“Motivating and Organizing the Unmotivated and Unorganized” – Ellen B. Shrager http://home.comcast.net/~mrsshrager/site/?/home/: Students from chaotic households frequently perform academically below their ability and need help with motivation and organization. Poor habits prevent them from completing school work. Guide students to a future vision of themselves with these habits, and help form one new positive habit at a time. Where are you know, where do you want to be...good habits and discipline. What is the problem? Parents do not equate sucess with skills and discipline, but with admission to a university. ...Although you can use that dream to get them to help parents and their child pointing out how good habits will help the college common application and will provide them life skills of the 21st century.
Service-Learning bought her books for 6th and 9th grade and how to deal with the unmotivated and unorganized. I have some of her cards and her learning balls which I already started to use for reviewing purposes with bodily-kinesthetic children. They do work. I will read the books I have purchased and place them at the library.
I also learned that by being more proactive at organizing children, I have discovered problems with writing sequence which I had not seen before. To be very honest, it is also helping me personally to be more focused and organized in my daily life.
Elle states in her website, "focus on the changing roles of children, parents, and neighborhoods in society and the profound impact of entertainment, advertisement, and individual rights on a student's sense of self. ...From my observations, I learned that students’ unacceptable classroom behavior is a logical, albeit unintentional, consequence of the society that we have created!
This understanding has relieved me of the burden of judging and inspired me to confront these differences so that my classroom once again reflects my beliefs. I focus on five differences in students’ upbringing that create disruptions to learning in my classroom. I use to respond to these disruptions in the moment with ‘pop-up’ lessons on manners. Now, in an impersonal and loving way, I pro-actively introduce the differences between the way students are accustomed to behaving and the way students will behave in class. Thus, when impulsive students act out, I remind them that we have already discussed this, and the consequence is not perceived as a personal attack. Surprisingly, even rebellious students respond to this impersonal authority. I suspect that many are secretly relieved that there is a true adult in charge who affirms that their actions have consequences; otherwise we are reinforcing the students’ most inner fear that they and their actions are meaningless. Most days, my students respond to this classroom behavior code and the moments of sarcasm, drama, and tension are minimal. In “Successful Dialogues with Enabling Parents”, I help teachers to interact better with today’s parents, by discussing:
Five recent changes in parenting.
Five crucial steps to protect teachers’ authority.
Six common parental illusions.
Teachers will practice T R I A L – the process for responding compassionately and appropriately with difficult parents, without teacher burn-out! Additional discussion will include managing electronic grades, e-mail contact with parents, and student cheating. Teachers will practice discussing these sensitive issues with parents via role playing in groups of two. Teachers will be able to discuss sensitive issues with parents leaving both sides intact with their dignity. This will ultimately lead to more parental support for teachers and programs.
In “Successful Dialogues to Motivate and Organize the Unorganized andUnmotivated," I share my experiences with my successful “Seven Club.” Without specific help, children from poverty struggle to negotiate schools’ middle class value system. I started an after-school ‘club’ to help students whose actual grades were significantly lower than their intellectual ability. I use an assortment of products to foster the dialogue that will help the student to bridge the gap between home values and school values. What surprised me is the number of referrals from middle class families operating with poverty values. My conclusion is that between more parents working outside the home and the intense pressure to be well-rounded for school applications, many middle class families are running chaotic homes and their children need the same support as students from poverty.
Together we can inspire our students to believe that learning is inherently much more interesting than acting out. MEDIA: Consumerism and socialization lessons
- Only comment on the effort and how they treat others not on the clothing they are wearing (Spend, spend spend)
- When something is said that they are just repeating from TV, etc. find the source
_ Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse...Unmotivated child by Natalie Ratchvon .Get them
PERSONALIZATION of impersonal corrections
- Structure without being perceived as criticism
4years old.......future car..... Teachers are the bridge of the future we are never going to see
postpone responsibility for education... Have pencils, do not let them disturbe others learning
Increase non-diagnosed Asper...High Functional Autism
What you look at, but do you see?
Emphasis on IQ instead of self-discipline and skills
Lack of adult in charge
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“How to use Internet Sources in the World Language Classroom” – Audrey Nelson: She focused on demonstration of videos, seemed unprepared, and had technical difficulties. She did not provide exercises, assessments or strategies as advertised. The weakest presentation of my day, but I want to get the video of I love Lucy to promote language learning. I think we need to be very careful about our choices of videos and the intention with which we pick them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Time Management and Classroom Activities to Achieve Observable Performance vs. Assumed Knowledge” – Lilli Lyon Ms. Lyon explained that attention span, according to research = age with maximum of 28 minutes. She manages classroom with a systematic set of activities that keeps the kids engaged by movement, songs, games. All vocabulary is present and surrounds them to the point that they start to create with the language. To be acquired, a word needs to be repeated 75 times for children without learning challenges, 150 times for learning disable people. The more they repeated the greater the acquisition. She motivated to use more songs, have 2 minute reviews, like play with numbers, write as many things in the classroom you have in your head in one minute, etc. “focus on what the students can DO with the language: OBSERVABLE PERFORMANCE VS. ASSUMED KNOWLEDGE.” Inspiring! She uses 80's music and creates her own.
