Learning As a Way of Being . . . to be continued

In Learning As a Way of Being by Vaill, the author presents some very insightful thoughts and asks great questions about what it means to be a lifelong learner. We as educators encourage our students to be "lifelong learners", but do we really know what that means?  Do we really know what it means to learn as a way of being?  I've only read the first fifty pages of the book, but I'm beginning to question my idea of what it means to be a lifelong learner and what it means to learn as a way of being.

In the conclusion of Part I of the book, Vaill encourage the readers to dream about what our own learning is like out of its "institutional learning straightjacket (p. 50)".  That sentence, along with many others made me really think (I know it doesn't happen often. LOL! ;-)).

I can understand why Vaill refers to learning as a institutional straightjacket. As students, learning is forced upon us.  People have told us since kindergarten (some of us who were fortunate, pre-k) what to learn, how to learn and how fast we should learn. If we are perceived to be mentally unstable, someone will decide what we will wear - a straightjacket, how we will wear it - in a manner such that we can't take it off, and how slowly someone will remove it. (That’s funny to me!! LOL! Too much sugar!)  And in both situations, we are in places we don’t really care to be – in an institution.  So can you see how the two are similar?

I've often made the comment that I learn so much more when I take the time to learn something of interest to me versus when I am instructed to complete an assignment. When I am learning for my interest, I can take all the time I need and nothing is being dictated.   On the other hand, if I am given an assignment, it’s almost certain there is a rubric attached with a deadline.  Vaill stated,  ". . . learning for many of us is a means to an end that is not of our choosing. We go through a learning process in pursuit of a goal we have been told is important (p. 31)".  That statement is very powerful very and true! Does it resemble the attitudes of your students? 

 One more thing to think about. . .  What do you, those who haven’t read the book, think Vaill meant by the statement below?

"We can begin to form a picture of our existing implicit model (of the learning process) by briefly considering three of its implicit principles: that learning is painful, that learning goals are given to us, and that the person setting out to learn is much less admirable than the person who has completed a set amount of learning (p. 28)".

Five Minds for the Future: The Disciplined Mind

Howard Gardner does it again!!! He always brings relevant messages.

Within chapter 2, many ideas/quotes rang true and made me think.  To keep from writing a dissertation, I will simply list a few quotes and comment.

"I believe it is essential for individuals of the future to be able to think in the ways that characterize the major disciplines (p. 31)".
-One of the biggest issues in education is that many of our students lack the ability to think.  Students merely want us as educators to tell them what they should know and then allow them to regergitate it on assessments.  Makes me think of education as the banking analogy - we educators merely deposit the knowledge and make withdrawls. Not real learning!!

-Question - Sometimes I feel the American education creates this problem.  Our system tends to stiffle creativity as early as kindergarten.  What do you think?

- The second portion of that qoute leads me to reflect on a conversation my son and I had a few days ago.  I was telling him how I belive if a peron is strong in math and science, they will typically fuction better in life than poeple who aren't.  Moreso, people who have mathematical and science minds.  I believe this because these are typically the thinkers and the people whom are good at problem solving (life is problem solving); thus they are more equipped to handle whatever mey come their way.  What do you all think?

How to achieve a disciplined mind . . . 2. Spend a significant amount of time on this topic.  If it is worth studying, it is worth studying deeply, over a significant period of time, using a variety of examples and modes of analysis (p. 33)".
- Would someone please pass this message on to TEA!!!!! We have too many TEKS and standards and not enough time to cover the material.  Thanks Gardner!!!

"In the future, individuals must learn to synthesize knowledge and how to extend it in new and unfamilar ways (p. 44)".
-My PreAP kids struggle with this the most.  They often complain my tests are not over what we have covered in class or in the homework.  I continue to explain to them the tests are over what we have covered. The tests comprise higher order thinking questions which test them on the application of the basic concepts.  Based on Gardner, in order to adequately prepare our students for the future, we need to teach them how to apply their knowledge across disciplines, teach them such that the knowledge is fluid and teach them how to THINK!

Transparency??????

Blessed Cohort 4,

Fullan speaks of transparency in the Six Secrets of Chnage, yet he speaks of it in terms of being transparent with data.  That chapter didn't speak to me, but the title of the chapter did.

During our past weekend of class, Billy and Amber were extremely transparent by sharing thier life stories with us.  I think I can speak for us all we I say we are eternally greatful for you two sharing. You two have set the standard for maybe how we should strive to be more transparent.

I say all that to say this . . . As leaders, how transparent should we be?  I believe we shouldn't hide ourselves from people, but at the same time we don't need to share all our personal business.  As teachers, we like to share some of ourselves and our lives with our students so they understand we are human.  As we strive to be the Christian leaders God has called us to be, how much should we share?

I am an extremely private person.  After our last weekend, I wonder if that could hinder me as a leader and in turn hinder the progress of my followers?  I learned so much about and from Billy and Amber.  When we neglect to be transparent, do we impede the learning/growth of our followers? 

