Hollywood, Education and Globalization

In the 1999 film The Matrix, the main characters have ports in the back of their heads in which information can be downloaded. Within seconds, they can access information like jujitsu fighting or flying a helicopter. Yet in this world in which anything is possible and everything is learn-able, the characters are still seeking “The One” who will set them free and they use a Oracle to find it. In many ways, this describes our current educational system. We continue to try and download information into kids, but we are looking for “The One Way” which will make education fair, equitable and accessible to all.

I've been pondering the idea of paideia for quite some time, though I may not have called it that. As a novice teacher, I was concerned about the content I was teaching. My assigned mentor was very traditional – with grammar, vocabulary, literature, and spelling all scheduled out each week. Yet I knew there should be more. I stumbled on Harvard's Project Zero and the idea of Teaching for Understanding, which, in brief, “ says that understanding a topic of study is a matter of being able to perform in a variety of thought-demanding ways with the topic, for instance to: explain, muster evidence, find examples, generalize, apply concepts, analogize, represent in a new way, and so on.” (Perkins, 1993). While attending the 2002 Project Zero Summer institute, I heard a lecture by Howard Gardner based on his work on The Disciplined Mind:What All Students Should Understand. He proposed that schools are dehumanizing education through the focus on standards and teaching. Instead, study should focus on the ideas of truth, beauty and goodness. When I returned to my classroom, I began planning backwards – What major understandings did I want my students to demonstrate at the end of a unit? Then, more importantly, how would these understandings make them better people? At a time that affective education was antithetic, I was embracing it.

“Paideia - In ancient Greek, the word paideia (παιδεία) means "education" or "instruction." Paideia was the process of educating humans into their true form, the real and genuine human nature. Since self-government was important to the Greeks, paideia, combined with ethos (habits), made a man good and made him capable as a citizen or a king. This education was not about learning a trade or an art—which the Greeks called banausos, and which were considered mechanical tasks unworthy of a learned citizen—but was about training for liberty (freedom) and nobility (the beautiful).” (Paideia, 2008)

When I look at Hollywood, the directors have already embraced this trend. Dead Poets Society (1989) encouraged students to "suck the marrow out of life" and throw away the institutional format of reading poetry. Dangerous Minds (1995), Freedom Writers (2007) and The Ron Clark Story (2006) showed that students need to see meaning and purpose to their education – but also, part of education should be about becoming fully human – empathetic, creative and purposeful. 
 

According to Vavrus, education in Tanzania is moving toward social constructivism in order to foster a more democratic society. She quotes Richard Tabulawa who states that too often classrooms in Third World countries are authoritarian, which does not support development of democracies. Yet in her research, Vavrus found a disconnect between what the system says it values and what it actually values. The skill and drill form of instruction dominates because skill in isolation is the focus of test. When pre-service teachers were confronted with the idea of student centered teaching, they mostly rejected it on the basis of “What's going to be tested?” This argument is not unfamiliar in the United States. As wonderful as the student-centered, constructivist, humanistic paideia idea of theorists and thinkers sound, the reality is that teachers/schools are being judged by the test performance of their students. Until the system goals match the system's evaluation method, there will be this struggle.

Hollywood even understands this disconnect. In the 2006 release Accepted, the main character, Bartleby is rejected for every college, although his grades were good. To forestall disappointing his parents, he creates a fictional, South Harmon Institute of Technology. However, when his parents actually want to see the campus, he is forced to really create a school from an old building. With the help of his friends, they fix up the building, create a website, and enlist the help of a burn-out drifter to be the director. When “opening day” arrives, they find themselves with hundreds of students (all rejected from other schools) at the door. Although it is a comedy, the important part of the story is how the curriculum is developed. The students write on a large board what skills and ideas they have and what skills and ideas they would like to have. On the board they find their own teachers and classes and learn from each other. In the end, the school receives a provisional license to try their experiment in education. 
 

If Hollywood is articulating our society's desire for change, and making money off of it too, why aren't we listening?

References

“Paideia.” (2008, November 2). In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved November 13, 2008 from

Perkins, D (1993, Fall). “Teaching for Understanding,” American Educator: The Professional Journal of the American Federation of Teachers; v17 n3, pp. 8,28-35.

Vavrus, F., The cultural politics of constructivist pedagogies: Teacher education reform in the United
Republic of Tanzania. Int. J. Educ. Dev. (2008), doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2008.05.002

Globalization and International Schools

For the past 10 years, I was a teacher at three different international schools. Each school was very different in terms of facilities, my job description, resources available, student background, parental expectations of education, and local culture. However, each school espoused a belief in their mission statement that in some way, they were shaping global citizens. I was not sure what that meant at the time, and I continue to struggle with this. 

When searching for news articles on globalization, I went to the newspaper I read as an international teacher entitled TheInternational Educator. I had assumed that I would find many articles, but there were only about six articles that used the term global - although many advertisements used the term. One article I found especially interesting was “The Challenge of Global Citizenship in our Schools” by Bambi Betts (2007). She stated, “A substantial percentage of international schools claim through their mission statements that the school will strive to help students become global citizens . . .As elusive as it may be, if it's in your mission, your school MUST do three things: define what it means to be a global citizen, determine how students will be taught to be global citizens, and the piece we find most difficult, decide how to determine the type and extent of progress students are making.” With all of the other demands of schooling and school policy making, I wonder how many schools actually tackle this issue?

As I was reading the texts about the historical context for globalization, I was struck by the cyclical nature of our world. Tilly (2004) states, “Any time a distinctive set of social connections and practices expands from a regional to a transcontinental scale, some globalization is occurring.” Did the Romans and Arabs agonize over the idea of globalization? Tilly goes on to talk about the flow of migration, ideas, trade, and capital as part of globalization. For the international schools I worked at, much of the unwritten curriculum is an enculturation of American values and educational priorities. We had to educate both parents and students how we “do school” the American way, which included projects, group work, disagreeing with the teacher and others and supporting your own opinion. We gave workshops and handouts about homework, reading practices and bullying. By doing this, we were preparing students to fit into American universities and (we assumed) international universities. 

But, I wonder how is that creating global citizens? In actuality, like the Romans did as they conquered other peoples, we (at international school) were creating citizens that could fit into our American society. And yet, the local community and culture, along with the tertiary school culture (made up of locals, third country nationals, and Americans), had a strong influence on how we interpreted American education in that context. As Lee and LiPuma (2002) said, “these interpretive communities determine lines of interpretation, found institutions, and set boundaries based principally on their own internal dynamic.”

Once I entered graduate school and encountered Marxism for the first time, I was confronted with the idea that international schools are actually an unfair practice. Tilly (2004) stated “as of 2000, the world economy displayed startling inequalities.” A classmate of mine challenged me to think of international schools as a colonization technique – another way of subjecting the local population to an inferior education. I have to admit, I was appalled to think of it this way. However, in reflection, I see many of my schools' practices to be just that.

Within a country, an international school often has unique ties to the local government – which I saw in the three I worked at, and heard about from others. Often, the government has to sanction the formation of an international school, which for developing countries, means creating and passing new laws. Implicitly, this means the ruling body agrees with the fundamentals of having foreigners educating the youth in the country. Which, conversely, indicates that the local educational system could not handle the demands of the foreigners in the local schools. By creating separate schools, the nomadic foreigners are insulated from the context of local society, which does, (in many cases) create resentment. In my last schools, most students were bussed directly to the school. A few students, who spoke the local language, would take the public buses. However, they would cover or take off their uniforms because they would be harassed by local students about being “Preppies” or the rich kids who go to the school that anyone can buy their way into. The international schools are generally better funded, are able to import supplies and materials easily, sometimes get special treatment from the government (taxes, educational requirements etc), can hire more educated faculty and the students come from a higher socioeconomic class than the local population. 