Repetition
70 times in context in your brain
150 times if learning disable
Allow errors
Are you teaching bell to bell: 12 minute increments, 5 minute units
Rubric of performance Excellent: Hamburger with all the fixings, Needs Improvement: Hot Dog, Good: Hamburger
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Edmodo.com: Safe Social Media for Students” – Caleb Allison Social media is widely used by most of our students. http://www.edmodo.com/%20is a user-friendly network that is made by educators for educators and that is safe and secure. After this session, I placed my 5th graders in Edmodo. I was surprised to see kids who are challenge by homework, actually going to the site and having a small conversation. Here is a guide to every question you may have in Edmodo http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1rhw8/EdmodoAguidetoeveryt/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http://www.edmodo.com/community/professional-dev
I signed up to make a 2 minute creative video and decided to go for the digital booth camp instead. I expect to learn how to promote my program in covergence with YAC students and community organizations.
In class, I will create the story and then decide how to distribute it, according to the intended audience and adapting the distribution methods to the times!
From the introduction yesterday, we will create a website that is interactive with all current digital forms in real time. We will be working with a word press site that is free. The interest will be in direct relationship with level of creativity, brevity, and inmediancy of the information. Basic Elements: Writing, pictures, videos. Blog: One sentence...one paragrah...during the event Web: 3-4 paragraphs...two hours after Mediacast: one-three minutes...one day after Follow-up: 3-4 paragraphs...weekly Newspaper: 250-500 words ...once per issue ( Rolling Stone without music) quaterly and in color Wrap-up: 350 words, post event, print or web Yearbook: Tells the story...event end..flash drive, dvd, digital video soon to be added.
Make students personally accountable for what they will generate in class and do not blame the bread, blame the breadmaker if people do not come to your site!
Booth Camp Class
FTP File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to transfer files from one host to another over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet. FTP is built on a client-server architecture and utilizes separate control and data connections between the client and server.[1] FTP users may authenticate themselves using a clear-text sign-in protocol but can connect anonymously if the server is configured to allow it.
The first FTP client applications were interactive command-line tools, implementing standard commands and syntax. Graphical user interface clients have since been developed for many of the popular desktop operating systems in use today.
Fetch installer is free for mac'shttp://fetchsoftworks.com/
Cheapwebhost news.com hosted by linux: http://cheapwebhostnews.com/. http://www.linux.com/ 150 G is enough
2 sites org and com 500 e-mails, $6.99 to $89.00
Can have subdomains like mysummerwork.com
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A HOST IS NEEDED: Word Press.com: Costly, do not use. Word Press.org: Great support. USE IT. 1n1.blue is another. Do not place this host in the district server. Word Press.org is free, has good support and has built in a mobile component My workshop guardian angel was pedrameh@hotmail.com. Mitchell Franz offered to help with videos: m.a.franz@gmail.com, mitchellfranz.com. My teacher was Jake Palenske http://palenske.net/portfolio/Welcome.html. Jake's task was to empower us to create a website like http://cspa2010.mysummerworkshop.com/?p=1249. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class process: Jake created the FTD for us and helped us input all the database information to create our own. then he taught us how to get fetch. Finally he gave us the directives to create a subdomain in his clay.mysummerworkshop.com.
Breakout sessions information All websites produced at the booth camp will be available at cspa2011.mysummerworkshop.com. issuu.com might be a good source for printable books. Word Press, Vimiu and Picassa were recommended, but Picassa uses flash which does not work with mobile devises well yet.
Instagram, photogene, half tone, photo stickers were mentioned
Everything can be done in real time with the best duo combination: Ipad and Iphone News from everywhere at anytime!
Two things I want to remember
1. Mission: Converge, Connect, Collaborate, Create (I love this process)
2. Pink's FEDEX Time and autonomy, mastery and purpose
Other memorable moments: There were many
a. Proud of seeing Native American leadership
b. Admiring and questioning oil leaders
c. Way the lunch was served: Efficient and green
d. School kids from England and headmaster contacting us to continue conversations.
Valedictorian Speaks Out Against Schooling in Graduation Speech
Last month, Erica Goldson graduated as valedictorian of Coxsackie-Athens High School. Instead of using her graduation speech to celebrate the triumph of her victory, the school, and the teachers that made it happen, she channeled her inner Ivan Illich and de-constructed the logic of a valedictorian and the whole educational system.
Erica originally posted her full speech on Sign of the Times, and without need for editing or cutting, here's the speech in its entirety:
Here I stand
There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master, "If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen? The Master thought about this, then replied, "Ten years . ." The student then said, "But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast -- How long then?" Replied the Master, "Well, twenty years." "But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?" asked the student. "Thirty years," replied the Master. "But, I do not understand," said the disappointed student. "At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?" Replied the Master, "When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path."
This is the dilemma I've faced within the American education system. We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.
Some of you may be thinking, "Well, if you pass a test, or become valedictorian, didn't you learn something? Well, yes, you learned something, but not all that you could have. Perhaps, you only learned how to memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget in order to clear your mind for the next test. School is not all that it can be. Right now, it is a place for most people to determine that their goal is to get out as soon as possible.
I am now accomplishing that goal. I am graduating. I should look at this as a positive experience, especially being at the top of my class. However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contest that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer - not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition - a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave. I did what I was told to the extreme. While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. So, I wonder, why did I even want this position? Sure, I earned it, but what will come of it? When I leave educational institutionalism, will I be successful or forever lost? I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning. And quite frankly, now I'm scared.
John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher and activist critical of compulsory schooling, asserts, "We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness - curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time, texts, and tests, by introducing kids into truly competent adults, and by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then. But we don't do that." Between these cinderblock walls, we are all expected to be the same. We are trained to ace every standardized test, and those who deviate and see light through a different lens are worthless to the scheme of public education, and therefore viewed with contempt.
H. L. Mencken wrote in The American Mercury for April 1924 that the aim of public education is not "to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence. ... Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim ... is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States."
