Times of Challenge

It is in times of setback and challenge that one needs to stick to a system and make adjustments as necessary. Sticking to a plan of action can sometimes be a difficult thing to do in times of crisis because the initial urge is to abandon all set plans in a mad scramble. This is the absolute worst thing that one could do.

In times of adversity, it is crucial to not lose sight of what one was trying to accomplish. If one can weather the storm and make modifications to the game plan as necessary, success can be had. The ability to persevere through disappointment and doubt is a skill that must be learned through experience. It is not easy to transmit the essence of this reality through words alone.

Excerpt from: Way of the e-lightened Mind (Book of Success, entry 8)

Self-Efficacy and Education

Today I sat in contemplation wondering how human transformation occurs. It is amazing to me how some people have the capacity to re-invent themselves into stronger more confident people. What is behind this evolution, this shift in agency? I am of the belief that education is the catalyst behind such a metamorphic transition. Now I do not conceptualize education as something that only occurs between four walls of brick and mortar, but rather I envision education as a life changing and challenging consciousness that is present wherever the learner is.

Education is only limited by the intent and resolve of the person. The question is where along the path of the learner does lasting growth and change occurs? What constitutes a paradigm shifting experience, true growth? Without a lasting change in a learner's objective and subjective behavior can the effectiveness of an instructional effort be determined?

Constant striving for perfection of the self through a
chosen art is the only path to enlightenment. Words
can only bring you to the foot of the path, and to
attain mastery and perfection you must constantly
strive to better yourself through an understanding of
your chosen Way.


- Miyamoto Musashi

A Warrior’s Tale

Tell the story of this brave warrior engaging in the work of creating life. Transformations often start with the pangs of loss, the pangs of growth and the pangs of triumph. You are your own hero, despite contrary's illusion and delusions of the doubter’s glance, you were born to dance with legends and the free spirited.

Excerpt from: The 5 O'clock Coup

“The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage.”

-Pericles

True freedom is freedom from fear, freedom from limitation, freedom from subjugation. True freedom is the domain of the courageous. Limitless realities belong only to those who dare to venture past the warning signs and put their personal comfort and safety on the line to make an ideal a reality.

Problem Based Learning

Problem based learning is an instructional methodology that engages learners, by presenting them with scenarios reflecting real world challenges. This approach to education is different from the traditional methodology of “chalk and talk” characterized by an extensive use of lectures and the passive engagement of students. Traditional instructional methods operate from an assumption that knowledge flows downhill. Trainers and educators are expected to extensively lecture students, bestowing wisdom upon the minds of the less informed. Within this paradigm educators are the active agents in this relationship. A learner’s role within this model is that of an “empty receptacle”, digesting presented information merely to regurgitate it on a later occasion.

Problem based learning moves away from this vision of education to one that places the learner at the center of the instructional engagement. Students are challenged to construct knowledge for themselves through problem solving. The expectation of engagement transforms learners from passive entities to active agents within the instructional environment.

Constructing Insight: The Outcomes of Learning

As educators, we strive to guide students along the path of discovery and knowledge acquisition; the motivations for many of us are multifarious. However, what aims should we seek to attain through such engagements? Contemplating about the philosophical nature behind educational methodologies is an important point to ponder. Examples of such deliberations are the learning outcomes of andragogy espoused by Malcolm Knowles.

Malcolm Knowles was an educational theorist who was very instrumental in the adult education movement. Andragogy (education of adults), although in use since 1830, was not a popular term until Knowles’ work. Malcolm believed that learning should produce at least these outcomes:

Adults should acquire a mature understanding of themselves
Adults should develop an attitude of acceptance, love and respect toward others.
Adults should develop a dynamic attitude toward life
Adults should learn to react to the causes not the symptoms of behavior.
Adults should acquire the skills necessary to achieve the potentials of their personalities
Adults should understand the essential values in the capital of human experience
Adults should understand their society and should be skillful in directing social change
Adults should understand their society and should be skillful in directing social change

At the core of these desired outcomes is a belief that adult learners are in control and self directed in accomplishing the goals of their learning. Educators are seen as facilitators merely “brokers of knowledge”, providing experiences conducive to learning discovery.

What are the philosophical outcomes that you strive for? It is never to late the contemplate this.

Resource:
Smith, M. K. (2002) 'Malcolm Knowles, informal adult education, self-direction and anadragogy', the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/thinkers/et-knowl.htm. Last updated:

The Warrior Ways


What are the warrior ways? Are they days of introspection and sojourns for life’s key? Painful excursion to places that scare me? What are the warrior ways? Feelings of dismay as I pray to be more while so close to greatness’s shore? What are the warrior ways? A struggle amidst the fray seeking to stay along the path of authenticity? I find the warrior ways to be tumultuous sways of victory and defeat; ways of complexity, ways of imperfection, ways of me.

