I got kicked out of preschool. Literally. The teacher asked my mom to not bring me back. There should have been some sort of disclaimer at that point, but no. Life couldn't possibly be that easy for me.
Fast forward through my life: various self-employments in tutoring, consulting, educational-type work; curriculum design and professional development; product development and general brainstorming (but with not actually manufacturing anything); general frustration with jobs; always feeling insulted at mandatory inservices; piano playing (more so by feeling and improvisation rather than by learned piece); feeling driven to do something but not being able to figure out what; being good at so many things and even great at some but not knowing how everything should come together; wondering what was wrong with me that so many other people could figure out how move ahead and forward and up and over and anywhere with less than I had to offer and I couldn't seem to get to where I thought I wanted to be; marriage, a daughter, a masters degree, a new house, a son, opening a new school, another daughter...
Throughout my life and career as a teacher I've been drawn to the gifted kids, but had the most success with the at-risk kids - because I knew how to connect with them and I wasn't afraid to try new and different things. After taking a leave for my last daughter, I returned to work but was placed at one of the "lowest" schools in town. I was angry because my pride and joy - the school I was a part of building from the ground up - whas no longer to be mine. Out of necessity, I created a sanctuary in my new unwanted place and from day one, just did things differently.
No teacher posters, no fluorescent lighting - paper lanterns only, living plants, shoes come off at the door as I shake hands, smile and say good morning, no testing other than the mandated district and state assessments, project and service oriented areas of study and focusing on the worth and value of global citizenship, ethics, and mutual respect became the foundation and fortitude of my teaching.
I was (am) required to repeat my GATE certification courses because though I had completed them years ago, I transitioned to middle school before completing the two-year instruction fulfillment. At each inservice - where I should be receiving high quality strategies for the advancement of our gifted students - I receive information on how to watch for and identify possible "twice" gifted students and support the needs of our second language students. Further, I am told that the subsequent "trainings" will be focused on technology use with our gifted students. So though I have a Masters degree in Educational Technology and am a consultant for Computer Using Educators, Inc., and have been a full-time Technology Instructor and designed the technology program at the newest middle school in our district, I am required to attend an introductory course on Keynote; on Garageband; on iTunes and on iWeb.
This past fall, as a tinkering project, I learned how to use Google sites by making my school's GATE site ( https://sites.google.com:443/a/eusd.org/del-dios-gate/ ) one night. In doing so, I happened upon a new (to me) tool to use with my students. I became so enthusiastic about the results I was having - but not only with my gifted kids, with my structured English learners as well, that I eagerly signed up for the winter ASDEG conference. Are there really any coincidences? ;)
I attended and listened to Joyce van Tassel deliver a brilliant keynote and I was deeply moved to introduce myself to her and convince her that I should study with her and be mentored by her and pursue my earlier desire to earn a doctorate (though I had no idea on which subject the doctorate would be focused). I did this and she smiled and told me to send an email.
I visited the bookstore on my way home hungry for anything I could find on giftedness - but something different from the shelves of books, magazines, articles and guides with which I had already filled numerous shelves. What I found, entirely by accident, was a simple book titled, The Gifted Adult. I bought it, went home, started reading and by the end of page five I couldn't see anymore because of the constant stream of flowing tears.
I felt as if I was reading a book that had been written about ME. Whoever this woman was, she must have been documenting my every move, thought, question, frustration, dream, idea, relationship, desire, longing, sorrow, heated argument... I couldn't understand how someone could know me so well - things I didn't even understand about myself were literally spelled out in black and white. I ran to my husband and asked him (a 19-year recovering alcoholic) what it was like when he read The Big Book for the first time. He just looked at me and very carefully said that it was like someone had written a manual, just for him. I nodded and held out MY manual.
That was the first step. From that day, I don't think I can explain the sense of magic that has surrounded me. I couldn't in my dreams (and I have some pretty big ones) have put these pieces together and yet here they all are - wandering randomly all these years and suddenly, right before my very eyes, out of the chaotic meandering - symphonic synchronicity, fluid clarity and lucid understanding of what I need to do - for myself and for anyone who will listen to or read my future discoveries. If there ever was a calm in my life, it was never a still calm. And now that I have wakened, I will not rest until I am satiated, if that be possible. For I am, indeed, Tempest, and with wide eyes and wonder at the possibilities, I have stepped the first step and begun the journey.