To illustrate this idea, doesn't it perturb you to learn about the idea of "critical thinking." Is there really such a thing as "uncritically thinking?" To think is to process information in order to form an opinion. But if we are not critical when processing this information, are we really thinking? Or are we mindlessly accepting other opinions as truth?
This was happening to me, and if it wasn't for the rare occurrence of an avant-garde tenth grade English teacher, Donna Bryan, who allowed me to open my mind and ask questions before accepting textbook doctrine, I would have been doomed. I am now enlightened, but my mind still feels disabled. I must retrain myself and constantly remember how insane this ostensibly sane place really is.
And now here I am in a world guided by fear, a world suppressing the uniqueness that lies inside each of us, a world where we can either acquiesce to the inhuman nonsense of corporatism and materialism or insist on change. We are not enlivened by an educational system that clandestinely sets us up for jobs that could be automated, for work that need not be done, for enslavement without fervency for meaningful achievement. We have no choices in life when money is our motivational force. Our motivational force ought to be passion, but this is lost from the moment we step into a system that trains us, rather than inspires us.
We are more than robotic bookshelves, conditioned to blurt out facts we were taught in school. We are all very special, every human on this planet is so special, so aren't we all deserving of something better, of using our minds for innovation, rather than memorization, for creativity, rather than futile activity, for rumination rather than stagnation? We are not here to get a degree, to then get a job, so we can consume industry-approved placation after placation. There is more, and more still.
The saddest part is that the majority of students don't have the opportunity to reflect as I did. The majority of students are put through the same brainwashing techniques in order to create a complacent labor force working in the interests of large corporations and secretive government, and worst of all, they are completely unaware of it. I will never be able to turn back these 18 years. I can't run away to another country with an education system meant to enlighten rather than condition. This part of my life is over, and I want to make sure that no other child will have his or her potential suppressed by powers meant to exploit and control. We are human beings. We are thinkers, dreamers, explorers, artists, writers, engineers. We are anything we want to be - but only if we have an educational system that supports us rather than holds us down. A tree can grow, but only if its roots are given a healthy foundation.
For those of you out there that must continue to sit in desks and yield to the authoritarian ideologies of instructors, do not be disheartened. You still have the opportunity to stand up, ask questions, be critical, and create your own perspective. Demand a setting that will provide you with intellectual capabilities that allow you to expand your mind instead of directing it. Demand that you be interested in class. Demand that the excuse, "You have to learn this for the test" is not good enough for you. Education is an excellent tool, if used properly, but focus more on learning rather than getting good grades.
For those of you that work within the system that I am condemning, I do not mean to insult; I intend to motivate. You have the power to change the incompetencies of this system. I know that you did not become a teacher or administrator to see your students bored. You cannot accept the authority of the governing bodies that tell you what to teach, how to teach it, and that you will be punished if you do not comply. Our potential is at stake.
For those of you that are now leaving this establishment, I say, do not forget what went on in these classrooms. Do not abandon those that come after you. We are the new future and we are not going to let tradition stand. We will break down the walls of corruption to let a garden of knowledge grow throughout America. Once educated properly, we will have the power to do anything, and best of all, we will only use that power for good, for we will be cultivated and wise. We will not accept anything at face value. We will ask questions, and we will demand truth.
So, here I stand. I am not standing here as valedictorian by myself. I was molded by my environment, by all of my peers who are sitting here watching me. I couldn't have accomplished this without all of you. It was all of you who truly made me the person I am today. It was all of you who were my competition, yet my backbone. In that way, we are all valedictorians.
I am now supposed to say farewell to this institution, those who maintain it, and those who stand with me and behind me, but I hope this farewell is more of a "see you later" when we are all working together to rear a pedagogic movement. But first, let's go get those pieces of paper that tell us that we're smart enough to do so!
Thursday, July 1:Promethean for Educators: Promethean is the educators version of the business-minded Smart Board. It is designed for student interactivity. The ActivExpression component provides instant student responses. It has a website with lesson plans accessible for free. There is ongoing 'free" professional development. $2,000 will get a Promethean board at the Volunteer Center. I hope we will be able to find grant funding for this. It is amazing. I was not able to attend a Smart board training yet, but the tech people at the State Department would purchase a Promethean over a Smart Board for Ed. purposes. I think this board could also be used at Independent and Assisted Living facilities.
Tuesday, July 6: Motivating the Digital Natives I only attended an hour of this workshop. I had to take family to airport. I learned about edmodo.com, a social network for educators. I also learned about todaysmeet.com where students can take notes digitally. The so-called backchannelling is great. For a month we will be able see our notes on Skype, Delicious, Animoto/Edmoto, Ning, Jing project. I attended edmoto and how to use todaysmeet.com/motivatingdigialnatives. Manuel can be found at twitter.com/manuelgonzales. We signed up for his workshop at his ning. From the todaysmeet.com/motivatingdigitalnatives I gathered the following websites: Explaining Web 2.0: http://edsocialweb.wikispaces.com/; Imaginationcubed.com -artwork (e.g. smartboard tools-ish); collaborative modem;use kisstunes to create music for videos. technology tips for teachers: http://web.mac.com/tammy.w/Tips/Tammys_Technology_Tips_for_Teachers.html, google skypeinschools.pbworks.com; animoto.com, skype.com; creativecommons.org for free pics, sound, etc. that can be used in student projects;pixlr.com photo editing; delicious.com for saving your Internet bookmarks or favorites online; http://delicious.com/TTUMPA/; tagxedo.com-create your thoughts on something in a shape instead of just a word cloud: wordle.net : we use it with our elementary students and their weekly spelling lists; it jazzes up the boring spelling work for them; bibliography links:bibme.com to create a bibliography; easybib.com for bibliography citations also. Youtube videos: on selected youtube videos insert "kick" before you in youtube (ie. www.kickyoutube.com.....) saves the file in flash. tooble.com for download to save youtube videos as mp4 file to save on iPods or video files to show to students.