 

To combat this resentment and to create “globally aware citizens,” many international school require community service projects for the students, which, in theory, gives back to the local community. However, I have seen it, at times, create a greater sense of superiority in students and faculty, rather than empathy. As Bauman (1998) says, “Globalization divides as much as it unites; it divides as it unites.” (p. 2) When shopping for gifts for the poorer local kids, some students bought inferior gifts than if buying for their own friends, assuming that since the local kids had little, any gift would be appreciated. 

 

Rick Steves, a travel writer stated, “Most cultural groups develop separately, with their own logical (as far as they're concerned) answers to life's basic needs. While every culture is ethnocentric, thinking "we do it right," it's important for travelers to understand that most solutions to life's problems are neither right nor wrong.” Sometimes, when confronted with confusing actions from the local communities, parents, faculty and students assume that the local population is ignorant of the “right way” to do something. Instead of creating acceptance and tolerance, this can lead to greater division.

Bauman goes on to cite Dunlap's principle of the company belonging to the shareholders, not the workers or locality. This is true in a lot of schools, yet I think, more evident in international schools – especially in the schools where the student population is overwhelmingly foreign as opposed to local. Generally, the school board is elected of and by the parents. This board sets policy, approves hiring, budget etc. Often, the parents will only be in-country for 2-5 years, so their agendas are short term - “what's best for my kid.” It is difficult to get long-term programs and ideas to move forward, because the student body and faculty turn over every 2-5 years. There can be a sense of “freedom from the duty to contribute to daily life and the perpetuation of the community”(p. 9) along with “no need to engage, if avoidance will do.” (p.11) I know several of my students would not become involved in local sports or hang out with neighborhood kids because the students knew they would move away eventually. As they said, “So what's the point?” I also know that programs I started, such as visits to a local orphanage and offering professional development to local teachers, ended as soon as I left.

So, how should international schools create global citizens? I think, first, the schools must engage the students (and faculty) in becoming local citizens – to care for and about the issues, ideas and people of their host country. This means greater ties to the community, and not just in service projects, but through social events, shared entertainment and sports, and academics; to combat the superiority complex. A school must be grounded in the local, with mutual respect and understanding, so that both the international and local populations benefit and learn from the interaction.

References

Bauman, Z. (1998). Globalization: The human consequences. Cambridge, Polity.

Betts, B. (April 2007). The challenge of global citizenship in our schools. The international educator. 25.

Lee, B. & LiPuma, E. (2002) Cultures of circulation: The imaginations of modernity. Public Culture 14(1): 191-213.

Steves, R. (2008). Culture shock and wiggle room. CNN.com. Accessed Oct. 13, 2008 http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/10/13/culture.shock/index.html

Tilly, C.. (2004). Past, present and future globalizations. In: Steiner-Khamsi, G. The global politics of borrowing and lending. New York: Teachers College Press. 13-28.

Literature Review for a Metaphor Analysis of a Teacher's E-mail Correspondence with Parents About a Student

Introduction

People use metaphors, consciously or unconsciously, to make sense of the world around them. The choice of metaphors indicates how the person perceives a situation. In teaching, a teacher may profess a particular ideology or philosophy, yet the metaphors the teacher uses in his/her daily discourse may contradict the conscious declaration. In this study, metaphor analysis is used with a teacher's email parent correspondence to see how her beliefs about education are enacted in written text to parents. The literature review will focus on an overview of metaphor analysis, metaphors in education, and how teacher's express their beliefs through metaphors.

Metaphor Analysis

Metaphors are Embedded in Language

Lakoff and Johnson's (1980) seminal work, Metaphors We Live By, changed the paradigm of how we think about metaphors. They say that the most fundamental values in a culture will be coherent with the metaphorical structures of the most fundamental concepts of the culture. However, the metaphorical structures are often under the surface of thought and action. Metaphor is primarily a matter of thought and action and only secondarily a matter of language. There are different categories of metaphors in language. Orientational metaphors organizes a whole system of concepts with respect to one another. For example, UP = HAPPY or MORE. Therefore, if something is cheerful, we say it is “uplifting” or a good day in the stock market would be called an “up trend.” Ontological metaphors show ways of viewing events, which casts the event as a thing. 
 

Many researchers agree with Lakoff and Johnson. William Taylor states, “Far from being a mere linguistic decoration, metaphor comes to be seen as a ubiquitous feature of our thinking and our discourse, the basis of the conceptual systems by means of which we understand and act within our worlds” (p. 5). Therefore the study of the use of metaphors is an important aspect of not only linguists, but anthropologists, philosophers, sociologists, historians, psychologists, counselors, and educators. Schmitt (2000) states, “The employment and linking of these metaphors is not a matter of chance, but an indication that patterns of thought, perception, communication and action that are consistent in themselves are here coming into play.”

Influence of Metaphorical Thinking

Not only are metaphors embedded in language and mostly unconscious, the way we use metaphors shape the way we think. Lakoff and Johnson (1980) state:

Many of our activities are metaphorical in nature. The metaphorical concepts that characterize those activities structure our present reality. New metaphors have the power to create new reality. This can begin to happen when we start to comprehend out experience in terms of a metaphor and it becomes a deeper reality when we begin to act in terms of it . . . much of cultural change arises from the introduction of new metaphorical concepts and the loss of old ones. (p. 145)

Therefore, recognition of the metaphor in use will lead to a better understanding of the person's reality. In attempting to change, a person need to imagine and articulate a new metaphor for him/herself.

Sfard (1998) agrees, “Different metaphors may lead to different ways of thinking and to different activities. We may say, therefore, that we live by the metaphors we use.” However, she goes on to contend that metaphors can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences. Metaphors allow abstract thinking to be possible, yet the same metaphor can also confine thinking.

Dominant Metaphors of Education

Metaphors have a strong influence on everyday thinking and action. It is no surprise that the metaphors used in education influence policy, curriculum, and classroom interaction. It is important to recognize the metaphors applied in order to understand the underlying belief and philosophies. Eilliott states:

Metaphors are widely used in educational discussion and fulfil a variety of functions, such as introducing fresh perspectives, making illuminating comparisons and contrasts, picking out kinds of phenomena not yet names, emphasis, illustration, enlivening dull writing, and many others. The vast majority of such metaphors are only transient waves in the sea of everyday educational reflection. (p. 39)

Marshall (1988), Aspin (1984) and Bullough (1994b) contend that the dominant educational metaphor in American education is that of the school as a workplace or factory. In this context, the student is the worker, the teacher the manager, and the principal the boss. Students are rewarded with grades for work completed and the focus of the school is on discipline and management of students, rather then learning. Both researchers site the historical basis of this metaphor in the Industrial Revolution and the stress on productivity.

Education as growth is another dominant metaphor for education, according to Elliot (1984). However he goes on to explain that in the 1960s a new metaphor of education as initiation was introduced by R. S. Peters in his inaugural lecture at the University of London and became one of the dominant metaphors through the seventies, though it no longer has the following it used to. 

 

In addition, Sfard (1998) believes that education is currently caught between two prevalent, yet seemingly confliction metaphors - acquisition verses participation. Under the acquisition metaphor, knowledge can be acquired and transferred or shared with others; its possession is highly prized. Lakoff and Johnson (1980) would view this under the metaphor MIND IS A CONTAINER, which can be filled. Learning as participation suggests a focus on process and knowing, activities and practice. However, each metaphor has something to offer education and to choose one over the other would create exclusivity and extremism. According to Sfard, neither metaphor can fully explain the complexities of learning and education must learn how to blend the two.

