Act 48 Hours That Relate to "The Element"

Just want to share some classes offered by the Grove City Intermediate Unit #4
that fit perfectly with folks reading "The Element "!!!
They are:
New Perceptions, New Results: Right brain Thinking Part I (March) in Hermitage
New Perceptions, New Results: Right Brain Thinking Part II (April) in Hermitage

I will bring complete class descriptions to the discussion group at OCHS Library on Wednesday.

first time's a charm

Thanks Maryanne! Couln't have done it without you.
Loved the line: Creativity is not the opposite of logical thinking.

Week 2 - The Element

I would like to start by saying that I really love this book! I have found myself making references to it twice now, while teaching my middle schoolers. I have also noticed that my ability to recognize and point out my students' various intelligences has improved too! The kids have been pleasantly surprised when I take a minute to comment on the doodle on the side of their paper or the rythm that they are tapping out on their desk. I actually told one student that I pictured him as a Matt Groening type of a guy more than I saw him as a Beatle to encourage the quieter artistic side of him!

I really think that it is easy to forget about all the different types of people that it takes to keep our world running and changing as it does. This book, and all the vingettes about people who have found their element, is reminding me that the traditional ways we measure intelligence are really NOT going to give us an accurate picture of that person or their potential for greatness!

I feel pretty far removed from elementary school at this point in the year, but while working at the Early Childhood Learning Center in Titusville they used a program called ARL, Assured Readiness for Learning. It focused on left-brain and right-brain thinking and did a great job at allow the children to express their knowledge of concepts in creative ways. Chapter 3 of the book reminded me of that. All year I have been fighting to find a balance, an avenue for students to show me that they can comprehend without giving a paper pencil test. At times, this has just served to frustrate and overwhelm me as some students simply will do nothing no matter what. Apparently they aren't in their element! Those that do find ease with these types of projects amaze me with their creativity!

On a final note, my favorite quote to this point in the book has to be this. Billards champion Ewa said, "If you find a place where everybody like the same thing you do, it becomes really fun!" Oh, how I strive to make my classroom a place where everyone can get some enjoyment out of learning! Now if only the kids would cooperate!

Foreign language is an area where I feel it is difficult (at least for me) to be often operating in the zone. I guess I appreciate that Robinson emphasizes that even when doing something we love, we are not immune to disappointments or frustration. "Doing what we love can involve all sorts of activities that are essential to the Element but are not the essence of it--things like studying, organizing, arranging, limbering up, etc." (p. 86). I feel I have had an aptitude for language from a relatively early age. I have always enjoyed reading and excelled at writing, majoring in both English and Spanish in college. When I have had opportunities to travel to Spain, I have experienced being in the zone. Being able to communicate fluently and survive in another culture for me is exhilarating. I talk to a friend of mine on the phone in Spanish twice a week, and during those times I can find myself in the zone. But it is always a struggle maintaining fluency without total immersion in the language and culture. I guess because I crave this feeling of elation, I am planning a trip to Spain next summer. I am planning on working this summer in order to do so, and the more money I'm able to save the longer I'll be able to stay! So, I can understand the feeling of doing whatever it takes to do what you love.

Some Additional Twitter Info~

Here is way too much information on Tweeting. Dan Zarella has a lot of research on how/what to tweet so that you will be re-tweeted. http://danzarrella.com/science-of-retweets.pdf See if that link works, if not I will find another way to send.

Week 2: even better!

The readings for this week have inspired me to dig even deeper into myself. Robinson states that "if you can change your mind, you can change your life." Isn't that a true statement! I've been making an effort to do this in my everyday life. I have been trying to look at situations I'm encountering and trying to talk myself out of dreading it or being put out. It's much easier said than done but I am trying!! I wrote down a lot of quotes from these two chapters and failed to write down the pages, but I really felt that he was talking to me! Sometimes, I allow myself to fall into despair about my situation (being a day to day substitute teacher after having the two long term leaves at the Middle School) and I really feel that I needed this book to lift me up some days, it's really inspiring reading about all of these famous people! Not that I think my life will ever turn out like theirs, but Robinson is saying a lot that I needed to hear! On page 102, "if I didn't have to worry about making a living or what others thought of me-what am I most drawn to doing." I read this about two days ago, and have been pondering it....I think I would bake.

In the Zone

I am a very energetic and creative person and find myself "in the zone" more often then not. One of my many passions is roller blading. I can't tell you why I like it, I just do. If I could do it everyday, weather permiting, I would. When I start blading, I just get this feeling. It starts in my feet and travels all the way through my body to my head. My breath quickens, I feel the heat and adrenaline rise. I feel unstoppable. I love the feeling. I get the same way when I sing and dance. I completely lose myself in the experience and I don't even feel the time pass and when I look down at the clock I realize that more time has passed then I would have thought possible. The same goes for my biggest passion and that is reading. When I am reading, I feel myself leaving reality and I am fully immersed in the story that I am reading. Reading has been an escape for me and now it is something that I enjoy so much I wanted to help others find the same joy that I get from it. That is why I went to school to be a librarian. I don't know if that is what I will do forever but that is what I am passionate about now. I just hope to someday soon find a job as a school librarian because it is what I truly care about and what I really want to do. I believe that everyone has something that they could do for hours and never tire of. This chapter just made me think more about the feelings that are evoked from doing something that I love and I really enjoyed reading this chapter in particular.

