Week 3 Blog #3: Paying It Forward!

Paying it Forward!

What are you doing to lend a helping hand? Oftentimes in our lives we come to a stand still, a time in our lives when we cannot do something without the kindness and help of others. This is when paying it forward really helps!

Throughout our lives we will sometimes experience down falls that are out of our control. A flat tire, locking your keys in your car, or forgetting your wallet at home...all times when we might need the assistance of others. Whether it be to borrow someone's cell phone to call a locksmith, or to borrow five bucks for a meal, these are times when we should follow the rule of "paying it forward."

Sometimes something as simple as asking for what you want can get you the exact help you are looking for. As I read through chapter 7 in the book "Art of Possibility," I learned that sometimes in order to persuade somebody to help others without agenda, you need to get their interest, or "light a spark" so to speak. And, as Ben Zander's father (Walter) said, "Some things are better done in person!" Sometimes, if there is something you need or want, it is better to just march right up to the person and ask. Oftentimes, the answer will be yes, and the worst they can say is no.

Then, the most important thing to remember after someone has helped you is to "Treat others the way you would want to be treated," and pay forward that kindness. If we all 'payed it forward' can imagine what a great world this would be to live in!

Week 3 Blog #2: My Passion!

My Passion!

My passion and interests in life revolve around houses. I love everything to do with houses. I love the floors, the paint, the cabinetry, the lighting fixtures, and every other item dealing with decor. I look at houses on realtor.com for fun. I enjoy going to Home Depot and Lowe's just to look at the faux kitchens, and the tile flooring

samples. When I was younger, I used to want to be an interior designer. Because I never went to college for interior design, I decided to do the next best thing, which was to work for a construction company as a new home sales representative. I worked there for a while, and then eventually left because the pay was terrible, and I always had to work on the weekends, which meant I was missing out on a lot. However, I loved showing homes, so that prompted me to get my real estate license. I eventually got a job working for a local real estate company. Although, the pay was not steady, so I ended up going into a different field of work.

I still love houses and everything to do with them. I still go to Home Depot for fun, and I still plan for the home I am going to build someday. So, what's your passion?

Week 3 Blog #1: Changing The Way Things Are!

Changing The Way Things Are!

Are you longing for something different? Are you not happy with where you are right now in your life? Do you feel in your gut, that this is not where you are supposed to be right now in your life? Well, I do, and I am doing things to change it! I have been teaching at the same school now for 6 years. I have taught everything under the sun from Physical Education to E.S.E., and have also coached basketball, volleyball, and dance club. I am 31 years old as of about a week ago, and am not completely happy about where I am in life.

I do own my own home, I have a great s.u.v., and I also have an awesome dog! So, what's missing? Well, seeing as how I am 31 years. old, never been married, and haven't had any kids yet is a start. I know several people my age who have been married for 10 years, and have 3 kids! So, that's just an example of what is missing. The other thing that seems to be lacking in my life is my job. This may sound ridiculous, but I just know that I will not have to be doing this job (or any other job similar) for the rest of my life. I do not want to have to go to a jobsite for the rest of my life, and have to worry about alarms, etc... I want to either work online or be a stay-at-home mom. This is primarily why I went back to college to get my master's degree. My degree, that I will hopefully be getting on April 2nd., is a Master's of Science in Educational Media Design and Technology. I went back to get this degree so that it would give me a one-up on other applicants applying to the virtual online schools. I would love to work for Florida Virtual Academy, or its sister company, Connection's Academy. It would be great to be able to work out of the conveniences of my own home office, and spend the rest of the time raising my future family. So, we will see. I am going to shoot for my dreams, and see what God has in store for my life!

Week 2 Wimba Session

This wimba session's purpose was to give us a chance to check in with our instructor to determine if we were on the right track for Media Project. The wimba first started off with a slide referencing Dr. Bedard's slide show presentation about the Media Project. Joe Bustillos explained that on one of the slides it referenced the time requirements for our project. They were actually reduced to 10 minutes instead of the possible 10 to 15 minutes.

Secondly, they talked about the Content Proposal Paper that was turned in the day before. Joe wanted to be sure that we had met all of the requirements for the paper, and if we had any corrections to make it would be sent back to us for re-submittal.