Teachers' Metaphors and Sense of Self 

 

A teacher's personal teaching metaphor, whether it is conscious or unconscious, guides the teacher's curriculum choices, interactions with students and parents, and sense of effectiveness as a teacher. Many researchers believe that a person's belief about education is based on personal experience and is well established before entering preservice training, though often unspoken (Munby & Russell, 1996; Martinez, A.M, Sauleda, N., & Huber, L.G., 2001). Prawat recommends that teachers not only understand their own metaphors of teaching but also how their metaphors are embodied in the classroom (Prawat, 1999, as cited by Martinez et al, 2001). 

 

Robert Bullough, a Professor of Teacher Education at Brigham Young University, has done extensive studies of pre-service teacher's personal teaching metaphors. When a teacher's personal teaching metaphor is in contrast to the institutional metaphor, the teacher must learn how to negotiate the conflict. In his 1991 initial study of fifteen preservice teachers, he asked the preservice teachers to articulate their beliefs of teaching through identifying a metaphor to describe the role of the teacher. However, once they began student teaching, he found that many students' metaphors were in conflict with dominant metaphors of the students, the cooperating teacher and/or the school environment. All had to negotiate their personal metaphors and the metaphors of the environment, which caused distress as their metaphors were being supplanted. Yet, others found ways to consciously build small experiences that matched their metaphors and felt more satisfied. Bullough (1992) continued to follow two of these teachers into their first year of teaching. One teacher, who had a strongly established teaching metaphor, searched for opportunities to express his true teaching self in a traditional setting, and, having rationalized his compromise, he ended the year feeling positive about himself and his profession. The other teacher was torn between her personal teaching metaphor and the perceived requirements of the situation and ended the year questioning her choice of profession. 

 

Carol Briscoe (1991) proposes that before a teacher can make significant pedagogical changes, the teacher must recognize the unconscious beliefs he/she hold and how these beliefs have been constructed from past experiences. In her study, the teacher wanted to make some significant changed to the way he taught, but found it difficult to embrace cooperative and constructivist learning. The teacher's actions often contradicted his professed goals in changing his teaching. Briscoe found that he had difficulty reconstructing his metaphors and underlying beliefs to match these new practices, therefore little change happened.

References

Briscoe, C. (1991). The dynamic interactions among beliefs, role metaphors, and teaching practices: A case study of teacher change. Science Education, 75(2), 185-199.

Bullough, R. V. (1991) Exploring personal teaching metaphors in preservice teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 42(1), 43-51.

Bullough, R. V. (1992) Beginning teacher curriculum decision making, personal teaching metaphors, and teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 8(3), 239-252.

Bullough, R. V. (1994b) Digging at the roots: discipline, management and metaphor, Action in Teacher Education, 16(1), 1-10.

Elliott, R. (1984). Metaphor, imagination and conceptions of education. In W. Taylor (ed.) Metaphors of Education. London: Heinemann. 

Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Marshall, H. (1988). Work or learning, implications of classroom metaphors. Educational Researcher, 17, 9-16.

Martinez, A.M, Sauleda, N., & Huber, L.G. (2001). Metaphors as blueprints of thinking about teaching and learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17, 965-977

Munby, H. & Russell, T. (1996). Theory follows practice in learning to teach and in research on teaching. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://educ.queensu.ca/~russellt/forum/1996a.htm

Provenzo, E.F., McCloskey, G.N., Kottkamp, R.B. & Cohn, M.M. (1989). Metaphor and meaning in the language of teachers. Teachers College Record, 90 (4), 551-73.

Schmitt, Rudolf (2000, January). Notes towards the analysis of metaphor [16 paragraphs]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 1(1). Available at: http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/1-00/1-00schmitt-e.htm [Date of Access: April 24, 2008].

Sfard, A. (1998). On two metaphors for learning and the dangers of choosing just one. Educational Researcher, 27(2) 4-13.

Tobin, K. (1990). Changing metaphors and beliefs: A master switch for teaching? Theory into Practice, 29(2),122-127.

Personal Response to The Ethnographic I by Carol Ellis

I was interested in reading The Ethnographic I by Carolyn Ellis for several reasons. First, I am beginning some research, which may turn into my dissertation about Americans teaching in international schools. I've been an international teacher for the past ten years, so I am a member of the group I am researching, though at this time, not as a participate. However, I am using my friends and colleagues as part of my research. This is potentially both advantageous and problematic. First, I have already built relationships with the participants, yet since these relationships are as a friend or colleague, it may be difficult to transition to researcher. I am partially guided by the old adage, “Write what you know” in doing this research. But, I struggle with the objective/subjective part of the research. As an English teacher and bibliophile I have been immersed in narrative for most of my life. When I took the Myers-Brigg Personality Indicator, I had strong tendencies to ENFP – Extraversion, iNtuition, Feeling, and Perceiving. This personality type seems tailor-made for ethnography, “Words, ideas and possibilities spew effortlessly from them. Words are their best friends. . . They use metaphors, stories, images and analogies to make their point” (Myers-Briggs Personality Type, 1997-2006).

From the beginning, it is clear this will be a different sort of methodology book. The cast of characters sets it up to be a play or drama of some sort. It is interesting to note that some characters are based on real people and others on composites. This brings up the question of truth in storytelling, yet the author makes her intentions transparent in the Preface. Ellis says, “In this work, I intentionally combine fictional and ethnographic scenes . . . Combining literary and ethnographic techniques allows me to create a story to engage readers in methodological concerns in the same way a novel engages readers in its plot.” (xx) Which, in beginning the book, I would agree with. The introductory dialogue was certainly a lot more interesting than the typical preface. So, the major question throughout my reading will be, can a piece of research be both ethnography and a novel? If so, what are some of the advantages and disadvantages in writing in this genre as a researcher?

I had to check the character of Jack. He is the model of science in which Ellis has to defend herself, though she say that she isn't defending herself. He is the voice in my head that says the same things – that challenges the methodology.

I am very interested in seeing the Ellis's insecurities as a professor. As a new graduate student, I have the impression that everyone is a little bit smarter and better equipped than I, and to think that a professor would be so concerned about how things are going and afraid of messing up is revealing.

On page 110, the class brought up an interesting point, “Do you have to be emotional to do autoethnography?” Ellis's response is that the subject matter and process is inherently emotional. Plus, emotionality helps the researcher connect with the participants. However, being too emotional clouds the researcher and may inhibit the researcher's ability to write. Then a question, which I have, is asked, “Does it have to center on pain?” (pg. 110) Ellis feels that pain makes the most evocative writing, which, in her mind, should be a goal of an autoethnographer. However, Art Bochner says, “sometimes the impetus for writing autoethnography is something other than pain. Sometimes it comes from the desire to remember and honor the past. We write to find the truths of our experiences, some painful, some not.” (pg. 111)

One of the issues we've struggled in class is the truth in storytelling. It isn't surprising that Ellis addresses this issue through the voice of Jack. I can relate to Jack, because he asks the questions I would ask in this class, he asks, “How would I make sure that what I said was truthful?” Ellis says, “The 'truth' is that we can never fully capture experience. What we tell is always a story about the past. Gregory Bateson says stories are true in the present though not in the past . . . If you viewed your project as closer to art than science, then your goal would be not so much to portray the facts of what happened to you accurately but instead to convey the meanings you attached to the experience.” (pg. 116) Like Jack, I wonder if this sort of research is respected in education. I feel a connection to the method, but fear not being taken seriously.

