simply respond to some of the good discussion that's been going on in the "comments" added to existing posts.
If you've been reading the book, and the blog, but haven't been posting any comments please take some time to join the virtual conversation. The blog will remain online long after the "official session dates" (and you're encouraged to contribute any time) but I'd like to be able to post the Act 48 hours on MLP on the 3rd. If you want credit for Act 48 & Flex hours you will need to do some posting on the blog site.
Raise a question/concern, or simply respond to some of the good discussion that's been going on in the "comments" added to existing posts.
Monday, March 24, 2008
A Meaningful life
I am not much of a nonfiction reader. but I really enjoyed this book and the message it told. I believe that we do need to look at how the world now works and adjust to it or be left behind. The last chapter on gratitude really struck home to me. I like the idea of thanking people for everyday things. I know that when I hand a student a paper and get a thanks in return, I feel warm inside. Unfortunately, not too many students even think to say thank you. So I am trying to thank people more often for the big or little things they do for me. Maybe it will catch on. I am trying to make my life less rushed. I have 4 children. 2 have already left home. I cannot believe how fast the time went, so now I am trying to make sure I spend more time with my other two children, before they decide to go and have lives of their own! I am trying to be more grateful for the blessings in my life and even hope to read a few of the books in the bibliography to help me continue on this path. Gwyn
Saturday, March 22, 2008
It's 3 am in the lobby of the Borgata Hotel & Casino
Ok! I confess! I have stayed up until 3 am watching people and making up stories about them. A casino is THE perfect place to study every type of character on the planet! I love feeling validated by Pink's "Ask yourself:"Who Are These People?" on pg.126. Although I realize I'm not the only person who enjoys people watching, I was beginning to worry that I'm a little nuts, because . . . it's 3 am in the lobby of the Borgata Hotel and Casino and I'm people watching! The boardwalk is good, the beach is better, but a casino - jackpot! Other folks are winning millions and I'm content trying to figure out if the wrinkled woman in the leopard spandex jumpsuit is the "toupee guy's" wife or mother. When she smacked him with her orange patent "pleather" bag and pulled him away from the dollar slots, the story I had "written" in my mind needed some serious editing! Anyway - does anyone else in the group love to people watch?
Sue M.
Sue M.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Story
After finishing the "Story" chapter, I was very happy to see that Pink included StoryCorps in his portfolio. To me this is a fascinating project - recording Americans' stories and archiving them. Every Friday NPR plays an excerpt from someone's StoryCorp recording, and it is always my favorite part of my week's drive. On any given Friday, it is almost guaranteed that I will be in my car laughing out loud or wiping away tears (not always the safest activity while driving on the Northeast Extension in the dark).
For some time now, I have been kicking around ideas on how to create a StoryCorps-like project with my students. I think my best options would be to do something in either the WWII or Vietnam War units of my U.S. History class. Perhaps the students could interview local veterans about their experiences, and then archive the recordings at the Indian Valley library. Another idea would be to have the students record their own stories to save for posterity, thus demonstrating that today's events are tomorrow's history.
I completely agree with Pink's assessment that storytelling is an effective learning tool. History is nothing if not a collection of stories, and I find that my best and most engaging lessons are where I present the history as a story instead of as an assortment of facts. This is true of my own learning experiences, as well. All of my favorite teachers from high school were those who told the best stories, and could help me connect to the content through tales of their crazy neighbors or the ridiculous things their kids did the week before. On its most basic and simple level, our jobs are to disseminate information to our students; sharing the information as a story seems like an excellent way to fulfill this responsibility.
For some time now, I have been kicking around ideas on how to create a StoryCorps-like project with my students. I think my best options would be to do something in either the WWII or Vietnam War units of my U.S. History class. Perhaps the students could interview local veterans about their experiences, and then archive the recordings at the Indian Valley library. Another idea would be to have the students record their own stories to save for posterity, thus demonstrating that today's events are tomorrow's history.
I completely agree with Pink's assessment that storytelling is an effective learning tool. History is nothing if not a collection of stories, and I find that my best and most engaging lessons are where I present the history as a story instead of as an assortment of facts. This is true of my own learning experiences, as well. All of my favorite teachers from high school were those who told the best stories, and could help me connect to the content through tales of their crazy neighbors or the ridiculous things their kids did the week before. On its most basic and simple level, our jobs are to disseminate information to our students; sharing the information as a story seems like an excellent way to fulfill this responsibility.
Monday, March 17, 2008
To Blog Or Not To Blog
I've been watching the conversation emerge, and I'm glad for the thoughtful posts I've seen. As we move into the "meat of the book" I'm sure we'll get more connections to our classrooms and our professional practice.