Wednesday, July 7: Audacity: facilitator: Manuel Gonzalez. Audacity is a free program. Manuel self-trained after a COV Training (Celebrate Oklahoma Voices.) Example of Mike and Mike podcast (a radio broadcast edited.) That is what audacity does. You can also use to do digital story telling. High Educational example: High School students mentoring in American History during the summer turned their poems into rap songs. They worked with headstar 4 year olds. Students still remember the experience and the CD creation. Workshop process Basic: Introduction..How to get it, what it looks like Advance features: Change voice tones, etc. Learn to export it compatible files Record voice with music. Get songs that are royalty free
How do we find audacity? http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download the 1.2.6 version, if you have windows 7 download the beta version. It saves it as a .aupfile. I can only play it in an audacity player Types of files audio files: .mp3; wav; .a+f; aup will be changed to .wav; .mp3 doc files: doc/docx; pdf, etc Audacity control tools are the same as a VCR. Mikes are very sensitive. We recorded our introduction and how we spent our 4th of July weekend. Mute the first track unless you want to hear both at the same time. Creative commons.org---free music, find, jamendo music to download legally music available for educators. Other sites for music: http://www.freeplaymusic.com/. We downloaded the music we saved at the desktop. We learned how to edit, duplicate, edit, and undo. 30 seconds or 10% is the only allowed time to take legally for free. You avoid lawsuits that way. The programs' difficulties are handling the tools. Photo story 3 for windows. You can import the audacity file for your pictures. Vokie was another site a tech teacher asked if she could use with audacity because it changes your voice. A good site for free sounds is http://www.shockwave-sound.com/sound-effects/ocean_sounds.php Think 2 minutes of content. Do not go over 3 because you lose your audience! Effects tab...Helps you remove noise and unwanted sounds wuth noise removal and click removal, amplification will help the shy voices. Fading under effects and silence under generate What kind of headset? Shop carefully. Other helpful sites provided by teachers, mostly media librarians: Site to keep track of URLS www.diigo.com, Photo Story 3 does not accept MP3 only wave files: Sound convertor files: http://webklipper.com/k/EOQm55jPuK1ROy5oExUr (with a webklipper annocation)
Thursday, July 8th: Digital Citizenship It is digital literacy on how to teach teachers and parents the abc of digital literacy. Our presenter is Perry Applegate who knows Jeanie.
The presenter shared her story of spagetti grew on trees.(spagetti harvest, bbc April fools video). She shared the video What is a browser: How you get to the internet: Internet explorer, Firebox, Chrome, Safari. Search Engine: How you use to look up stuff: Google, Yahoo, Bing, Wolfram Alpha. A search engine searches only their sites, not all the websites. Ranked by most searches, not for relevancy or reliability. Some are paid links. Search engines are paid for their link. cancer..$3 a hit for example.(leukemia, cancer with heat-probably not the most reputable.) So do not think the first findings are good. On Goggle it says, "paid results." Look at the description..Google is the biggest, websearchguide.ca/reserch/compfram.htm compares search engines. Relevance and segregation are part of Google. refseek.com is good for educational purposes. No paid results, and gives Sweetsearch.com: Designed for high school students Kids click.org is a good one for younger kids. They can narrow it down by subject area. Ask.com kids can put in whole sentences bing: decision engine. Great for shopping. It is the microsoft search engine. Segregate subheadinds WolframAlpha is a great search engine for math and science. Great for b-day info.
Being a good searcher: 1. Be specific -Develop a search plan (bio, role, presidency,wife...What kind of info do we want: facts only) In addition to search engines, databases and books. Spelling does count!! N -Narrow them, Boolean operators (passe) Help refine the search or(expands) and (narrows) not(eliminate certain related topics) The magazine databases require them, + and - host searchers. gov. edu college, com, etc. It is changing now. The host domain name is changing. She provided domain names for other countries. cnet.com: Reviews technology smokingabd www.health.gov: Site searching Google advance search should be taught to the students. You can find several pp on study skills. You do not have to reinvent the wheel. Almost all uses advance searchers look at all possibilities in google advance search How do we know if a website is good: Who, what, where, when,why Who created the website, who is the responsible person? What? Does the website meet your information needs? how easy is it to use? How well written is it? grammatical and spelling errors-not an expert in the field. Check simple fact. When? when was initially posted and updated. Where? .org is good,but not fair and balance edu,.k12, .me personal website Why? was it created?...propaganda techniques...bandwagon approach...everybody believes this. Fact and opinion differentiation Tons of good lessons recognized usage of strong words. Easywhois.com tells who owns the website. altavista..link: History of website: archive.org How web sites were livebinders.com web space sites to evaluate by perri http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit/14682
Sunday: Traveling, Sightseeing Day- Walking around Manhathan, An Evening with Sybil: I arrived on Sunday and shared a ride with a member of the Oklahoma City Community Service Commission. The man and his wife were staying at the Hilton so they left the taxi and I went on with my Russian taxi driver to my wonderful hotel, Washington/Jefferson Hotel http://www.wjhotel.com/ at 51st and 8th. I highly recommend this hotel, if one does not mind walking to save taxi costs. Airpot taxi to and from hotel:$80. In town, anywhere from $10-20 per ride. I think rides start at $2.00, not sure because I walked as much as I could because the predicted rain never came and there was so much to see.
