Last Day

Well it is the last day of class today and I definitely hands down can say this was one of my favorite classes thus far. I also can't help but reflect on how far we have come as a cohort and that for a small moment I saw a glimpse of a light at the end of the tunnel. That when first even thinking of starting this program it seemed very daunting and was hard imagining anything past the first year. Well now in the second year and with one quarter done it seems like this is very doable. Although it is hard to delay gratification I can see and end in sight. Also, I appreciate the mini lessons within the lessons that were learned. To think that the simplest thing like writing a blog make me think of all the other tools that I could be using in my daily life and in my career. Also, knowing that a leaders vision is a huge part of leadership, being able to convey that vision is a whole different story. The final project was interesting as it was learning in action and taking multiple visions to shape a unified one. During the last project you also learn that the vision can take on a life of its own and during the process there may be things or symbols revealed that you did not plan on in the beginning. Or the final project may not be exactly what was in your head, but it may work out better than even you could have imagined. I think that's also a lesson in itself that you can have so many plans and doubled checked all the details, but there may be a curve ball that leads you in another direction. As a leader you have to try to prepare for these things, but more importantly be able to adjust on the fly and seek help. This help from trusted or more knowledgeable individuals will help you get to your goal or resolve any problems. During this process the conflict can be helpful because it may show you a different side to the story and give you a different vantage point. There is also practice in constructive conflict to fight for your vision as well and help other people see why certain things are needed to convey your vision. Looking ahead I definitely feel as if I put more tools in my tool belt to be a better leader. Also when working with a group or team it is good to find people's strengths and see what others are comfortable doing. I look forward to investigating more way that technology can help me in the future and changing with the times.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

So it's that time of season again where things get a little more hectic and we start to travel. This week we traveled to Seattle and packed our bags and checked in to our flight. Sitting in our first grungy airport of the season in Long Beach I looked to see where my team was sitting. It was turning around and seeing two rows of those uncomfortable airport chairs that face each other I saw our whole team facing each other. Well not exactly "facing" each other but maybe I should say interfacing with each other. Picture it, 15 young women sitting across from each other all dressed a like and each with their own laptop, ipod, and headphones in. I could not help but look and shake my head and think about our final project. It made me also think about how useful would online classes be for my team and other teams across the country. Athletes can end up missing a considerable amount of days of class, but what if they were able to attend classes while on the road. Or have access to lectures to be watched at the hotel during allotted study hall hours. Maybe this would help out with some teams graduation rates that have been highlighted in many NCAA reports.

Or would help other student athletes be less stigmatized by the "dumb jock" scenario. There can be times when other students may see student athletes getting out of class, but in the future this may not be the case. this moment in time was also highlighted by one of the airline workers at the counter making a comment about how she could not believe how this generation is and how this is not like how it was back in her day. it was also interesting to note that one of the players was reading an actual book and I was laughing in my head how funny she looked as she was nodding off and trying to stay awake. It then made me think how what if that same book or lesson related to the book was online, would she have been able to keep her eyes open?

Another interesting caveat is that while typing this I leaned over and asked one of my players what she thinks of online education. She said that she thinks that it would be hard to manage the idea of cheating and honesty. Which is also an interesting concern of the wide world web in general and how much information is out there. It is hard enough managing cheating and other academic dishonesty concerns within the walls of the university. How then do we combat that in the open world of cyber space?

I would love to hear what you see in this image since they do say a picture is worth a thousand words. I would also like to say i did not have them pose this way just so I could write this blog;)

Dissertation

So after our class this week and the week before that I was so excited! I was excited to learn and I was excited to research and work on my dissertation. This all stemmed from Dr. Deal's comments on different forms of dissertations. It also came from a comment Monica made on if we could get kids excited and running to school how great would that be. Well after that conversation I did pose the question if we could do our dissertation in another way. I believe that the whole lesson we are supposed to take from these courses and program is to make a change or not sit back and do things the way they have always been done. We have been challenged recently to think outside the box and I don't think that this idea is so far fetched. As a matter of fact I think this makes so much sense. I'm wondering if anyone else in the class got excited as well and creative thoughts started flowing about what they would do if they could create an alternative dissertation. Isn't this what we just tried to imagine for our children if they could have anything in their classroom? I also would like our dissertation to have more than a fire in our belly but an inferno. Can you imagine being so passionate about your topic and creating something that not only you are proud of but others will be proud of as well. Or a product that will go beyond your dusty book shelf? I'm imagining something that I can enjoy researching and that I can use in the future. We have all joined this program in some form or fashion to advance us in our career or to challenge us in some way. Well why not make the one thing that will enter us into the world of academia advance us and challenge us as well? I also think my attempt to get this done is a lesson in itself and is a small step to practicing leadership. I guess I also hope I will locate some forward thinking faculty to assist me in my endeavors and I can't wait to start the process. I'm a student who is know excited to learn with this option on the table.

