Wk 3 Reading: The Art of Possibility - Upward spiral

Toscanini: Read more about him here.

This is some good ammunition that I’m going to add to my cookbook of resiliency and coping techniques. Although Toscanini, the great Italian maestro, was, more than likely pompous and mildly narcissistic, I love his line. The story goes as this: once, in a fit of anger, Toscanini fired one of his orchestral members. The member, on the way out the door, hollered at Toscanini, some profanity. Toscanini replied “It’s too late for an apology!” What a perfect response. The recipient of this response is dumbfounded. What can one respond?

As a teacher for the better part of twenty years, we learn to respond quickly to adolescent temperament while maintaining a level of respect and, yes, a hierarchical structure intact. 

The text The Art of Possibility, by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

gives us insight on flipping situations, or more aptly, directing the energy of a situation or event using insight and asking the question: what do we want to become of this situation? What do we want the outcome to be? And How can all participants, willing or unwilling, benefit? 

I’ve given some thought to the idea of scarcity thinking. I have been a victim and conscious participant of this type of thinking, sometimes out of necessity and poverty, and sometimes out of survival.  I’ve found a quote that I would like to share on the status of victimization: 

This quote adequately addresses the conscious shift that the authors allude to in their book. It is the idea of thinking in scarcity and the downward spiral. If you feed thoughts into the downward spiral, it gains momentum and grows in size. This is a brutal combination. 


I am reminded of the holocaust story of the small girl who, in the camps, found a small raspberry and carefully wrapped it and placed it in her pocket for the day. At the end of the day, she gave it to her friend. What if the most beautiful possession that we had, we instead gave it to our friend? 

I would like to suggest and experiment with the idea of the upward spiral. Perhaps this reaches out like rays of sunshine, lighting those in its path. . . . .

Wk 2: Reading Response to Devloun Jeter's Post on the Art of Possibility

Here's the Link.

Devloun wrote:

It is amazing to find out that the perceptions of human beings are selective in order to survive within different settings. Regardless of or financial status, we have adapted to view only the necessities to overcome struggles in life. Now I wonder what I am missing because of my selective vision. During the chapter “Its All Invented”, Zander brought me to a brief point of enlightenment when he specified that if we factor out our own interpretations of reality then maybe we will be able to focus on actual truths. I never looked at my perception of the world as a negative aspect that’s holding me back from discovering the actual. Deep!

It is now become a clear understanding that, as a race, we live in a typical realm of assumptions without focusing “outside of the dots”. Our competitive nature as human beings construct a mentality that pushes us to reach for top and survive the struggles of life regardless of how we make it. Living in a world of measurements (mine is more expensive, or status) pushes the competitive desire to have more in order to survive and get ahead in the world. I fall victim to this life of measurements and having the ultimate competitive nature to win. I sometimes view myself within the category of scarcity- thinking because of my strong desire to become successful. The only time I actually realize that I am opening to the universe of possibilities is when I study Astronomy. Infinite space in the universe allows me to view into the heavens, far beyond the realm of whats measurable.

Giving an A has to be the most relatable read within this book. During my fourth year I awarded each student with an A at the beginning of the semester. The response was instantly observed from students facial expressions. Almost as if a burden was removed from their lives. I did have an understanding that allowing everyone to begin with an A would motivate them to strive to keep it, but after reading I have a better understanding of why it should be done. A lot of excellent points were made as well with student performances. It never dawned on me that students become so competitive with their performances that they don’t take the necessary risks to improve. I think this chapter would be an excellent read and discussion lesson for my students during this up coming semester.

Contribution has always played a key role in my music program. I’ve always depended on students to contribute at the top of their musical abilities. I never thought about developing a game from it. I think this may be a great way to witness through their eyes how they would contribute to their peers on a weekly basis. How they would use their talents to improve those within their sections. This may take the competitive/selfish edge away and build more of a collaborative environment. I think this is a great idea.


This book has become too good to put down. I will continue reading.............. 

My Response:

Certainly there is some measurement in the wide expansion of the stars? Perhaps because we can't attempt to measure the universe, this is why is holds our fascination. I think you touched on an important thought. It is a thought that I wrote down in my car also while listening to the book on tape. The thought concerned competition. My students also shut down prior to testing. The authors pointed out that this anxiety is caused by the feeling of competition and being confined. Perhaps if the students worked in a more collaborative way, the stress would decrease and the achievement of goal outcomes would increase. I'm in the process currently of establishing collaborative techniques and strategies that I may employ amongst my students. Because afterall, it is all an invention. Why not direct the path of the invention?

