Week 4 - PBS Video: Digital_Nation: Life on the Virtual Frontier

Here is a fascinating video shown on PBS and shared through arted2.0. With all our discussions this week surrounding our teaching environments and dream jobs, I thought this documentary goes a long way in describing the world we are teaching within and our students are learning within.



Retrieved on March 24, 2010 from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/view/

Week 4 - Comment on Bianca's Post

Week 4 - Post 1 - Getting past the wall

Posted by Bianca at 10:51 PM 

*sigh*

I had the worst problem getting started on my media project. Well, to be more specific, I had the worst problem getting started on themedia portion of my media project. I'd had my idea, a branching dialogue customer service simulation in Udutu, solidified since our first week. I had the whole idea all mapped out, but when it came to actually creating it in Udutu I had the most terrible time getting started. I hummed and hawed and vaguely poked in its general direction until just finally getting it properly rolling and working today (status update: got a great chunk of it in order and I feel confident about having it more than 75% done by the time I do my presentation).

It's not that I wasn't excited about the media project; in fact, I was kind of elated to be putting my thesis materials into practice finally. It's more that I'm starting to just get TIRED.

I've been pushing myself in both my school and work life for the past 11 months and it turns out pushing myself past exhaustion is finally starting to catch up with me. I just want to crawl into a fetal ball and sleep for a month or so to recover. Alas, there's still 5 more weeks to go, so no recovery hibernation for me just yet.

I thankfully hit a second wind (or, well, maybe eightieth wind to be more accurate) today and getting the project to work finally will definitely get me through this week at the very least (although I'm hoping the delight of finally getting a breakthrough will boost my energy for longer).

I'm hoping this will all work out like the exercise class I took the other week. It was my first yoga/pilates/tai chi-style class in a long time and around the middle I honestly thought I couldn't go any further. Not long after that, though, I caught a second wind and by the end of the class I felt fabulous.

So here's to us ALL catching that second wind, making it through the rest of the program, and coming out the other end feeling amazing and refreshed... or, at least surviving the next 5 weeks. Yes, just surviving would suffice ;)

(Anime self portrait made with the help of the Anime Face Maker v1.0 by ~geN8hedgehog, which is an excellent stress reliever, might I add)

Week 4 Media Project: AP Sketchbook - Ideas in Motion

I've made some changes to the media project since our Wimba session Monday night. At Bob's suggestion, I emailed Ning and asked about the possibility of removing the advertisements from my site due to its educational use. I haven't heard back as of this posting, but I am hoping for a positive response.

I have also made a few cosmetic/design changes to increase readability and make a very visual site a little less "busy". I truly appreciated the opportunity to share everyone's projects in such a safe and productive environment. Thanks to all of you. Especially Jorge, who is now a member!

Please visit my site: AP Sketchbook-Ideas in Motion

Week 4 Readings – Being the Board, Creating Frameworks, and Telling the WE Story

Grace under fire, being the board. 

Apparently, this well-known compliment that is given to those of us who keep ourselves together when all around us is crumbling, comes from owning the risks that we take in a world out of our control. I like this phrase, I like what it stands for, and I like others who demonstrate its power. I think I may get it tattooed on my forehead…well let’s not get carried away, but I will keep it at the top of my list of goals. Be the board, show grace under fire:

Show grace under fire – life is probably less stressful that way.

Be open-minded – then the world is a more interesting place.

(Art Trek trip to Spain, 2008)

Be a good friend – you can’t have too many friends.

Be patient, and apparently kind too.

Affecting Change, creating Frameworks.

Thankfully, at least in this country, we have a choice each day to live our lives in any way we choose. What are the possibilities? This is the question we should be asking ourselves. How can I affect change on those around me, on myself, on the world? I suppose that it is impossible to truly make these considerations on a daily basis. But if more people, especially those of us that hold children’s lives in our hands, were to take a moment to care and share and support those around us, I am sure that we would have more successes and fewer failures.

Reflection. Telling the "we" story.  I know that over many years in education and coaching, I have received thank-you’s from students and their parents about positive ways that I have affected them. I always appreciate the end of the school year or season, because it is a time of reflection. I think that is why the thanks come out. We reflect back on the time together, what we meant to each other, and how we got through the hard times, and how we celebrated the best times. The “WE” story really doesn’t have to be anything BIG, it just has to be special. Taking the time to care is really what the “Art of Possibility” by Zander is all about. Putting the needs of others first, sharing the wealth we each have inside our hearts, minds and souls. When we do these simple things, the rewards to us and them are enormous.

Tomorrow morning at 4:30 a.m. when 14 high school art students (we call it Art Trek), myself, and a fellow teacher of mine head off to Italy, we will all be experiencing the possibilities of a choices in life. One of travel and art, and culture and opportunities that await because we aren't afraid of the possibilities. We are champions of possibilities. We are one BIG possibility waiting to happen! and it will be worth every sacrifice to experience it. We will create memories, we will make friends, we will grow in our understanding of the world, and we will come back changed forever. The reflections will be spectacular this year! 

So, if you are a teacher, volunteer to share extra-curricular time with your students. Go to their concerts, school plays and sporting events. Be a club advisor or coach. Help them with community service. But most of all, get involved. Who knows, your reward may be to accompany them on a trip of a lifetime!