Wk4 Publishing/Leadership Project Part 1 of 2: Making choices

For my Publishing Leadership Project, I was given the option of submitting an article or doing a presentation. I have decided to do a presentation. I have decided that this is the best way to get my ideas across and help other people like myself. This presentation will discuss my research and how I was able to implement my findings in the classroom. I would want to show this to other music educators and I am still looking for the platform that best fits what I am trying to do.

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.

Comments: Cheryl McGovern

Wk: 3 Reading Blog: Art of Possibilities

Chapter 5. Leading from Any Chair: We're all leaders. How can we make a difference in the people we influence each day? How do we listen to those who help us make our dreams become reality?

You need to ask yourself, “How can I make them engage” don’t ask “How great am I doing? How much greatness am I willing to give?” A leader listens to suggestions and can instill a sense of pride into those giving the suggestions.

Chapter 6. Rule Number 6: Don't take yourself so seriously. Life is a journey--enjoy and learn along the way. Live, laugh, and love!!

Rule Number 6: don’t take yourself so goddamn seriously. I love this line. I am reminded me of a time I was in an argument with someone. In a fit of rage, I threw a bag of un-husked corn on the cob at him. After that the fight was forgotten and laughter ensued at the absurdity of throwing a bag of corn!

Chapter 7. The Way Things Are: Sometimes settling for the way things are is a lowering of expectations, sometimes it’s finding a starting point so that one can make things better. Where are you in this continuum?

Downward Spiral Talk…rampant in Education. When I started teaching, I was full ideas and innovations, but in staff rooms and meetings my voice was drowned out by jaded, seasoned teachers complaing about this and that, until one day I found myself sucked into the Downward Spiral Talks. Of course it doesn’t help that our complaints and negative thoughts increased as working conditions decreased.

Chapter 8. Giving Way to Passion: Control says that the only way to avoid disappointment and frustration is to not care at all. No hits, no runs, but most importantly, no errors. What are you doing in your daily life that expresses your passion or the things you are passionate about?

I am passionate about art and nature. In the brief freedom of summer for my girls (before they go back to school and are sucked into a world mostly devoid of these things), I try to instill as much of these two high held passions as I can. This is one of the main reasons I chose Portland, OR to move to. This city is as passionate about art and nature as I am. I try to combine my passions, by teaching my kids that nature is full of art; nature is art. Finding and experiencing the beauty that is nature is experiencing art.

I agree with you, we should not settle for what we are. We should always strive to be better. My husband always says "Strive to be perfect". Not that he thinks that there is a perfect person but if you always trying to get to that level your always striving to be better than you are. In other words, you never become complacent, you can always do better. I can talk about Rule Number 6 all day but I won't. I'll just say I agree with you, we really do take things too seriously and sometimes we can be our worst critic!!!

Comments: Sheri Brinkerhoff

Wk 3 Reading-Rule Number 6

Chapter 6 resonated deeply with me this week.  I realized that I take myself way too seriously.  Goals and expectations fill my life.  My calculating self takes over and creates fear of failure, anxiety, and scarcity.  I am also in an environment focused on downward spiral thinking.  Everyone around me discusses pay cuts, benefit cuts, issues with students, etc.  It is very difficult not to fall into this trap.  With the beginning of the school year looming, I have decided that I do not want to participate in this type of thinking.  My personal goal is to rise above the circumstances of my present through observing Rule No. 6.  In making an effort not to take myself so seriously, I have realized that I am more at ease and generally happy. I made a Rule No. 6 sign to hang in my classroom. Yesterday, I told my students the story about the two prime ministers and Rule No. 6.  We proceeded to have a discussion on the benefits of Rule No. 6 in reference to creativity.  Many students are nervous to take an art class.   Past students told me they worry about their own artistic talent to the extent that they think they will not pass.  I told students that I did not want them to worry about making mistakes since that is where you learn the most.  The students seemed very perceptive and interested in the concept.    I am looking forward to seeing where this will lead.

I love how you were able to admit that sometimes you take things too seriously and get caught up in the hype. I had a three-day conference this week and above all things I heard constantly about how budget cuts were coming into play and even after a teacher workday, I realized how depressing it was to be around people that really don't know what the future hold because of it. I have always been the one to challenge my students to be different as well, it is okay for them to accidentally squeak when they play their instruments. By squeaking they know what they need to fix because they remember what they did to get that sound.I wish you a successful school year and I to plan to adhere to Rule Number 6.

Week 3- Wimba Session 3

Thanks for giving us more information during the wimba about what the Publishing/ Leadership project is all about. The wimba did answer some of my questions, but I do have more so that I can do this project to my best ability. I loved the discussion about The Art of Possibility, it has been a real eye opener for me as an educator. It has challenged me to really think outside the box about what me and what I bring to the table. If I don't remember anything else from my readings in that book, I will remember that there is a leader in everyone!!!!

Week3reading- LIGHTEN UP, It's not that serious!!!

It's true, a leader can be anywhere. I have always said as a teacher there are things that we learn from our students as well as our peers. Everyone has their strengths and everyone has their weaknesses, we as adults can learn from each other. I loved the story in our textbook about the conductor who was having problems getting the orchestra to play the song correctly and how someone visiting was able to make one or two suggestions and that fixed all their orchestral problems. Truth is, the visitor could have used a simple approach to LEAD the orchestra. Rule Number 6 is good advice, "Don't take yourself so seriously". In other words, lighten up. This is a prime example of the simple approach that the visiting conductor did. I can imagine now the normal conductor got up and corrected the students by saying something that was totally above their heads and the visiting conductor just made it plain.

Being an educator, I have noticed that a lot of stress gets put on educators to get and keep test scores up. As a result some teachers become so eager to get those test scores up that they will do anything even if that means boring their students. The students become stressed out and the teacher is even more stressed out, that's when Rule Number 6 really comes into play. By making class fun for the students it almost like you trick them into learning. They have so much fun that they forget that they are in a learning environment and ultimately you get the test scores you need.

Picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/aeromartin/1470518841/

Week 2- I love Music

About two weeks ago one of the biggest things that a musician/songwriter ever wishes for happened.

Since my husband and I have met 7 and a half years ago we have created a group called Dynamic Productions. We sing everywhere and we have now released 2 CDs. I love our music because it is not your average Gospel album it speaks on real life issues that happen when you are a Christian. In our music we are letting the world know that we understand that every day is not our best day and that we understand that we go through things and lose our way so that is the message that our songs convey.

Long story short.........

We had a gig in Wadesboro, NC, a place that I had never heard of before and it took us an hour and a half to get there. We had about 4 car loads of people including the band and the singers. We got up to sing and the people were singing OUR songs WITH US. This was the first time that had ever happened when we sung before and its like a musician's dream. I am extremely excited about where we are going next and feel free to visit our website.


www.thedpcrew.com