wk 3 Response

Response to Cindi Jobe

Great post, Cindi! I am getting married this summer and so the idea of being a parent and having a family is creeping ever closer. And the natural question that comes to me is, what type of parent will I be? How can I be the best parent I can possibly be? I think Zander and this post hit the mark. Encourage them, love them, help them, and allow them room to grow and everything else will fall in place.

Original Post:

Week 3 - Other Connections to Zander's Work as it relates to Competition

Anna Jobe - ski racer

I am posting the following as a great guideline for those of us that are coaches, teachers and parents so that we remember to keep our perspective. I am spending the next few days watching the Junior Olympics and am reminded every moment of this competition of Benjamin Zander's words. He speaks about our "universe being alive with sparks" and that we have "an infinite capacity to light a spark of possibility". He also says that "passion, not fear is the igniting force". As I watch these young 8th and 9th graders, full of sparks, possibility and passion for their sport, I feel so very lucky to just observe. The advice marked in red below is the best I have found to help us keep our perspective and to help the children we teach, coach or parent to strive for their best, not to be afraid of failure, and to embrace the challenge.

© 2006 USA Swimming and The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. All Rights Reserved.

Do's and Don'ts for Sport Parents

(this is just a portion from this article that fits in well with "The Art of Possibility" that we have been studying by Benjamin Zander)

Do for your Children:

• Provide guidance for your children, but do not force or pressure them.

• Assist them in setting realistic goals for participation.

• Emphasize fun, skill development and other benefits of sports participation, e.g., cooperation,

competition, self-discipline, commitment.

• Show interest in their participation: help them get to practice, attend competitions, ask questions.

• Provide a healthy perspective to help children understand success and failure.

• Emphasize and reward effort rather than results.

• Intervene if your child's behavior is unacceptable during practice or competitions.

• Understand that your child may need a break from sports occasionally.

• Give your child some space when need. Part of sports participation involves them figuring things out

for themselves.

• Keep a sense of humor. If you are having fun and laughing, so will your child

• Provide regular encouragement.

• Be a healthy role model for your child by being positive and relaxed at competitions and by having

balance in your life.

• GIVE THEM UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: SHOW THEM YOU LOVE THEM WHETHER THEY

• WIN OR LOSE!!!

About the Author:

Michael A. Taylor an Instructor for the Stanford

University based Positive Coaching Alliance, a long-time member of the United States Elite Coaches Association

and a former gym owner.

Taylor, M. (2010) Do's and don'ts for sports parents. United States Ski and Snowboard Association
Retrieved March 19, 2010 from http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/formembers/parents/about.html

wk 3 Thesis and Media Project

Well this week certainly had its ups and downs. On the ups, I had my thesis written by Sunday with only final proof reading needed and the proof reading is about done at this point. But the downs might have outweighed the ups. The completion of the thesis was promptly followed by a pretty nasty cold and cough that has significantly affected the development of the media project. Hopefully, I will be able to get to work on it this weekend and will have all next week to work on it…this isn’t following the schedule I had designed, but illness wasn’t part of that schedule either.

I present my media project Monday, which isn’t ideal, but I should be able to create an outline of what its going to be so that I can really get to work on it throughout the week. My plan for the media project is to show myself playing the trumpet, singing, and maybe playing the flute (if I can remember how!) different songs using various recording devices. As of now, I think singing will be the thrust of the application. I will then listen to the recording, critique my performance, make suggestions to improve my performance, and implement those suggestions so that my performance (hopefully!) improves. Some of the recording devices include the computer with the headset using GarageBand, the computer without the headset using GrarageBand, the computer without the headset and with a webcam using iMovie or Screenflow, the computer using audacity, a video camcorder, and a cellphone.

wk 2 Reading

Ch 6: Rule Number 6.

This is the perfect time to read this chapter! On the verge of finishing the degree, cramming in the thesis, creating a media project, and inventing a final presentation that I’m not quite clear on, which is ok, because I have much to do before then. Zander’s advice? Lighten up. What a relieve. What an idea. I teach high school choir, the queen of drama, topped only by 4^th and 5^th grade choir drama, which I also teach. I am playing out scenarios in my head…how would my students react to this philosophy? Could the drama actually stop? Ah, the possibilities…

It’s sad that the calculating self has so much power and influence in the development of a child’s personality. A personality shouldn’t be developed from a survival mechanism, but through a well-nurtured childhood. What an interesting solution though – to ask oneself what you would need to change in order to be completely fulfilled? This is empowering in that it puts the ball in our court, not other people. We have the control, no one else. What can I change to improve MY life?

Reference:

Zander, B., & Zander, R. S. (2002). The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life. Boston: Penguin (Non-Classics). (Original work published 1942)

wk 2 Video

Being a conductor of several performing musical groups, I totally understand this videos' message. As a conductor, it’s all about the students. I no longer get to have the fun of performing the music in front of a crowd during a concert (which is what drew me to the field), but the experience I have is equally great. I get to show them the door to a musical experience, arm them with the necessary tools, and then just watch it happen. It’s an amazing experience.

This reminds me of the Thomas Carruthers quote: “A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary.” I strive to empower my students to take control of any and every aspect of their learning – to allow for the possibility Zander mentions.