Lastly, the Media Project was addressed. This wimba session gave time for the class members to discuss their projects, and to get feedback from the instructor. This wimba was very helpful, and it helped to clear up any questions that I had about the project.

Week 2 Blog #4: Response to Tyrone's Blog

Tyrone Greene wrote the following:

During the Christmas holiday while shopping for gifts I ran into a few former students. To my surprise, not only did those students remembered me, each greeted me with the same courtesy and respect as if I were still their teacher. The old verbiage about students remembering “certain” teachers came to mind. I will always remember my third grade teacher Mrs. Jennings for always pushing me past my comfort level and not allowing me to give up on myself. After running into those former students, I wondered if I had left each of them with something that would be of some sort of significance in their lives in the future. Becoming a teacher, I never thought of myself as a leader, but after spending time in and out of the classroom and recognizing the impact I was able to make to help shape a young mind, changed my perspective on my career goals. I realized how much influence a good or bad teacher can have on a student’s life.

Having had the opportunity to teach in public school and instruct students for a 180 day school year, gave me insight to how I might be able to make a difference in a young person’s life. A nudge in the right direction, or a bit of advice about career paths or college choices could mean all the difference in the world. I’d like to think I’ve made a difference and led someone down a successful path.

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February 13, 2010 - Posted by tygre1 | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

1. Tyrone, like you, I never really thought of myself as a leader. Still to this day, I think of myself as having more of a co-pilot type personality. However, I do believe you are right in that if we are a teacher, then we are indeed a leader. I teach Language Arts, and I do have the ability to impact a child’s life every single day. It is amazing to think that we get the chance to help shape the live’s of several children each day.

   I too have a few favorite teachers that inspired me, or helped me become the person that I am today. Whether it was academics or sports related, they taught me a lot, and I am thankful for each and every one them to this day.

   Comment by Michele Rambo | February 28, 2010 | Reply

   You can view Tyrone Greene's Blog @ http://tygre1.wordpress.com

   
   

Week 2 Blog #3: Leading From Any Chair

Leading From Any Chair

In chapter 5 of Roz and Ben Zander's book, "The Art of Possibility" gives the idea that anybody can be a leader from any position. The example given in the book refers to a conductor and his orchestra. They explained how whether you are the conductor leading an orchestra, or you are a member of the orchestra sitting in the back row, you can still lead a group.

All that is needed to be a leader is passion, confidence, and the will to step up to the plate. Oftentimes, it is very easy to play "armchair quarterback" and critique someone in a lead position, and demean their choices. It is very easy to say, "If I was in charge, I wouldhave done this or that." However, when your chance finally does come, it may not be as easy as it looked. It may give you a much greater sense of respect for those who lead on a daily basis.

Those who are in a lead role need to always keep in mind of what is best for the group as a whole. Looking for greatness or personal gratitude may not be for the greater good of the whole. So, if you ever do get the chance to be in charge or lead any type of group, try to look at things from several different stand points. If you do this, then you will probably become more of a successful leader. And, if you keep this in mind at all times when you are in the lead chair, then you will most likely only continue to improve!

Week 2 Blog #2: I Am A Contribution!

I Am A Contribution

The goal of chapter 4 in the book "The Art of Possibility" written by Roz and Ben Zander is to teach others how to reinvent themselves as a contribution. According to the book, there are two steps to practice this and they are as follows:

1. Declare yourself to be a contribution.
2. Throw yourself into life a s someone who makes a difference, accepting that you may not understand how or why.

When your life does not go as well as planned, and you experience failure, stop, recollect yourself, and remember that you do contribute to this world. You just being here is a contribution. Oftentimes, we determine our self worth by how successful we have become in life. Our net worth, our job, our education, if it were to all go south, would you still view yourself as a contribution? Ben and Roz teach us that instead of viewing our lives as a huge arena of either success or failure, view it rather as a place of contribution. Instead of examining yourselves on how successful you are each week, try examining yourselves by the contributions to the world you have made each week.

Eventually, we will probably all learn to appreciate our self worth, learn that we do matter, and understand how to continuously be a contribution to the world.