I walked to 88th and York to have dinner with Sybil, a friend of my daughther-in-law Julia. It was great to see Sybil's amazing collection of antiques and enjoy a fresh Maine lobster dinner, great wine, and a million dollar view from her terrace.
On my way to Sybil's, I walked by Central Park, discovered the Plaza Hotel, where I needed to go to a luncheon on Monday, and stumbled with Ben and Jerry and Target's promotional day for the new flavors exclusive to Target to celebrate volunteerism: Berry Voluntary and Brownie Chew Gooder. I had my picture taken with a cow. I will place the picture somewhere in my office.
As I walked on a Sunday!!!!; I had a manicure, a pedicure, I had my hair done. All things I did not have time to do because I was moving my office. Everyone treated me with great kindness. I love the Upper East Side of NYC. I met Sybil at about 7:00p.m. and left her place by 11:00 p.m. Sybil described herself very well; she is the spirit of New York.
After a lovely time wiht Sybil learning about NYC and Julia's growing up years, I returned to my hotel at midnight. I could not avoid remembering Brian when he was in NYC for the first time and he wanted to take a taxi from the theater to the hotel because he was scared. I cannot believe, he has lived in NYC for two years and he is in his 10th year of living in Boston. How much he and I have changed in such a short period of time.
Monday: First Day of the Conference: http://www.volunteeringandservice.org/ I ate breakfast on the go from a small cafe next to the Hilton. I registered early and found out that the changes in schedule would not permit me to attend the first session Realizing your Dreams. I went to the workshop to network before it started. Left the workshop earlier to get ready for the Gala luncheon. I hated changing my sketchers for regular shoes, but it was a small price to pay for what I was about to experience.
On my way to the Plaza Hotel luncheon, I found my favorite jewelry store, Swarovski, and bought myself a treat! The heart shaped pendant complemented my favorite ear rings. As I entered the luncheon, I saw beautiful flowers and about 300+ people networking. The servers provided palatable delicacies and all the drinks one desired. Participants received a bag, especially designed for Shinnyo-en with a t-shirt, literature, and a beatiful name tag holder. I wonder why I was invited to such important event as Jody came to welcome me and introduced me to the team she had brought. Jody's work in service-learning focuses on teleconferencing global service-learning projects.
After about an hour of networking, we were called to lunch. The room was decorated for a platinum wedding! I was told to seat at a table number higher than 14. We had a beautiful program waiting for us. People from around the world began to eat a lobster based lunch. Every dish looked like a work of art. As the program developed, people received awards. The luncheon ended with a women's forum on volunteerism. The most amazing thing for me was being a couple of tables away from Shinso Ito, the very petit woman who heads the Shinnyo-En order: Borderless Garden of Truth. To describe her presence, one has to be a gifted writer, so I will stop there. I wanted to meet her, but for some reason I felt, it was not my time yet. I did meet Bishop Tsao Ito who gave me his card. He works out of the Shinnyo-en Grand Holy Temple, 2-13, 1-Chome, Shibazakicho, Tachigama-City, Tokyo 190-0023, phone 042-525-0111. As I heard Haru, CEO of Shinnyo-En Foundation in San Francisco, speak, I realized that there had been an ongoing interfaith service partnership between the head of the Shinnyo-En order and the Pope.
Her Holiness Shinso Ito presented the Prince Shotoku, a symbol of peace and harmony, to first deputy mayor, Patricia Hams, who accepted it on behalf of the city of NY. Her Holiness speech reminded all those in attendance about the shared bonds and strong connections between people, and the need for everyone to help each other. It was truly an inspiring moment. I could not help but feel her spirit of peace and harmony entering my little heart shaped pendant. When her holiness spoke at the opening plenary of the conference, the stage was transformed by the colors and the beauty of her petite, kind presence. Her speech, translated by telepromter, metioned hearts united in the quest for peace. I felt like I was taking a little bit of her spirit with me in my new heart shaped pendant.
As the lunch program continued, the recipient of the 2010 Pathfinders to Peace Award, an award which honors those who have dedicated their lives to bringing about a more peaceful world through their endeavors, was U.S. Senator Harris Wofford, who was honored for his lifelong commitment to service, including his important role in the formation of the Peace Corps, and his support of the civil rights movement working alongside the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. that are only a few of his many accomplishments.
Other awards presented were the Heart of Service Awards: the Daily Point of Light Award,the President's Volunteer Service Award, and the NY Governor's Rose Award.
The panel discussion (First Lady Michelle Paige Patterson, Kim Martin, Vice-President and General Manager of WE tv, Maya Enista, CEO, Mobilize.org, and Mary McPhail, Chief Executive Worldwide Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) moderated by Ariana Huffington (ariana@hufftingtonpost.com)brought an interesting exchange of ideas, bringing together some of the most successful and important women in the community. Thoughts to remember from the panel: -Budget time, money, and make choices -Make service part of your daily life -Promote social innovation in civic participation -Promote Let's Read, Let's Move in our communities The lenght of the luncheon did not allow me to attend the workshop Video: Story telling and Strategy. I did not worry because I have Mr. Varela as an advisor in this area and I was planning to take a video making course as part of my free professional development from the State Department of Education in July.