More Than a Game

I have to admit I was at a loss as to what to blog about this week. However, after reading Shannon's blog about her sons game I thought about my job coaching. Oftentimes when I tell people that I am a coach they only think I attend practice and that's it. However, I do a lot more than that and at times I really don't know how I handle all of it. Wearing so many hats of marketing, alumni relations, fundraising, and sometimes psychologist. After our first scrimmage this weekend and the first practices of the year I have really taken to heart the art of teaching. Yes, it is an art. We have had many discussion with our cohort of best practices and what a great teacher is. Teaching is a hard profession where each child potentially has a different style of learning and different process of comprehension. We have tried different way to engage and teach our athletes. For example before teaching them a new play we will bring them to a white board and show them the play. Then we will have a team demonstrate the play. Then we will break down the play in sections and have the players go thru the play a few times. We have also added do the play with no defense and having each player run the play from every position. In addition to this we video tape scrimmages to have the players watch themselves and see how they can improve and things that they have done correctly. There is also the technique of having the players draw the play out for themselves, but we will also provide them with plays drawn out from the coaches. Or there are times when we do peer teaching and have players find a teammate and take turns explaining the plays. Yes we also do pop quizzes to where we will have a player selected to explain the play in front of the team. Now after all that you would think the player would never forget the play, but many a times you see lapses. This can be frustrating at times, but you also have to take in all the other factors that come into play. The game itself requires you to make instant decisions and adjustments based on defense and what your teammates are doing, etc.

I felt for a couple of my players who are extremely hard workers but when tested or put into play they freeze or forget the play. This comes with the knowledge that I know that they do know the plays. It is interesting to note that these players also try very hard in their academics and when it comes to the test they have the same type of test anxiety. All these factors make me think about teachers and how they are being tested and how kids are being tested. These tests are supposed to to determine how smart these children are and how good these teachers are. I wonder if there ever will be an assessment test that can accurately do this. All of this just keeps me motivated to understand each of the players I deal with and their learning styles. It takes a lot of work and a lot of creativity. Which we were also talking about with the class and how creativity has been lost in the classroom. Our coaching staff is always thinking of new ways to teach and we are constantly evolving in how we teach the game of basketball. Now it does still bring a smile to my face and reaffirms what I am doing when a player tells me that a correction I told them makes sense and they get a steal and it clicks for them. Seeing the light bulb go off that they learned something is amazing. However, being able to work with the same kids for 4 years you are bound to see growth. I wonder how this would do in k-12 world. What if teachers had a group of kids for a lengthy amount of time how would that change the learning process and teaching process.

I really enjoy teaching and realize I have to be aware of how my students learn and change with them and for them. For this team to be successful all of us have to be on the same page and understand the material presented. They also have to learn and comprehend so that they can make adjustment on their own and go beyond the lesson. This is all necessary for them to be champions on and off the court.

Here is a little look into coaching;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JytwuqS-05E&feature=related

and here is our family

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDyhiUvfsGU&feature=related

Think Outside the Race

From the perspective of someone in higher education I do try to learn as much as I can from my K-12 classmates and at time sometime I do feel like on of these children left behind that we are consistently discussing. In an effort to blend both the classes we are taking this quarter I thought that I would discuss the Race to the Top initiative that the Obama administration has put into play. Using technology however has helped me gather information and understand it a little better. Coming from college athletics I completely understand the competitive incentive, but have taken the time to try to understand how is that going to really benefit students in education. This is our assignment in our Wednesday class and to be honest when i read the assignment I felt a bit lost and was wondering how I would approach the topic. However, I don't want to get stuck only learning about higher education and challenge myself to learn something new. After reading articles on the web and from the department of education website i turned to my coworker and said, "i learned something new today". This is what I enjoy and does keep me motivated in my studies. It also helps me understand the state of education today. however, when I listen to the President and Arne Duncan I try to put myself in their shoes and wonder what it must be like from a leadership standpoint. For example, the President is trying to get across a fundamental value of educating our children, but making a decision that impacts so much more. Just the brainstorming that must be incorporated in coming up with rule, criteria, definitions, and qualifications to receive funds must take so much planning, compromises, and of course conflict. Also, to be a leader and announce this race and to receive all the criticism that comes along with it. It takes a type of strength to be a leader and in essence, "think outside the box" or try to make adjustment to programs like NCLB. Also an initiative with so much money at stake and so many states and now districts competing I wonder how it will turn out. I do think that at least this race is getting people to pay attention to the state of education now. With that said media has taken the time to capitalize off of this by coming out with  documentaries addressing education. Sticking with my first theme of TV I couldn't help but throw in my two cents about Oprah and Bill Gates discussing education on her show. I particularly like the part of the show where they interview Michelle Rhee the chancellor called in to change Washington D.C. school districts and how she discussed the topic of leadership. I look forward to learning more about Race To The Top and deciding which side I would be on.