Another issue, related to truth is the validity of the research. Being a new grad student, I just went through the Human Subjects Protection Tutorial. In these modules, there were strong warnings and threats about accurately reporting results. Ellis says,
“[The students] ask how we know when our social inquiries are faithful enough to some human construction that we and those we study feel safe to act on what we find. In seeking to redefine validity, these authors turn to criteria for judging the processes and outcomes of research projects rather than the methods by which outcomes are produced. A standard of fairness judges whether all stakeholder views are reflected in the text. Ontological and educative authenticity assesses whether these is a raised awareness in the research participants. Catalytic authenticity and tactical authenticity evaluate actions by participants and researchers to prompt social and political action if that is desired. In autoethnographic work, I look at valisity in terms of what happens to readers as well as to research participants and researchers. To me, validity means that our work seeks verisimilitude; it evokes in readers a feeling that the experiences described is lifelike, believable, and possible.” (pg. 123-124)

This type of research seems to have a lot of ambiguity. Ellis addresses the use of composite characters, which is not reporting on what “actually happened” but “to protect the privacy or a research participant ... you might use composites or change some identifying information. Or you might collapse events to write a more engaging story, which might be more truthful in a narrative sense though not in a historical one.” (pg.125) Again, there is the part of me, trained in scientific method, that criticizes this seemingly lackadaisical attitude about reporting the truth and the responsibility of a researcher.

The story that Ellis shares about taking care of her mother really touches a cord in me. I'm in that stage of life where my parents are also needing more help. However, the issue that really interests me is about getting permission of family members to write about them. We began to explore this issue in class, and really didn't come up with a solid answer. Ellis shares her fear, at first, about embarrassing her mother about the physical details, yet when she finally shared the story, her mother was not upset and it seems to draw them closer. Ellis's conclusion is similar to our class's conclusion, it depends, “Each decision requires assessment of the local circumstances and a desire to avoid doing harm. . . I think you should make decisions in research the same way you make them in your personal life, only with more consideration of the impact on others since usually the research is for your own gain.” (pg. 153)

References

“Myers-Briggs Personality Type, Your Best Fit Type, and an introduction
to the 16 types.” (1997 - 2006 ). Personality Pathways. Ross Reinhold & Reinhold Development. http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory2.html.

Ellis, C. (2004). The Ethnographic I: A methodological novel about autoethnography. Walnut
Creek: AltaMira Press.

The Beginning of Grounded Theory

I found it unusual, yet helpful to read the results of using the method (Awareness of Dying) before truly understanding the method. Being a certified nursing assistant and working in nursing homes for several years, I could certainly identify with the conceptual categories Glaser/Strauss identified. Through personal experience, I saw the awareness contexts – and saw them shift. Yet, before reading Discovery, I didn't have a full appreciation of how the data was generated or analyzed.

In the early part of the twentieth century, sociologists believed that the “great men” of sociology has generated enough theory and now the task was to verify these theories, which meant collecting data to support the proposed theories. At the same time was a growing support for quantitative data rather than qualitative as the feeling was that quantitative data was more accurate and easier to verify. As a result, qualitative researchers began writing like quantitative researchers. But, Glaser/Strauss contend that “there is no fundamental clash between the purposes and capacities of qualitative and quantitative methods or data. What clash there is concerns the primacy of emphasis on verification or generation of theory . . .We believe that each form of data is useful for both verification and generation of theory . . . In many instances, both forms of data are necessary.” (pgs. 17-18).

Although this summary of the qualitative verses quantitative conflict did not surprise me, I found it interesting that people, at one time, could have thought there were no new theories to generate. That's like Thomas Watson's (the chairman of IBM in 1943) comment, "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." How could sociologists of the time be so arrogant as to think that everything had been thought of? The early 1900s was a time of great change – both technologically and socially. Women were becoming more liberated and a whole new era of conflict between countries began. I can't imagine how old theories would fit the new times, which, I guess is part of Glaser/Strauss's argument. To parallel their contention that quantitative methods gained prominence was the advent of the IQ test. It was a nice, neat number that seemed to explain everything, yet in reality just forced evidence into a preconceived notion of intelligence, which was later disputed by Howard Gardner and his theory of multiple intelligences, which don't fit into a numbers based test.

In grounded theory, the researcher will generating “conceptual categories” - or general statements concerning the situation - like labeling a file. From this category, predications can be made. If something fails the predication, it leads to more questions about the category, not a failure of the category. The categories stay the same, but the evidence filed under each may change. This evidence gives each category its properties. However, sometimes, in comparing data, new categories and/or properties may emerge. In this way, comparative analysis is both verifying and generating theory. Therefore, grounded theory is “theory as process” (pg. 32). This recognizes the need for a theory to change and develop more fully, encouraging more research and questioning.

The section on describing grounded theory methods was a difficult one for me to read. I think a lot of it has to do with the continued prominence of the scientific method. It was a major paradigm shift for me. Throughout my schooling, it was ingrained that I had to have a research question before researching, and the goal was to prove or disprove it. The notion that I could ask, “What's going on here?” was ridiculous – how would I know if my answer was right? Since it is human nature (or nurture) to predict or hypothesize, I would imagine that a grounded theory researcher has to constantly remind herself not to anticipate the data. At this point, I think this would be one of the most difficult aspects for me, having been in the habit of hypothesizing.
The idea of emerging theory blurs the line between collecting and analyzing data. As a researcher collects data he/she may begin to form some hypotheses, which, unlike the scientific method's hypothesis, is more of a suggestion than a testable question. Several hypotheses come together to form the core of emerging theory, which, again, leaves room for flexibility as it encourages continued refinement. “Theoretical sampling is the process of data collection for generating theory whereby the analyst jointly collects, codes, and analyzes his data and decides what data to collect nest and where to find them, in order to develop his theory as it emerges” (pg. 45). When deciding which group to study, the group to be studied is chosen for its “theoretical relevance” (pg. 49). This limits the researcher's ability to pre-plan the numbers and types, but allows for flexibility as the concepts emerge. To begin with, a researcher will compare different groups of the same substantive types. Then, to expand the theory, the researcher will need to compare different types of groups within larger groups or external groups. When a researcher moves to discovering formal theory, she will then select dissimilar groups within the larger class. “Since the basis of comparison between substantively non-comparable groups is not readily apparent, it must be explained on a higher conceptual level” (pg.53). “Theoretical saturation” is the point where a category's properties are defined and no additional data will modify the properties. At that point, new groups should be sought to saturate other categories. As for the method of data collection, multiple methods are encouraged, as it gives a fuller picture of the situation studied. One difficulty in this type of research is the time-line. Since the selection of groups happens as the research indicates, along with how much data and of what kind, a pre-planned, static time-line is impossible.
Flexibility seems to be the key to grounded theory. First, the data collecting is not as straightforward as a scientific experiment. The types of data can't be only qualitative, because numbers don't tell the whole story when people interact with people. Narrative, interviews and observations are messy, yet important. The participant group must also be flexible, as one narrative may lead the researcher to another person or group.

After working through the IRB form in class, I can imagine that this is one of the most frustrating parts of being a grounded theorist. Finally, being flexible with your emerging theory would be a challenge. I think most people like seeing a clear-cut answer – which the scientific method offers, but grounded theory does not.

A substantive theory is one that emerges from the research of a particular group. In developing a good formal grounded theory, researchers refer to the substantive theory as a starting point. Many formal grounded theories are rewritten substantive theories – with the group wording taken out. However, this type of formal theory generation needs more comparative analysis to be taken seriously as a good formal grounded theory. In contrast, by comparative analysis of diverse groups, “exceedingly complex and well-grounded theory can be developed” (pg. 85).