- after learning so much about myself from The Gifted Adult, by Dr. Jacobsen, I cannot help but wonder, "How would my choice have been different if someone, namely a teacher, had taught me the concepts she presents? How would my focus be different? How would my life be different?" And so one component of my "outcome" includes an instructional piece for adolescents. We have plenty of strategies for what WE (parents, educators, leaders, counselors, etc.) can do FOR gifted kids - but I have yet to see anything that informs a gifted youth on not only what s/he can expect as s/he grows, but how does s/he fit in to those expectations? What is it going to feel like? What are some answers to the questions they might already be asking with regard to knowing that they're different but not having the opportunity to really discuss what those differences are and how they affect every single aspect of our lives?
- I want to expand my natural insistence of mutual respect and moral conscientiousness in the classroom to a global level by rethinking the purpose of education and guide students in the process of discovering their self-worth, potential for greatness and in discovering their own inherent wisdom and personal mission.
- I want to incorporate the effects of the physical environment and composition of the "classroom" on creating the culture of the learning community within the room. I have nearly two years worth of anecdotal evidence and research on this and I believe it to be powerful. I want the opportunity to document and incorporate this somehow.
- I want to put into practice what I've gathered as best practices for gifted students, (strategies for me as a teacher which benefit the student recipient) document the process and continue to move the revolution and evolution of learning and teaching and mentoring and guiding and facilitating and ultimately, "school", forward. I want not to simply push the boundaries - I want to flood the gates, empower those who would be "done to" with the skills to access all they need and lead them to victorious battle
- I want to celebrate and harness the power of "pocket technology" that our students simply acknowledge as a phone or an ipod or a camera and not only utilize the ubiquitous tools, but insist that ethics and etiquette are learned and practiced in anticipation of broadening their 21st century skills and contributions to our global society
By revolutionizing my OWN study, which in actuality is more truly a regression than it is a new idea. I want to find someone who is an expert in as many of the ideas I've started with above and request a three-year "guiding or umbrella" mentorship and formal ties to that person's "institution" which would bestow the degree and title of Ph.D. In the very truest sense of apprenticeship and learning, it is my desire to (with guidance from my "main mentor") create an Action Research Plan that connects me with top experts (globally) in my areas of passion for support and assistance with interpreting my findings, guiding me in areas of research and challenging me to further and deeper exploration. That, combined with attendance, participation and presenting at symposiums, conferences, workshops institutes and lectures will enable me to not only have a global higher education but one garnered from the individual topic experts and provide me with the opportunity to create a unique expertise of my own. As such, I can contribute to this strong social network as an expert professional practitioner. At the end of the period of research, I will orchestrate a public exhibition of my findings at all of my mentors will view and interact with the documentation, evidence, and construction of knowledge manifested in various forms appropriate to the content as well as have the opportunity to interview and engage in dialogue with the subjects of my study. I intend to podcast, blog, record video, and document in various modes all of which I am "natively" comfortable.
Here's a growing list of potential MENTORS, not in any order, of people I know and don't know and all of whom are significantly MEANINGFUL to me and have expertise in areas I want to know MORE about! Hmmm... interesting observation - all the caps words say: more meaningful mentors. Kinda profound.
Dr. Linda Polin, Pepperdine University GSEP
Dr. Howard Gardner, Harvard University Mind/Brain/Behavior Initiative
Dr. Sandra Kaplan, USC Rossier School of Education
Dr. David A. Sousa
Dr. Peggy Kelly
Dr. Kathy Hayden
Dr. Otto Benavides, CSU Fresno
Kitty Salinas, ADEC
Dr. Bernie Dodge, Bernie Dodge
Peter H. Reynolds FableVision
Dr. Mary-Elaine Jacobsen
Dr. Joyce van Tassel-Baska Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary
Derrel Fincher (soon to be Dr.) Congrats, Derrel!
Dr. John Ittelson, CSU Monterey Bay
Mike Lawrence, Computer Using Educators, Inc.
Dr. Gary Stager, Support for Progressive Educators
Marco Antonio Torres, torres21: learn to lead
David Warlick, CoLearners and 2¢
Dr. Leigh Zeitz
Steve Hargadon, Steve Hargadon, Classroom 2.0
Mike Seymour, M.S., The Heritage Institute
Deborah Milton, Athanor Arts, Athanor Arts
This is not merely a pursuit of a higher degree in which my learning is an isolated accumulation of a discrete body of facts and information, but a journey of self-discovery and mandated mission to provide a model for an interactive, interpretive, guided process in which the acquisition of knowledge and expertise is directly related to action research and the network of relationships one builds with mentors and subjects alike, while engaged in the course of study.