I was glad to meet Jody's husband and co-workers as well as her superintendent who told me he would be happy to be an administrative resource for Casady. Christopher Clouet is the superintendent of White Plains Public Schools, chrisclouet@wpesd.k12.ny.as. At my table sat a woman who was a friend of Henry Lozano. Pat White is the Executive Director of the Community Anti Drug Coalitions Acros Tennnesse pwhite@cadcat.org. www.cadcat.org. I hope to see her again at the retreat in San Francisco.
1:30-4:00 Radio City Music Hall: OPENING PLENARY
It was my first time attending a National Conference for service managers working in collaboration with the corporate, non-profit, government and faith-based groups. I discovered a world of empowered women and win-win collaborations with a common goal, solve community problems with a well-trained and committed volunteer force.
Every seat was filled in the legendary and historic Radio City Music Hall at the official kick off of the Conference, with close to 6,000 leaders of the business, nonprofit, government, and volunteer sector ready to embark on the three-day event. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and a host of other dignitaries, community leaders, and volunteers from across the country gave words of encouragement, with emcees Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” kept the crowd entertained.
I wanted to meet Rupper, the man from the deli who is constantly interviewed by David Letterman, so I went there for dinner. $10 for a sandwich and Orangina served by Rupper's girlfriend who told me she had been volunteering for RSVP. I could not believe she was over 55 years old. It was late and she was closing the deli, but she prepared a sandwich and we talked for a while. I told her I would be back to taste her signature sandwich when the Deli was opened for lunch and to meet Rupper!!
8:30-11:00 Radio City Music Hall: HERE IS TO YOU Award Celebration I wonder how the awards were selected because for the youth area, the Casady4H2ope deserves national recognition if you compare the scope and student involvement. All the awards and Broadway entertainment videos can be viewed at the National Conference website. The inspirational moments for me were TODAY
SMALL GROUP CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Things to remember: -DEPENDS ON ME, YOU, US -Let's Read, Let's Move Project -Saint Bernard Project -PS22 singing group (children..Stand by ME_YOU) -Build institutional capacity, not just expand outreach efforts -Participate in non-profit boards...Create more non-profit boards -Engage with public officials -Create a partnership with Target. They give $3 million every week. Participate in the Target Meals for Minds. Develop a colaboration between YAC, Students Against Hunger, Target Meals for Minds and create an amazing Big Sort Day 2010. Follow the example of Party for Good where 150,000 meals were packed. Reward volunteers with new volunteer Ben and Jerry ice cream flavors available exclusively at Target. -Millenniums (born on 1980 and on) and baby boomers: A winning service collaboration -We have the human capital to solve our community problems -Engage on reduction of carbon footprint -Utilize social media with innovation, purpose, and to build relationship based on audience interest.
2nd day of Conference: My day did not start until 10:30, so I went to see what was going on at the Hilton because my laptop stopped working. I am glad I did it because I was able to attend an interfaith networking breakfast.
8:30-10:30 Interfaith Forum: Sponsored by the Point of Light Institute and the Shinnyo-En Foundation: Things to remember from this forum -Kindness has no borders and people of different faiths can work together if they look at the connections in faith and find ways to build alliances. -Do not focus on religious differences, instead focus on what inspires us to serve. Mercy, Kindness and Compassion are core values among religions. Interfaith service can make our world better. -Work on the common humanity in all of us. -Working together provides the opportunity to deepen one's faith and brings the unique spirituality of working as one for a common goal. We start listening with our heart. -Joshua Dubois called for advancing interfaith based initiatives. Author of Acts of Faith asked: How can we create a sustainable interfaith service movement? What should our world look like and how do we build the bridge to get there? -Let's have knowledge of the great interfaith service movements in history.MLK! -Facilitate interfaith dialog and action -Obama: Was an interfaith teacher. Connected to diversity being a force for peace. whitehouse.gov/partnerships whpartnerships.who.cop.gov, Fight Poverty: www.bittingpovertywithfaith.org..October initiative. -Neil Bush is a resource at the Points of Light Institute: More faith based initiatives for MLK Day, September 11: National Days of Service.
10:30-12:00 Creative Process: Using Arts Processes for Community Change: I attended a few minutes of this presentation, but it was an introduction to service-learning with connections to the arts. I left and look around and stumbled into an empowering workshop on promoting latinos into serving on non-profit boards. This workshop, led by Julian Posada, President of Cafe Media, julian@cafemedialc.com was interesting.
Non-Hispanic Hispanic
How do we relate to people? Minimize differences/Everybody is the same Stress differences/Show respect
What do we stress in relationships? Balance, Harmony,Competition, Informality Respect, Cooperation,Formality What do we value in people? A person's achievements through special skills A person's background
On whom do we rely for help? Ourselves and institutions Family, friends, community,"our social security"
The speaker provided the following advise: UNDERSTAND – build knowledge of complexity of Latino demographic segments throughout your company ATTRACT – be visible in community; foster community involvement; communicate your culture & brand; expand your word-of-mouth network; use existing online networks & tools; reach out to Latino youth RETAIN – invest in leadership development opportunities; support affinity networks; create visible Latino company leadership
Visit cafemagazine.com to register for our weekly e-newsletter El Cafecito
2:30-4:00 Six Billion Path to Peace, the Journey to Global Engagement An inspirational panel discussed national and international service endevors with one message: You signed up for a new life, LISTEN TO PEACE. Find a path to connect to each other. Kyleigh Kuhn, 19 YEARS OLD, works to eliminate mine fields inspired by her parents work. She stated, "Our path to peace comes from the vision we have and the choices we make.
I want to remember what one of the panelist said, "The voice of peace is weaker than the trumpets of war. Young people have voices louder than the trumpets of war! There is a huge capacity at our finger tips, but it takes reflection to find out what you want to do."