The thing that really struck me as Glaser/Strauss was describing the process of grounded theory was the amount of time it would take. Even researching a substantive theory would take years – and it took six for Awareness of Dying. Trying to get to a solid formal grounded theory I would think would take a life-time. Especially since, as Glaser/Strauss indicates, there aren't a lot of substitutive grounded theories to build off of.
“Because grounded formal theory fits and works, we see its use in research and teaching as more trustworthy than logico-deductive theory, for the simple reasons that the latter often requires forcing of data into categories of dubious relevance to the data's meaning.” (pg. 98)

It seems that a lot of The Discovery of Grounded Theory is really a call to action and a support group. Glaser/Strauss stated many of the objections grounded theory researchers would face and calls for veteran researchers to instill confidence in new researchers. I would agree with their statement that logico-deductive theory research will led the researcher to see evidence of his/her theory to the exclusion of other evidence. No one likes being proven wrong. Yet, the ambiguity of grounded theory may make researchers hesitate in its use. However, so far, I see many appealing aspects to this method such as the ability to really “see” the situation from all angles, following where the data leads, and not trying to prove or disprove something.

*Glaser B, Strauss A. (1965). Awareness of dying. Chicago: Aldine.
*Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago, IL: Aldine Publishing Company.

Books

A room without books is like a body without a soul - Cicero

Update

Major update. We have jobs – strangely enough at the same company, a retirement community. I have also been officially accepted into the graduate program. Wow – so many things are falling into place. You know how sometimes you question decisions – was it right? Well, as I see it (retroactively) each little part has given way to the next which reassures me that our decision to return to the US was at the right time.

Teachers have class

I'm sitting on my deck, enjoying a cup of tea, dog at my feet and Canada geese flying overhead. There were two and I could hear the wind through the flapping of their wings. It is a beautiful morning – a very comfortable mid-70s and sunny. The morning glories are in full purple bloom as they climb up the railing of the deck.

We're diligently working on the house – cleaning, painting and making updates. But, reality of life sets in and we soon need to find jobs. It has felt like an extended summer vacation, though I did feel a pang of nostalgia when the back to school ads came out. We didn't have to buy or pack anything for school this year. You know the old bumper sticker, “Teachers have class.” What about teachers without a classroom? Are they still teachers? I still feel like a teacher – I read teacher magazines, still get my professional magazines and journals, and think like a teacher. Do I still have class?

Spoiled Americans

Yesterday was the first Packer game of the season. It was very exciting – we were able to watch it, with other Packer fans! Living overseas, this didn't happen much. In Brazil, we sometimes got the game a few hours later, but commentary in Portuguese. In Europe, the game didn't come on until 3 am or later – if at all. In Aruba, we had to go to Champions to watch it – which was always filled with East Coast tourists cheering on the Eagles or Patriots. Though, the food was good, we were definitely in the minority of fans. This time, we went to a sports bar that had prizes for certain plays. It was exciting cheering with others, and even better – the Packers won!

We're beginning to get to know our new town. Looking for a church, found the farmer's market and love our local grocery store. We are in a great location – every time we think of a store we'd like to go to, we find it is within a 10 minute drive. Everything is so convenient. Gone are the days of driving 45 minutes to get to a grocery store or restaurant. We're going to get spoiled. And, to even imagine the store hours – open 8 am – 9 pm (or later) and on Sundays! Again, the things that Americans take for granted!

Settling in here in the USA

Okay – this has nothing to do with teaching, but it is an important milestone in my life. We are homeowners for the first time. After about a month of looking – we found a house we liked in our price range. This is the beginning of a very different, settled life. We have a garage, basement, backyard, and soon, a picket fence. After 10 years of being global nomads, it will be very different staying in one place and putting down roots. And, we have a library within walking distance – with English books! I know, that doesn't sound amazing to most, but I really value the ability to checkout books, request books, and read something in English anytime I want – for free! This really is an amazing privilege that Americans often take for granted.

Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

I am about to embark on a new journey - graduate school. I struggled about the statement of purpose, but here it is!

One of my earliest memories is sitting beside my older brother, listening to him read the comics in the newspaper to me and being extremely frustrated that I couldn't decipher the squiggly marks myself. I couldn't wait to go to school and learn the mysteries of reading. When I received my first library card, I checked out Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter for almost a year until I could read it to myself. This began a life-long interest in literacy and the process of literacy. With over a decade of experience teaching middle and high school English, I strive to impart not only the skills of literacy, but also a life-long enthusiasm for reading, writing, speaking, listening and thinking to my students.

I've struggled with witty and interesting ways to write my statement of purpose for graduate study, but my purpose is actually very simple and direct. As a pre-service teacher, I had some great professors and teachers, along with some mediocre and poor ones. Like most first-year teachers, I had my share of challenges and successes, but I made a mental note of the things I wish I had been taught and exposed to before entering the classroom. Since that time, I have mentored teachers, written several articles, and given numerous workshops, but realized that one of the best way to influence the future of education is to become a teacher of future teachers and a researcher of best methods. I wish to pursue my Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction in order to be qualified to work with pre-service teachers, research best practices and contribute to the future policies and methods of education, especially in the area of literacy.

From my first book, Peter Rabbit, reading has always been a passion of mine. I was surrounded by books as a child, since my mother was a school librarian and later a bookseller. My parents encouraged and required summer reading and writing, with one of my first poems being, “Parents are nice – They eat rice.” Considering this kind of background, it seemed natural to specialize in English/Language Arts as a teacher, and later become a certified Reading Teacher. Yet, as a first-year teacher in a very traditional school district, I balked at the idea of English class being focused on spelling, grammar, vocabulary and short stories. Real reading involved thinking, and thinking could only be articulated through speaking and writing. This was when my philosophy of teaching really materialized. I believe that learning should not be compartmentalized into subjects nor rigid by grade level and growth in one area can be used to encourage growth in other areas. I developed several interdisciplinary units and encouraged my fellow, more traditional, colleagues to consider a more holistic approach. I then entered the world of overseas teaching. My first contract was with the American School of Brasilia, Brazil. Each class consisted of 85-95% non-native English speakers. I became fascinated with the process of acquiring language, which reinforced my philosophy of learning – skills are important, but without context and motivation, learning only skills will plateau. Later, at the International School of Vilnius, Lithuania, I had the opportunity to become involved in the European League for Middle Level Education. Through this organization, I wrote and published several articles and gave presentations at the annual conferences. Each topic I researched focused on an area of literacy such as literature circles, graphic organizers, and the use of technology. My research was practical and personal and designed for in-service teachers.

How do I know I will succeed in a demanding doctoral program? I am reminded of a quote by Robert M. Pirsig, in his book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, “A person filled with gumption doesn't sit around dissipating and stewing about things. He's at the front of the train of his own awareness, watching to see what's up the track and meeting it when it comes. That's gumption.” I've got “gumption” which, according to the Dictionary.com means, “1. initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness 2. courage; spunk; guts 3. common sense; shrewdness.” This gumption has enabled me to pursue and succeed in several eclectic jobs in my life. Each job I have held gave me the opportunity to rehearse the roles that make me a great teacher, well-rounded person, and student of life. Directly out of high school, I joined the Army National Guard. Basic training was arduous; especially the physical demands; though through this I learned the importance of team work. I helped the women in my platoon with the academics and they pushed and cajoled me to success in running, push-ups and sit-ups. Without each other, none of us would have succeeded. Then I attended my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), which was paramedics. During the training, I learned basic life-saving skills, but more importantly - how to think quickly, make decisions and calmly direct other people in the midst of crisis. In my unit, I quickly became a training non-commissioned officer and directed the training of not only my platoon, but the entire company. Because of my positive experiences as a medic, as a college student, I was first interested in seeking a career in nursing. However, my poor scores in my science classes led me to consider other options, which has led me to my true vocation in life – teaching. The first unit I taught during practicum was a unit on stars, in which I integrated science, math, social studies, and language arts. Besides learning the how and why of stars, the students discovered the wonder and the tales. Their excited chatter and enthusiastic research and observation was contagious and I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. Throughout my teaching career, I have sought excellence; constantly updating and refreshing my skills as a teacher through classes, workshops, and my own research. For the past ten years, I taught in three different overseas schools. Each country has presented its own challenges such as culture shock, bureaucracy, lack of supplies, and different views of education. Yet through this, I have learned to be patient, yet persistent; flexible, yet determined. At the International School of Aruba, I became the Curriculum Coordinator. In this capacity, I introduced the concept of curriculum mapping and guided the staff in a two year process of writing maps for all subjects and levels. In addition, I oversaw the creation of class syllabi throughout the school. This past year I completed the portfolio for National Board Certification for Adolescence and Young Adulthood/English Language Arts; although my scores will not be posted until December 2007. The reflection, documentation and writing required for the portfolio has shown my strong commitment and dedication to becoming a better teacher and contributor to the educational community.