The Power of Teams

The key to teaching a team how to navigate the realities of competition and adversity lie in teaching a systematic approach that emphasizes the principle behind the skills. Training that emphasizes principles allow for a greater level of adaptability and improvisation in the midst of struggle.

Fully understanding the principles behind one’s chosen craft allows logical solutions to be found for varying degrees of challenge and circumstance. A team that is well schooled can think independently and not be overly dependent on the leader for direction and guidance. A well schooled team can endure the trials adversity has in store.

Way of the Enlightened Mind

Book of Leaderhip: 15th reflection

The Power of the Mind

“Ultimately, a human being is wealthy not because of what he has, but because of what he knows. What he has, he can lose through disaster, obsolescence, or theft. What he knows, he can never lose unless he loses life itself. Thus, his real wealth is a characteristic of his thinking not any physical assets”.

-Dennis P. Kimbro, Ph.D.

GOOOOAAAL!

Goals change as you change. Goals should be reflective of your skill level and personal growth. Goals should keep you captivated and fully engage your talents and interests.



Excerpt from the: Putting Gears in the Dream Calendar

Live Free

The life of a dreamer is a life of freedom. Freedom to explore the far reaches of potential and talent. The entrapment of one’s spirit is often caused by an inability to dream and believe in unseen realities. Bound by the confines of the visible and tangible, people often succumb to the relentless pressure of conformity. The drudgery of daily routines, devoid of passion and personal connection slowly draw the magic out living.

Life’s mysteries degenerate into items of mere curiosity. Living the life of a dreamer, whose nostrils breath in the amorous scent of life, requires one to resist the call to relinquish one’s heart to cold conformity. The invocation of career and comfort are often used to subdue the unruly binding them inconsequential activities and patterns of thought. The dreamers are the freedom fighters, the revolutionaries who seek to live life on their terms.

Excerpt from the upcoming book, The 5 O'clock Coup

The Emboldened Champion
Where doth destiny lie, in the cathartic explosions of my pen? My mind’s eye sees the prize in which I strive. I must resist the tides of Boredom and Fashion. Enough about you, see through the distraction gain traction on the cherished dreams and wishes in your life. Rely upon the real and vivid. The auction of truth for shadows must end.

Excerpt from: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago, pg. 9

Play Your Game

Shape the business environment to compliment your strengths. The rhythm of one’s daily routine should reflect this. Strive to understand the complexities of personal style and proclivity. One must first understand oneself before one can understand how to utilize the environment to one’s advantage.

Book of Success: 3rd reflection

Fear creates the Phantoms in the Dark
The internal model in our minds and hearts fill in the gaps
that exist within communication. These paradigms are the
glasses through which we see the world. Operating from a
sense of deficiency and inadequacy paints a picture of a
hostile world in which everything is an offense. Fear, lack
of confidence and low self-esteem creates people who are
hypersensitive to the world around them, jumping at every shadow and darting from every rustle in the brush.

Book of Courage: pg.8

Randy Pausch Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

Servant Leadership

Leaders perhaps operate best when they seek to serve the needs of the people who serve the organization. In my view, one must take care to facilitate the growth and development of one’s employees, as it is one’s employees who are the face of the organization.

Servant leadership is built on the solid foundation of transformation, seeking to evolve the others into leaders as well. A servant leader is one whom operates guided by an internal compass of ethical judgment. Greenleaf spoke of servant leaders as being characterized by virtuous distinction. “A servant leader’s ability to lead with integrity depends on his or her skills for withdrawal and action, listening and persuasion, practical goal setting and intuitive prescience. The focus is on goals, success, learning, and assisting”. (Cunningham, Cordeiro ,1999,pg.196).

As an educator, one makes a choice to facilitate the growth of others. The choice to educate is the choice to serve, a characteristic found within the paradigm of the servant leader (Greenleaf,1977).



References:

Cunningham, W. G., & Cordeiro, P. A. (1999). Educational Leadership: A
Problem-Based Approach (2nd ed.). New York: Allyn & Bacon.

Sendjaya,S. ,Sarros,J.(2002).Servant Leadership: Its Origins, Development,
and Application in Organizations. Journal of Leadership &
Organizational Studies,9(2),57-64.

Contemplation

Is it not the way if it is difficult? Is it not the truth if it is painful? For if the way is wide and the road easy does this manifest truth? One must think on these things when weighing the gravity of one’s choices.