Fast forward through my life: various self-employments in tutoring, consulting, educational-type work; curriculum design and professional development; product development and general brainstorming (but with not actually manufacturing anything); general frustration with jobs; always feeling insulted at mandatory inservices; piano playing (more so by feeling and improvisation rather than by learned piece); feeling driven to do something but not being able to figure out what; being good at so many things and even great at some but not knowing how everything should come together; wondering what was wrong with me that so many other people could figure out how move ahead and forward and up and over and anywhere with less than I had to offer and I couldn't seem to get to where I thought I wanted to be; marriage, a daughter, a masters degree, a new house, a son, opening a new school, another daughter...
Throughout my life and career as a teacher I've been drawn to the gifted kids, but had the most success with the at-risk kids - because I knew how to connect with them and I wasn't afraid to try new and different things. After taking a leave for my last daughter, I returned to work but was placed at one of the "lowest" schools in town. I was angry because my pride and joy - the school I was a part of building from the ground up - whas no longer to be mine. Out of necessity, I created a sanctuary in my new unwanted place and from day one, just did things differently.
No teacher posters, no fluorescent lighting - paper lanterns only, living plants, shoes come off at the door as I shake hands, smile and say good morning, no testing other than the mandated district and state assessments, project and service oriented areas of study and focusing on the worth and value of global citizenship, ethics, and mutual respect became the foundation and fortitude of my teaching.
I was (am) required to repeat my GATE certification courses because though I had completed them years ago, I transitioned to middle school before completing the two-year instruction fulfillment. At each inservice - where I should be receiving high quality strategies for the advancement of our gifted students - I receive information on how to watch for and identify possible "twice" gifted students and support the needs of our second language students. Further, I am told that the subsequent "trainings" will be focused on technology use with our gifted students. So though I have a Masters degree in Educational Technology and am a consultant for Computer Using Educators, Inc., and have been a full-time Technology Instructor and designed the technology program at the newest middle school in our district, I am required to attend an introductory course on Keynote; on Garageband; on iTunes and on iWeb.
This past fall, as a tinkering project, I learned how to use Google sites by making my school's GATE site ( https://sites.google.com:4
I attended and listened to Joyce van Tassel deliver a brilliant keynote and I was deeply moved to introduce myself to her and convince her that I should study with her and be mentored by her and pursue my earlier desire to earn a doctorate (though I had no idea on which subject the doctorate would be focused). I did this and she smiled and told me to send an email.
I visited the bookstore on my way home hungry for anything I could find on giftedness - but something different from the shelves of books, magazines, articles and guides with which I had already filled numerous shelves. What I found, entirely by accident, was a simple book titled, The Gifted Adult. I bought it, went home, started reading and by the end of page five I couldn't see anymore because of the constant stream of flowing tears.
I felt as if I was reading a book that had been written about ME. Whoever this woman was, she must have been documenting my every move, thought, question, frustration, dream, idea, relationship, desire, longing, sorrow, heated argument... I couldn't understand how someone could know me so well - things I didn't even understand about myself were literally spelled out in black and white. I ran to my husband and asked him (a 19-year recovering alcoholic) what it was like when he read The Big Book for the first time. He just looked at me and very carefully said that it was like someone had written a manual, just for him. I nodded and held out MY manual.
That was the first step. From that day, I don't think I can explain the sense of magic that has surrounded me. I couldn't in my dreams (and I have some pretty big ones) have put these pieces together and yet here they all are - wandering randomly all these years and suddenly, right before my very eyes, out of the chaotic meandering - symphonic synchronicity, fluid clarity and lucid understanding of what I need to do - for myself and for anyone who will listen to or read my future discoveries. If there ever was a calm in my life, it was never a still calm. And now that I have wakened, I will not rest until I am satiated, if that be possible. For I am, indeed, Tempest, and with wide eyes and wonder at the possibilities, I have stepped the first step and begun the journey.
The pondering and the premise:
- after learning so much about myself from The Gifted Adult, by Dr. Jacobsen, I cannot help but wonder, "How would my choice have been different if someone, namely a teacher, had taught me the concepts she presents? How would my focus be different? How would my life be different?" And so one component of my "outcome" includes an instructional piece for adolescents. We have plenty of strategies for what WE (parents, educators, leaders, counselors, etc.) can do FOR gifted kids - but I have yet to see anything that informs a gifted youth on not only what s/he can expect as s/he grows, but how does s/he fit in to those expectations? What is it going to feel like? What are some answers to the questions they might already be asking with regard to knowing that they're different but not having the opportunity to really discuss what those differences are and how they affect every single aspect of our lives?
