August 22, 2009 http://web.me.com/charliewilson009/MAC_Blog/Week_3/Entries/2009/8/22_Just_Me_Ranting!.html# 
As we age, we see things and react to situations differently. For those of you dreading the aging process, I can only tell you that with age truly comes wisdom of a magnitude that you can only imagine as a young adult! Many of the "practices" discussed in chapters 7-12, will come naturally after you pass the 50 year mark of your life. As I was blessed with the practices in chapters 1-6 through observation of my parents and their actions and reactions, I can only say that living life, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes, and discovering what is truly important in life, has helped me also achieve the following:
Chapter 7: The Way Things Are
Once again I must say that I was born a "glass half full" person. Even after being in a marriage for 20 years to a "glass half empty" person, I maintained my positive outlook on things. I truly believe that if you think negative thoughts, those things will eventually happen to you. Whether it is a subconscious sabotage or whether it is fate, I have no idea. In this chapter there were two poignant quotes that touched me. First, "This attitude is difficult to maintain in our competitive culture where so much attention is given to mistakes and criticism that the voice of the soul is literally interrupted" (Zander & Zander, 2000, p. 103). I listen to the voice of my soul more and more each day. That intuition is a source of strength and guidance to me in my daily existence. Second "The more attention you shine on a particular subject, the more evidence of it will grow" (Zander & Zander, 2000, p. 108). You speak what you want. If that is negative, you will get negative. If that is positive, then positive it is! Be careful what you wish for because you probably WILL get it!
Chapter 8: Giving Way to Passion
Let go and live! Find your passion; and do it (or feed it) NOW! Enough said!
Chapter 9: Lighting a Spark
Passion is the key to lighting a spark. If you have a passion for or about something, then you possess the "match" with which to light a spark in someone else. I will never forget about three years ago when my 8th graders were leaving me to go to high school. The last novel, Les Miserables, of the year had just been discussed. As we discussed them leaving and experiencing new things, tears came to my eyes and I said to them, "If you do nothing else, find something that you can feel passionate about, and I am not talking about a person (boyfriend/girlfriend). I am talking about something that you truly care about and what to share with other people! For in that passion, you will light fires that will live within you and others for the rest of your life." Those students teared up too and still return to me to let me hear about their passions! It is a blessing to see the light in their faces and the "shine" in their eyes when they proudly declare that they now see the importance and validity of feeling passion about something.
Chapter 10: Being the Board
This chapter sounds so much like the I'm Ok; You're Ok book by Thomas Harris (1969); you are in charge of your life and playing what I call "the blame game" gets you no where fast! It is what it is! Look at the situation from another point of view before you get down on yourself or someone else. It's all about changing your viewpoint of situations that happen to or around you and turning it into a situation that you can find possible solutions/actions/reactions to resolve the conflict/problem. Don't let assumptions run your life or form your beliefs, actions, or reactions! I was once told, "If you assume anything, you will probably be disappointed." It is so true and a suggestion I took to heart and live by.
Chapter 11: Creating Frameworks for Possibility
Educationally I practice this "practice" with my students. I let them know early on in the year that they can do anything they put their minds to. Throughout the year together we discover how we are "on track" and when we are "off track" we work together to get back to the goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year. It always amazes me that a couple of weeks before the state mandated tests occur, we discuss the possibility for everyone to pass it; after the results come in, the ones that in the beginning told me that they could and had never passed the test, did just that. They are so proud, and I only hope that they take with them the idea of creating their own framework for future possibilities in their lives.
Chapter 12: Telling the WE Story
This also sounds like a book I once read about relationships and how to get along by the way you word comments when "discussing" something with your spouse. That book - I cannot remember the title - stated that when you addressed your spouse and say, "You make me feel….", it automatically puts that person on the defensive. So instead you should say, "When this happens, I feel…." This is kind of the same principal except the WE story gives everyone ownership, input, and a "place" in the planning, preparation, and completion of whatever the task might be. Educationally, this chapter made be think of giving the students input in decisions made concerning lessons, assessments, and even rule making when they are in your class. When the "WE" feel like they are a part of the process, everyone works together to make anything imaginable a possibility!
For more inspirational reading, you should read It'll be Ok! by Rick Hagler, a extremely positive, inspirational man I have known personally for 40 years!
Hagler, R. (2007). It'll be ok! [image]. Retrieved with permission from Rick Hagler August 10, 2009, from http://www.itllbeok.com/Home_Page.html
Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. NY: Penguin Group.
