Of course you can use it - and in any way you would like! I can't wait to share experiences and compare notes.... I'm going to extend Jack's invite to my classes on Tuesday. And now there is a thrilling prospect of growing something with others in a loop that includes my students as participants. Suddenly the ground I'm standing on is that of a different world. (I have no idea where this might go and it is quite a feeling. I wonder why it is scary - wonderful but definitely scary?)
I'm going to show the you tube video (1 and 2) in class before we bgin our discussion. What an amazing and perfect resource. Thank you!
love
Sara
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From: Practitioner-Researcher [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Delysia Norelle Timm [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2011 1:10 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: How to establish an environment that calls out the most and the best of everyone
Dear Sara
Thank you so much for sharing this "shower moment"- at one stage I had "sunshine moments"- all these inspirational thoughts cam to the fore whilst walking outside...
I would like to use your approach of your success project with groups of students that I will be working with on an Institution student engagement project - if I may please.
Another similar project that is running that I found quite interesting is - Micheal Wesch's The Visions of Students tomorrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL.
All the best - would love to hear more about your project.
Delysia
-----Original Message-----
From: Practitioner-Researcher [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Salyers, Sara M
Sent: 26 February 2011 06:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: How to establish an environment that calls out the most and the best of everyone
I started this almost a week ago on Sunday last:
Dear all,
today I had 'brainwave' and an insight, (almost simultaneously) that I can't help sharing - even though I still have twenty papers to grade! I was in the shower (why is that the place for light-bulb moments?) and thinking about this discussion in the context of my own classroom. I thought about the huge barriers that face my developmental (underprepared) students, and about what has worked and what has not worked in demolishing those barriers and how the things that *have* worked so far, are all connected. I thought about Justine's 'Dream' in the paper Jack cites below and about how I have seen elements of that dream manifest occasionally in my own classroom. Then I thought about how it *feels* for me and for them when I have to orchestrate the next 'proof reading' exercise, (which is taxing and dull); I thought about how just getting to class is an effort for most of them and so many will drop out - despite the fact that I have good evidence that they like the class.
And then I thought, what would it *look* like if getting to class mattered so much that nothing could stop them? I let myself see that clearly and then asked, 'What did it take for that to happen? How did they become related to what was happening in the class? And what could have made a class that *authentically* important to their 'real' lives, to who they are and what their aspirations and values are?' I'm not sure I can yet put the answer into words but I do know that tomorrow we are not proof reading narrative and descriptive paragraphs. Instead we are going to begin, in collaborative groups, to work on the report component of this course. And the report is going to focus on how to be and do what you most want to be and do; what gets in the way; how could you change that?
Saturday:
Student Success and college success is everywhere a mantra but when I asked my own students, their perception of why they are in college contained none of the inspirational story of empowerment that the underpins the mission and language of the college. It was all 'negative good' - i.e. avoiding poverty, preventing a life sentence condemned to mind numbing work at minimum pay etc. On Tuesday and Thursday, I introduced both of my classes to Action Research. After our discussions, their assignment is to inquire into 'success': what is it for 'them'; how do they define it as a group; what impedes it, (narratives, attitudes, practices, luck, connections etc.), in their own lives; what enables it (narratives, attitudes, practices, luck, connections etc.); what can they influence and how; how can this class/course restructure itself to be part of their experience of success. The answers are all their own with only one piece of interference for me. The definitions must include a sense of inspiration and or achievement. They'll divide into pairs for 'case study' and describe one another's understanding, 'helps and hindrances' and then collaborate on the conclusions.
I can safely say that we were all nervous and excited as we discussed the new assignment. (I gave them an optional assignment in case anyone did not want to work in a group and rely on others to finish on time and 'to spec'. Only one in each class took that option.) In my own case, the nervousness is die to the fact that, getting work turned in at all is a challenge. NOw they have to meet and talk and plan and reflect together. Am I insane? Possibly.
Thanks for giving me a space to come from, to bring from to my own practice and to come back to, to share.
love
Sara
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 2:55 AM
To:
[log in to unmask]
The most successful teacher I ever saw in introducing her students to action research was Moira Laidlaw some 20 years ago. Moira worked part time as a tutor on the postgraduate education course at the University of Bath and part time as an english teacher in a Bath secondary school. Moira wrote an account of her methodology in encouraging her students to develop an action research approach to her learning and you can access this at:
http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/preserve.shtml
Looking forward to seeing your video and to hearing more about the neighbourhood project.
Love Jack.
"This e-mail is subject to our Disclaimer, to view click http://www.dut.ac.za"
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