On a critical note, it seems like the video was edited, and somewhat crudely. I was wondering if anyone knows where I could find a full version of the speech. Thanks!!

wk 2 Response to Bob Walker

Awesome story, Bob. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed it – it was very powerful! And it sounds like fun J. I can definitely relate to the feeling. It feels like we are flying in midair and we hope to come down safely on the other side of the tree, but, in my case, know that its possible to come down, not so safely, on top of the tree. I guess the thing that is stressing me most is the thesis due on Sunday and for some crazy reason, our group signed up for the following day to present our media projects! Haha! Such is life! Nothing like an added challenge J.

I can see the end goal in sight and a path to get there, but I just wish I had more time! I guess I’ll have to make due. Here’s to getting it done in any case! I’m glad you feel confident that everything will be ok. I know it will! Good luck and I look forward to your final product. Push forward to the end!

Original Post:Week 2 Blog Post - Hitting a Brick Wall

When I was growing up, there was this one spot behind a nearby high school where we used to ride our bikes. It was only a few blocks from my house, yet it was a right of passing when you became old enough to make the venture there. We would ride to the school with our baseball gear and get lost in the game, sometimes this game was football. Mostly we would ride for the enjoyment of riding. There were a few spots that were designed for those of us looking for adventure. One place was a steep hill down to a loading dock. Rushing at full speed on two wheels and hitting the sharp curve at full speed was something we were often warned not to do. The times we did not quite take the curve right, we felt it and were given a stern “I told you so”.

One of the other spots at the school was at the back of the building. It was sort of a small oasis in a concrete desert. Down a narrow ally there was a small square of grass with a great climbing tree. The unique part of this spot was that it was raised about two feet up from the ground. Luckily for us bike riders, someone built a ramp and set it on the brick wall leading to this small plot. We would race our bikes down the ally as fast as we could and hit the ramp to get as much air as we could and land just past the tree. Once there, we would park our bikes, climb the tree and hang out there to rest. This route was as natural as breathing to us.

One afternoon my friends and I made our daily journey to the school. We raced down the hill a few times and enjoyed the rush of the speed and taking that curve. We decided to go rest at the tree after a while, but something unexpected happened this day. I led the pack of us (I was winning the race) down the narrow ally. We were all expecting our usual trip of full speed, hit the ramp, and land on the other side of the tree. Counting on the usual, I didn’t notice that the ramp wasn’t there. I hit full speed into the brick wall. I did get some great air that day as I flew over the handle bars of my bike, and I did land on the other side of the tree. One of my friends followed my lead, the others realized what had happened and hit their breaks so hard that they ended up sliding down the alley with their bikes. My friend and I got up after a moment and shook off the shock. Our egos bruised a bit and our bikes pretty dinged up. Our friends however, suffered more physical injuries.

I’m reminded of this event today as I contemplate and write my proposal for my media project. I feel as though I have been speeding down this ally of coursework at full speed for the past nine months. The last day of the month I hit the ramp and rested until it was time to do it again. Today, I hit that brick wall again. This proposal is due, the thesis paper is due, and the project itself is due. Yes, I hit the brick wall and am flying through the air. I know many of my classmates feel the same way. I know in the end it will be ok. I’m not skidding toward the wall, I hit it full speed and am going to land on the other side of the tree with a bit of shock but a feeling of accomplishment.

Photo from: http://www.bigfoto.com

wk 2 Project (Thesis)

I have spent most of this week working on the thesis and buying my first house (yikes and yay!). I feel the thesis is coming along nicely and should be able to have it solid by next week sometime. I really wish I could have a couple more months, but such is the nature of school - always pressed for time. The general scope of my thesis is that students lack an ability to self-assess themselves properly. Specifically to my field of music, students lack an objective tool for self-assessment. I see this problem in my students all the time: they perform a song, I ask "How did you do?" They say "I THINK it was good" OR "I GUESS ok" OR "I don't know" OR "good" when it was actually below their normal work or what they could have done OR "bad" when it was actually a good display of musical ability. Furthermore, I saw students just not being aware of what they did, how they performed, or how they presented themselves to the world. There are numerous theories as to why this happens that I discuss in my thesis, but much less is known about actually fixing the problem.

In my thesis I argue that high quality recordings and videos can be an objective self-assessment tool for students. I came up with this solution throughout the program. Spending hours making numerous podcasts and videocasts for various EMDT classes allowed me to see and hear myself. After getting past the anxiety of hearing myself, I was able to notice behaviors, both physically and aurally, that I was not aware of. I started using these tools (the computer/cell phones) in private lessons that I teach - trumpet and voice, and I noticed that all of the students noticed similar behaviors that they too were not aware of. From there, the basis for my solution was set, and I have been using those tools in private and small group settings ever since. Students can listen to themselves, critique themselves, and ultimately, fix themselves.

wk 1 Content Proposal

My proposal is coming along fairly well after a busy week. My thesis is about the lack of self-assessment skills in music students. In it, I argue that students lack an objective evaluation tool. I suggest that the use of high quality audio and video recording equipment can be this objective tool for student self-evaluation. In my media project, I will show myself using some of these tools in a way that will allow me to assess myself, post-performance. I will show how this tool can be used in multiple formats and with multiple instruments. I will show myself using these tools while playing the trumpet, singing, and using SmartMusic, a program designed to assess students as they play musical instruments and sing. I will compile all of these experiences and videos into one, well-edited video.