Excerpt from: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago

Building Efficacy

Seperation of the Person and the Experience

In striving to learn new things one may encounter learning experiences in the form of failed attempts and setbacks. This is a natural occurrence as all achievements were first met with many unsuccessful attempts. In handling disappointment one must resist the temptation to internalize the experience.

You are separate from the circumstances which befall you. To truly understand this division enables one to withstand the growing pangs of growth and knowledge acquisition. One's worth as a person is not attached to an outcome, but rather to internal attributes.

The search for meaning and purpose in life is one of the major driving forces within the lives of individuals from all ages and eras. The search for uniqueness and of individuality leads one down the path of self-discovery. The process of self-discovery encompasses the trials of reflection and introspection, seeking to truly understand oneself amidst the backdrop of life and one’s internal experience.



Implied within the path of self-understanding is that for one to be truly faithful to the journey one would be required to evolve into a leader. Acknowledging one’s gifts is also an acknowledgment of their benefit to the world at large. Exercising one’s talent with conviction is also an exercise of one’s capacity for leadership. Assuming responsibility for one’s expression in the world and its impact upon self and others is a tremendous step down the path of leadership.

Sayings of Krishnamurti

Self-knowledge is not a thing to be bought in books, nor is it the outcome of a long painful practice and discipline, but it is awareness, from moment to moment, of every thought and feeling as it arises in relationship. Relationship is not on an abstract, ideological level but an actuality—the relationship with property, with people, and with ideas. Relationship implies existence and, as nothing can live in isolation, to be is to be related.

Our conflict is in relationship, at all the levels of our existence and the understanding of this relationship, completely and extensively, is the only real problem that each one has. This problem cannot be postponed nor be evaded. The avoidance of it only creates further conflict and misery; the escape from it only brings about thoughtlessness, which is exploited by the crafty and the ambitious.

My Thoughts on Vision

All great things endeavors, triumphs and victories start with a dream, a vision. What has stood out to me most in recent days has been just how important one’s vision is to achieving one’s goal. Fidelity of purpose and clear articulation of goals have been of the utmost importance to me as of late.

What I have found is that within articulation of purpose one will find the means by which success can be had. Clarity of vision, leads to clarity of means; an understanding of how something can be accomplished is dependent upon acknowledging a destination. I have come to understand to understand that clarity of vision is how the machinery behind the dream is built.

Time Management

Time is precious. How are you using it? Take a day to monitor how you spend your time. Write down everything you do, including dressing, eating, travel, relaxing in front of the TV, shopping for groceries, running to the library, picking up from the soccer practice. If you organize these tasks effectively, you may be amazed at how much available time you have.

As a student, it is helpful to look at your time management at TWO LEVELS.
A LONG TERM PLANNER helps you to see the BIG PICTURE of what you have to get done. Start with the big assignments, quizzes and exams. Use a monthly calendar and fill these in first.


Now, working backwards, fill in some preparation times which you will need in order to be ready for the big days.

Practices from Spiritual Direction that Deepen Civic Engagement

JoAnn Campbell, Minnesota Campus Compact

Journal of College & Character VOLUME VIII, NO. 1, November 2006

Students can benefit spiritually from their work in civic engagement and service learning if encouraged to appreciate the mystery involved in every human interaction, especially with people different from themselves. The ancient art of spiritual direction offers practices that can deepen reflection and integrate service activities with the students’ values and lived experiences.

The 2004 UCLA Higher Education Research Institute’s study of College Students’ Beliefs and Values found that 75% of current college students are "searching for meaning/purpose" in their lives (4). The principal authors, Alexander and Helen Astin, write that "higher education represents a critical focal point for responding to the question of how to balance the exterior and interior aspects of life more effectively" (iii).

I want to suggest that a key strategy for helping students balance the exterior and the interior is reflection, and that the act of reflecting can be strengthened or made more potent and powerful by borrowing techniques, stances, and practices from spiritual direction.

Building Efficacy
Conditions of Learning (R. Gagne)
tip.psychology.org

This theory stipulates that there are several different types or levels of learning. The significance of these classifications is that each different type requires different types of instruction. Gagne identifies five major categories of learning: verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, motor skills and attitudes.

Different internal and external conditions are necessary for each type of learning. For example, for cognitive strategies to be learned, there must be a chance to practice developing new solutions to problems; to learn attitudes, the learner must be exposed to a credible role model or persuasive arguments.

Gagne suggests that learning tasks for intellectual skills can be organized in a hierarchy according to complexity: stimulus recognition, response generation, procedure following, use of terminology, discriminations, concept formation, rule application, and problem solving. The primary significance of the hierarchy is to identify prerequisites that should be completed to facilitate learning at each level. Prerequisites are identified by doing a task analysis of a learning/training task. Learning hierarchies provide a basis for the sequencing of instruction.