Getting into my Element

First off, let me say that I am thrilled with this book so far. I am enjoying the content of the book so much and am making many connections to my own life. Finding my element is exactly how I got to where I am today. Without depressing anyone with all the details, I will say that I was feeling a little lost. I had started a degree in elementary education, but had quit school and had a child. For three years, I worked nights as a waitress and cleaned area businesses for extra money. Finally, I got fed up with being away from my daughter at night so I started to look for something during the day. A newspaper ad for a classroom aide at the local elementary school caught my attention and I applied and was hired. That is where things began to turn around for me.
Immediately, I was reminded of why I had originally been interested in a career as a teacher. Not only was I happy to go to work everyday, but my employers loved to have me too! I began to get compliments from other teachers as well as the administration. I was happy with my job for a while until the student I had worked with passed away. Her passing pushed me to finish school so that I could continue to work with kids which I loved, but to make enough money to pay the bills. I had truly found my niche and I wasn't going to let anything stop me.
Or so I thought... When I finally returned to school it was so hard for me to balance life with kids and school. I did my best and I think the reason that I have made it as far as I have is because of the faith of a couple of my college professors. They also recognized that I was at home in the classroom and encouraged me to keep pushing through. After graduation, these professors assured me that I would become a great teacher someday. Application upon application and NO JOB! I thought working with children was what I wanted to do, so I started working as a TSS. What a terrible fit that was for me! I spent most of my time depressed. Sure, I was working with kids and I do love that. Unfortunately, I always had to start out with a focus on negative behaviors which I could not stand! I kept looking for a teaching position, but to no avail so finally I enrolled in my Masters program. After graduating for the second time, I started to get interviews which is what led me here, to OCMS.
All the challenges of this school year leave me wondering if I am truly in my element here at the middle school, I often think I am better suited for the elementary. I haven't had as much time to learn how to work with these kids yet. While I am certain that I am in the right profession, I think I need to gain more experience before deciding what I truly want to do.
Another aspiration... someday maybe I will be a writer! I just need to learn to be more consice first!

Standardized Tests and the Element.

Upon reading the section of chapter two that talked about the SAT's and other standardized tests, I realized that I totally agree. Even before I got to college and started taking classes in education, I knew that standardized tests were not my forte and didn't accurately assess my intelligence. They only test a small spectrum of intelligence which only includes math, reading and writing. Our government has forced standardized tests that only test this small spectrum of intelligence. Legislation is forcing us to put so much emphasis on these three that we are, in essesnce, making students throughout the country feel that they are less intelligent or more intelligent then they might otherwise be if the test was based on something that they were actually good at. Many students do not excel in the three that are tested and are otherwise prevented from going to the college of their choice or at all. Some colleges aren't looking at the SAT as closely as they used to but they still ask you for that number. How are students to find their Element when they must spend most of their time and energy on standardized tests that only test the big three? They are now starting to test some other subjects but they are still only testing subjects that students still do not fully understand or do not care to fully understand. How do we help students find their Element around all of these standardized tests? I wish I had an answer to this question but I hope that one day, together as a team, educators can come together and find a solution so everyone might find a calling.

The Element & Opportunity

Robinson defines the element as "the place where the things we love to do and the things we are good at come together" (p. xiii). How much more productive and efficient would our workforce be if more of the population operated within their "element"? Yet, it seems so unlikely, almost impossible, that people can discover their "element" in spite of the many obstacles and factors that confine us to our current situations--location, finances, family obligations, lack of opportunity, etc. Does everyone have the potential to excel at something to the extent of the individuals Robinson uses as examples in his book? Robinson will most likely reveal to us that those in their "element" have overcome challenges to devote themselves entirely to the passion that drives them. "They pursued them because they couldn't imagine doing anything else with their lives" (p. 20). He gives the example of the keyboard player who had practiced 3-4 hours every day from the age of 7 in addition to performing. Those in their "element" find the opportunity to do what they love, or create an opportunity where one doesn't exist.

True Calling Process

Image by tommy the pariah via Flickr

Here's a link I found on the IUP alumni question/answer site on LinkedIn, maybe clarifies the way to FIND your purpose: http://www.biglinkrally.com
The Element explained ways of recognizing your purpose or being in the element. Those ways sounded a lot like the themes I found in my dissertation research about creating a new identity after a work transition.
--a sense of belonging (the dancer's group)
--purpose
--peers' reflection of us
--vision (Mick Fleetwood)My dissertation is at: http://tinyurl.com/HESSDISSERTATION

The Element Week 1

As I started reading this book, I had almost a knot in my stomach! The thought of exploring these ideas that may lead me to my Element is exciting and scary at the same time. I am anxious to explore these theories and wonder what I am going to discover about myself, as well as my future students! On pg 3, where the author is describing the conversation between the mother and the psychologist, I thought to myself, "would I have thought that about a child acting that way? That she was graceful?" I fear that if a child were acting that way in my class I would ask them to sit still!! What are we suppressing in our students? Are we doing the right thing for them? How can we ever know what our impacts are having on them? I wonder if I will ever know the full impact of my actions on how my life turned out. I have to say, this book is causing me to look very deep into myself, and i'm only on the third chapter!

The Element

Can't wait for the book discussions to begin. Have already had one discussion with Joe Lander and we haven't officially met yet! The Element looks like it is going to be as good as Outliers. I sent you all emails about blogging and Twitter. Included were some links and tutorials that may help you. PLEASE let me know if you need some help. See you Wednesday, Feb. 17th at 2:40.