I know there is a time and a place for everything. We dicussed in Dr. Vasek's class about how we should allow the spirit to guide us in deciding when to approach situations with our Christian values and beliefs.  Would you consider it to be the same with us being transparent?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts . . .

The Six Secrets of Change

". . . loving and investing in your employees in relation to high-quality purpose is the bedrock of success (Fullan, 2008, p. 36)"

"One of the most vexing problems in large systems concerns the need for cohesion of otherwise loosely coupled components.  What is the right glue? (Fullan, 2008, p. 37)"

In The Six Secrest of Change, Fullan states the first secret of change is to learn to 'love your employess'.  Loving ones employess requires we all go beyond the surface level 'hellos' and 'how are you doing?', to a level of really learning to love and care for one another beyond the job.  When there is true love amongst the faculty, one can see it.  We have all gone to visit schools and remember the first impression we got upon entering that school.  We can tell immediately if the school has a sense of community or not; a sense of love.  When you feel a sense of love, you then find that that school is really successful in its goal of educating the students.  Accroding to Fullan, when the love is there, we learn to invest in each other, support each other; thus, becoming more successful than an organization that is simply just an organization.  They become successful because the love creates a sense of community trying to achive the commoon goal of educating students.

As many of our previous texts stated, the educataional system is one of the most difficult organizations to achieve a shared vision, because of all the different levels in the education system, the number people/stakeholders and all the diffeernt views each stakeholder brings to the job. Fullan alludes in many of his texts that the glue allowing organizations to be successful and to create cohesiveness amongst all levels of the educational system is love and a shared vision of educating the students.

In relation to our cohort, many expressed this weekend we have moved beyond being just a cohort model to a family.  We are able to say that because we have learned to love each other and we all share a common goal of learning with and from each other in order to graduate in three years. We are learning to invest in each other so that we all will be successful. 

A Whole New Mind - GIFTS!!!!!!

Hello all!!!! I received an email earlier this week and wanted to share it with you.  As I read the email, I thought about Maria and Steven from "A Whole New Mind" and how Maria helped Steven to unlock the giftt of spirit.  Once Steven learned the power of spirit, he then shared it with his boss and colleagues.  We need to learn the best gifts in life aren't tangible. Enjoy!! ;-) 

Romans 12:6 (NASB)  "Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly"

 

Know and understand your strengths, for it is best to behave how God created you. By God’s grace, He places within you giftedness to carry out His plan.  You may be a gifted leader, so lead.  You may be a gifted writer, so write. You may be a gifted teacher, so teach. You may be a gifted servant, so serve. There is a long menu of gifts, and you probably resemble several of them. Study your gifts, pray for God's guidance, and you will discover your strengths.

Become comfortable with and accept the things you do naturally. It is effortless because God has engineered you for this.  He gave you the skills and abilities to innovate, create, and produce these desired outcomes.  This is diversity at its finest!  Thankfully, we are not all the same when it comes to our gifts.......

Reply to Keith's post "Leading With Trolls"

For some reason Keith, I am not able to post to your blog.  I think you have it G14 classified or something.  We will need to work out the kinks with several of the blog pages this weekend.  But I wanted to respond, so here is my response. . .


Hello Future Dr. Morgan!!

I enjoyed reading your posts and I wish my administrators were like you.  I am still in the classroom so I relate to the teacher who feels over-worked and under appreciated.
I also agree with you 100% about having to deal with the adults at work.  I enjoy my kids soooo much.  They are truly a blessing and I wish I could just be with them all day.  It's the adults, whom you think wouldn't bring drama and issues to work, but they do.  That's why we have to be the Christian leaders God has called us to be and do as you are doing - being emphathetic and reaching out to your followers.

I admire you going the extra mile and gettin to know your teachers on a personal level.  It truly goes along way.  When you get to know your staff on a personal level, display you care, they are more likely to work harder for you out of mutual respect than out of ritual compliance.  Way to go Keith!!!

Leading with Soul

"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving.  A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants.  A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is."
- Lao-tzu

While reading Leading with Soul and many of our other texts, the qoutes always have such powerful messages.  The quote above speaks volumes about how we are to lead our lives and whom we should allow to lead.

I reflect on my undergrad years and the journey I had at the most religious school in America - UT (that's a jpke by the way!! ;-)).  I realized I was struggling because I had my eye focused on a destination I had determined for myself since I was in third grade.  It wasn't until I grew wise and discovered my journey is not about me and the destination I'd planned wasn't the destination God had for me.  Once I learned to stop relying on my own logic and my own plans, began to humble myself, be still and let God lead (listening to my intuition), life began to take on a whole new meaning.  Life wasn't necessarily easier, yet I began to have true joy and peace in my spirit because I knew my life was directed by God.  I've learned to face my fears of not being in control and to keep my mind open to what God has for me.