Week 4 Multitaking comments

Andrea's comments:

Week 4_Beyond the #$%^ It.
All right, I have to laugh, this was really the last thing I expected to find in this book, although really it makes sense. I've been at that point in my life, and thankfully, like the cellist in the book, it worked to my advantage.

I had spent the previous 4 years working in a building as a building substitute. I worked everyday in the same building and when I was needed in a classroom, I was in. When I wasn't needed, I worked with small groups of students in all the grades. The problem was, I made minimal money and had no benefits or contract. The last year I was in that position, I was asked to be a second teacher in a third grade SAGE classroom that was seriously over "capacity." I should have been given a contract like a regular teacher, or at the least been considered a long term sub, but I wasn't. The administration had interviewed me a few times for various positions, but I was always passed up for the job. I was too good at what I was doing as a building sub. It was disheartening.

I was on vacation that summer with my family in Vail, CO. We were visiting my brother out there for the first time. It's beautiful out there. I had been applying to various districts around where we lived and we were in the middle of a serious hunt for our first house. I got a call from a principal in Kenosha for an interview, she wanted me in the next day and I was 1200 miles away. She offered me a phone interview and I took it. I was BTFI. I went for it and put it all out on the line. She thanked me and asked if I'd be available the next morning for a second interview. I figured, what the hell? Why not, I've gone this far. So I had the second interview and we took the day to drive up the mountain. My phone had no signal, so I couldn't have taken the call if she called to turn me down. We returned and my husband and I went with my two brothers to have a drink together. My phone beeped in my pocket and I knew this was my call. It was my answer.

I listened to the voice mail and there was the principal, offering me A JOB!!! My first real classroom and first real position. Not that what I was doing before wasn't real, but this was a classroom. four years in the waiting and I finally had what I want.

Going beyond the #$%^ it was worth it. It gave me the job I wanted, and my husband and I bought our house in Kenosha. It's all been uphill from there.

My comments:

Andrea,
Thanks for sharing your story. Kenosha is a great place to live and you have the job you most wanted, what a great outcome. From what I've seen of your work in this course and what is obviously your passion, the kids are very lucky to have you in their classroom.

Week 4 Antos B(log) comments

His comments:

Wk4 Reading
I admit I am skeptical person, and a lot of people I know would say I’m hard-headed. While blogging about the book The Art of Possibility, I have questioned a lot of the tactics as they do not always align with my personal theories.

But I really liked the section on “enrollment”. That is something that I think can be helpful in any person’s life, including my own. While I’m not sure about the terminology and associating it with college or a yoga class, I fully support the idea of being excited about things, especially in the workplace. While people may not adopt or agree with your ideas, the concept of offering your excitement, to put it out there, is a wonderful idea.

As the book says, they may not always be receptive, but the possibility is there that they could be receptive. And at what cost to you? Very little. Maybe exposing some passion you have for you job? Big deal. That’s a good thing. And sincerity goes a long way. Maybe they won’t be receptive the first time, but upon seeing numerous, sincere attempts on your part, you could whittle away at any barriers.

In such a busy, stressful time for me, this was a nice closing section to reflect upon.

My comments:

Bryan, Thanks for joining us out on that limb! We need the company and I really need a few more folks helping me keep my head on straight and level. I think your self-proclaimed "hard-headedness" should come in handy, when the downward spiral talkers come a-knockin'.

Week 4 Reading Post

I love being the enroller! I constantly am the one looking for the next big change, finding a possible solution that meets the requirements and then enrolling others in my new project. Or the flip side, I enjoy being the one enrolled. When I see a good idea, I am usually the first one to join the charge ahead. The one thing I am constantly aware of though, is not to get too far out there. A good leader must make sure that everyone's voice is heard and has enrolled in the new process.

Chapter 10, Being The Board was especially interesting to me, because I constantly love to sum up this chapter in a few words, "Quit your complaining, Man Up!" or more concisely, "Nut Up Or Shut UP!"

I find that building a framework for possibility is probably the most difficult of all. To constantly pushing into the realm of possibilities can be a very tiring experience, because you'll spend most of your time fighting the good fight. And you'll take a lot of kicks to stomach along the way. Keep your guard up!

For the past several years, I've had the pleasure to work with teenagers at my church. This has been sometimes a very trying process and sometimes a very rewarding process. When you see a extremely shy young man step out of his comfort zone, learn something new to support the ministry and then take it to the next level...that brings a big smile to my face.

WK4 Publishing Leadership project

I received an email back from NavPress stating that my first choice of publication has been discontinued. So I move to my second, Journal of Interactive Learning Research (JILR).

Of course, I am still going to move forward with building out the content on the website and continue with my plans to publish and promote this Christian-based social networking Learning Management System within the Assembly of God synod offices.

Week 4 Publishing/Leadership part 1 of 2
Week 4 Publishing/Leadership part 2 of 2

You can find my article ready for publishing at: Priebe_Scott_Publishing.doc

Week 4 Publishing/Leadership project part 2 of 2

So I'm thinking of continuing forward with both the article and the presentation. For the class I will submit the article. I'm thinking of submitting to a couple of different journals:

First I sent an email to Discipleship Journal. This is a publication by NavPress, a large Christian media organization focusing on spreading discipleship. Since my AR project is also focused on spreading discipleship through a different media, I thought they may want to hear about it.

I am also considering sending in the article to the Journal of Interactive Learning Research(JILR). This is more of a academic publication, focusing on interactive learning and education. It's a journal I subscribe to in my work life and I believe they may want to hear about a new way of reaching and teaching Christian discipleship to our youth. However, being a more secular journal by nature, they may hesitate due to the religious nature of this project.

Finally, I am also considering another Christian publication/website, Leadership Journal.net. This media outlet has several venues, both online and in-print, for articles regarding Christian discipleship and education.

As far as the Keynote, I'm going to complete that also. I would like to have that as a possible method of spreading the word regarding this project and the support it's received in my church. Someday I envision bringing this project and the website tools to a larger audience than my youth group and I think this presentation can be a good starting point to promote the website.

Week 4 Publishing/Leadership project part 1 of 2

I think I'll be publishing an article regarding my project. Even though I just realized that I put together a keynote presentation for the Wimba session tonight. I don't have the article ready yet.

Here's an image of the conversation I just had with Joe regarding my mistake. Not very smart of me! Oh, well, I'll do both a keynote and finish up the article for publication.

Week 3 Wimba session

For this week's blog post I think I'll answer a couple of the interesting questions posed by Mr. Bustillos regarding our text, The Art of Possibility. My favorite chapter of this book was Ch. 7, The Way Things Are. I tend to always look for ways to change the status quo and fight against those that always tell me that the "glass is half empty" This chapter was all about getting and giving permission to yourself and others to continually changes and make mistakes within these changes.

The thing I will take forward in work and life out of this book was the idea of the calculating self vs. central self. It's going to be a constant project, but I need work on letting go of my childish demands and learn to cooperate better with others.