Week 4-Final Leadership Project Post

Well, here we are at the end of week 4, month 11.  It is hard to believe.  I have finished my speaker notes, and added a few items to my keynote, and wanted to share the link to the final product with everyone.  Here is the linkP:  McGovern_Cheryl_LeadershipProject_Keynote
I also apologize for my quick Wimba departure.  I had a family emergency, and had to leave my house unexpectedly. I didn't get back until nearly the end, so I had Heidi Faber and Cindy Price provide detailed feedback via email to make sure I caught anything that needed to be added or fixed.  Thank you all for everything.  Have a great week.  Cheryl

Week 4-Comment

Friday, August 26, 2011

Week 4 Reading Chapter 9-12

Sometimes people feel the need to have everybody agree with them. This especially happens to people in authority who are accustomed to having everything go their way. The problem with this is that even though people do what you say they do not do it willingly and it is demonstrated in their attitude and demeanor. If you truly want somebody to participate actively in anything you do you cannot make him or her do it; you have to have them want to do it. The only way to do this is by enrolling them and making them feel like they are an essential part of what is going on and that without them things would not be the same.

If this does not work then we have to begin to assume responsibility for our actions and we have to take control of the situation. The only way that we can control the situation is by becoming the board. When we become the board, we no longer point fingers or put excuses. We do not let the circumstances dictate our actions but we use the circumstances to further our purpose.

We have to not only be open to possibilities but also inspire others to do the same. When we change our frame of mind others can be inspired by what we are doing. Like Nelson Mandela said, what we fear most is what we are truly capable of. Many times we underestimate ourselves and close the doors of possibility because we are afraid of what might happen. We are scared of the success or the responsibility of achieving something could bring to us. If we would take down our barriers and strive for everything possible then maybe we would be in awe of ourselves instead of scared.

When we do this we have to be aware that we are not a one-person army and that we do depend on others to help us along the way. Whether we are the leaders or we are not we depend on each other to make our collaborative dreams possible. When we fight on our own our strength wanes quickly, but when we have others working together with us we can make miracles possible.

1 comments:

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Marcos: I don't think if you searched far and wide that you could find a better quote than the Nelson Mandela quote that you used. It is wonderful! I love it! Your comments on working together and making miracles happen reminds me of the book "It Takes a Village". How true. Great insight.

August 26, 2011 6:57 PM

Week 4-Comment

Week 4- Reading The Art of Possibility

We must make our activities desirable to others, as desirable as a banana is to a monkey!

I have to say that I absolutely loved this book. At first I was skeptical but the further into the bok I got, the more I enjoyed it!!! This book could be related to all of our lives in one way or another, especially if you are in education.

The authors made a great point about using we instead of I. This is something we all need to learn to do. We are all in it together, good or bad. In order to be successful, collaboration and teamwork is needed.

Enrolling or sparking others is a must. Educators should create a spark in their students. To get anyone to do anything, we must create a desire in them. Make it endearing and intriguing. Our students must be provided with an anticipatory strategy to hook them in. As with any activity, the participants must be reeled in hook line and sinker. They must want to participate.

This is a must read for any educator! I firmly believe that this book will be beneficial for all of those in the world of education from administrators to educators to paraprofessionals.

1 comments:

Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Cindy: You are so right. We are charged with lighting a spark in those around us, and I also agree that there are many others out there who would benefit from the reading of this book. I was also skeptical when I started, but I must admit that it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to others. The "we" is a major part of dealing with people (not just in education, but in everyday life as well)!

August 26, 2011 6:48 PM

Week 4-Free Post-PLP

my leadership keynote

Let me start by saying that anyone in our emdt cohort at this time in our program knows that I strive to be "Johnny On The Spot" with my assignments.  Being late or running the wire is just not my style.  I usually have had my blogs done by Monday.  Today is Thursday, and I am still working, so it tells you how my week has gone! Besides having an absolutely CRAZY week at work, I have also been having panic attacks over this leadership project! I really couldn't decide which route to take.  I am very uncomfortable standing up in front of a bunch of strangers, but I also feel like my writing is not of a publishing caliber.  Big dilemma.  After agonizing over all of this for quite some time, I decided to go with the presentation and really stretch myself.  I am going to apply to present at the FAME (Florida Association of Media in Education) conference. I have been a FAME member in the past, but due to budget cuts, that was taken away from me, as well as the opportunity to attend the conference, so I thought this would be my best chance.  I have at this point gotten the keynote done, and now I need to add my speaker notes.  Getting the keynote together I am positive took much longer than my speaker notes will.  For this I am thankful.  I will see you all tonight, and share my ideas with you.  Until then, know that you can do it! I am rooting for all of you! Cheryl

