Wk 4, Comment #2 - Anna Dooley

MAC - Week 4 - Reading

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I can’t wait to have some time…someday…to read this book again, slowly and digest all the wonderful thoughts it shares. The part this week that I really thought about was the last chapter and the WE story. Zander talks about what is best for ALL. I began thinking how this never happens anymore. The government says they do what is best for the country, but really, they do what is best for their pockets. State officials say they try to protect education, but even as I type are laying of thousands and thousands of educators due to money…we have to take pay cuts each year for 5 years, but not any superintended or state official…no, no, no, that would not be good for them. Why can’t American’s lose the evil greed monster and do what is truly best for out country, state and what is best for our children. We spread around the world trying to make the rest of the world just like us, but why? I don’t blame other countries for laughing at us and saying no way. Look how our county is in shambles due to greed. Really, why can’t WE ALL do what is best for ALL?

I think since we need to 'be the board', we have to remember that we chose to be educators, knowing that educators have never really been valued by our politicians. AND that we, as a society, voted these politicians into office. Whenever I get upset about the state of education in our nation (and that happens ALOT lately), I pull out my Sunshine Folder. This folder has all of those sweet notes from my students that tell me all of their thoughts about what a great teacher I am or how much they like my class. Some of them draw cute little pictures and some of them put their most treasured stickers all over the page. That's what being the board is all about: creating the framework where I can be proud of the difference I make in my students' lives.

Wk 4, Comment #1 - Ann Cannizzaro

Wk4_Reading_The Art of Possibility

Ciao! Now here's something new from Ann Cannizzaro.

This week’s reading from The Art of Possibility, by Benjamin and Rosamund Zander puts the reader on an inward journey.  The reader is gently pushed to consider the truth, of how events, actions, and relationships out in “the world”, are perceived and connected to one’s self.  We are meant to reconsider our own perspective and look further inward at how our thoughts color our own attitudes and actions.

Taking on the “being the board” stance will definitely take some practice and getting used to.  It means taking a greater responsibility over a wider area of influence.  Rather than looking out for #1, and towing the line, it emphasizes the need to go one step further to exact some change, an action or event, some greater participation.  It means making a commitment which one can often shrink away from doing.  Time and energy are factors that can limit one’s ability or inclination to participate in change.

The words of Barbara Waugh, of Hewlett Packard Laboratories, “start slow…and work small”, speak volumes to me.  My approach to change is just that…..think on a grand scale, and take baby steps toward the goal.  Sweeping change is too overwhelming and frightening for people.  I’d much rather build successive steps that maintain the foundation, while rising bit by bit, upwards to the possibilities that change can bring.

As I read these final chapters, I remembered the quote by Marianne Williamson before it appeared in the text.  It was reassuring to see that my mind is already in the realm of possibility.  The line that speaks most strongly to me is this: “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…”.  Somehow, I feel that I have held myself back, for fear of not being good enough to realize my potential.  This book has pushed me to work my way through those feelings of insecurity and continue, steadfast, on the journey.

I was struck too by the phrase 'be the board' and I like how you summed it up by saying, "It means taking a greater responsibility over a wider area of influence." Being the board really does mean to take greater responsibility. In our society of me first, being the board means that no one is more important than anyone else; that self-preservation becomes "us preservation." Living this life of possibility means that we will be changing our world for the better, not just for ourselves but for everyone.

Wk 4 Reading - The Art of Possibility

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BE THE BOARD: This is such a profound thought for me: that I create the board on which my life is played out. My husband and I talk all the time about those things that happen in life, where we know the risks and we go ahead with our plans anyway. Then, when something goes wrong with our plans, we want to be the victim instead of remembering that these were the risks to begin with. If we choose in our lives to 'be the board', what a different framework is created for all those victim situations in our lives. We can truly forgive and forget. We can demonstrate understanding in the face of true tragedy. We can gracefully face adversity. I want that outlook of being the board. Now is the time to make that change in my life and start living the art of possibility.

Wk 4 Publishing_Leadership Project

I would like to present at the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) put on by FMEA here in Florida. Since I have attended this conference many times in the past, I have a working knowledge of the quality of work that is presented here and I believe that my Project will be well-received by the conference participants. The more that I think about presenting at a conference of this type, the more I think that this might be possible and I get less and less intimidated.


Brainstorming Blog Part 1


Brainstorming Blog Part 2


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Wk4 Publishing/Leadership project part 2 of 2: Where to Present

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Where will I present? I think that for music educators, the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) put on by FMEA here in Florida is really the ultimate place to present. While the technology in my AR project is the basis for doing the project, I feel that the results of my project are most important to music educators, specifically in the elementary field. While I am unfamiliar with other music teacher conferences, a few that I have looked at and that could be options for my presentation are MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) National Conference and the AOSA (American Orff-Schulwerk Association) National Conference. The second one listed would maybe be over-stepping the boundaries of my project since I was not necessarily follow Orff-Schulwerk principles.

So my final answer is my first answer: I would like to present at the Music Educators National Conference here in Florida.

Wk4 Publishing/Leadership project part 1 of 2: Presentation or Paper

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I believe that I would like to do a presentation. My AR project results are better suited to helping elementary music teachers improve their practice. In addition, I have always pictured myself presenting the results to my colleagues in my district. So, doing a presentation will just be taking my AR project to the next level. Therefore I think I will do a presentation and not a paper for my Leadership Project.

Wk 3, Free Choice Post

I was totally worried about writing the abstract. All the time I was thinking I could not possibly summarize my entire project in 120 words or less. Then, I sat down and started really working on it and it was a piece of cake! Maybe I should 'stop taking myself so d*$& seriously'!

On another note, I am worried about the upcoming project for next week. It freaks me out to think about talking about my project to someone other than my classmates and/or professors. As a teacher of elementary age children, my audiences usually think I'm awesome if I look pretty or teach them a cool new song. Now I have to think about doing a professional presentation in front of at least hundreds of people, who will be expecting to hear about results and methods and reasoning. I am pretty sure they will not be settling for a pretty dress and a song that has a good beat! (And please do not suggest that I should imagine my audience in their underwear. That DOES NOT work!) As a matter of fact, I am getting nervous just thinking about it! Time to go to my happy place and not think about it for a little while!

My 'happy place' - the mountains in Colombia.