At the end of the discussion,Riaz Simjee, Charter Member of VOLiNTeer.org from Johaneshburg, South Africa, riazsim@gmail.com; spoke about the power of a smile. I hope our youth leaders will meet at the San Francisco Retreat! We want to connect youth interesed in a Peace Education dialog. We hope they will decide to SKYPE after they meet in San Francisco or via e-mail.
4:30-6:00: Interfaith Dialog: Effective Service Reflection for a Diverse World Excellent techniques, but I had to leave early to get at least a little bit of the Let's Move, Let's Read Workshop. I was hoping to find resources for the for the mentoring projects at Casady. The Interfaith Dailog was facilitated by Hannah McConnaughay, and Amber Hacker of InterfaithYouty Core. The goal was to show how to incorporate interfaith dialog into the reflection piece of service-learning projects. Their approach has foundation on what religions share, the common values and what they struggle with? They asked participants how values affect who you are, but do not give facts and figures because we do not know everything. I have two website www.careeronestop.org; www.icicp.org
The facilitator started setting group guidelines of interaction. Some participants were reluctant to do this part of the workshop. (I will ask the library and or Father Blizzard to consider acquiring he Interfaith tool kit available at www.ifyc.org/toolkit.) All information for youth committed to understanding religious pluralism can be found at ifyc.org. Process of the workshop: 1. Guidelines of interaction 2. Texts of the Shared value of Service: We read at loud, could pass if desired. Then we discussed: Any resonate? Did you find any challenging? Did any help you see service in a different way? 3. Role playing..Skills as a facilitator in challenging times..The art of listening and reflecting instead of providing judgement 4. Sharing non faith-based meaningful service experiences. What inspired the person to engage in such experience? How was that experience based on your faith tradition or moral values-human- perspective? 5. Read the texts again and ask participants if they think differently now that they have listened to stories about inspiration from different traditions. How did the themes of the texts played out in the stories told? Texts: Baha'i Tradition of Service (from Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha) One amongst His Teachings is this, that love and good faith must so dominate the human heart that men will regard the stranger as a familiar friend, the malefactor as one of their own, the alien even as a loved one, the enemy as a companion clear and close.
Buddhist Tradition of Service (From Itivuttaka 18) If beings knew, as I know, the fruit of sharing gifts, they will not enjoy their use without sharing them, nor would the taint of stiginess obsess the heart and stay there. Even if it were their last bit, their last morsel of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it.
Christian Tradition of Service (Matthew 25:35)
"For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thristy and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcome me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? And the king will answer them,"Truly I tell you, just as you did it to the one of the least of these who are the members of my family, you did it to me."
Hindu Tradition of Service (from Bhagavad Gita 3.10) At the beginning, mankind and the obligation of selfless service were created together. "Through selffless service, you will always be fruitful and find the fulfillment of your desires": this is the promise of the Creator...
Jain Tradition of Service (from Tattvarthasutra 5.21) Rendering help to another is the function of all human beings.
Jewish Tradition of Service (Deuteronomy 10:17) For the LORD your G-d is G-d supreme and Lord supreme, the great, the mighty, and the awsome G-d'who shows no favor and takes no bribe, but upholds the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and befriends the strange, providing him with food and clothing. You too must befriend the stranger,for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Muslin Tradition of Service(Surah 93:1-11) I call to witness the early hours of morning, and the night when dark and still, your Lord has neither left you, nor despises you. What is to come is better for you than what has gone before; for your Lord will certainly give you, and you will be content. Did He not find you and orphan and take care of you? Did He not find you perplexed, and show you the way? Did He not find you poor and enrich you? So do not oppress the orphan, and do not drive the beggar away, and keep recounting the favors of your Lord.
Secular Humanism Tradition of Service (from the writing of Pablo Neruda) To feel the intimacy of brothers is a marvelous thing in life. To feel the love of people whom we love is a fine that feeds our life. But to feel the affection that comes from those whom we do not know, from those unknown t ous, who ae watching over our sleep and solitude, over our dangers and our weaknesses-that is something still greater and more beautiful because it widens out the boundaries of our being and unites all living things.
Sikh Tradition of Service (from Guru Granth Sahib) The individual who performs selfless service without thought of reward shall attain God's salvation.
Let's Move Workshop: Great fruit salad (fruits with lime and cilantro). Jacelyn Fryer, Office of the First Lady; Carla Hall: Top Chef; Joe Briggs: NFL Players Association; Max Finger: USDA;John Kelly: CNCS, and Dough Swansn:4-H. Gave information about the White House Let's Read, Let's Move project.
6:00-11:00 p.m. Party For Good A mess to get there, 5000+people in buses! but an amazing Broadway production to pack 150,000 boxes to feed NYC hungry families for three days:each box. Incredibly well organized by Target volunteers in collaboration with other main conference sponsors. We met the goal by 10:00 a.m. The entretaiment, food, and Ben and Jerry ice cream unveiling were amazing.
Third Day: Closing and Traveling Day
7:00-8:30: Hands On Network Breakfast I arrived late and sat with two women who helped me realize the importance of looking for corporate partners for the Casady program. I met Theresa Teston, Commissioner, Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism, Silver Springs, MO, 301-529-4955, volunteermontgomeryco@yahoo.com and from the Network Natalie Smith, Manager of Business training sessions. They all encourage me to contact the network for help with the intership program. I also met, Mark Farr, Senior Directot of the Faith-Based initiative at the network. I will follow-up with all of them after the 4th of July.