Week 4-Reading

My favorite part of this weeks reading was that we need to generate a spark of possibility for others to share (hence my photo).  Chapters 9 and 12 were for me the most meaningful.  Besides the spark in chapter 9, I also liked the story of the hyper ten year old doing soooo well at conducting! My youngest son has been very active his whole life, and now he is the top order puller at his warehouse job nearly every month.  As educators we need to remember to look for what our students can excel at and help them find that level of achievement.  In chapter 12, we are told to approach all issues with "we" instead of "I".  Now that I am dealing with 3 paraprofessionals, "we" has become a favorite word in my vocabulary! The other part of chapter 12 that I loved was the story of the girl telling the lady that she knew what she wanted.  After thinking, the lady went to the store and brought back a can of beef stew.  It was exactly what what was wanted, and sometimes we need to remember to give our students and the people we work with that can of stew.  It can change attitudes and whole days.  Have a great day! Cheryl

Week 3-Free Post

 

Ok everyone! Here is week 3's free post.  This is a great picture, as it really depicts me this week! I am moving every single book in 2 different libraries, and am feeling buried in books! The students start back to school on Monday so I have my work cut out for me.  I have 2 brand new assistants to train, and the mountain of books facing me.  Wish me luck! Oh, and don't forget the leadership project which is really throwing me for a loop right now! I am going to have to review the guidelines for the 4th time and keep trying to figure out exactly what I am going to do.  I would love to do a presentation, but I don't see myself at a conference.  I would not mind doing faculty or even administration, but the whole far away conference and lots of strangers is very intimidating to me, as anyone who knows me knows that I don't do crowds and parties or anything like that well.  Maybe I should do publication, but I like the creativity of a presentation better.  Well, much to think about. If anyone out there has a suggestion, let me know. Thanks for listening! Have a great day and if you don't hear from me, send out the search party to dig me out from under all of the books! (ha! ha!)

Week 3-Comment

My comment on Heidi's post: 

Monday, August 15, 2011

Wk: 3 Reading Blog: Art of Possibilities

Chapter 5. Leading from Any Chair: We're all leaders. How can we make a difference in the people we influence each day? How do we listen to those who help us make our dreams become reality?

You need to ask yourself, “How can I make them engage” don’t ask “How great am I doing? How much greatness am I willing to give?” A leader listens to suggestions and can instill a sense of pride into those giving the suggestions.

Chapter 6. Rule Number 6: Don't take yourself so seriously. Life is a journey--enjoy and learn along the way. Live, laugh, and love!!

Rule Number 6: don’t take yourself so goddamn seriously. I love this line. I am reminded me of a time I was in an argument with someone. In a fit of rage, I threw a bag of un-husked corn on the cob at him. After that the fight was forgotten and laughter ensued at the absurdity of throwing a bag of corn!

Chapter 7. The Way Things Are: Sometimes settling for the way things are is a lowering of expectations, sometimes it’s finding a starting point so that one can make things better. Where are you in this continuum?

Downward Spiral Talk…rampant in Education. When I started teaching, I was full ideas and innovations, but in staff rooms and meetings my voice was drowned out by jaded, seasoned teachers complaing about this and that, until one day I found myself sucked into the Downward Spiral Talks. Of course it doesn’t help that our complaints and negative thoughts increased as working conditions decreased.

Chapter 8. Giving Way to Passion: Control says that the only way to avoid disappointment and frustration is to not care at all. No hits, no runs, but most importantly, no errors. What are you doing in your daily life that expresses your passion or the things you are passionate about?

I am passionate about art and nature. In the brief freedom of summer for my girls (before they go back to school and are sucked into a world mostly devoid of these things), I try to instill as much of these two high held passions as I can. This is one of the main reasons I chose Portland, OR to move to. This city is as passionate about art and nature as I am. I try to combine my passions, by teaching my kids that nature is full of art; nature is art. Finding and experiencing the beauty that is nature is experiencing art.

Labels: Art of Possibilities, EMDT, Full Sail, MAC

1 Comments:

At August 18, 2011 3:18 AM ,  Cheryl McGovern-BookWorm said...

Heidi: I totally agree with your vision of many seasoned educators being negative. But looking at the glass as half full, there are many who remain positive about their profession as well. We need to surround ourselves with those who are positive and upbeat. I understand that even the most upbeat, positive person can also have low times, and that is normal. That is when a good friend can help by picking that friend up and helping them regain that positive outlook. With the economy in the tank the way it is, we can all use a little pick me up help from time to time! It is awesome that you are teaching your girls about the beauty of nature. That is one of the sometimes forgotten aspects of life. It doesn't cost us anything to appreciate the beauty all around us. Every area of the world has a different sort of beauty and no matter where we are, if we look around we will see that particular areas beauty. Have a great day! Cheryl