Wk 2: Reading Response to David Middlebrook's Post on the Art of Possibility

David's response to Chapters 1 through 4: 

When I first opened the book, When I first opened the book The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, I didn’t know what I was in store for. I’ve read self-help books before, but this one seemed different, went about it at a different angle. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the chapters.

Chapter 1. Its All Invented is about understanding that it is all invented and you can break through barriers that keep you in the box if you recognize assumptions you make about life.

Chapter 2. Stepping into a Universe of Possibility is about moving away from the world of measurement and into a world that reaches beyond survival and scarcity to one of openness and opportunity.

Chapter 3. Giving an A was the chapter that really spoke to me. This quote from the book sums it up.

“The practice of giving the A allows the teacher to line up with her students in the effort to produce the outcome, rather than lining up with the standards against these students.”

The grade, in a sense, takes us out of the world of measurements and into the world of possibilities. It is an invented thing that allows us to be creative without worries.

Chapter 4. Being a Contribution is all about making a difference in others lives and taking the focus off of our self.  “Naming oneself and others as a contribution produces a shift away from self-concern and engages us in a relationship with others that is an area for making a difference. “

This book and its practices have already begun to make me look at life and the endless possibilities that it offers. I’m looking forward to reading the next chapters.

Here's the link. 

My response:  

David, thanks for your quick synopsis of the chapters. I've been thinking lately about "scarcity" thinking. After some reflection, I was quickly able to identify this type of thinking within myself. Additionally, I was able to identify people who are in this frame of mind. If we open up our thinking, abundance comes. I purchased the book on tape and am taking an eight hour road trip today. I am looking forward to listening to the text as well as reading it. The content is so dense that it takes time to absorb that much information. I'm putting faith in the ideas expressed by the authors in this book. Additionally, I am looking for applicable ways to incorporate the ideas, philosophies and best practices into my workplace.

Wk 2 Reading: The Art of Possibility - Constructed Reality?

The idea of "flight paths to the eternal", a quote from the book The Art of Possibility written by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander generated some reflection on self-actualization. See the TED talk here.


At the college I teach at, I am continually preoccupied with the concept of establishing pathways for these predominately first generation college students. If the idea of higher education was not a path that was established in your brain as a child, then it is difficult to imagine what and why college education is and how can it benefit one. I've found that instead of preaching the benefits of higher education, I need to "show" rather than "tell". This is agreeable with the ideas in the book where the authors discuss the idea of "generating active practices that shift" rather than forcing or arguing. . . 


I apply this to my own life when I encounter obstacles. I think about my past self, my present self and my future self. Where do I want to be and how can I begin to grow and establish paths and "shoot" out tentacles to attach to success? 


Let's deconstruct the notion of "we create our own reality". The book establishes an more in depth exploration into this popular catchphrase. The authors call it "It's all invented." They make analogies between how a frog sees the world and how that idea can metaphorically be applied to our perceptions of reality. The frog, according to the book, has extremely selective perceptions that it needs for basic survival. Humans, although more complex, also perceive those attributes that we are programmed to receive. Therefore, we are not seeing all of reality. If we could "reprogram" what we see to create new pathways for perceptions, then we could possibly create our paths. 


Let me give an example of this at work. I'm testing my own hypothesis of how we create experiences of survival. The other day I was driving in a large major city. I am unfamiliar with driving in the city and am somewhat overwhelmed. After residing here for about a month, I figured out (learned behavior) that there are major arteries of "paths" or highways/interstates. Not unlike the human circulatory system, the minor arteries (side roads) feed into larger vessels/routes. I was trying to get across the Columbia River, which is a large river. I needed to cross a bridge. I figured it would be really obvious, plus there was a sign that said I5 (the major artery bridge) turn right 3/4 mile. Wow, ok that's easy. I was discussing the idea of the nine dots with my son. Ironically, this puzzle is about perception. The directions are to: connect all nine dots using only four lines: Here's some examples of how some folks have attempted to solve this problem. 

And so on, try it yourself. I will not give you the answer because I know that you can look it up. Here's a hint: like I said before, it has to do with being open to possibilities and thinking "outside the box". 