Learning is Power: The transformation of adult learners through education

Tech Teacher: Cut Through the Web Noise
RSS feeds help sort out the new from the mold.

by Geoff Butterfield

edutopia.org

published 6/19/2007

One problem with the Web: It's too darn big. Who has time to keep up with its immeasureable updates? You could spend all day trolling around online, looking for the freshest headlines and content on your favorite sites. Wouldn't it be nice if there were a way of gathering all the new things on frequently updated sites (like blogs, news feeds, or podcasts) and sending them out to you?

Hang onto your cowboy hat, because that's where Real Simple Syndication (RSS) comes in. Odds are you've seen the little orange button with either the letters RSS or XML, or sometimes a little radar-looking symbol, on at least one of your favorite Web sites (like, for instance, the Edutopia.org RSS Feed). The button means that the Web site offers its content as an RSS "feed," which is simply a list of new articles, usually with just a title and a short description. The little button is a link to that feed.

Subscribe to these feeds and these sites will get in contact with you electronically when they offer new content.

Authors@Google: Daniel Goleman
Daniel Goleman discusses his book "Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships" as a part of the Authors@Google series.

An E-lightened Moment
Realities and Illusions

Move past setback and illusion of futility. This is not you....

You are a manifestation of your greatest reality. Fear no challenge, worthy of it all, challenges befall in order to prepare. For where else can the mettle in one's core be found?

Profound thoughts arise out of feeling of deficit. Success is always held at the cusp of defeat. Find yourself striving among turmoil and activity concerned not with possibility of fatality.

For the lessons of the path have always been the prize.

-R.L Adams

Teachers who get police training could get extra pay, carry guns
By Emily Richmond Las Vegas Sun

A proposal that Nevada teachers be allowed to carry concealed weapons garnered a lot of notoriety but little traction among state lawmakers this year. Now comes this idea: Give bonus pay to teachers - from kindergarten to college - who would be trained and armed as reserve school police officers.

Faculty-turned-campus cops would supplement the thin ranks of campus police and be in position to respond quickly to campus emergencies, the two champions of the idea say.
Others worry about allowing teachers to be put in that kind of position.

4 Steps to Conquer
Sixth entry

“There are three kinds of people in the world; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened.”

-Unknown

Be one of the brave souls that face the realities of the world
with determination and fortitude.

Be one of the spirits that change their world for the better,
through actions and investment of one’s time.

Beware of contentment and apathy, for tragedies the world
over have been caused by their mingling in the affairs of
people.

The Power of Imagery

mindtools.com

Imagery is the process by which you can create, modify or strengthen pathways important to the co-ordination of your muscles, by training purely within your mind. Imagination is the driving force of imagery.

Imagery rests on the important principle that you can exercise these parts of your brain with inputs from your imagination rather that from your senses: the parts of the brain that you train with imagery experience imagined and real inputs similarly, with the real inputs being merely more vividly experienced. So in its least effective form you can use imagery merely as a substitute for real practice to train the parts of your mind that it can reach.

Even at this inferior level of use imagery is useful training where:

An athlete is injured, and cannot train in any other way.
The correct equipment is not available, or practice is not possible for some other reason
Where rapid practice is needed However just to use imagery for the reasons above is to undervalue its effectiveness grossly.

A Friendly Workplace Makes for Healthy Employees

Employees that are liked and in turn like their colleagues are happier and healthier, according to a new study. The survey of over 5,000 staff on behalf of SkillsSoft found that half said working with people they like is important whilst 41% said having this reciprocated scores almost as highly. Mutual adoration between colleagues is not the only relationship that scores well – 'getting on well with the boss' featured as critical for 34.8%.

Taking time out also ranked highly, 49% referred to flexible working hours as important, with 46% placing sufficient annual leave as a key contributor to well-being.
The value of good relationships with work colleagues was also evident when employees were asked who they would talk to first within their organisation if they were unhappy at work.

Over a third (36.3%) would consult a colleague whilst a further 29.2% would prefer to confide in their direct manager or supervisor. However, only 2.4% would speak to their HR department. Worryingly 17.3% claimed they would stay silent and keep their anxieties to themselves.

Systems vs. Freedom
Educational Implications?

Community college
By COLLEEN MAXWELLThe State News

NICK DENTAMARO · The State News

Kelly Dubiel signs "mother" at the Lansing Community College Library on Wednesday. Dubiel started her college career at LCC and fell in love with American Sign Language, or ASL, and deaf education. She then transferred to MSU to get her degree, simultaneously taking ASL classes during the spring semester at LCC. Her interest in sign language began early on in her life when her aunt's friend would show Dubiel flash cards from her ASL Interpreter Training Program.