Although I have been out of school and the country for over a decade, my real life experiences make me a solid candidate for doctoral work. As my transcript shows, I had excellent grades throughout my masters program. After twelve years of teaching, I have strong experience in both the theoretical and practical aspects of education. I've given numerous presentations for a variety of audiences and written articles for teacher journals and newspapers. Having taught overseas, I have proven that I can handle difficult situations and persevere, plus I have learned to be culturally sensitive in my dealings with others. I have directed my own professional development and continue to update my knowledge through online listserves, journals, and conferences. Personally, I am enthusiastic about education, determined to succeed in whatever endeavor I undertake, creative, organized and resourceful. I currently write a blog entitled “In the Heart of a Teacher is a Student.” I truly believe that the best teachers are always students themselves and I look forward to learning more, not only about teaching and learning, but about myself.

Good Readers Practice

I'm sure your parents have reminded you that “Practice makes perfect.” And the old joke says, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer, “Practice, practice, practice.” There are many other proverbs and quotations that support the importance of practicing, but it is common sense – the more you do an activity, the better you become at it. This is true not only in music, dance, and sports, but in learning languages too. One of the best ways to become fluent in a language is to read extensively in the language.

According to Warwick B. Elley, in a study of 9,073 schools from 32 countries, there is a steady increase in academic achievement in student populations who have the greatest amount of voluntary free reading. However, not only does extensive reading correlate with higher academic achievement, it raises the IQ (as measured by standardized tests), improves creativity, and increases the potential job salary earning, according to numerous research studies conducted by the National Institute for Literacy in the United States. In addition, several studies show that reading in a target language increases vocabulary learning and retention.

Aside from these serious academic reasons to read, there are several other benefits to reading. It provides relaxation and an escape from the tensions of life. It can be fun, stimulating and rejuvenating. Several early studies are showing that the habit of reading, well into old age, can help keep the mind active and slow down the onset of senility, which is common in sedentary elderly people.

So the next time you reach for the remote control, hit the “Off” button, turn the pages of a book and exercise your brain cells with a good story.

End of Year 07

This year the end of school snuck up on me. I was busy getting exams prepared, organizing my classroom for my replacement and packing. I didn't really clear my room until the last moment. I like it looking “lived in” up until the end of the year. I think the students “check out” more we they think the teacher has. But, I also think part of it was that reality hadn't sunk in. As I was going through books, I constantly asked if I was going to use this in the next 5 years. If not, it stayed behind. I felt a little sad giving up classroom teaching. Although my colleagues were excited to receive a bunch of free books and materials.

The Seniors also asked me to be the commencement speaker. I struggled for a while on the theme, but I finally adopted a “past, present, future” outlook. Though graduation was full of other people speaking, so I felt a little rushed.

The Sunshine Committee decided to have a farewell dinner on the last day of school. I thought it was very nice, as it allowed everyone to say goodbye. In the past, it was a rush to the end of the year with kids and then the teachers slowing scattered. It seemed like such a let down – or as they say, “No closure.” This kind of tied the ribbon on the year and I knew it was over.

ISA Class of 2007 Commencement Address

I was honored to be asked by the Class of 2007 to speak at their graduation. Here is the text of that speech.


All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players,
They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then, the whining schoolboy with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice
In fair round belly, with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws, and modern instances,
And so he plays his part.

Yes, I'm the English teacher – therefore it is almost required to quote a little Shakespeare. In As You Like It, Jacques compares the world to a stage and life to a play, and catalogues the seven stages of a man's life: infant, school-boy, lover, soldier, justice, pantaloon, and second childhood, "sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything". Shakespeare means that the world is nothing but a theatrical stage where we humans are actors. From our birth we enter the stage and keep on acting true to our age, until old age when we act the last scene. It is one of Shakespeare's most frequently-quoted passages. And very appropriate for tonight, when we celebrate the end of one stage of life and the moving on to another for these Seniors.

In taking my cue from Shakespeare, lets examine a little of the first stage of life for these students. They were born in 1988 or 89. Let's put this in perspective, using the Beliot College Mindset List. Each August since 1998, as faculty prepare for the academic year, Beloit College in Wisconsin has released the Beloit College Mindset List. This is a creation of Beloit’s Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and Public Affairs Director Ron Nief, it looks at the cultural touchstones that have shaped the lives of today’s first-year students. which is is used by educators and clergy and by the military and business in their efforts to connect with the new generation. Beloit creates the list to share with its faculty in anticipation of the first-year seminars and orientation.

• The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union.
• For most of their lives, major U.S. airlines have been bankrupt.
• There has always been only one Germany.
• They have never heard anyone actually "ring it up" on a cash register.
• They are wireless, yet always connected.
• Thanks to pervasive headphones in the back seat, parents have always been able to speak freely in the front.
• Coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake.
• Smoking has never been permitted on U.S. airlines.
• "Google" has always been a verb.
• Text messaging is their email.
• Bar codes have always been on everything, from library cards and snail mail to retail items.
• Carbon copies are oddities found in their grandparents' attics.
• Reality shows have always been on television.
• They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television.
• They have always had access to their own credit cards.
• They have never put their money in a "Savings & Loan."
• Bad behavior has always been getting captured on amateur videos.
• Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia.
• Dolphin-free canned tuna has always been on sale.
  Disposable contact lenses have always been available.
• The U.S. has always been studying global warming to confirm its existence.
• They grew up with virtual pets to feed, water, and play games with, lest they die.

Isn't is amazing how things change!

Then these children entered school. Hopefully, the lessons they have learned will go beyond the languages, math, sciences, and history, because, even though I am a teacher, I can admit that there is a lot more important things to life then the academics. I'd like to remind you of some of these lessons, as so eloquently written by Robert Fulghum, in his book All I Really Needed to Learn, I Learned in Kindergarten. And, even though you will be in college, these lessons are still important.

"All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.
Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.
[Source: "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" by Robert Fulghum. See his web site at http://www.robertfulghum.com/ ]

The next age, according to Shakespeare – is the lover. Or, what we would call -the adolescent. A time full of changes and challenges – choices and often, mistakes. A young teenager named Mai, wrote a wonderful poem summing up the importance of this time of “growing up”. Which, many of you are still “enduring.” Hopefully, you will take your own knowledge and experience to share with others on your same path.

Growing Up by Mai
www.netpoets.com
Paths we take

Choices we make

Paths we take alone

Choices we make on our own

We all grow up and learnWe all take different turns

Turns in our path of life

Turns that may lead to strife

Problems we go through

Problems exists in other lives too

Having problems are not wrong

Having problems do not stay forever long

Conflicts causes growth in many ways

Lessons we learn will always stay

Conflicts we gain as years go on

Lessons we learn, makes us more strong

According to Shakespeare – the next age is the soldier - Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation.

