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.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Week 3 Antos(Blog) comments
Bryan's comments:
Wk 3 Art of Possibility Chapters 5-8
I started out as a PA at my company and then switched over to the edit side, the Yin to production’s Yang. So I loved the first chapter which seemed to be a lot about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes or using your knowledge to help someone else. I was one of the first PAs to ever make that switch and in just my first year as an editor, I was cutting the Super Bowl. That happened because we have intense, pressure-filled deadlines and if I’m editing with production in mind, it makes the whole process easier for everyone. I know what they want and I know what things slow them down.
However, “remembering rule #6” would not be a very useful mantra where I work. A major problem (especially for people coming in from another company) is the amount of intense hostility and shortness at times. You can’t just remember to not take yourself so seriously, you have 60 seconds to know whether or not you have video coming up. You can’t be relaxed. You have to be short, curt, and effective. Facts only. The difference here is that after that incident is over (or more likely: the show is over) you talk with the people involved and tell them no hard feelings. A good producer will work to rebuild after an ugly incident. But most people understand that it’s very serious, and the information has to be transparent and related quickly. Joke after the show, not during.
Not everybody can perform under pressure like that, and it weeds people out. I think that pressure is a good thing most of the time. You are working on instinct and it’s amazing what you can get done in a short amount of time. Now, I’m not like this in every facet of my life, but I am at work, and I am proud of that.
I will say, I did like the story about the two business partners…
The parts about nothing really being good or bad was very intriguing to me. I would say I’m an environmentalist, but when you think about it, what does that really mean? It’s really out of human selfishness. The same with NOT being an environmentalist. When you think about it, millions of species have become extinct. It’s the way of the planet. Greenhouse effects have heated the planet before. It’s the way of the planet. Is it bad for the planet if water levels rise? Not really. It’s bad for humans who have settled near those waters. I’m not advocating one thing or another, I’m just pointing out what book tries to: that good an evil are a human invention.
If anyone reading this hasn’t done so, I highly suggest listening to Bach’s Suite No.2 in D Minor as Chapter 8 talks about. It really is a beautiful piece of music. I suggest listening to Mischa Maisky’s version!
My comments:
Bryan,
I think I keep coming back to your blog because we have somewhat similar jobs and I find your commentary very interesting. During "live" events, the pressure can be very heavy and tempers can be an issue. The only thing I ask and look for during these times, is that everyone involved is pitching in and working as a team, leave your "ego" at the door and let's get the job done! I try to lighten the mood with a bit of humor and work hard to raise expectations. I think it helps to have a "thick skin" in the editing business. Everyone has their own ideas how a production should come together, as the editor you need to listen to these folks, take in their potential ideas (I get a lot of my best concepts from others) and learn to sift through them for the "nuggets of gold". By listening to others, I find it much easier to work everyone when it comes to "crunch time". Thanks for confirming some of my similar perceptions in this business.
Wk 3 Art of Possibility Chapters 5-8
I started out as a PA at my company and then switched over to the edit side, the Yin to production’s Yang. So I loved the first chapter which seemed to be a lot about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes or using your knowledge to help someone else. I was one of the first PAs to ever make that switch and in just my first year as an editor, I was cutting the Super Bowl. That happened because we have intense, pressure-filled deadlines and if I’m editing with production in mind, it makes the whole process easier for everyone. I know what they want and I know what things slow them down.
However, “remembering rule #6” would not be a very useful mantra where I work. A major problem (especially for people coming in from another company) is the amount of intense hostility and shortness at times. You can’t just remember to not take yourself so seriously, you have 60 seconds to know whether or not you have video coming up. You can’t be relaxed. You have to be short, curt, and effective. Facts only. The difference here is that after that incident is over (or more likely: the show is over) you talk with the people involved and tell them no hard feelings. A good producer will work to rebuild after an ugly incident. But most people understand that it’s very serious, and the information has to be transparent and related quickly. Joke after the show, not during.
Not everybody can perform under pressure like that, and it weeds people out. I think that pressure is a good thing most of the time. You are working on instinct and it’s amazing what you can get done in a short amount of time. Now, I’m not like this in every facet of my life, but I am at work, and I am proud of that.
I will say, I did like the story about the two business partners…
The parts about nothing really being good or bad was very intriguing to me. I would say I’m an environmentalist, but when you think about it, what does that really mean? It’s really out of human selfishness. The same with NOT being an environmentalist. When you think about it, millions of species have become extinct. It’s the way of the planet. Greenhouse effects have heated the planet before. It’s the way of the planet. Is it bad for the planet if water levels rise? Not really. It’s bad for humans who have settled near those waters. I’m not advocating one thing or another, I’m just pointing out what book tries to: that good an evil are a human invention.
If anyone reading this hasn’t done so, I highly suggest listening to Bach’s Suite No.2 in D Minor as Chapter 8 talks about. It really is a beautiful piece of music. I suggest listening to Mischa Maisky’s version!