Community colleges aren't just used as a stepladder into universities anymore.
Michigan's first two-year college, Grand Rapids Junior College, opened in 1914 with the intention of giving students a way to make an easier transition from high school to a university.
Ninety-three years later, 27 more public community colleges have opened in Michigan - from Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, to Monroe County Community College in Monroe - and MSU students are taking full advantage.

Get Inspired
'InSpire' magazine started by former FSU associate dean launches this summer
Liz Cox
Issue date: 6/11/07 Section: News

After eight years of researching with his graduate students, Lee Jones, a former Florida State University associate dean in the College of Education, found that there was an opening in the magazine industry for the inspirational and motivational market, and he created InSpire, a new national magazine aimed at sharing the motivational and inspiring stories of "everyday people.""I decided to start (the magazine) because when I looked around at what was happening in the world, I really felt that I had to look internally to see what I was doing to try to help ease the emotional pain and strife that people go through everyday as a result of looking at what was happening in the world," Jones said. "I thought that an inspirational magazine would help with achieving that goal."

For Your Consideration
Should Education Support the Search for Meaning?
C.G. Jung

Ohio Governor Calls for Revamp of Higher-Education System
chronicle.com

Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio issued a directive on Thursday calling for an overhaul of the state's higher-education system to better coordinate the work of colleges, adult career centers, and adult basic-literacy programs.

The directive calls for the higher-education system to be renamed the "University System of Ohio" and instructs its chancellor, Eric Fingerhut, to come up with a 10-year plan to improve institutional quality and affordability. Although the directive does not alter the governance structure of the system or its member institutions, both Governor Strickland and Chancellor Fingerhut said it would drastically alter how the system operates.

Study: eBooks could spark interest in reading Ball State researchers say wireless handheld devices might help engage reluctant readers
By Laura Devaney, Associate Editor, eSchool News
eSchool News

A team of researchers at Ball State University has released the results of a small-scale study suggesting that wireless handheld devices, or eBooks, could help encourage reading among students who are reluctant readers. August 2, 2007—Can the use of wireless handheld reading devices, or eBooks, in classrooms boost students’ interest in reading? According to a group of Ball State University researchers, the answer might be “yes.”

A team of graduate students led by Richard Bellaver, associate director of Ball State’s Center for Information and Communications Sciences, is in the midst of a multi-year study designed to test the effectiveness of the wireless handheld device as a reading tool. The team has released its latest study results, which suggest that many elementary students who have been ambivalent toward reading in the past have displayed enthusiasm for reading with the devices.

The Teachings of Krishnamurti jkrishnamurti.org

Letters to a Young Friend (23)

The mountains must be alone. It must be a lovely thing to have rain among the mountains and the rain drops on the placid lake. How the smell of the earth comes out when it rains and then there are the croakings of many frogs. There’s a strange enchantment in the tropics, when it rains. Everything is washed clean; the dust on the leaf is washed away; the rivers come to life and there is the noise of running waters.

The trees put out green shoots, there is the new wild grass where there was barren earth; insects by the thousands come out from nowhere and the parched earth is fed and the earth seems satisfied and at peace. The sun seems to have lost its penetrating quality and the earth has become green; a place of beauty and richness. Man goes on making his own misery, but the earth is rich once again and there is enchantment in the air.

It is strange how most people want recognition and praise—to be recognized as a great poet, as a philosopher, something that boosts one’s ego. It gives great satisfaction but it has very little meaning. Recognition feeds one’s vanity and perhaps one’s pocket, and then what? It sets one apart and separation breeds its own problems, ever increasing.

Though it may give satisfaction, recognition is not an end in itself. But most people are caught in the craving to be recognized, to fulfill, to achieve. And failure is then inevitable, with its accompanying misery. To be free of both success and failure is the real thing. From the beginning not to look for a result, to do the thing that one loves, and love has no reward or punishment. This is really a simple thing if there is love. From the beginning not to look for a result

Notions of Leadership

The phenomenon of leadership has existed within the spectrum of human interaction since times immemorial, its shifting tenants reflecting the needs of the age and of society. In nature things evolve and grow to better adapt to the demands of the environment, and leadership theory like nature, has evolved over the years to better adapt to the challenges of the age.

The role of leaders historically has been that of a guide, leading their followers, across the perils of the existential landscape. Questions of community survival, prosperity and even the meaning of life have all been areas of human experience in which leadership has historically addressed. As the condition and environments in which humankind has inhabited evolved so has the character of leadership.

