Week 3 Comment to Sandy

Sandy said...

Orchestrating Collaboration 

As a fitting close to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008, participants explore the power of collaborative innovation in a unique exercise with conductor Benjamin Zander.

The quote from Amanda Burr (83) is one that touched me…as one that shows how kids are influenced by leadership opportunities to grow.   Given chances to help each other will help foster leadership and a passion for learning unknowingly.  

She said “today was exceptional in that I learned leadership is not a responsibility—nobody has to lead.  It’s a gift, shining silver, that reminds people huddled nearby why each shimmering moment matters.  It’s in the eyes, the choice, this swelling song that warms up from the toes and tingles with endless possibilities. Things change when you care enough to grab whatever you love, and give it everything”.  ~Amanda Burr, student at Walnut Hill School

This weeks reading again was very poignant about making change.  We are all leaders, sometimes an uncomfortable position, but we influence each other in more ways than we realize.  We are leaders every single day in our classrooms, and the discussion about engaging our students (69) was one that is so evident, anytime I go into “lecture” mode.  Many of my students’ eyes glaze over and tune out.  Learning a new approach will perhaps be something I need to look at.  The new videos I’m learning about in this weeks discussion posts, will be one way I can engage my students a little differently.  Rule #6 – “not taking ourselves so seriously”, but enjoying the ride helps us understand more about how “life is a journey”.  Like any journey we usually encounter new people and new experiences along the way, some good, some not so much.  We can learn from the bad and move ourselves forward to a higher realm of consciousness by learning from “mistakes”.  But are they really a mistake if we learn something positive from it?  The question in chapter 8 about what we are doing in our daily life, asks one to reflect about where we are at the moment.  For many of us in this program, we barley have time to breath, let alone reflect about where we are.  However, that being said continually looking forward to how we can improve ourselves is the key.  When I’m done with this school year, I have a “to do” list a mile long to look back and reflect about all the learning I have taken in this past year.  It has been an amazing journey and one I look forward to continuing as I begin to implement and practice more good teaching.  I’m at that sunset stage in my career, where I have a few more years to continue the journey with my students and I want them to be the most prepared as possible.  There is so much I have yet to learn and it is so important to help instill that passion for learning onto our students.  I share what I am learning and doing everyday with my students.      Follow Sandy HERE

Tawnya said...

Sandy,
This book has given me the opportunity to reflect on myself as an educator and student. What a journey it has been this year! I agree with you about the importance of instilling the passion for learning in out students. I can tell you that as I have grown to know you over this year that your passion and excitement for learning new things is contagious. Your students are so lucky to have you and to be able to experience all the things you have learned throughout the program.