For those of you who would like to contribute to the dialogue I would love to learn form my classmates as well and see where you stand, but also lead me into the right direction of where this Race is headed... or if like the title of the new film stands, is a "race to nowhere".

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/01/president-calls-to-expand-race-to-the-top.html

http://www.racetonowhere.com/

Coming to Slo October 22nd at the Palm Theatre

http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/

If you missed Oprah and Bill Gates talking about education then check this out!

http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Waiting-For-Superman-The-Movie-That-Can-Transform-Americas-Schools_2

Think Outside the Closet

I know we are supposed to reflect on what we have discussed in class but I hope that this illuminates what I have learned so far from our past seessions. We are emotional creatures, conflict can be good, how we react to issues, and even how just the power of one voice can create change. I am also aware that this is a technology class and I want to keep that lesson in mind as well. What I was moved to speak on today was the recent suicides and deaths of gay students this past week. Not only is the LGBT community a taboo topic in many schools and universities but it takes an event like this to gain national attention. Who knows, even with these deaths the topic again may be swept back into the closet. As leaders we must be aware of the needs of our students and give them an outlet or someone that they can trust. The use of technology in the recent suicide also brings up the question of how can technology be monitored and elevates bullying to an entirely different level. How are we teaching this generation to use the power at their fingertips for good? How can we then use this technology to teach these lessons as well?

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/rutgers_student_tyler_clementi_4.html


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C85QQTXAtnY&feature=related

Here is also an example of how technology can help people through something like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTVXEDTW9pY

Also, looking into conflict...how conflicted are you to even discuss a topic such as this in your classroom or the people that you work with. Thinking about the struggles of the LGBT community how do administrators deal with trying to handle the concerns of the students they interact with, but also feel the heat from outside forces or parents that may be against even talking about LGBT issues. How does our fight or flight mechanism play into a scenario like this?

Watch and Learn

For my first venture in blogging I thought that I would come up with a theme for my posts. So hopefully you will follow me on my way of thinking. I also wanted to try to make this blog as creative and interactive as I could. So with that, I have a confession to make... I love TV! I love watching movies, documentaries, TV shows, and yes there are even some commercials I can appreciate. I like TV because it broadcasts so much information that can be useful, interesting, and of course then there's the Jersey Shore;) All in all, it's information and someone has a thought or can even be motivated to action by what they see. Conversations may carry outside of the living room into the workplace or an "ah ha" moment heard on the Oprah show can inspire a person to change their life. This is why I love TV, oh ya and there are those times when you need a good laugh or cry.

With that said, it is through these images that emotion is evoked and symbols are emblazoned in our minds. With technology now a days these images can also be seen on our phones, mobile miniature television, and laptops. Symbols and stories are told that help show someones vision. As we have learned in class, people are emotional creatures and sometimes to create change we must tap into this catalyst for change. It is the leaders that have the ability to see the people's needs and convey a vision through stories, rituals, ceremonies, or examples or heroes/heroines that can begin the change process. These leaders also have the ability to know which type of method will work best for their team, organization, or school.

To understand more of what symbols, leadership and change can look like I will direct your attention to yes something I saw on TV. In trying to make the learning in this class transfer outside of the classroom I like to make connections with things in my day to day life and see how the lessons we learn can apply or witness it in action. When I was sitting on my bed after class one night this commercial jumped out at me and I immediately thought this would be great for class. I would like the discussion to transfer beyond this blog and extend to even past the TV. Hopefully that helps explain the title of my blog to "think outside the box". To get outside the boxes in our lives of TV, computers, and yes even our classroom can be a box. It is our goal to THINK and I hope I have provided some new thoughts for you to ponder!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA3Uu2r-JZE

Enjoy the clip below and maybe next week I will explain how conflict is good and will prove that by a discussion on the constant conflict between Snooky and Angelina on Jersey Shore;)