My comments:
Bryan,
I think I keep coming back to your blog because we have somewhat similar jobs and I find your commentary very interesting. During "live" events, the pressure can be very heavy and tempers can be an issue. The only thing I ask and look for during these times, is that everyone involved is pitching in and working as a team, leave your "ego" at the door and let's get the job done! I try to lighten the mood with a bit of humor and work hard to raise expectations. I think it helps to have a "thick skin" in the editing business. Everyone has their own ideas how a production should come together, as the editor you need to listen to these folks, take in their potential ideas (I get a lot of my best concepts from others) and learn to sift through them for the "nuggets of gold". By listening to others, I find it much easier to work everyone when it comes to "crunch time". Thanks for confirming some of my similar perceptions in this business.
Week 3 Reading Post
Once again, a couple of random thoughts while reading (I really have to learn how to focus...but I digress...again).
I really like the idea of a silent conductor, listening for whatever drives passion in others. I try to even extend that thought to parenting, as Zander speaks to in Chapter 5. I am looking for that passionate idea my 16-year old son can grab on to (other than always XBox) and help him steer it toward his schoolwork or teamwork on the football/track fields. Nothing against games (Dr. Siegel), I love to play myself, but I think it's one of the primary responsibilities of leaders/parents to listen to the passion in others and steer it toward a common, agreed upon goal.
While reading Chap. 6, I kept thinking in the back of my mind that I used to be much more my calculating self in my younger years. As I get older, the long-repressed central self has come out. It was during one of these thoughts that I came across what I think is a central theme to this chapter on page 95. The authors write, "It (the central self) is what a person who has survived - and knows it - looks like." The central self smile at the calculating self's perceptions,..." As I get older, I find myself more and more in this position...thinking how silly I was in my younger days, chasing after "stuff" and worrying about myself rather than others.
You know, I couldn't help thinking of a co-worker during my reading of Ch. 7. He constantly talks in a "downward spiral", in fact he is a continual "joke" regarding his "black cloud" over his head. And he's PROUD of this attitude! I am constantly pushing him in a different attitude by pointing out that we need to see the possibilities out there. Yes...we will fall down once in awhile, but if we don't attempt new things, we won't succeed! Before I get too full of myself though...I often have the other problem. I sometimes think everything is possible and can over-committ to something I may have a hard time implementing. Luckily I have been more successful than disappointed in my opportunities, and it has paid off. This is what I think the Zander's call "the art of possibility"
Chapter 8 really spoke to me, for a couple of years now, I have had this nagging feeling that I wanted to start my own business, but didn't know what direction that business should take. Well, this past school year and my corporate media production work has pointed me in a new direction. See last week's blog letter to Mr. B for a the overview.
I really like the idea of a silent conductor, listening for whatever drives passion in others. I try to even extend that thought to parenting, as Zander speaks to in Chapter 5. I am looking for that passionate idea my 16-year old son can grab on to (other than always XBox) and help him steer it toward his schoolwork or teamwork on the football/track fields. Nothing against games (Dr. Siegel), I love to play myself, but I think it's one of the primary responsibilities of leaders/parents to listen to the passion in others and steer it toward a common, agreed upon goal.
While reading Chap. 6, I kept thinking in the back of my mind that I used to be much more my calculating self in my younger years. As I get older, the long-repressed central self has come out. It was during one of these thoughts that I came across what I think is a central theme to this chapter on page 95. The authors write, "It (the central self) is what a person who has survived - and knows it - looks like." The central self smile at the calculating self's perceptions,..." As I get older, I find myself more and more in this position...thinking how silly I was in my younger days, chasing after "stuff" and worrying about myself rather than others.
You know, I couldn't help thinking of a co-worker during my reading of Ch. 7. He constantly talks in a "downward spiral", in fact he is a continual "joke" regarding his "black cloud" over his head. And he's PROUD of this attitude! I am constantly pushing him in a different attitude by pointing out that we need to see the possibilities out there. Yes...we will fall down once in awhile, but if we don't attempt new things, we won't succeed! Before I get too full of myself though...I often have the other problem. I sometimes think everything is possible and can over-committ to something I may have a hard time implementing. Luckily I have been more successful than disappointed in my opportunities, and it has paid off. This is what I think the Zander's call "the art of possibility"
Chapter 8 really spoke to me, for a couple of years now, I have had this nagging feeling that I wanted to start my own business, but didn't know what direction that business should take. Well, this past school year and my corporate media production work has pointed me in a new direction. See last week's blog letter to Mr. B for a the overview.
Week 3 The Eillers Experiment comments
Gregg's blog:
Wk3 BP Entry 1 - EDM613 MAC - Art of Possibility Ch. 5-8
Wow! As I read through chapters 5-8 in "The Art of Possibility," I couldn't help but think of two things: 1) teacher-talk in the staff room, and 2) the power of student- to-student learning. Allow me to explain.
