Comments

1. I like the paradigm shift to possibilities - it is truly exciting.  Once those possibilities are identified, I still believe that a plan, which includes priorities, must be created to move towards the goal.  This applies to the classroom and the larger school community.

   Chris Rhodes on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 05:09 CDT # |

2. His idea about the conductor as someone who awakens possibilities instead of as an authoritarian leader reminds of conversations I've had with Tom Dlugosch regarding "servant leadership."  He uses the model of the Sherpa, an expert in the field who commits to the success of those he serves. It provides a model for the teacher's relationship to students, and helps navigate the trap where the teacher has a trove of affirmation/grades/power that the student is trying to "get" from the teacher.  His "everyone gets an A" approach is also interesting in light of this morning's inquiry into grade inflation.

   Patrick Huber on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 05:25 CDT # |

3. His concept of possibiliites and priorities while still working toward a common goal is particularly interesting to me, especially in light of our morning's discussion of new schedules as well as our grading system.  It is, in fact, possible to change without "re-inenting the wheel" if we simply look at what we have that works and shift our focus to the positive rather than negative aspects of change.  If we explore possibiliies rather than roadblocks, we can accomplish much.

   Dorothy Moore on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 06:08 CDT # |

4. It's strange and a bit sad that we have to teach ourselves to say yes to possibilities. We must have learned to say no at some point. I'm reminded of Daryl Martino's speech to the class of 2007, in which he said the only thing they don't do well is fail. I think it's true in the sense that children--perhaps especially in an academic setting--learn to avoid taking risks because if they take a risk and fail, they're likely to be punished with a low grade.

   David Terrell on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 06:48 CDT # |

5. Since we all are “possibilities” everyone, teachers and students, can achieve their goals.

   Diane Henderson on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 07:39 CDT # |

6. Using a variation on Dorothy's comment, I feel it is important to try to ensure that students don't say "no" to their own potential or possiblities. One thing that I have found very useful (regarding grading, etc.) is the possible and actual revision of quizzes and tests. I won't elaborate why I think so, but instead I invite you to visit my blog located at http://drpcourses.blogspot.com/ and read how my students respond to our Calculus Reflection Fall 2007.  The reflection is a blog post and the students responses are in the comments.

   John Pais on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 07:49 CDT # |

7. The concept of giving an A to everyone else rings true, in day-to-day life.  I decided long ago that criticizing people doesn't have much effect, except counter-productively.  The hardest ones to give A's to, oddly, are the people most important to me. 

   Now in the classroom, though I try to follow the same model, I find that many students limit themselves. I have to convince them to take the A that's within reach.  Even when I offered endless revision for full new credit to senior composition students, many did not take advantage. 

   I agree with Dorothy that the barrier is risk-aversion.The safe thing is to settle for an acceptable grade and hope for redemption the next time, instead of saying yes to your possibilities all the time.  [And time is a factor, but it is not the core limitaton. For example, I would spend the time to make this blog spectacular if I thought I could do so.] 

   Thomas Dlugosch on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 11:46 CDT # |

8. The Sherpa story Chris Rhodes mentions comes from a book maybe by Stephen R Covery, maybe by Tom Peters. Here's a good video of Tom Peter's notion of leadership that seems particularly relevant to our mission to help students be what they can be.

   Thomas Dlugosch on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 12:30 CDT # |

9. Possibilities are like the products of a chemical reaction.  Each path to a possibility will have a rate determining step.  I believe it is my job as a teacher to find the catalyst that reduces the activation energy needed for my students to reach their possibilities, regardless of the path they have chosen.  To quote Shelby Steele,"The high expectation is the only credible assertion of equality a society can make."  With one to one, there will be many paths. In the end it is the high expectation we and our students must meet.

   Mark Autry on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 12:54 CDT # |

10. ahh, to sing more in school, to have more odes and much more joy...and to have goals because they make sense to have them and not because you're supposed to have them.

    John Carpenter

    John carpenter on Saturday, 16 August 2008, 16:37 CDT # |

11. What resonated with me from this clip was the actual phrasing "radiating possibilities". I like how he is honest in that those possibilities will inevitably include the good along with the bad. However it is usually from the bad or the mistakes that happen along the way that we learn the most. The big change that we all have to deal with this year with the one to one initiative won't always be smooth sailing. There will be problems, there might be some extra stress involved, and there will certainly be a lot we have yet to learn. However, if we keep in mind the possibilities that these machines give to the kids and the fact that in the 21st century this technology rich environment  is the reality of what our kids will be facing we have no choice but to accept and embrace that technology. Whether we like it or not or are comfortable with the operating procedures we have to all be willing to delcare, "How fascinating!"

