Have you ever read something, or listened to someone and thought....wow...that's so true? Have you thought, that's exactly how I feel but have never put my feelings into words?
I have been reading two books simultaneously. One, Poverty is Not a Disability; and the other Teaching with Poverty in Mind. The first book is for my Diverse Learners class. I don't know what the required reading was for Poverty is Not a Learning Disability...because once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. I heard about the other book, in a staff development training and since this topic is a passion of mine...I bought it and started reading it...so it's like Zanadu!
I heard, in college, about Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs. http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/regsys/maslow.html
The premise is that the most basic of needs are paramount. These needs are our physical needs; hunger, thirst, comfort, bodily comfort etc. That hit me in the most deepest place. As a child, I didn't have to worry about the physical needs...my parents provided them. However, when I became an educator...I noticed something...even though some might say I was raised in Pleasantville...and everything was la la all of the time ( of course it wasn't) I realized that not EVERYONE had the privilege of being able to have the most basic needs met. So therefore, if a child comes to school hungry; tired; uncomfortable...then the LAST thing they would be worried about was...learning...the first thing they would be worried about was meeting these basic needs. So this fact drove all of my instruction. I made sure that every day we had a snack with our math instruction...I called it Snack Math - just as when my husband and I had four kids and we were broke as a joke and all we had money for was hot dogs...( I made a big deal out of them and called them Holly Dogs...oh you are so lucky tonight! We are having Holly Dogs!) I made sure that our math instruction included a healthy snack of some sort...I used the snack as a math manipulative...because what I realized was that even though someone might be on free and reduced breakfast...if their parent doesn't get them to school on time...or to the bus on time...they don't eat breakfast. I also realized that the meals they get at school are sometimes all they get to eat...so shouldn't those meals be the most wonderful thing you could ever imagine?
Anyway, although this thinking might not fit into everyone's world of reality...it's reality. We are losing many of our kids because of their life circumstances. We are trying to use the same old tried and true methods that we've always used and we can't do it...we have to think!
Mazlow - physical needs first
Second- safety needs - wow doesn't that hit home?
Third - Love and belonging
Finally - Esteem issues...
I know it's a very difficult task to meet a child's needs...all of them...but if they come to us broken...and needing these needs met - then that needs to be Job 1....then we can get down to the business of learning...if we don't change our thinking...well what did Einstein say? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Judgments! Beware
Where do I begin? Have you ever made a snap judgment? Or have you ever just made a judgment based on prior knowledge, or prior experiences? Have you ever gone into an experience, with a preconceived notion and idea of how everything was going to be? Have you ever met someone and told your self…I don’t like this person…at all and I never will? And then…have you ever had all of those preconceived notions, ideas, thought processes, experiences, mindsets, opinions, and beliefs totally turned on their head? Well if not, then I don’t know who you are! That’s what happened to me through this course.
Before I began this course, I was told, by my son who is an administrator, that this would be the worst course I had to go through. Now, my son did not go through Lamar’s program. He went through another program at another University. So, at that point, the stress level…was EXTREMELY heightened. I am a perfectionist. I am always in competition with one person…myself. I have to do everything the right way or it upsets me and stresses me out. Now, this is only WORK RELATED! I was the same way in school. I am not the same way in my personal life. We raised four children and those perfectionist tendencies were pushed by the way side by the time the second child was two. I give everyone many, many chances, but not myself. I give myself no chances…I must do it right the first time. I must make an A. My work must be of the upmost quality. So you can imagine how I felt just by hearing the word Research.
I also, knew that I was going to be out of the country for two weeks during the middle of this course. I was attending a wedding and this could not be avoided. So there was even more pressure. I had to make sure I had taken care of everything before I left.
Well, the first week, I did two weeks worth of work. I worked for over 60 hours that week. And during that time, my mindset changed! I was scared to death when I learned we had to create a blog. My daughter in law has a blog; Oprah has a blog; but I just didn’t see how I could create one. But the course was laid out so beautifully, that all my apprehensions begin to evaporate as I got into the course. The first week’s lecture and readings illuminated to me what Action Research is. The assignment asked that we explain what Action Research is. Well, I had to go through some wonderings, questionings and research to find out what Action Research is…this was a wonderful place to start. Through the assignment and the discussion board, I learned a lot about what Action Research is and I embraced Action Research because it’s not done in a stuffy ivory tower…it’s something impactful that can help you change the lives of your school community; it involves collaboration and teamwork…it’s not conducted in a vacuum…so it’s very person centered and person oriented. This is who I am and what I believe…so I jumped right on board! I was excited to know that there was something out there that fit me to a tee…fit who I am and what I believe. Sometimes we think, are we the only ones that can see this? Well, I realized through the readings; assignment; videos; and discussions that no, I am not the only one who sees how to effectively affect change!
Throughout weeks two through four, I lumbered along, learning more, tweaking more, becoming more illuminated…and that culminated with this week.