The emergence of your ideas as blog responses leads me to the title of this post. I would prefer to have an authentic exchange of ideas and reflections - not post an "assignment" and watch the obligatory responses add up! I believe in the blog as a way to add flexibility, convenience, and power to our professional conversations.
It's a way to do the Story sense that Pink highlights!
If you haven't shared a story of your experience with the text so far, please do. Perhaps the upcoming break will allow you the opportunity to read some posts and comments - or begin your own. I want to reach the end of our session (coming sooner than you think) with lots of evidence on this site to demonstrate that the blog option is a viable one for Flex, Act 48, and professional learning.
Look over the six senses (or start with the one that intrigues you most) and tell us something about your thinking. I can't wait to see how it connects to your classroom and your life...Dave
The emergence of your ideas as blog responses leads me to the title of this post. I would prefer to have an authentic exchange of ideas and reflections - not post an "assignment" and watch the obligatory responses add up! I believe in the blog as a way to add flexibility, convenience, and power to our professional conversations.
It's a way to do the Story sense that Pink highlights!
If you haven't shared a story of your experience with the text so far, please do. Perhaps the upcoming break will allow you the opportunity to read some posts and comments - or begin your own. I want to reach the end of our session (coming sooner than you think) with lots of evidence on this site to demonstrate that the blog option is a viable one for Flex, Act 48, and professional learning.
Look over the six senses (or start with the one that intrigues you most) and tell us something about your thinking. I can't wait to see how it connects to your classroom and your life...Dave
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Storytelling
Once upon a time, I started reading this great book, called A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink. Then, my adorable little son started blowing bubbles at me and cracking himself up! I stopped, put the book down, smiled and blew bubbles back! And now, I got a chance to read that book again and just read Chapter 5, STORY! Story is not just about storytelling but about listening to stories and being a part of stories. Basically, Pink makes us realize that we are all born storytellers and listeners, whether it was our first "show and tell" experience, the ritual story before bedtime, or the very, very important events that occurred to us when we were 6 or 7 years old. You know, how when you came back from the assembly there were all these green footprints all around the classroom and you just knew that a leprechaun had invaded your class and, and, and!
After reading this chapter, it reinforced for me that we can all benefit from taking the time to appreciate the "Story" and become not only a better storyteller but a better listener as well. Stories are definitely not a waste of time, rather an avenue to incorporate facts we want to teach and deliver them with an "emotional impact" as Pink says. So, now we just need to find the time or make the time to let our students have show and tell each day, share stories when they come bouncing in the door, and then use this as our instrument to the thinking process. Story is definitely our avenue to thought! ~Nora
After reading this chapter, it reinforced for me that we can all benefit from taking the time to appreciate the "Story" and become not only a better storyteller but a better listener as well. Stories are definitely not a waste of time, rather an avenue to incorporate facts we want to teach and deliver them with an "emotional impact" as Pink says. So, now we just need to find the time or make the time to let our students have show and tell each day, share stories when they come bouncing in the door, and then use this as our instrument to the thinking process. Story is definitely our avenue to thought! ~Nora
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Symphony
I am amazed how other sources of input reinforce my main reading, whether it is a novel or A Whole New Mind. So the chapter on symphony was quite interesting to me, as has been the whole book.
In fact, Dave, I was wishing there was a personal blog element to the course where I could journal my thoughts for myself, knowing the instructor would have access to read them, without worrying about subjecting everyone to all the thoughts swimming around in my head. This personal journaling could be a way of synthesizing ideas. This might help meet the time requirement to the course as well. It's probably too late for this course, but could this idea work with future courses? I think I would participate more often if this option were available.
Back to Symphony. The section entitled "Seeing Relationships" mentions multitasking and its prevalence in our time. The main speaker at Literacy Fest last weekend, Dr. Jack Pikulski, spent a few humorous moments on the subject of multitasking. His children do it all the time, and he is ready for them to just attend to him when on the phone. His main point was that we can truly only focus on 1 thing at a time. We have to acquire automaticity at one of the tasks before we can truly handle 2 at a time well. Therefore decoding competency needs to be at the automatic level so the reader can focus on comprehension. Dr. Pikulski's observation is that shifting focus is exhausting. No wonder so many people are so tired these days! Then of course I immediately started thinking about my life to see if I am guilty. I am more likely to call someone to chat when I have something to do in the kitchen, where I think my mother would sit in her rocking chair and make the call. Guilty!