Sounds a little like a college student's life – full of the new, different and strange. A time to build your reputation, character, and knowledge.
I'd like to give you a few down to earth tips for surviving and thriving in the next few years. Many we've talked about before. And for those of you who aren't college students yet – these tips work well in high school too!

Seniors, you don't have to take notes, as I have provided a copy of this for you!
Ten Tips You Need to Survive College
http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/10tips.html
1. Begin the first day of class. Know what's expected of you. Take notes from the first day even if it's routine stuff you think you already know.

2. Establish a routine time to study for each class. For every hour you spend in class, you will probably need to study two hours outside class. Studying for each subject should be at the same time, same place, if possible. Study includes more than just doing your homework. You will need to go over your notes from by class, labeling, editing, and making sure you understand them. Study your syllabus daily to see where you are going and where you have been. Be sure to do reading assignments. (Don't put them off just because there's not a written assignment.) Read ahead whenever possible. Prepare for each class as if there will be a pop quiz.

3. Establish a place to study. Your place should have a desk, comfortable chair, good lighting, all the supplies you need, etc., and of course, should be as free of distractions as possible. It should not be a place where you routinely do other things. It should be only your study place.

4. Do as much of your studying in the daytime as you can. What takes you an hour to do during the day may take you an hour and a half at night.

5. Schedule breaks. Take a ten minute break after every hour of study. If possible, avoid long blocks of time for studying. Spread out several short study sessions during the day.

6. Make use of study resources on campus. Find out about and use labs, tutors, videos, computer programs, and alternate texts. Sign up for an orientation session in the campus library and computer facilities. Get to know your professors and advisors. Ask questions. "I didn't know," or "I didn't understand" is never an excuse.

7. Find at least one or two students in each class to study with. Studies show that students who study with someone routinely make better grades. You will probably find yourself more motivated if you know someone else cares about what you are doing in the class. Teaching a concept or new idea to someone else is a sure way for you to understand it. Studying in a group or with a partner can sometimes become too social. It is important to stay focused.

8. Study the hardest subject first. Work on your hardest subjects at a time when you are fresh. Putting them off until you're tired compounds the problem.

9. Be good to yourself. Studying on four hours of sleep and an empty stomach or junk-food diet is a waste of time. Avoid food and drink containing caffeine just before or just after studying.

The next age is that of justice – or what we would consider settling into adulthood.

Right now, you all are really focused on college. The goal has been to get into a good college, and now you are thinking about doing well, so you can get the job you want. But, one of the earmarks of being part of Generation Y is the rapid change going on around you, and you have the opportunity to take advantage of this – your working life will be much different from your parents. According to Ian Jukes, a futurist, teacher and writer, there some massive changes happening in the working world.

“How many of you had a parent that worked for the same company for more than 20 years? How many of you remember a time when people were expected to have a single career in their lifetime? Things certainly have changed. A US Department of Labor report in 2004 indicated that 1 out of 2 workers today has been working for the company that they are currently employed by for less than one year and that two in three have been working for the same company for less than five years. Former Secretary of Education Richard Riley was quoted in a recent speech as saying that the top ten in demands jobs for the year 2010 do not exist today – that as a result, we are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t exist, using technologies that haven’t been invented, in order to solve problems that they’ve never been introduced to. Most people assume that the estimate of 4 to 7 careers in a lifetime still applies today – this is wrong – the US Department of Labor now estimates that today’s learners can expect to have 10 to 14 career – not 10 to 14 jobs, but careers.

The new workplace requires lifelong learning. Just a few years ago, a university degree was a seeming guarantee of a job for life. Today a 4-year degree is just the beginning of a lifelong process. Today people can’t just earn a living, they must learn a living. So even though most of educational dollars and efforts seem to be focused on K-12 and undergraduate students, in reality, they are only a minority of the educational clientele. In the past ten years working adults have become the fastest growing group clients, measuring more than 50% of those seeking further training beyond high school.”

Yes – this means that you will NEVER be finished with your education!
Although Shakespeare goes on to discuss mature adults and the “second childhood” of old age, I think I will leave that to another time, as our time is short and your attention is wandering. But I would like to return to the first lines:
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players,
They have their exits and entrances...

Some of you have been at ISA for most of your school careers, others just joined us this year. But now it is time for your exits. It has been a joy and pleasure working with you and an honor to be chosen as your commencement speaker. I'd like to close with some words from the great philosopher and writer Dr. Seuss and one of the most common poems used in graduations as it has such heartfelt emotions:
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.
It's opener there
in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Congratulations and good luck!

Gumption

Currently I am reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig. I've been meaning to read this book since I worked at Waldenbooks in Southridge and every Christmas, people would come in to buy it for a nephew or grandson because it was such a meaningful book to them. I am currently reading it with a student of mine who has been a difficult student to reach. He is smart, articulate and intuitive but doesn't want to “fit in” or “play the system.” However, his strong need to be different and independent is going to cost him in some lost opportunities. I'm hoping this book will touch a part of him and help him figure out his direction in life.

The book is very complex, as the subtitle says, “An Inquiry into Values.” The author uses the physical journey of a motorcycle trip across the US to set up his premise of a Chautauqua – an ongoing lecture about various topics which all revolve around the idea of Quality. The story weaves between the past ( his early years as a searching/seeking philosopher Phaedrus), the present (his journey on the motorcycle with his son, Chris) and the future (what really is Quality?)

One idea that has captured my interest is the discussion of “gumption.” Pirsig says, “A person filled with gumption doesn't sit around dissipating and stewing about things. He's at the front of the train of his own awareness, watching to see what's up the track and meeting it when it comes. That's gumption.” pg 310 Harper Perennial edition. According to Dictionary.com gumption is:

“1. initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness: With his gumption he'll make a success of himself.
2. courage; spunk; guts: It takes gumption to quit a high-paying job.
3. common sense; shrewdness. “

This idea of gumption has stuck with me because I see a serious lack of it in my students. When something gets tough, many of my students quit or complain that the task was too hard or they don't know how to do it. There isn't enough of the initiative, aggressiveness and resourcefulness in students, which will take them past the difficult and into confidence. This brings to mind several questions. Why don't students have gumption? How can students gain gumption? Can gumption be taught?

Pirsig continues with a listing of “gumption traps.” The first is category are those traps caused by external circumstances or “setbacks” and the second is “primarily within yourself . . hang-ups.” pg 312. Both types of traps drain gumption and create anger and frustration. Although Pirsig relates this ideas specifically to the maintenance of a motorcycle, many of the ideas have applications to other areas of life.

One type of setback is “out-of-sequence-reassembly.” When we do things to quickly, or without thought, a step of the task may be left out, which ruins the entire task. I've done this often in cooking, when I think I've used an ingredient, yet when the cake is baked, it is only ½ inch think and heavier than lead. I missed a set. As my dad says, “Haste makes waste.” To prevent this, Pirisig explains two of his techniques – taking good notes and laying everything out.

Another setback is intermittent failure. This is when something works some of the time, but not always. When it works, you think you have the problem fixed, but then, it doesn't work again. To understand what was really wrong, you have to recreate the environment of the failure. Or, look at the pattern of the failure – what other factors figure into the failure and try to eliminate them.

Finally, parts problems. In this setback, you know what part needs replacing but can't get the part – either it is out of stock and needs to be ordered, the part is misnamed/labeled so you don't get the right one, or the quality of the new part doesn't match the original. Pirsig's solution to this problem is learning to create his own parts.