“Leadership theories cycled from traits through contingency notions and back to leader styles and leader-member relations…” (Wren, 2004, pg.454). The theories and practices of any given age reflect the needs of society at the time.

Reference:

Wren, D. A. (2004). The history of management thought (5th ed.). New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Constructing Efficacy
Mental Focus and the Use of Routines

Education can be used as a tool to create self-efficacy and confidence. With each task successfully accomplished, the higher the level of belief grows. The greater one's level of self-confidence the easier it is for that person to learn new things. With confidence comes the mental freedom to focus one's energy on learning the task at hand rather than on one's perceived deficiencies.

Mental focus is also a matter of mental discipline, this can be nurtured through the use of routines and regimen. The patience and attention that adhering to a routine requires is an excellent training method for the core competencies needed in life and learning. Routines cannot of course take the place of dynamic engagement in the world as it is not meant to. Routines are meant to encourage a systematic focus and fortitude when addressing changing reality. Routines create a stable platform from which to launch one's excursions into the unknown.

An E-lightened Moment: Warriors & Scholars

"Where doth destiny lie, in the cathartic explosions of my pen? My minds eye sees the prize in which I strive.

I must resist the tides of boredom and fashion. Enough about you see through the distraction, gain traction on the cherished dreams and wishes in your life. Rely upon the real and vivid.

The auction of truth for shadows must end. Befriend the mettle that served champions of times past outlasts the pursuit of critical skepticism and the decorated pessimism of the realist.

Resist the slow death of conformity heroically face the tremendous unknown in a clash of wills and grit a destiny befit only for the spiritual warrior, the bold champion".

-R.L. Adams

Insights from the Frontline

A few insights from the trenches of adult education and the implementation of online learning platforms.

The Path of the Servant Leader


Servant leadership is characterized as style that seeks to empower followers instead of using power to dominate them. Establishing trust by being completely honest and open, keeping actions consistent with values, and showing trust in followers are other key areas indicative of the servant leader (Greenleaf,1977). Articulated by Greenleaf, servant leaders have been defined as a people that seek to inspire others into heroic acts of leadership, so that they may become moral agents in society. The servant leader has always maintained that he or she is simply the “guide on the side”, a facilitator pointing the way so that others may write their own tales of greatness and adventure.

The late martial artist Bruce Lee in his movie Enter the Dragon touched upon this theme. In the beginning sequence of his movie Bruce is training a young pupil and instructs the young learner that learning is “like a finger point a way to the moon”. Bruce notices his student intently focused upon his outstretched finger. Disappointed, Bruce raps the young pupil on the top of his head and admonishing says “don’t concentrate on the finger or you’ll miss all that heavenly glory”!

Much like the “outstretched finger”, the servant leader is merely pointing the way for others to follow. The servant leader is not the reason for the interaction, nor is the servant leader the center of attention. The servant is merely a guide, assisting others in realizing their own glory. It is the path of servant leadership that educators should tread.


Referenced scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4wNKR0s4UA

The Power Of Vision

All great things endeavours, triumphs and victories start with a dream,
a vision. What has stood out to me most in recent days has been how important one's vision is to achieving one's goal. Fidelity of purpose and a clear articulation of goals have been of the up most importance to me as of late.

What I have found is that within articulation of purpose one will find the means by which success can be had. Clarity of vision, leads to clarity of means. An understanding of how something can be accomplished is dependent upon acknowledging a destination. I have come to understand that behind clarity lie the blueprints to the machinery in which dreams are built.

The vision we all have when starting our academic and life journeys should be at the forefront of our efforts. For me, my goal of building institutions dedicated to the holistic education of the human mind and spirit has been re-established as the ultimate prize. What this refocused dedication has led to is a reassessment of my current strategies and practices.

The Educational Possibilities of Second Life.

The Power of Teams the Power of "WE".

Cohort systems within academic study use the power of teams and of community to deliver effective learning experiences. Cultivated skill is rarely used within the confines of a vacuum, human interaction is always a part of the equation.

Cohort systems of learning prepare students to use acquired skills within the dynamic currents of life.

Education should provide a platform for humanization in which one can develop his or her ability to effectively interact with others.

Cohort Case Study

Moment of Insight

The Law of Cause and Effect in the Development of Self-Confidence
Brian Tracy

An e-lightened Moment


"Harvest the fruits of the sweat of one's brow, sweet the taste of seeds sown with sincerity and conviction. Jurisdiction of the universal law transcends all current circumstances, political stances or philosophical leanings, deceiving but only to ourselves the intention of our deeds. Intention is the important thing.