The bottom of page 136 says "...great minds are androgynous." "...creative and talented girls are more dominant and tough than other girls, and creative boys are more sensitive and less aggressive than their male peers." I can think of examples to support this. I am having a harder time thinking of examples that don't fit. These seem to be characteristics children come to our classrooms with that are already fixed, part of their nature or personality. Observing this, we can encourage those creative kids we see so they nurture their talent rather than putting it aside.
One workshop I attended at Literacy Fest was on The Writer's Notebook. At the end of the presentation, we were encouraged to keep our own writer's notebook along with the students so that we would not run out of ideas, and for authenticity. When I learn and participate, I have more enthusiasm to share with students. Pink lends another level of depth to it, encouraging us in "...the search for appropriate personal metaphors that make sense of our lives. (Lakoff) The more we understand metaphor, the more we understand ourselves." This would be a great entry for my journal (and older students as well). And where symphony is concerned it would help me better see the big picture of my life.
K. Wilson
In fact, Dave, I was wishing there was a personal blog element to the course where I could journal my thoughts for myself, knowing the instructor would have access to read them, without worrying about subjecting everyone to all the thoughts swimming around in my head. This personal journaling could be a way of synthesizing ideas. This might help meet the time requirement to the course as well. It's probably too late for this course, but could this idea work with future courses? I think I would participate more often if this option were available.
Back to Symphony. The section entitled "Seeing Relationships" mentions multitasking and its prevalence in our time. The main speaker at Literacy Fest last weekend, Dr. Jack Pikulski, spent a few humorous moments on the subject of multitasking. His children do it all the time, and he is ready for them to just attend to him when on the phone. His main point was that we can truly only focus on 1 thing at a time. We have to acquire automaticity at one of the tasks before we can truly handle 2 at a time well. Therefore decoding competency needs to be at the automatic level so the reader can focus on comprehension. Dr. Pikulski's observation is that shifting focus is exhausting. No wonder so many people are so tired these days! Then of course I immediately started thinking about my life to see if I am guilty. I am more likely to call someone to chat when I have something to do in the kitchen, where I think my mother would sit in her rocking chair and make the call. Guilty!
The bottom of page 136 says "...great minds are androgynous." "...creative and talented girls are more dominant and tough than other girls, and creative boys are more sensitive and less aggressive than their male peers." I can think of examples to support this. I am having a harder time thinking of examples that don't fit. These seem to be characteristics children come to our classrooms with that are already fixed, part of their nature or personality. Observing this, we can encourage those creative kids we see so they nurture their talent rather than putting it aside.
One workshop I attended at Literacy Fest was on The Writer's Notebook. At the end of the presentation, we were encouraged to keep our own writer's notebook along with the students so that we would not run out of ideas, and for authenticity. When I learn and participate, I have more enthusiasm to share with students. Pink lends another level of depth to it, encouraging us in "...the search for appropriate personal metaphors that make sense of our lives. (Lakoff) The more we understand metaphor, the more we understand ourselves." This would be a great entry for my journal (and older students as well). And where symphony is concerned it would help me better see the big picture of my life.
K. Wilson
Thoughts on Chapter 3
I have found chapter 3 to be the most directly related to educators so far. It makes me wonder if we need to rethink the direction we should be encouraging our children and students to take. Do we value MFAs as highly as MBAs? I was surprised to read that “More Americans today work in arts, entertainment, and design than work as lawyers, accountants, and auditors.” Do we know how to teach “ingenuity, personal rapport, and gut instinct?” Or are they innate abilities? If the statistics in the IQ and EQ section of the chapter are accurate and only between 4 and 10 percent of career success is dependent on IQ (as it is currently assessed), then educators need to be more creative in curriculum development and delivery to ensure our students are ready to live independent, successful lives. I look forward to reading and discussing the six senses that Daniel Pink says are indispensable in the Conceptual Age.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Moving Along With Our Session....
I thank all of you who have posted a comment, or a new thread, in our discussion so far. Now that we're a few weeks into the experience I have the customary reminder (in two forms)...
Your Right Brain might say, "I'm realizing that it's not just the reading of this book, but our dialog and exchange of ideas for improved professional practice that will supply the time needed for Act 48 and Flex credit. I can't wait to explore Pink's ideas and then connect with everyone else on the blog! I see connections here that influence my classroom, home, and hobbies. The blog site is nice, but I should probably get a picture of myself for my account so other people know what I look like when we comment to each other."
Your Left Brain might say, "I better keep up with my comments on the blog site or Dave won't be able to give me the hours I need to stay home on the next Flex Day."
Of course "both sides" make some valid points....