- I want to expand my natural insistence of mutual respect and moral conscientiousness in the classroom to a global level by rethinking the purpose of education and guide students in the process of discovering their self-worth, potential for greatness and in discovering their own inherent wisdom and personal mission.
- I want to incorporate the effects of the physical environment and composition of the "classroom" on creating the culture of the learning community within the room. I have nearly two years worth of anecdotal evidence and research on this and I believe it to be powerful. I want the opportunity to document and incorporate this somehow.
- I want to put into practice what I've gathered as best practices for gifted students, (strategies for me as a teacher which benefit the student recipient) document the process and continue to move the revolution and evolution of learning and teaching and mentoring and guiding and facilitating and ultimately, "school", forward. I want not to simply push the boundaries - I want to flood the gates, empower those who would be "done to" with the skills to access all they need and lead them to victorious battle
- I want to celebrate and harness the power of "pocket technology" that our students simply acknowledge as a phone or an ipod or a camera and not only utilize the ubiquitous tools, but insist that ethics and etiquette are learned and practiced in anticipation of broadening their 21st century skills and contributions to our global society
The process:
By revolutionizing my OWN study, which in actuality is more truly a regression than it is a new idea. I want to find someone who is an expert in as many of the ideas I've started with above and request a three-year "guiding or umbrella" mentorship and formal ties to that person's "institution" which would bestow the degree and title of Ph.D. In the very truest sense of apprenticeship and learning, it is my desire to (with guidance from my "main mentor") create an Action Research Plan that connects me with top experts (globally) in my areas of passion for support and assistance with interpreting my findings, guiding me in areas of research and challenging me to further and deeper exploration. That, combined with attendance, participation and presenting at symposiums, conferences, workshops institutes and lectures will enable me to not only have a global higher education but one garnered from the individual topic experts and provide me with the opportunity to create a unique expertise of my own. As such, I can contribute to this strong social network as an expert professional practitioner. At the end of the period of research, I will orchestrate a public exhibition of my findings at all of my mentors will view and interact with the documentation, evidence, and construction of knowledge manifested in various forms appropriate to the content as well as have the opportunity to interview and engage in dialogue with the subjects of my study. I intend to podcast, blog, record video, and document in various modes all of which I am "natively" comfortable.
The people:
Here's a growing list of potential MENTORS, not in any order, of people I know and don't know and all of whom are significantly MEANINGFUL to me and have expertise in areas I want to know MORE about! Hmmm... interesting observation - all the caps words say: more meaningful mentors. Kinda profound.
Dr. Linda Polin, Pepperdine University GSEP
Dr. Howard Gardner, Harvard University Mind/Brain/Behavior Initiative
Dr. Sandra Kaplan, USC Rossier School of Education
Dr. David A. Sousa
Dr. Peggy Kelly
Dr. Kathy Hayden
Dr. Otto Benavides, CSU Fresno
Kitty Salinas, ADEC
Dr. Bernie Dodge, Bernie Dodge
Peter H. Reynolds FableVision
Dr. Mary-Elaine Jacobsen
Dr. Joyce van Tassel-Baska Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary
Derrel Fincher (soon to be Dr.) Congrats, Derrel!
Dr. John Ittelson, CSU Monterey Bay
Mike Lawrence, Computer Using Educators, Inc.
Dr. Gary Stager, Support for Progressive Educators
Marco Antonio Torres, torres21: learn to lead
David Warlick, CoLearners and 2¢
Dr. Leigh Zeitz
Steve Hargadon, Steve Hargadon, Classroom 2.0
Mike Seymour, M.S., The Heritage Institute
Deborah Milton, Athanor Arts, Athanor Arts
My purpose:
This is not merely a pursuit of a higher degree in which my learning is an isolated accumulation of a discrete body of facts and information, but a journey of self-discovery and mandated mission to provide a model for an interactive, interpretive, guided process in which the acquisition of knowledge and expertise is directly related to action research and the network of relationships one builds with mentors and subjects alike, while engaged in the course of study.
Amy,
ReplyDeleteI am honored to be included in your list of potential mentors. You place me amongst some of my mentors. I would be interested in learning more about what you are doing.
Z
P.S. You might want to include the link to my blog, http://drzreflects.com
Thank you, Leigh (my middle name, by the way). I had the very great pleasure of meeting and speaking with Jim Brazell and David Thornburg this weekend at CUE in Palm Springs. I didn't have the opportunity to really talk with them, but that was to be expected. It was a wonderful weekend for me to learn and focus my vision even more.
ReplyDeleteI will be sure to include you in my mentor email - just to inform you of what I'm doing. I hope you will consider joining me on my crazy journey to push humanity forward!
Thank you!