Taking the questions from the previous post, Questions for Thought, I am going to turn the tables and take a turn as if the questions were posed to me. The framework for my answers sometimes relates to how technology supports learning, since that is the focus on this site. Here we go…
1. What do I need to know about you? An analogy I like to use is marathon runner – steady dedication to the task at hand is what gets results. Careful, long-term training and practice will reap rewards in the end. Being keenly aware of your surroundings, and seizing opportunities when they arise, are the benefits of keeping skills honed. I did run one marathon, and was successful – not fast, but successful. The regimen I put in place paid off, and I enjoyed the process. I hope to run another marathon someday to prove it was not a fluke – I enjoy running in general.
2. What do you need from me more than anything else? From anyone I work with, communication is what I need most. Simply ask for what you need, and if you are unsure of how to do something technologically, just say so. Don’t be worried about what anyone thinks – say what you need and we can get it done.
3. What does success in the classroom mean to you? Students who produce original, meaningful works that they are proud of. Watching the expression on a face when a student shows off their video is an example.
4. What do you know about how people learn? I know that when it is something they WANT to learn about , almost anyone will do whatever it takes. For example, a student wanting to learn some Minecraft tips will figure it out quickly using a Google search (just ask my son). A student trying to make a robot turn to challenge his Lego Mindstorms partner will figure out which switches need to be put in place to make it happen. A student trying to figure out the changes to Coltrane’s Giant Steps needs to make it just between him/her and the music, but this video doesn’t hurt (unless the video is used totally in place of the ear!):
5. What’s the most creative thing you’ve ever done? I’ve done some tribute videos for colleagues that I am really proud of. The storytelling that goes on when you build video is really fun. You have to go on a hunch, gather whatever resources you can, and go for it. Click here for one example on this site.
6. How can technology be used for learning? At this point, in 2015, the question is really how can technology NOT be used for learning? There are, and always will be, times when technology is not directly involved in learning (reading a good old-fashioned book, for example) but it is right there to support learning (tweeting out favorite quotes from said old-fashioned book, for example).
7. What does it mean to understand something? When you can verbalize what you know and don’t know about a topic, and are comfortable attending to what you need to figure out in order to better understand it.
8. When was the last time you’ve solved a problem? Last night with some pesky screw holes that were rounded out. I needed to fix the hinge so the cabinet door would work again…
9. How do you respond to expectations? I do everything in my power to meet them. Professionally, I place great emphasis on meeting the needs of those I support, and work as well as I can to get the job done.
10. What is your proudest moment? Watching students succeed in their endeavors. For example, three students I worked with were recognized two different times in the CSPAN StudentCam Competition. They worked hard, and the results were great. StudentCam is an excellent competition as it provides a venue for students to pursue and share their voice on important issues.
11. What do you want to learn about? The Great American Songbook, hands down. I’ve only scratched the surface of what transpired in the first half of the century regarding the development of music. The GAS is an incredibly deep and rich treasure that is worthy of ongoing enjoyment and study.
12. Are you a picky reader? What are your strengths as a reader? I am not a picky reader – rather I am a willing participant in a story and am happy to let the author take me where he/she wishes. I am not sure if I can verbalize strengths – I enjoy reading, and wish I devoted more time to it.
13. What is your personal philosophy? Pick something, and go for it. Life is to short to worry if it is the right choice – if what you decide to do is not the way to go, that truth will uncover itself before too long.
14. When do you write best? When I have mental room – as in a few hours where it is just me and the keyboard. Having time to digest and create (and find links, appropriate media, etc.) takes time.
15. What’s worth understanding deeply? See #11 – The Great American Songbook. Speaking of which, here is a sample of a tune I studied for a while – The (Boy) From Ipanema. A great twist on a classic, performed by Diana Krall and Rosemary Clooney, with John Pizzarelli on guitar! Note this is an unofficial YouTube upload – it may disappear at any time…
16. What are your best habits as a thinker? Repetitiv
e thinking – I like to revisit big ideas over time to see how they last. Good ideas stand up over time, and pass the “fresh look” impression. In other words, if an idea or product is good, it gives that “good feeling” vibe the next time it is looked at, after a bit of a break. One does not always get the luxury of taking a break to reflect on an idea, but it never hurts. In the world of de Bono’s six thinking hats I think this is red hat thinking – feelings, intuition, and hunches. But, they are delayed intuition, not immediate, so maybe it is more blue hat, or process, thinking.
17. What’s most important to you in life? Supporting others, and bringing people together.
18. What is the relationship between learning and #17? Supporting others in their pursuit of learning is fundamental. Bringing people together to learn really rocks.
19. Where does your inner drive come from? I think fundamentally from my mother. She was always working on something, doing something, or LEARNING something. She never made a big deal out of it – she just did it.
20. Who are your heroes or role models? Don Quixote comes to mind – he is selfless and single minded in making the world a better place. The acting delivered by Peter O’Toole certainly contributes to the effect of the storyline in the movie version, too. Speaking of movie characterizations, Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka is another great one. His delivery of O’Shaughnessy’s famous line is memorable – “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.”
21. Why study (insert your content area here)? Because (insert content area here) is worth knowing about! In my position as an Instructional Specialist for curricular areas outside of my personal expertise, I have gained valuable insight into those ares. For example, I have a far greater understanding of the value of and need for Family & Consumer Science instruction. Michelle Obama said it very well in the article linked here.
22. What are you good at that nobody knows? Riding rollercoasters with really big drops. I don’t think this is a skill, but I consider it a talent to enjoy being launched at 120mph and head 400 feet into the air.
23. What do teachers sometimes misunderstand about you as a learner? I am a quiet student, and my tendency to not always verbalize sometimes leads to others thinking either I’m not interested or do not have an opinion.
24. What does it mean to study? Revisit, gain clarity, understand more deeply.
25. How do you respond to complex texts or digital media? It depends – if the text is complex because it is dense with difficult content and terminology, it takes time to digest. I find it hard to keep concentration when this is the case – Edwin Gordon’s seminal book in music education, Learning Sequences in Music, comes to mind. I needed a nap after every paragraph to process it!
26. If I get out of your way this year, what will you be able to do? Be out in classrooms, supporting learning!