Please read through the end of Part One (ends on page 61) so we can discuss Pink's opening section - and begin to move on to the heart of the book. I've seen some comments around Design, and I know each of his "six senses" will spur some good dialog.
Add a comment to an existing post, or start your own. Tell us about your hemispheric dominance; argue about automation, abundance, and Asia; debate high concept high touch; or just make something up to get your feet wet! We need to see more conversation on the site....
Your Right Brain might say, "I'm realizing that it's not just the reading of this book, but our dialog and exchange of ideas for improved professional practice that will supply the time needed for Act 48 and Flex credit. I can't wait to explore Pink's ideas and then connect with everyone else on the blog! I see connections here that influence my classroom, home, and hobbies. The blog site is nice, but I should probably get a picture of myself for my account so other people know what I look like when we comment to each other."
Your Left Brain might say, "I better keep up with my comments on the blog site or Dave won't be able to give me the hours I need to stay home on the next Flex Day."
Of course "both sides" make some valid points....
Please read through the end of Part One (ends on page 61) so we can discuss Pink's opening section - and begin to move on to the heart of the book. I've seen some comments around Design, and I know each of his "six senses" will spur some good dialog.
Add a comment to an existing post, or start your own. Tell us about your hemispheric dominance; argue about automation, abundance, and Asia; debate high concept high touch; or just make something up to get your feet wet! We need to see more conversation on the site....
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Design Chapter hit home
Hi All!
I joined the group late and am new to this blogging stuff, so please bear with me. I'm really enjoying Pink's book. I just read the chapter on Design and identified with quite a bit of his observations. As a child my parents took my sister and I "sample housing" on any given Saturday. We were never moving - it was just a free afternoon of voyeurism and pretend. I remember going home and sketching the interior layout of the house and rearranging the rooms and colors of paint and carpet to suit my taste. These days I find myself gawking at the incredible glass sculptures at the Borgata , over analyzing color choices for carpeting and wall paint and fretting over the aesthetic balance of my bulletin boards. I don't know if that makes me a design guru or a complete nut! Regardless, it sort of makes me a "Design Detective" according to Pink. I am learning that I am definitely more right brained than left brained, especially as it applies to design. I choose decorative objects for their visual appeal, but also because they trigger an emotion.
I enjoyed trying some of the activities at the end of the Design chapter, particularly the one that suggests focusing on an object (p. 98) Interesting. . .
It also dawned on me that the media success of the design industry, from TV shows like HGTV to Martha Stewart, really depend on the fact that folks enjoy employing their right brains!
Sue Mandia
5th grade Lower Salford
I joined the group late and am new to this blogging stuff, so please bear with me. I'm really enjoying Pink's book. I just read the chapter on Design and identified with quite a bit of his observations. As a child my parents took my sister and I "sample housing" on any given Saturday. We were never moving - it was just a free afternoon of voyeurism and pretend. I remember going home and sketching the interior layout of the house and rearranging the rooms and colors of paint and carpet to suit my taste. These days I find myself gawking at the incredible glass sculptures at the Borgata , over analyzing color choices for carpeting and wall paint and fretting over the aesthetic balance of my bulletin boards. I don't know if that makes me a design guru or a complete nut! Regardless, it sort of makes me a "Design Detective" according to Pink. I am learning that I am definitely more right brained than left brained, especially as it applies to design. I choose decorative objects for their visual appeal, but also because they trigger an emotion.
I enjoyed trying some of the activities at the end of the Design chapter, particularly the one that suggests focusing on an object (p. 98) Interesting. . .
It also dawned on me that the media success of the design industry, from TV shows like HGTV to Martha Stewart, really depend on the fact that folks enjoy employing their right brains!
Sue Mandia
5th grade Lower Salford
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Hemispheric Dominance Inventory
My preference seems to be fairly even as I responded to 10 questions as a right brained person and 9 as a left. I do feel this balance definitely helps me reach all of my students in a way that fosters their own preference to learning. As we all have probably discovered, teaching something one way obviously doesn't work for all students. For example, the task of decoding words for some of my students needs to be processed through a multi-sensory approach; skywriting sounds, tracing sandpaper letters with their fingers and all that jazz, whereas some of my other students just need the words in a sentence and "Tada!"
I would love to explore left brain and right brain dominance with my high functioning autistic children. I would find this information fascinating and probably incredibly useful for me to help them develop a balance between their left and right brain. I would gather that most are left brain dominant.
On a lighter note, I'm left handed but swing a bat right handed, kick with my right foot and play the guitar right handed. I wonder how telling ambidextrous is to left and right brain balance?
~Nora
K-2nd Communications Class~Franconia Elementary
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