Unseen realities does not equate to the reality of things being unseen, for we are constantly surrounded by its sway daily. I pray we understand the true nature of ourselves and the universe. There is no escaping the elevating, error correcting administrator, of all ways and means, all beings and things.

The pendulum swings in retaliation to the nature of the scheme, which put its arm in motion, the notion of something for nothing, pleasure without pain, borders on the insane. The rocky road is the abode of the royal and wise, understanding leads to open eyes".

-R.L. Adams

Zen and Education

• All of life all of universal activity are in the state of Musabi, Movement, Becoming



• Discovering our physical limitations causes us to reflect on the deepest meaning of harmony and conflict and to strive for a level of consciousness above the ego, closer to the creator.



• Silence and action are modes of training that teach us to still the mind and see inside



• Attitude reflects the spirit, training cleanses the foundation of the body and mind.

reference:

Saotome, M. (1993). Aikdio and the Harmony of Nature. Shambhala:

Second Life.......The Educational Matrix?

E-lightened Thoughts of Transformational Leaders

An E-lightened Moment

The division between you and I is an illusion with real consequences. Nihilistic inclination backed by the painful sensation of nothingness, confines the heart in an unnatural state of disinterest and apathy.

The pen caresses the page in an effort to give birth to life. The immaculate creation of abstract landscapes seeks new travellers and explores of its terrain. The pen's emission snugely makes its home between the confines of the page, giving rise to the birth feelings, emotions and truth.

The Question ?

"Has the artist equipped himself with a world view which enables him to see as much of the world as it is possible for him to see and to make us see"?

-Nugugi Wa Thiong'o

Power, Culture and Reflection

Power, culture and reflection are themes of relevance to those of us who embrace the challenge of leadership and education. Power is the backbone of all beneficial action, without it plans are mere thoughts never emerging from the ether of our imaginations.

The wisdom necessary to wield power in its many facets is best cultivated through reflection. In a society that champions “the bold move” reflection maybe a counter intuitive activity; it is however an activity that must be engaged in.

Outside of the spectrum of power and reflection, strategies and actions must be apart of the culture in which they are initiated. Culture offers the staying power necessary for positive behaviors to be truly transformational. Rituals practices and habits are anchors by which excellence can firmly established.

Hungry Minds and Slippery Slopes

Leadership despite the environment in which it is found must navigate safely along the slippery slope of leadership and the responsibility that comes with it. I have always found it a challenge to balance the dual impulses of freedom and discipline. Overbearing leadership and use of one's authority can snuff out the spark of growth and initiative in students. Yet discipline is needed to encourage the healthy growth of students unimpeded by the perils of unchecked impulse.

Discipline when used in an effective manner has the effect of "continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively" (Bass, 2000, pg.117), can be a tremendous force in unlocking dormant potential and polishing expressed talents. It is the burden of the educator to endure under the struggle to maintain balance.

Reference:The Jossey-Bass reader on educational leadership. (2000). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

The Paths of Leadership

Transactional leadership can be defined as a leadership style which emphasizes the structural and procedural side of leading others. Transactional leadership theory does not concern itself with questions of personal empowerment and inner processes. The philosophy of this approach deals primarily with the observable, procedural actions engaged in by the leader. For example if follower A does action X, then follower A will be rewarded with Y.

Transformational leadership seeks to garner a deeper understanding of the inner processes and traits of leadership. Within the scope of transformation are those practices which focus on personal empowerment and self actualization.

An e-lightened Moment

"Liberating solitude, moments of a million thoughts, bring peace to the masses. Fear of a descending abyss, regrets and should haves left seekers in an aftermath of doubt.

For without direction the erection of deeds transcribed to memory is all but an impossibility. Uniqueness exists only in the ligt of history....hitherto one's a madman.

The band that I dance to is one of a different beat, seek the unique, the true I BE I and defy the contemporary, to embrace the timeless and legendary".

-R.L. Adams

.....Like a TranQuil PoND


Reflection is a best practice for practically all business processes; however in the case of innovation it would play a critical role. Deeply thinking upon the needs of one’s customers or on the challenges facing an organization requires one to be in tuned to the subtle messages provided by their environment. The business landscape is littered with the most well planned business strategies that failed utterly because they did not address the realities on the ground.

The culture within an organization also plays a large role in how successful innovative plans are. Businesses with a culture of execution and performance are needed when attempting to successfully implement change. Execution cannot be drawn up in a business plan or even lectured about in some board room; it is a reality that must be lived and breathed throughout the entire organization. “It should be clear by now that execution isn’t a program you graft onto your organization. A leader who says, “Okay, now we’re going to execute for a change” is merely launching another fad of the month, with no staying power (Bosidy, Charan, Burk,2003 pg. 490). Execution and performance is a way of being it is the very culture itself.