The whole concept of the calculating self vs. the central self completely changed my thinking about how I view certain aspects of the teaching profession. I asked myself, "Self? Am I a person that tends to take things too seriously to where it effects how I interact and lead my students?" Fortunately, the answer from my "self" was a resounding "No!" But what my inner self was convicting me of was how I can somehow be effected by how others relate themselves to the calculating self analogy. In other words, I can at times get sucked in to a conversation at lunch with other teachers that revolves around the common complaints of standardized testing, state standards, decisions by administrators, micromanagement and a plethora of other topics that educators seem to find the time to rant about. I discovered that I will listen to these conversations and walk away wondering what good did that just do for any of our students, other creating a free therapy session for these teachers at my expense? My point is, and I think this is what Zander was getting at, was the fact that there will always be something to disagree with, something that doesn't go the way we want it to, or someone that doesn't do things the way I would do them. But the question is whether or not I choose to stay stuck in that rut or way of thinking, or do I choose this presence without resistance approach? Do I let the obstacles stand in my way, or do I allow myself to say that is the way it is and allow myself to be creative and open the pathway for possibility? Obviously my goal as a teacher is to do the latter, but I know I am guilty of allowing my calculating self shadow the central self and the possibility it can unleash.
Secondly, the whole idea of students teaching other students kept running through my head. After reading the story of the Cuban and American orchestras teaching each other how to play different and difficult pieces, I started thinking about how much power students have when teaching other students. I use this strategy in my own classroom to a certain degree, but this concept of the "silent conductor" really highlighted my thoughts on how I can enhance the learning by disappearing from the lead of the room, so-to-speak, and let the kids lead their own learning with each other. Automatically, my head began spinning with different ways to approach some of my lessons and how to implement a more centralized learning environment to where I enable or give students the freedom to learn from each other. By doing this, I think the dynamics of my classroom would completely change, and if nothing else, a great social experiment for my 6th graders who are mostly English Language Learners!
My comments:
Gregg,
I can't agree with you more! I always are telling people, "Quit complaining, unless you have a solution and are willing to act upon that" The idea of simply complaining for therapy's sake without at least attempting a solution crates against my very soul. You may not succeed in appeasing everyone's sensibilities, however if you don't try to solve the problem in a creative way, you've done nothing but "blown a lot of hot air".
I love your use of power students teaching others. Even though I am not a teacher by trade, I work with youth at church, hopefully teaching them something else than what you are educating our youth. We've engaged a similar technique in our youth group. By identifying student leaders, mentoring them and allowing them to mentor others, creates an education cycle that extends beyond those that I or the other adult leaders can reach directly.
Wk3 BP Entry 1 - EDM613 MAC - Art of Possibility Ch. 5-8
Wow! As I read through chapters 5-8 in "The Art of Possibility," I couldn't help but think of two things: 1) teacher-talk in the staff room, and 2) the power of student- to-student learning. Allow me to explain.
The whole concept of the calculating self vs. the central self completely changed my thinking about how I view certain aspects of the teaching profession. I asked myself, "Self? Am I a person that tends to take things too seriously to where it effects how I interact and lead my students?" Fortunately, the answer from my "self" was a resounding "No!" But what my inner self was convicting me of was how I can somehow be effected by how others relate themselves to the calculating self analogy. In other words, I can at times get sucked in to a conversation at lunch with other teachers that revolves around the common complaints of standardized testing, state standards, decisions by administrators, micromanagement and a plethora of other topics that educators seem to find the time to rant about. I discovered that I will listen to these conversations and walk away wondering what good did that just do for any of our students, other creating a free therapy session for these teachers at my expense? My point is, and I think this is what Zander was getting at, was the fact that there will always be something to disagree with, something that doesn't go the way we want it to, or someone that doesn't do things the way I would do them. But the question is whether or not I choose to stay stuck in that rut or way of thinking, or do I choose this presence without resistance approach? Do I let the obstacles stand in my way, or do I allow myself to say that is the way it is and allow myself to be creative and open the pathway for possibility? Obviously my goal as a teacher is to do the latter, but I know I am guilty of allowing my calculating self shadow the central self and the possibility it can unleash.
Secondly, the whole idea of students teaching other students kept running through my head. After reading the story of the Cuban and American orchestras teaching each other how to play different and difficult pieces, I started thinking about how much power students have when teaching other students. I use this strategy in my own classroom to a certain degree, but this concept of the "silent conductor" really highlighted my thoughts on how I can enhance the learning by disappearing from the lead of the room, so-to-speak, and let the kids lead their own learning with each other. Automatically, my head began spinning with different ways to approach some of my lessons and how to implement a more centralized learning environment to where I enable or give students the freedom to learn from each other. By doing this, I think the dynamics of my classroom would completely change, and if nothing else, a great social experiment for my 6th graders who are mostly English Language Learners!
My comments:
Gregg,
I can't agree with you more! I always are telling people, "Quit complaining, unless you have a solution and are willing to act upon that" The idea of simply complaining for therapy's sake without at least attempting a solution crates against my very soul. You may not succeed in appeasing everyone's sensibilities, however if you don't try to solve the problem in a creative way, you've done nothing but "blown a lot of hot air".
I love your use of power students teaching others. Even though I am not a teacher by trade, I work with youth at church, hopefully teaching them something else than what you are educating our youth. We've engaged a similar technique in our youth group. By identifying student leaders, mentoring them and allowing them to mentor others, creates an education cycle that extends beyond those that I or the other adult leaders can reach directly.
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