While discussing this with my son, I completely missed the exit. How could this happen? I was astounded. There is not another exit for six miles. You would think I could see it as my vision is unencumbered by buildings - it's a river for goodness sakes! It's like the exit completely disappeared. There are three explanations for this: 


1. I was distracted with the discussion with my son, and 
2. My perception was askew. Let me give a more in depth explanation of this phenomenon. The exits are counter intuitive to a newbie like me. When you are expecting the exit to go right, it actually goes left and then 180 degrees merge. 

The final explanation: 

3. This is somewhat more nebulous and illusive. Perhaps we are unconsciously creating pathways, inventing realities. For someone who has no experience of the city, my mind perceives what I program it to receive (I know you are singing "Hotel California" at this point). Whoa! that's wild. And a little out there. . . .

PREZI: Highlights of Multi-Media Production

Yay, well as I'm getting ready to apply my newfound skills, I've been creating more customized presentations of my research. Here's one:  


PREZI PRESENTATION

Week 1/Blog 2: Response to Jena Wayt's Blog

Jena's comments:

"If you can create it, then you have the right to protect it and legally claim it as your own." This is the legal definition of copyright. So, what does it mean? Well, any copyrightable materials are works such as audio, books, artwork, plays, movies and videos. Only the owner has the right to use and reuse his/her work without permission. I was surprised to learn that dance can also be copyrighted along with movies, film, and music. Are Michael Jackson's moves copyrighted? What about MC Hammer? I can think of a few others, but I'm sure you get my point. A copyright for a company lasts for 100 years and a lifetime plus 70 years for an individual owner. That is quite a long time. It seems that copyright is all about money and not about creativity. In Brazil, artists are more interested in becoming popular by allowing their music to be mixed and played at large parties and clubs. If the audience likes the music, the artist will be able to perform in a concert where he/she can make some big money. In the US, pirating and mixing music is a crime. What does that say about our country?
As an educator, we are not covered by the tag, "All images, clips, and audio captured are intended for educational use only." As stated in the videos I watched, if I can remove the copyrighted material and still teach the lesson, then that usage doesn't fall under the Fair Use umbrella. I would have to obtain permission from the original author or owner. With fair use, I can borrow a small amount of copyrighted work for teaching, news reporting, parody (comedy), and critical comment (Walter Cronkite type of stuff). Fair use is only a legal defensible position, not a right. I have to follow certain rules as with everything else. In short, how I use it and how much I use. It is very important to remember to always give credit to the original creator. Creative Commons (creativecommons.org) is a great place to look for this type of material. On this site, you can find all types of works that you are free to use as long as you site the source and give credit. Symbols of the creative commons license inform users how they are allowed to use the work. The owners are giving us permission to use their work in different creative ways instead of stifling our creativity. I really like the TED talk by Larry Lessig. What caught my attention the most was what he said about John Philip Sousa. What great foresight Sousa had about where our culture was headed, from a Read/Write society to a Read/Only society. This is so true in many areas. The kids of today are trying to tell us that they want to be allowed to have the right to be creative in any way they choose, but it is our job to teach them the correct and legal way in which to express their creativity. I feel confident that now I am able to do just that.

Here's my response to Jena:
Jena, That's great that you have come to this understanding. I, also, have had some issues clarified. However, I still need some some more clarification. I will bookmark the creativecommons.org website. I think that there is a general umbrella that the rules can be applied to, but like any legal document, it is changing and in flux. It would be wise to work on a case-by-case basis. This summer, I plan to work up a case study in which my students could apply and defend their positions on use of a particular type of creation, whether it be musical, image-based or dance based. This should provide an avenue for critical thinking and defending their opinions.

Leadership Post II

1. After some reflection this weekend regarding the research I have been conducting at Salish Kootenai College, I've decided that developing a professional presentation is going to be my best choice. I chose this for three reasons. The first would be that the college I teach at has started a new program where, each Friday, instructors have been presenting to the other faculty, some of the dynamics of research they have been conducting. I have not been asked to present yet, but would like to be prepared if asked. 


2. The second reason is that I believe the faculty could benefit from some of my research findings on retention strategies. I feel hopeful that I could contribute to proactively taking steps to improve our recruitment, retention and ultimately graduation amongst our college. The third reason is that, as a media designer, I am interested in the visual aspect combined with the written findings. I am excited to employ the strategies of both presenting visually and verbally. All of our coursework has been preparing us for this very thing. 

I believe I am ready to present.