This site is too easy and FREE! You simply register and then choose the artist you like. You get internet radio that plays that artist's song plus songs by artists that have a similar sound! This would be beneficial in the classroom if you were needing to use a part or a song to make a point, illustrate a concept, introduce unit/lesson, reinforce an idea/theme and maybe even sometimes just for relaxation and enjoyment. You can even share your station(s) with friends via email, twitter, My Space, Facebook, or Utube.
I already have a lesson/project that would be fantastic completed on this site. I ask my students each year to make a soundtrack of their life. Oh, my! One of their choices could be to go to Pandora.com and create one station that was called The Soundtrack of My Life or Music to Live By or even just create a station with music that describes their personality.
Oh, my goodness! I think that this is an excellent idea and I guess I would ask why can't poor students in America get them in this way too. I work in an economically disadvantaged school where there are many kids who could also benefit from this program. I love the collaboration idea between students in a class; my, what I could do with that!! I favor the solar panel in keeping with the "green" idea for the future! I would buy one of these; matter of fact, I wish that I could get one for every child I teach!
Pogue, D. (2007, October 4). One laptop per child [video]. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from http://online.fullsail.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=assignment.main&itemId=66977
I LOVE this video! I can see the students actually understanding copyright and fair use more if they saw this!!
Thanks, Prof. Bustillos for sharing it with us!
Facts About Fair Use:
1. There are limits to copyright
2. A small bit can be used for: a. teaching, b. news reporting, c. parody, d. critical comment
3. Three conditions to consider toward whether something is Fair Use:
a. nature of use, b. amount borrowed c. doesn't change original work's value i.e. commercial impact
4. Fair-Use is not a right; it is a legal defensible position.
This information makes it easier to understand and not misuse or abuse copyright. I am so thankful to have this information and the pdf that I downloaded concerning Fair Use.
Faden, E. (Director). (n.d.). A Fair(y) Use Tale [video]. Retrieved August 18, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJn_jC4FNDo&feature=player_embedded
For those who like me found Flash a challenge, this application can make it an easier and faster process. It is still a tad complicated just knowing which buttons to choose to make your sprite move like you'd like, but this video is well worth the watch if you have time.
Harvard Extension School: Computer Science E-1. (n.d.). Videos of the week: Getting started with Scratch (vol.13) [video]. Retrieved August 16,2009, from http://online.fullsail.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=assignment.main&itemId=66974
Source:
Convergence Culture: Where old and new media collide by Henry Jenkins
We are Wizards(2009, June). [Video File]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jduMAnjMXCg
Donna Wyckoff's comment August 15, 2009
Stephanie, I couldn't agree with you more. Children loving to write is just one step closer to what we WANT then to love! I also agree with the comment you made about everyone being so confused about right and legal that they forgot why they wrote in the first place. it is the way of the world; in the every growing social networking and open source applications, I am afraid we are in for a long ride.
I knew that I could file share securely with Flickr and Facebook but this video made it so much easier. All for free, I can place my photos on Flickr or Facebook and thereby get to them from school or any other computer without a memory stick or extra external memory. Both are great ways to share, but also wonderful to make images available for your own use.
Free Flickr exporter: http://www.dustin.li.
Free plug-in @ http://www.develop.facebook.cm/iphoto
CleverMedia.Inc. (200). iPhoto, Facebook, and Flicker Extensions tutorial [video].Retrieved August 15, 2009, from http://online.fullsail.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=assignment.main&itemId=66972
First, I must tell you that I was and am the luckiest person in the world. If I could have chosen my parents, I probably wouldn't have been able to pick ones as perfect as I got. I was raised in a family where most of these practices were experienced daily. I saw the struggles of my parents to follow their moral and ethical beliefs concerning the way to behave and react in certain situations. The practices that I might not have enveloped while living with my parents have become a part of my life and teaching career as well throughout the last 31 years.
With that said, here are my comments on the reading for week 3.
1. It's All Invented
I learned early on in my life that making assumptions can "be the death of a person" both literally and figuratively. I still make assumptions on occasion and that seems to be the time when I am most disappointed.
In relation to education, I guess my greatest assumption is that many teachers are reluctant or slow to embrace technology in the classroom as I have. I know that this may be a narrower idea than the authors intended; however, I had to find a starting place to practice. I would then need to invent something that I haven't yet invented. I am still pondering that particular query.
2. Stepping into a Universe of Possibility
Taking a step and actually looking at my world and attempting to look at it through other eyes is a difficult and challenging task. When things seem to be the worst is when most people (including me) attempt to practice this. When one actually accomplishes the task of looking at their world from another perspective, it does open up a new world of discovery and realization.
