Teach from the Heart (ED 6007): August 2010

Friday, August 27, 2010

From Loyal your input is welcome and requested!

DR Andy Reflection 12

I will try to draw a picture later of this idea. If any of you are artist go for it (I actually am still trying to pass kindergarten art class despite I am 52) After talking about structure today both this morning in a staff meeting and now in class my energies are flowing. Here's my idea:

Imagine a tree.
The tree trunk supports the scaffolds that support the branches then the twigs. This could be the super-intendant and board. They are to be facilitators and supporters in the process of educating our children. I would see the trunk as the source of education from all those before us. The scaffolds are the researchers and thinkers.

Next see in the branches a nest. In the nest is young birds who are still dependent on others for life. Those little birds and eggs in the nest our the students. They represent new life in the early maturing stages. They represent the purpose of the education system. The future of birds – of humans.

Notice how the nest us structured? It is interwoven of many parts. These parts are teachers, office help, principles, curriculum writers, community leaders, govt education leaders etc. They are interwoven because the leadership structure is dynamic shared leadership. They all depend on each other to make the nest a secure place for these young birds. The nest also shows that the communication is dynamic ass well. Just ass many parts (talents, roles) play a part in keeping the nest together so does communication. Thus the curriculum writers are in contact with the teachers.

(heres my model for how this dynamic leadership communication should look like)
Many sub groups (pieces of the nest) are held together by the twigs and branches that run through the nest (the communication). Th communication pieces all meet together at the scaffold level. All issues and concerns are discussed in the meetings. Tentative ideas are developed but no decisions. These pieces that form the communication dynamic go back to the other pieces in their small role groups (the parts of the nest that they hold together). They discuss the concerns and give feedback and ideas. The communication dynamic shares the idea off the dynamic communication group thought about and hears feedback. Then the dynamic communication pieces go meet with the other members of the group. Communication occurs of the feedback and tentative decision are made. Then back to the the pieces of share tentative solutions. Feedback and possible affirming the ideas occurs. Back to the dynamic communication group and decisions are made based on all stake-holders feedback. Then back t the parts to inform of ratification or the need to gain more feedback and seeking of solutions. This process of spiderweb communication continues until a plausible decision is made.

Now back to the tree. Imagine the nest. The nest has a mother bird. This is a vital part of the education process. The most influential potential is daddy bird and momma bird. Dad and Mom are vital to the health of life of these young birds who cant fly yet and cant feed themselves yet. The education process is that they earn to feed themselves and fly.

My hear beats here strongest and I wish to share the hear of a daddy, minister and teacher. The three are interwoven in my life. But I know the priority is daddy. How can I lead others if I cant lead my own “birds' in the way to feed and fly? Parents are the number 1 and 2 “teacher” in the life of children. The nest is not complete without the mother bird. I know this does not always happen. I also see what results when daddy abandons or is the absent father. My siblings lives and even Mom and dad still carry scars here. ( I think I shared about my family – its multi-racial and multi-kids – 68 quite a few came from the streets) we must include the parents in the process of education and respect and encourage the major role they have. You see part of the nest is mothers own feathers. Maybe the most warmth and weatherizing is her feathers.

Ok. A little girl has not gone to sleep and it is 1am. She is determined to wait for daddy. Got to get home and cuddle my little girl so she will sleep where she feels security (and can pull a beard to know that the security is still close by) I better enjoy this as soon she will leave me for another man's security and I will forever miss my little girl. For she will belong to the man I have been praying for before she was even conceived.

Dr. Andy I will send my other reflections soon. I will leave for Laos tomorrow so I can be back in time for Tuesday class. I should have plenty of time to catch up and think without daddy calls, honey dos and Teacher Loyal ^$^%)*^$^#) etc.

Loyal Jongrak

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Week twelve reflections and thoughts

Please post reflections for week twelve here, Thanks, Dr.Andy

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Week eleven reflections and thoughts

Please post reflections for week eleven here, Thanks, Dr. Andy

IMPORTANT! Exam and Assignments

Several important items were reviewed in class tonight, (and most of these also several times earlier), which will be repeated here for clarity:

Assignments are all requested to be submitted by week 13 if at all possible.
At the latest, all assignments (reflections, foundations projects, application papers) are due week 15.
Any student needing to go beyond week 15 due to a personal crisis, must contact the instructor as soon as they become aware of this difficulty, and discuss the manner in which the completion of assignments will be handled. As always, fairness and understanding will be the prime considerations in such a case.
Students wishing to submit a draft of any assignment prior to grading for feedback, must do so by Monday the 23rd of August, midnight. After this, all assignments will be graded. Further, if submitting a draft for feedback and not grading, students must state 'draft, for feedback only' or something similar in the email in which they send the work.
For practical purposes, students will be expected to learn in detail five or six of the thirteen topics studied in the course. The final exam questions will be designed so as to give choice to students regarding preparation areas, according to their personal preference and professional needs.
As mentioned earlier, all reflections will be due week fifteen; after this, only one reflection, for the final exam review, may be added to the student's total.

If there are any questions on this, please post them as comments so other students may benefit from the answers. Best Wishes and God Bless, Dr. Andy

Monday, August 16, 2010

IMPORTANT! Reflections, please note

Just a couple of points on reflections:

Please remember that as discussed in class a number of times, once we get to week fifteen, the only reflection you can add is the exam review. The other updates must all be complete by the start of the last regular class (session fifteen). Most of you are Ok but some have simply not been posting and have some work to do.

The other thing is the last few weeks I have noticed one or two people slipping into colloquial or 'street English' on the reflections, such as using 'd' instead of 'the' etc. Please stick to proper English on the reflections as this is an academic blog. This does not refer to making honest mistakes -which are expected to a certain extent- but rather deliberate use of slang or street language which is not acceptable for academic discourse.

Thanks, and for those of you contributing -which is the majority of you- I appreciate your excellent work on here! Dr. Andy

Friday, August 6, 2010

Next class 18 August

Please note that our next class meeting will be on the 18th of August in order to allow preparations for the Queen's Birthday Celebration. Thanks, Dr. Andy

http://www.thaiworldview.com/feast/mae.htm

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Videos

Week ten reflections and thoughts

Please post reflections for week ten here, Thanks, Dr. Andy