I love the discussion topic this week. What is your greatest insight? It caused me to stop and think…and think…and think. Thankfully some of my cohorts had already jumped into the discussion and as I read what they wrote I realized that not only did I come to a great insight, I had, through this course, specifically the blogging and discussions, had a life changing event.
I comprehended that, as a group, we had gone through this course together. As a group, we had shared a lot. We are a very diverse group; and…WE HAVE NEVER MET! One would think that in order to collaborate; to come to a consensus; to learn, etc…one would need to be in a room with that group and know them intimately…well that’s not the case. We all have differences; we all have differing viewpoints on many things…but through this course we collaborated and learned so much from each other. After grasping this, I thought, well if we can do this in this forum, this format, what is going to stop us, at our campus, from coming to the same wonderful consensus? Nothing! So I learned something that will carry with me for the rest of my life. If we listen, we embrace other viewpoints (not agreeing but embracing) if we are open minded, we can collaborate in a beautiful way; we can learn together and become something great. So I say thank you.
Before I began this course, I was told, by my son who is an administrator, that this would be the worst course I had to go through. Now, my son did not go through Lamar’s program. He went through another program at another University. So, at that point, the stress level…was EXTREMELY heightened. I am a perfectionist. I am always in competition with one person…myself. I have to do everything the right way or it upsets me and stresses me out. Now, this is only WORK RELATED! I was the same way in school. I am not the same way in my personal life. We raised four children and those perfectionist tendencies were pushed by the way side by the time the second child was two. I give everyone many, many chances, but not myself. I give myself no chances…I must do it right the first time. I must make an A. My work must be of the upmost quality. So you can imagine how I felt just by hearing the word Research.
I also, knew that I was going to be out of the country for two weeks during the middle of this course. I was attending a wedding and this could not be avoided. So there was even more pressure. I had to make sure I had taken care of everything before I left.
Well, the first week, I did two weeks worth of work. I worked for over 60 hours that week. And during that time, my mindset changed! I was scared to death when I learned we had to create a blog. My daughter in law has a blog; Oprah has a blog; but I just didn’t see how I could create one. But the course was laid out so beautifully, that all my apprehensions begin to evaporate as I got into the course. The first week’s lecture and readings illuminated to me what Action Research is. The assignment asked that we explain what Action Research is. Well, I had to go through some wonderings, questionings and research to find out what Action Research is…this was a wonderful place to start. Through the assignment and the discussion board, I learned a lot about what Action Research is and I embraced Action Research because it’s not done in a stuffy ivory tower…it’s something impactful that can help you change the lives of your school community; it involves collaboration and teamwork…it’s not conducted in a vacuum…so it’s very person centered and person oriented. This is who I am and what I believe…so I jumped right on board! I was excited to know that there was something out there that fit me to a tee…fit who I am and what I believe. Sometimes we think, are we the only ones that can see this? Well, I realized through the readings; assignment; videos; and discussions that no, I am not the only one who sees how to effectively affect change!
Throughout weeks two through four, I lumbered along, learning more, tweaking more, becoming more illuminated…and that culminated with this week.
I love the discussion topic this week. What is your greatest insight? It caused me to stop and think…and think…and think. Thankfully some of my cohorts had already jumped into the discussion and as I read what they wrote I realized that not only did I come to a great insight, I had, through this course, specifically the blogging and discussions, had a life changing event.
I comprehended that, as a group, we had gone through this course together. As a group, we had shared a lot. We are a very diverse group; and…WE HAVE NEVER MET! One would think that in order to collaborate; to come to a consensus; to learn, etc…one would need to be in a room with that group and know them intimately…well that’s not the case. We all have differences; we all have differing viewpoints on many things…but through this course we collaborated and learned so much from each other. After grasping this, I thought, well if we can do this in this forum, this format, what is going to stop us, at our campus, from coming to the same wonderful consensus? Nothing! So I learned something that will carry with me for the rest of my life. If we listen, we embrace other viewpoints (not agreeing but embracing) if we are open minded, we can collaborate in a beautiful way; we can learn together and become something great. So I say thank you.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Posting of Action Research Plan
My action research plan.
Click on the above link for my action research plan. Kudos and thanks to Richard Keithley for his detailed instructions as to how to link this! I would have NEVER figured it out.
Just to update: My computer now works; I got my car back today - son's truck is still smashed...yeah I destroyed two vehicles in one fell swoop...therefore last week I was a little off...
I feel like I am back among the living...all of my Lamar friends and I am glad...hated the way I felt last week!
PLEASE read and comment on my plan...I would love all comments and feedback!
My plate is full but I am raring to go!
Click on the above link for my action research plan. Kudos and thanks to Richard Keithley for his detailed instructions as to how to link this! I would have NEVER figured it out.
Just to update: My computer now works; I got my car back today - son's truck is still smashed...yeah I destroyed two vehicles in one fell swoop...therefore last week I was a little off...
I feel like I am back among the living...all of my Lamar friends and I am glad...hated the way I felt last week!
PLEASE read and comment on my plan...I would love all comments and feedback!
My plate is full but I am raring to go!
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