Resource:

Business leadership: A Jossey-Bass reader. (2003). San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass.

The Virtues of Conflict?

Conflict seems to have a negative connotation within popular culture. Conflict is often viewed as the breakdown of communication, an anomaly in the system. This is an inaccurate perception in my view. Conflict when done in a constructive manner and focused on differences is philosophy, strategies and approaches can clarify one’s understanding of a situation.

Constructive conflict has the potential to clear one’s path of inaccurate perceptions and false assumptions so that one may accurately assess the topic at hand. “Conflict is a dual edged sword. Unbridled it can bring out the worst in human nature resulting in violence and destruction. Properly channeled it is the source of energy for challenging people and renewing organizations” (Tichy, Devanna, 1990, pg. 124).

This is also where the role of the transformational leader can be very effective. Transformational leaders tend to be particularly adept at establishing mitigating mechanisms within the organization that keep the activity of conflict productive and not destructive (Tichy, Devanna, 1990, pg.).


Resource:

Tichy, N.M., & Devanna, M.A. (1990). The transformational leader. New York:
John Wiley & Sons.

Ahhhh.....The Power of Power

Power is the ability to influence the behavior, performance and decisions of others. There are many sources that power flows from, the most notable are:

Referent- the force of one’s character and personality
Expert- the force of one’s depth of knowledge
Rewards- the force of one’s ability to give rewards of benefit
Legitimate- the force of one’s official position, title or role
Coercive- the force of one’s ability to manipulate policy or procedure

(French, Raven, 1960)

Power is the lifeblood of one’s ability to lead. Without power one cannot influence others to higher levels of performance and behavior. How one uses his or her power is a direct indication of how effective they will be as a leader.

It is essential for a leader to do some level of self-reflection in identifying how they intend to exercise their power within the organization. A leader must assess personal feelings about the exercise of power. If things are to be accomplished in organizations, the leader must understand what motivates his or her own behavior and the behavior of others in the organization (Tichy, Devanna, 1990). Only then can effective and responsible actions leveraged by power be implemented.


Resource:

Tichy, N.M., & Devanna, M.A. (1990). The tranformational leader. New York:
John Wiley & Sons.

The Power of our Habits

Learning must impact habits. Habits, when a true reflection of the depths of our learning, securely anchors our newly acquired skills and perceptions. Habits are the backbone and substance in the ephemeral ether we call knowledge....

Habits powers execution

Execution powers progress

“There are three kinds of people in the world; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened.”

-Unknown


Be one of the brave souls that face the realities of the world with determination and fortitude.
Be one of the spirits that change their world for the better, through actions and investment of one’s time.
Beware of contentment and apathy, for tragedies the world over have been caused by their mingling in the affairs of people.

Personal Growth

Education in its truest sense should provide a platform for humanization. The development of one's personal ability to interact with others and understand oneself is an important and often neglected element in present day pedagogy.

The development and utilization of technical skill within the larger context of human interaction is a representation of "life" in all its complex reality. Cultivated skill is not used within the confines of a vacuum. Human interaction with both the inner and outer world is always part of the performance equation.

Students guided along the path of self understanding and personal growth tend to be better prepared to handle the dynamic and challenging nature of reality.

State of our Learning

"In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present".

-Tao Te Ching


What is the state of our learning? Is it rooted in the daily realities in which we live, or has it been transported to some imaginary land of data, statistics and figures. I have taken the position that education is meant to impact all aspects of a person's life, not merely test one's skill of memorization and regurgitation. Education should be a process of self-discovery and knowledge acquisition......and yes this can be fun.

Does overburdening the learning environment with strict regimentation equal greater effectiveness? I would say that it does not and can even impede the ability of students to grow, learn and think. Muscles, even those of an intellectual nature must be strengthened through use and challenge.

The Way of the Scholar

The way of the scholar is one comprised of the virtues of intellectual bravery and liberation. Scholarship from times immemorial has been viewed as a means of transcendence, the key to overcoming the ills of human condition and circumstance.

“Within America's information society, there also exists the potential of addressing many long-standing social and economic inequities” (Presidential committee on information literacy, 1989, para. 3).This is not a new phenomenon, as sages and academics have attested to the transformative power of knowledge for ages.

Through the pursuit and obtainment of knowledge one can truly be human and ascend to the highest levels of self hood.

Presidential committee on information literacy: Final report. (1989, January 10). Retrieved January 5, 2007 from http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/presidential.htm.