8:30-10:00: Tweets, Posts and Flips: Shaping the way you think about informing Amazing panel: Target, Tweeter, Facebook, Pepsi and Gap. The facilitators spoke about how social media affects service. The cause is a conversation started When organizations are consistent in posting and make it a top priority internally with a human dialog based on participants interest, simple, with the least # of stemps; the response is incredible..GAP
Pepsy Refresh Project: It is about sharing and listening to the engaged audience. Target: Audience: mom's. It has more than just products to sell. It also has summer activities and gives 3 million away per week. Their social media has one voice, the voice of the company. There is NO control, but participants provide the needed monitoring when wrong information appears. They step back, listen, learn, and do not respond! Bottom Up approach! Process driven team..What do they want in return? Digital/social Media Person sits at every meeting and is part of the marketing team.
What is next? Force wear..Bull's Eye II for Target..mainstream..real time, reliable, easy, available. Target has ultimate happy hour...Employees can use social media..the millennials expected..golbal:World Cup example..sensitive to the country's culture. Life Stream: Engages global audiences..It is digital activism. The target person said she would have the public relations person for OKC contact me. If after the 14th I have not heard from here, I will search myself. I want to bring Party 4 Good to OKC.
10:30-12:00 Values-Based Reflection of Service: Incredible workshop!led by Lila Miller, Lisa Eisen,Rabbi Will Berkovitz, and Ted Marquis(Learn and Serve). It was sponsored by a Tulsa based foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. Lisa Eisen told me she will contact me leisen@schusterman.org after the 4th. Things to remember from this workshop: 1. High quality service programs enrich the service provider through values based reflection. Evolution of service: 1.0 Volunteerism, community service without a reflective component 2.0 Service-Learning, classroom based, reflective cycle 3.0 Values based service reflection: Commitment based on values that solidifies identity and impacts life. Faith and spirituality responding to community needs with impacting values based-reflection process enhances citizenship, academic achievement, and sense of self-efficacy. The Schusterman foundation helped the Rabbi take teachers to Israel to help them become better teachers. They reflected on their style of leadership and how they faced challenges and used their abilities to problem-solved what came their way. The Rabbi created the initiative called REPAIR THE WORLD. He drew from his experience as a former director of cultural, arts, and wilderness travel. I need to ask the Blumenthals' and Cox's if they know about Repair the World program?
Rabbi Berkowitz recommended to read the book THE SERVANT AS LEADER and he shared his process of values based reflection. He shared the following texts 1. "...And right action is freedom From past and future also. For most of us this is the aim Never here to be realized; Who are only undefeated Because we have gone on trying..." -T.S. Eliot, The Dry Salvages
2. You are not obligated to finish the task; neither are you free to neglected. -Pirkei Avot (Teaching of the Sages), Chapter 2,21
Then, the Rabbi asked us to be in pairs, by stating, "Make a friend and acquire a teacher. Introduce yourself to the person you will meet. Pay attention to the answers. Place your heart to understand the other and yourself. The questions were: 1. What is the task that you have been trying to contemplate in the world? Why? 2. How would the world be different if you succeeded? 3. What motivates you to keep trying when it would be easier to quit?
My partner was a young man from a YAC at a university in Texas,Austin. His was respect for human dignity, mine was peace. Our reasoning was very similar. It was an amazing reflection which empowered us to keep on trying.
A few inspirational thoughts; Are you a tourist or a traveler on service? Do you encounter the other? Do you tell their story, or just focus on yours? Do you challenge assumptions? Do you become a witness of the others' realities? Are you able to see it from their perspective? You are also asking me questions and I hear you. I answer that I cannot answer, you must find answers yourself.
When you listen to storytelling, be a River Guide: Listen, create space for conversations, let the texts be the other voice in the room
Now I wash the stuff from your eyes, you must habit yourself to the dazzel of the light of every moment of your life. Teach people to see what they have been blind to..See the violinist in the subway!
Set-up the space for conversations: A candle in the room..creation of a sacred space..leave your cynicism at the door. Self-reflection: Why are you here? Where have you been? Where do you want to go?
Create team building opportunities: Trust walk..a safe environment..IF PROJECT (I must research this)
Share life stories: Leather bound communal journal
Top 10 list 1. Strike the right balance 2. Plant strong roots, yield strong branches 3. Challenge assumptions 4. Explore both particular and universal values 5. Create of sense of agency 6. Offer diverse options 7. Administer daily doses 8. Capture teachable moments 9. Let peers and texts speak 10. Find a great partner
Then we heard about the reflective process of Ameri Corps, City Year which now involves about 41,000 volunteers. Their big initiative this year is "Stay in School." They also have "Alternative Spring Break Programs."
This program is based on an idealistic journey; Give a Year; Change the Outer World through service and the Inner World through reflection and leadership development. DO, KNOW, BE DO: WHAT CAN I DO? KNOW: WHAT DO I KNOW? BE: WHAT DO I WANT TO BE? The presenter then described the Americ Corp City Year process of recruitment, training and retention.
12:00-2:00 Closing: Uneventful and disorganized. They did not even know where it was going to take place until a couple of days before. This was the only part that was dissapointing of the conference. We were directed to a wrong location at first by people dress in Mardi Grass attire as a hint of where the conference were to be next year. There I met a person who might be interested in helping Walk the World 2011: Aldustus Jordan,Director of Community Relations, Partnerships and Programs for ARAMARK in Philadelphia, jordan-aldustus@aramark.com. This is a company that works with the United Nations World Food Programme and he was interested in finding more information, especially if this becomes an intergenerational, interfaith event.
