Why Not Change the World? Curiousity

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.” ~  Clay P. Bedford

Several years ago I found this quote on curiosity and used it as part of my 'signature' for email.  I loved the notion of creating curiosity as part of the learning process. It also aligns with the adage of give a man a fish and he eats for a day but teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. Both capture the essence of engaging the learner in an activity that is meaningful, interactive, dynamic, and purposeful to the life of the learner.  These are not 'new' or radical thoughts - the fish quote is reputed to be an ancient Chinese proverb or words of Confucius.  

My own curiosity was piqued and I wanted to know a bit more about Bedford.  A quick search lead me to the Rensselaer Poly Technical Institute web page. The Institute was founded in 1824 in New York. Their motto: "Why not change the world?"

Clay Patrick Bedford

Class of 1924
Industrialist, Engineer, Manager
1903 - 1991

In his distinguished career with Kaiser Industries, with which he rose to become a corporate director and president of Kaiser Aerospace & Electronics Corp., Bedford was manager for a host of large-scale construction projects, including: chief engineer for the construction of Central Highway in Cuba; transportation superintendent for construction of Boulder Dam; and general superintendent for construction for the Grand Coulee and Bonneville dams.

His reputation as an efficiency expert soared after he supervised the construction of a World War II Liberty Ship in four days and 15 minutes.

In five years, he oversaw the production of 727 ships, which directly contributed to the winning of the war.

In the Korean War era, he was called to Washington as special assistant to the Director of Defense Mobilization, and later became assistant to the Secretary of Defense for production.

He was an advocate of the application of technology to classroom instruction at Rensselaer where he spearheaded the development of the Communications Center.

Here's to curiosity, innovation and a bit of play!

 

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better" -- Albert Einstein

A Walk

Earlier this week, Penelope and I went for a walk along the lake. It had been a long day and many things were on my mind.  The weather was drab.  I was listening to"Eat, Pray, Love" by Melissa Gilbert on my ancient iPod.  My walking books this year on the theme of journey


Life and learning are intertwined.  These past few months of diving headfirst into a new learning community has been wonderful, challenging, frustrating and messy.  I've learned a great deal on this adventure and have met some wonderful compatriots who are passionate about learning and bringing out the gifts of students. I have also experienced the opposite in others who are involved.

Lesson learned:  Listen to your own heart and trust your internal compass. My task this fall is writing and writing abundantly.  I've chosen to step away from the new school - a vision I believe in but a leadership environment that is not conducive to collaborative or collegial experiences.

The Challenge of a Poem

I've been working to keep a sense of balance in my sometimes frenetic live.  One part of that has been tapping into "The Daily Challenge", a free website by MeYouHealth (challenge.meyouhealth.com) that has a variety of tracks ant daily challenges that you can participate in without any pressure.  It has a gamed based approach behind it with rewards, pacts, social connections and opportunities for action and reflection. 

I recently chose the "mindfulness" track because I need to start the school year living in mindfulness. This was today's challenge and my post.

Visit a website to find a poem that inspires you, and put it in a place where you'll see it often.

I remember having to memorize poems in 3rd grade. I actually loved it.
We memorized the first stanza of William Wordsworth, 1804 poem about daffodils

I notice that my 3 poems have to do with loneliness and inclusiveness. I think they are reflective of my spirit today. I am starting on a new school adventure - a new school start-up. We have 7 high school students. We had our first all school picnic and the kids shared their stories -- the common thread seemed to be not connecting in traditional learning environments. Thus these poems seemed to pop into my brain.

BUT the FIRST poem that popped into my brain was a welcoming poem by Shel Silverstein I used it as a bulletin board in my first classroom - inner city 8th graders. I still firmly believe that this poem (at the end) truly embraces my philosophy of learning.

I WANDERED lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay: 10
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood, 20
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

 
The one that comes to mind (not from 3rd grade) is from Emily Dickinson

 I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us--don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!



and then:

“He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic , rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In !

From the poem " Outwitted”

― Edwin Markham 


                        INVITATION by Shel Silverstein

If you are a dreamer, come in.
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire,
For we have some flax golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in! 





So for all of you working with learners of all ages and abilities --- I send you encouragement, invitations to play!!! Come in!!
Vicki

Jumping In! Looking Straight Ahead!

Look straight ahead, 

and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
~ Proverbs 4:25, NLT

I started the EDLR program during the summer of 2009.  That is when this picture of one of our granddaughters and our old husky malamute (Taylor and Kimberly respectively) who were often walking partners was taken.  Both a bit unsteady on their feet: one with a vision of adventure and wisdom that moving forward was a necessary action.  

I am transitioning my blog and re-commissioning it as a more reflective palette for embracing my independent study on Spirituality, Innovation and Play in Educational Leadership.  My topic of study is an exploration of the integration of spirituality and innovation with educational leadership in creating dynamic school environments that embrace the learning community of students, parents, teachers, and global community. This has been my focal point for the past academic year though my vision has been clouded by numerous other events. I have had to refocus my vision and align my learning outcomes with consideration to those events. 

This blog will serve several purposes as a: 

• Reading Reflection/Journal: 'This reflection will incorporate some aspect of the readings, synthesis of material, implications in my current educational environment, and/or considerations for future leadership.' 
• Personal Reflective Practices: Thoughts on personal practices that I have introduced/integrated into my life.
• Reflective Discussion/Presentation Summary: My desire to interview some educational leaders was redirected by life events.  I have attended several outstanding and inspiring keynote addresses during the recent ISTE conference. I will share my thoughts and reflections on those as well as two key Ted Education talks.
• Jumping Off Block:  The topics, themes and ideas written here have and will continue to simmer on salient research points and provide substance for exploring the stories of learners at the crossroads for my dissertation proposal.

Looking forward! Jumping In!

Innovation! Leadership! Play!

It seems like it has been forever since I actually posted to this blog! Actually it has been forever! I haven't been idle in reflecting upon learning.  I've had great fun curating in ScoopIt! on the topic of Innovation, Leadership and Play.  I started an independent study on Spirit, Innovation and Play in Educational Leadership. Well, and it just seemed right to PLAY!  How can one take a topic and really explore it in an innovative and playful spirit? After years of such serious study I feel the need to live out that inquiry model of learning by exploring a variety of ideas in action. I want to make my learning relevant to what I dream of doing over the next decade - engaging in educational leadership. ScoopIt! allows me to 'scoop' those ideas and resources that I feel are important to my topic, my learning. It becomes a part of my PLE, another topic that Kathy J (our librarian) and I have presented for the NAIS 2012 conference.  And of course the theme captured the energy we hope to engage all learners in discovering.  INNOVATION: Imagine, Invent, Inspire, Dream  

Here's to connections that inspire us to innovate and play in our learning!