The internal traps, or hang-ups, Pirsig says, come from values, truth and muscle. If someone has a rigid view of the problem and the world, and he/she can't see from another point of view, then the solutions may not be found. When we expect a certain outcome, and it doesn't happen, it is difficult to see beyond our expectations. This also applies to making judgements – when we judge something or someone quickly, it is hard to see past our first impression to see the reality of the situation. But, ego also forces us to not truly see a situation. With a large ego, it is hard to admit mistake or failure, therefore many people prefer dishonesty with themselves rather than the reality. Yet the opposite of ego is anxiety, which will paralyze people just as easily as ego. If a person is to anxious they will do nothing. Finally, boredom often goes hand in hand with ego, but is a step further. With boredom, there is no attention to the task and mistakes – big and small are made, which may lead to impatience. This is caused by “an underestimation of the amount of time a job will take. . . Impatience is the first reaction against a setback and can soon turn to anger if you're not careful.” pg 325

I think it is important for students to recognize their own setbacks and hang-ups and before they begin blaming the task or the material, address the setback or hang-up. As Pirsig says, “You're bound to discover plenty of them [setbacks or hang-ups] for yourself on almost every job. Perhaps the best single thing to learn is to recognize a value trap when you're in it and work on that before you continue on the machine.” pg 325-326.

Author Visit

We were privileged with a visit from two writers, Nukila Amal from Indonesia , and Gabeba Baderoon from South Africa . Nukila Amal has had her 2005 short story collection, Laluba, named Best Literary Work of the Year by Tempo magazine, and her novel Cala Ibi (2003) shortlisted for the Khatulistiwa Literary Award. Gabeba Boderoon is the author of The Dream in the Next Body (Kwela/Snailpress, 2005), The Museum of Ordinary Life (DaimlerChrysler, 2005), and A Hundred Silences (Kwela/Snailpress, 2006). In 2005 she received the DaimlerChrysler Award for South African Poetry and held the Guest Writer Fellowship at the Nordic Africa Institute, the second person after Ama Ata Aidoo to receive this honor. Her poetry appears in the anthologies Worldscapes (Oxford University Press, 2005), Ten Hallam Poets (Mews Press, 2005), Voices from All Over (Oxford University Press, 2006) and Birds in Words (Umuzi/Random House, 2006). Her poetry has been published in journals in South Africa , the United States and Britain , and in translation in Karavan ( Stockholm ) and Adamar ( Madrid ). Her fiction appears in Chimurenga magazine and Twist, a short story anthology (Oshun, 2006). Gabeba is also a scholar, and has written for the media. In 2006 she was a guest at Poetry International in Rotterdam . Their visit was organized by the Winternachten in The Hague in coordination with Aruba ’s National Library. Since 1995 Winternachten dedicates itself to keeping up a writers and poet's network in The Netherlands and the historically related countries Indonesia , Surinam , Aruba and the Dutch Antilles and South-Africa. Annually Winternachten organizes a festival in The Hague , with writers, music and film from these countries. Secondly, Winternachten is responsible for the organization of editions of the Winternachten festival in the related countries.

The above came from - http://www.winternachten.nl/

Ms. Amal began her presentation with an excerpt of one of her essays about the prevalence and blatancy of advertisements in Indonesia . Ms. Baderoon read some of her poems, which ranged from learning to throw a Frisbee to love. The rest of the session was for question and answers. Both authors spoke of how they got started as writers. For Ms. Amal, she recognized that her job in the hospitality industry was not fulfilling her, so she took a risk and quit her job to begin writing. After several months of “goofing around” and writing, some of her work found its way to a literary journal. The editor requested more work from her and eventually her first novel was published from this. For Ms. Baderoon, writing poetry came later in her life. She had intended to become a doctor like her mother, but fell in love with literature because of an inspirational teacher in high school. After university, she became a teacher, but continued to seek other experiences. One workshop introduced her to writing poetry. As she passed her poetry around to writer friends, they passed them on to publishers, which eventually sought her out for a full anthology. However, both writers stated that at this time, writing is not sustaining them as a profession, so Ms. Amal does translating work and Ms. Boderoon teaches at university.

The strongest advice, for new writers is to write. Ms. Boderoon writes every morning, whether it is 2 minutes or 20 minutes. Her feeling is that a writer has to work both from inspiration and from scheduled writing. Conversely, Ms. Amal mostly writes when the motivation hits, which may not be for months, or in marathon writing sessions. Both authors agreed that a good writer most begin to know their own patterns and muses and use whatever works best as every writer is an individual.

The Silence Has Ended

As of tomorrow, I am finished with National Board Certification, at least until I look up my scores in December. It has been a long, tedious process, but as many before me have said, one of the best professional development activities I've been involved in. I've made some great connections and learning through the Yahoo Groups listserv. Although I haven't been very active on the MiddleTalk listserv, it still was quite supportive throughout. I also had a colleague read through my entries, and according to her, she learned a lot from just reading it. I am a little disappointed because if I had completed this process in the States, I might have had more face-to-face support and been able to be part of a cohort group. I like being able to discuss my practice with other teachers and see what they do in their classrooms. On the listserv, people talked about trying to get together to talk over their entries and having packaging “parties.” That would have been fun. However, I have had an incredibly supportive and understanding husband, who has helped me throughout this process. Especially the last few weeks, when writing has consumed my every waking moment outside of school. He even celebrated with me last night, when I finished packaging. The pitiful thing is, he's really the only one that really saw what it took to do this. Well, anyone who has been through the process would also, but I don't personally know any!

It has been a tough process, not because of the work involved, but because of life. This all forced me to do my writing much later than I has planned. When I bought a how-to book about certification, I had planned to use the time line it suggested. I started video taping in October and November, but then got very sick and didn't do any more because I was really off my game. Then when I was going to sit and analyze and write, I had to suddenly travel to the States for family reasons. When I returned, I had a week and a half, before traveling again to find a new job. So, the month of March has been consumed in completing the work. As I viewed my small group video, I realized I did it wrong and had to redo it. Then, when packaging Entry 4, I realized I wrote it completely wrong. But, better to see these things when I had enough time to fix it, rather than after. As much as I don't want to go back and look at it all, I need to continue collecting work and video taping as I will not know if I have passed until December. That will be too late to start over.

Well, hopefully I will have more time now to continue blogging. I've missed having this forum to discuss my ideas. With all the writing, I have had many days of lethologica – forgetting the one word that I really want to finish the sentence. If the adage that men use about half the words that women use, my husband has a lot of catching up to do, because I have seriously overused my quota. This process has made me appreciate the work that professional writers do – and I only had to write about 60 pages.

K-12 Online Conference

K-12 Online Conference

In October, an online conference will be available for educators interested in learning more about technology in the classroom. It is being hosted by some of the master educators in technology. Here is the description from the website, or click the link above:

Announcing the first annual “K12 Online 2006″ convention for teachers, administrators and educators around the world interested in the use of Web 2.0 tools in classrooms and professional practice. This year’s conference is scheduled to be held over two weeks, Oct. 23-27 and Oct. 30- Nov. 3 with the theme “Unleashing the Potential.” A call for proposals is below.

There will be four “conference strands”– two each week. Two presentations will be published in each strand each day, Monday - Friday, so four new presentations will be available each day over the course of the two-weeks. Each presentation will be given in podcast or screencast format and released via the conference blog.

Proposals for presentations are now being accepted for K12 Online 2006. We’ve automated the process using a web form. Please use the form for all submissions.When you’re ready to submit a proposal for K12 Online some of the things you will be prompted for are:

1) An abstract of what you will do. Please keep the abstract to less than 250 words.
2) The strand you’re submitting for.
3) How do you plan to produce your presentation? (podcast, screencast, video, PPT, blog etc.) Remember, your presentation must be viewable online once it is posted to our servers.

If you can, please include illustrative or exemplary links for your idea that would be helpful. Also, please include links for any past work you have online as well.
The submission deadline for all abstracts is September 30, 2006. All proposals will be vetted by a blind review committee. You will receive an acceptance notification no later than October 6, 2006.


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