3. Giving an A
I have been practicing the "giving an a" procedure for years in my classroom (but I never knew it had a name). I do find it more difficult and exacerbating to attempt it in everyday life as stressful days and situations arise. It is a total shift in attitude that amazingly brings about a shift in the attitude of others especially in this day and time where it seems there is more criticism than praise. A refreshing approach that everyone should try and sit back and observe how life and attitudes and success changes right in front of your eyes.
4. Being a Contribution
I have been a participant in the contribution practice since I was in the 8th grade and decided that I wanted to be an 8th grade English teacher. I also am a contribution in my neighborhood, community, and family. I think I was born this way; it is way people praise me for being for caring and giving. I take no credit for this; God granted me this quality from birth.
5. Leading from Any Chair
Oh, my goodness. Leading from any chair is a marvelous practice. I was reminded of the many times I have admitted fault or a mistake in front of my students and had them stare at me like I was an alien from another planet. I also take input from them on lessons and activities and how they would like the class to be conducted. Amazing too I have actually sat down and asked students to take over the lesson and finish it for me or actually asked the students in advance to prepare to teach the class the next day. When thinking about the musicians working together toward a purpose, my students are asked to do this daily through peer editing, evaluation, and working with peers one-on-one or in groups to accomplish a task or activity. Giving ownership to their own education makes it more valuable and accomplished for students.
6. Rule Number 6
Lighten up! Don't take yourself so seriously! Laugh at yourself and others will laugh WITH you! No better way to "break the ice" during conflicts/arguments/disagreements. Not an easy task, but I have done and do it!
Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. NY: Penguin Group.
This podcast with Terri Gross interviewing Steve Knopper was fascinating to hear. It was a walk down memory lane for me since I have lived through vinyl records, 8 track tapes, cassettes, CDs, Napster, and file sharing music. I must say that I see how file sharing has negatively impacted record label studios/companies and actually put some people out of work because they no longer manufacture music like they used to. I never knew about the 1992 Audio Home Recovery Act so that was enlightening. I also never realize that it was a 19-year-old college student who created the controversial, now debunked Napster. I also find it quite intriguing that if the music companies would have chosen to work with Napster or other file sharing ideas earlier, they wouldn't have missed out on so much possible income. Go figure that it would take someone like Steve Jobs to persuade them to jump on the bandwagon that was quickly moving ahead without them.
I think it is innovative to say the least that small, unknown bands can post to My Space and Utube under the guidance of folks like those at Tunecore in order to "put their talent" out their for the world to hear and enjoy.
Fresh Air. (2009). Important Media History: Rise and fall of the Music Industry (NPR) [podcast]. Retrieved from http://online.fullsail.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=assignment.main&itemId=66978
1. Where does Ron Smith work?
Full Sail University. (2009). Media asset creation presents Ron Smith [video]. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://online.fullsail.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=assignment.main&itemId=66954
Hollywood High School. (2009). Home page banner [screen shot]. Retrieved August 14, 2009,from http://www.hollywoodhighschool.net/?rn=19551
4
Jenkins. H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. NY: New York University Press.
Copyright is still an issue with TONS of gray! I do everything I can to not violate the rules/laws, but I, like Andrea said in her post would love a cheat sheet or cliff notes concerning copyright rules/laws. I am still wondering....so you cannot use anything copywritten even if you cite it?
(click title above to visit Lucasarts.com)
1) Technology has closed the division between folk culture and commercial or mass culture and has made folk culture thrive because it has been given a system for it to be dispersed to many more people in many more modes. I too see that the modern mass/commercial media draws upon folk culture and included it in the participatory culture that has meshed with mass/commercial culture.
(2) Japanese media companies work with anime fans through collaboration with fan clubs and considering them allies in creating new content. Hummm - what a novel idea!
3) Lucas and Lucas Arts have tried to deal with fan fiction by creating an official Star Wars competition where Lucas himself chooses the winner, opened a space for fans to express themselves with the knowledge that what they created would become the property of Lucas/studio. Lucas enjoys fan participation and can see how it might benefit him/his company with "free publicity," but is also concerned about content and wants some control over what is published on the web including but not limited to any kind of sexual or immoral information that might be illegally associated with him and his work.
Lucasarts.com. (2009). Lucas arts logo [screen shot]. Retrieved August 13, 2009, from http://www.lucasarts.com/
Jenkins. H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. NY: New York University Press.
1 comments:
Cristina,
I don't think everyone has utilized technology to the full potential, but there are so many my age and older that still have a fear of it all. They fear people stealing their identities and things like that. I totally agree that people misuse (I don't think that's quite what you said), but they do not dispose of used, antiquated technology in an environmentally sound way. One reason why I love technology so much is that it by itself closes many gaps between my generation and current as well as future generations. I too would like to see more companies that help those who do not and cannot discover the many wonders that technology can provide.