    Colleen Williamson on Sunday, 17 August 2008, 07:17 CDT # |

12. I like the idea of looking at classes, people, and school as possibilities. It lets us open our minds and try new things. I really liked his idea of giving all his students an A and asking them to write him a letter stating why they earned that grade (written in October as if it would not be read until May)

    reposted from slideshare on Sunday, 17 August 2008, 08:04 CDT # |

13. It is an inspiring speech. We certainly have a tendency to judge people and put them in categories, often to compare them to us and convince ourselves that we are doing pretty well! Zander's method with regards to grades also warrants some thinking. Could we experiment with that somehow? The language dept. attended a workshop by John DeMado last year in which he suggests a similar approach to Zander, that is looking at what each student is able to become during the year.

    reposted from slideshare on Sunday, 17 August 2008, 08:05 CDT # |

14. I found the presentation to be meaningful, but it raises some questions for me.  It substantiated the tone and intent in Zander's book- The Art of Possibility which was introduced to MICDS a few years ago.  I definitely welcome the notion of optimism and asset based thinking in the classroom, but still think there needs to be a clearer paradigm shift in the conversation.  Zander is speaking to the need to view the potential in our students and to motivate them to be proactive in their educational responsibilities, but I don't know that this is a pressing issue for us.  Many of our students are "A" students by our own grading standards.  The bigger question for us, I believe, is whether this is a positive trend based on good teaching and student success or whether there is a disconnect between the grades and the academic charge that an institution dedicated to intellectual excellence has at its core?  One issue within this framework that I am wrestling with is that I don't know that I believe the majority of our students need more evaluative encouragement, I feel like our kids don't have to look far for teachers or learning specialists (as examples) who focus on making sure they feel good about themselves and have the tools/self-confidence for classroom success .  I wonder if more consistent curricular rigor/standards would put more positive pressure on our students to actively seek academic success?

    Scott Small on Sunday, 17 August 2008, 08:29 CDT # |

15. When Ben Zander spoke to our entire community a few years ago, he was the only speaker I can remember who the kids talked about for months afterward. The circle of possibility was a powerful idea for them; helping them overcome their learned obstacles is our challenge. I like his invitation to "enroll" others in the radiant conversation, rather then be enrolled by them in a downward spiral. I do not think there is a contradiction between excellence (whether intellectual or musical or whatever discipline we take up) and "giving the A"--what you are saying is that you believe in the student's innate desire for engagement and pleasure in right effort (what Csikszentmihalyi calls "flow"). We can, as we said Friday, distinguish among habits of mind, command of material and knowledge (whatever form that will take in our new century). I agree with Scott's sense that the kids give themselves As by their own standard but I don't think this is about making them feel good about themselves--it's about giving them the power of competence and helping them recast the idea of "failing" by making mistakes. The paradigm shift they (and we) need is to move away from the idea that the point is to get the right answers. The real point is to ask the right questions.

    Andrea Brownstein on Sunday, 17 August 2008, 08:37 CDT # |

16. An inspiring talk.  I wish I had been here when Zander visited.  I especially like his perspective on possibilities, and I think we can apply it to just about every issue or encounter or conflict we have with kids.  Instead of thinking about what the "rules" or the limitations are (this reminds me of Terry's talk about the handbook), we ought to think of the possibilities.  How can we make these situations positive and asset-based?  I like that our Upper School conversations are focusing more and more around "breaking open" our schedules, our departments, our teaching, and I think the video speaks to that. 

    Katie Voss on Sunday, 17 August 2008, 10:04 CDT # |

17. Zander's words make me think of the number of students and families who have identified themselves as individuals who are not able to learn a language.  As members of the "regular" track, they've closed the door to "possibility" and failed to recognize how their individual talents might help them find success.  This of course, challenges us as educators to help them reframe how they view their previous experiences learning a language and to tap into their individual strengths.

    Rene Ashman on Monday, 18 August 2008, 09:20 CDT # |

18. I like Zander and his message.  He really is offering a simple but powerful paradigm shift that we can apply to any situation we encounter.  When I read The Art of Possibility back in 2003 I found it completely transformative.  His notion that members of an orchestra can/should "lead from every chair" had a major effect on me.  It helped me to believe that I could speak up in meetings and participate on committees and, eventually, chair committees, even though I was brand new to MICDS.  Zander's approach ties in with the work we did as a faculty on asset-based thinking back in 2005 and everything I've read by Parker Palmer about "abundance" versus "scarcity" mentalities.  It's about cooperation instead of competition, about building those rigorous curriculum standards together (with our colleagues and our students) instead of in isolation, about finding the potential/possibility/good in others instead of the flaws.  Ultimately, Zander's approach allows for and celebrates chaos/disorder/spontaneity/amazement/risk-taking/messiness as necessary preconditions for dramatic growth.  I saw Steven Covey in Dallas last June and, as Tom suggested, Covey also feeds on this source in his messages about creativity and 21st century management styles and sparking genuine joy in the workplace and honoring the soul in others and seizing upon the win-win dynamic, etc. etc.  Rich video.  Thanks, Liz.

    Jill Donovan on Monday, 18 August 2008, 10:10 CDT # |

19. What an exciting time in education and especially at MICDS!  For us to be encouraged to come up with "possibilities" and "out of the box" thinking is an opportunity not only for us a educators, but for the students as well.  Having the opportunity to try something new and be supported in the face of change makes the "art" of teaching every day a new hope.  Yes, we will fail at times, but we have each other to learn and grow from.  From these failures will come many more successes, but we need to face each new day and lesson as a challenge just as excited as that very first teaching experience!

    MaryAnn Grabowski on Monday, 18 August 2008, 12:58 CDT # |

20. I wish I was at MICDS when he came to visit.  I read his book a few years ago and could not put it down.  I am happy to be reminded about guiding the students to possibilities and his book reminds me that the "A" is not an expectation to live up to, but a possibility to live into. When describing how to "give an A", he spoke of keeping your eye on the statue within the roughness of the uncut stone... which speaks to me when looking at the new class of students.  I hope to focus on chipping away the stone that is in the way.  What great possibilities we have in education!

    Janet Purdy on Monday, 18 August 2008, 17:30 CDT # |