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I am living and working in Downeast, Maine. This is an isolated place still in need of good internet services, good coffee and good company.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Wk3_Blog: My Response to Peter Binskin

Ciao! Now here's something new from Ann Cannizzaro.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011


Wk3 Reading - The Art of Possibility (chapters 5-8)

The sign that now resides above my desk.

The more I read the book the Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Ben Zander (2000) the more I love it. It’s been a comforting read as well as quite entertaining. Thank goodness for a book that makes me want to read it to see what the next chapter is going to reveal.
For me the major highlight from these four chapters (5-8) was the Rule number 6 focus in chapter 6. Even though I have a tendency to joke around to alleviate tense situations it’s usually a cover-up for the stress I’m bringing into the situation. I tend to think very much using my calculating self even though I think I am using my central self. It would be nice, some time, to actually have the presence of mind that Roz Zander portrays in this book to break things down and find a different, more positive collaborative way to get through a problem. I have now created a little sign of my own for every time I feel myself taking things too seriously.
Another thing I took away from these chapters was the idea of leading from any chair. It really came across as an empowerment piece and I was wondering how often as a teacher I squish students like the overbearing conductor just to get through the day. On Sundays I play guitar at church and afterwards I mentor a few teenagers in their playing. It’s funny how I can be the sort of person Ben Zander talks about, not being judgmental or desirous of credit as the boys get better in their playing, but supportive of them personally as they see themselves through their playing. Maybe I relax more with music than with core subjects.

1 comments:


Ann Cannizzaro said...
Peter, I often realize too late when I am taking things too seriously. There is usually an uncomfortable moment or event that happens as the signal that finally gets through to my calculating self. Then, when I "lighten up", things suddenly become much easier to manage. I find that when I allow the students in my classroom to become part of the control mechanism, then we are able to work well together to accomplish all that we want to get done. This week I made it a point to include students in the plans for classroom activities and our testing schedule. We made a plan to cooperate while testing was going on, and incorporate extra projects into our work this week, that students would work on independently. We are watching videos from our Schoology Life Cycle class, and completing projects based on our viewing activities. I have had the best testing sessions. It has been a "win-win" process for all of us.

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