Power of the Pen…

With the swiftness of blades slashing through like wintery winds, the pen caresses the page and wages war against non-existence.

It will be more.

The shore of destiny's dream can be found between the margins and the seam.

A slow stream of consciousness can turn imagination into a torrential downpour.

Even more, it ignites the minds of those beat down by time, chance and unfavorable circumstance.

The pen can bend conditions to suit one's need or greed.

Whatever reality one wishes to feed.

Mills End

Spent a few hours at Mills End coffee shop, my usual spot was a bit crowded. This Saturday is a beautiful one. As I gazed out the large, glass windows a world of human activity was underway. People coming and going on the light rails, families were strolling down the street enjoying the day in sun. The town of Tempe was almost festive in its vibe. The passing of life's moments engaged in the act of living how perfect that was, life un-conceptualized, unbounded by ideas of what it is supposed to be. Life was just life, expressing itself through the activity of its being. Perhaps there exists a degree of wisdom in this.

The Strength of One’s Convictions

It is 10:51 on a beautiful Phoenix night. I sat on my patio thinking about a book I read entitled the Five Rings; this book was written by the legendary Samurai Miyamoto Musashi. A passage stood out to me from this warrior's treatise, which emphasized the importance of living by the strength of one's convictions. "The strengths of one's convictions", these words resonated continuously with me as I pondered their importance. I contemplated the meaning of conviction and it settled upon me that this concept essentially forms the guidelines by which one lives his or her life.

Taken to a deeper level, one's convictions influence the manner in which one views the world. The perception one has of life and reality is guided by the governing rules of one's conviction. Paradigms are molded by conviction. If one were to change their convictions, one will in essence change their paradigms. Questions worth noting are how does one come to adopt certain convictions and not others as well as what mechanisms reinforce deeply held conviction. I crave ice cream so as I indulge my sweet tooth I will contemplate these remaining questions on another night…

The Power of Conviction

Today was a busy day, comprised of interviews and prepping for upcoming leadership development programs. A thought that I could not help but contemplate through the day was that leadership is based significantly on the willingness of a person to live by the strength of one's convictions. Paying mere lip service to this reality is entirely different from living its precepts. The mettle required to tie one's success in life to one's fortitude of will appears to be substantial, however not an impossible goal. Now the question is how does one go about getting this done?

Cultivating Resilience
Challenging curriculum and educational strategies nurture the seed of resilience within learners. Cultivating environments which require learners to think in critical ways provides them a solid foundation from which to address life’s challenges. Problem based learning (PBL) is a powerful tool in an educator’s arsenal.

Excerpt from: The Power of We

You have not ended your sorrow, and you want to find enlightenment.

You can sit in the right posture with your back straight, breathing correctly, do pranayama and all the rest of it for the next ten thousand years, and you will be nowhere near perceiving what truth is, because you have not understood yourself at all, the way you think, the way you live. You have not ended your sorrow, and you want to find enlightenment. You can do all kinds of twists and turns with your body and this seems to fascinate people, because they feel it is going to give some power, some prestige. Now, all these powers are like candles in the sun; they are like candle light when the brilliant sun is shining.

Krishnamurti in India 1970-71 - 55

The Brink of Knowledge and Learning

Tranquil cords drip endlessly from fingertips caressing passionate strings of heartfelt sentiments, condiments of the soul. Foretold moments of majesty between valleys of melancholy, it is folly to believe that an escape lies in wait. For more is in store beyond what we might call the brink sink not into an endless abyss, but link to all that exists in time. Sublime destinies are one in the same, one in the vein. Beyond perception's veil, she sets sail upon the stream of intuition and feeling, struggling to understand this thing called life. She reveres its majesty yet she knows she is more…beyond the shore of infinity's embrace; she sets pace with the pristine and the timeless….

Can one not exist with the other?...

Can one find peace in the midst of discomfort? Is it possible to find a state of joy in the center of pain? Does the presence of one mean the nullification of the other? The mature mind may be the one which views the two realities as coexistant and embracing them both as such.

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To understand one habit is to open the door to understanding the whole machinery of habit

So, I must first understand the futility of resistance or effort in breaking a habit. If that is clear, what happens? I become aware of the habit - fully aware of it. If I smoke, I observe myself doing it. I am aware of putting my hand in my pocket, bringing out the cigarettes, drawing one from the package, tapping it on my thumbnail or other hard surface, putting it in my mouth, lighting it, extinguishing the match, and puffing. I am aware of every movement, of every gesture, without condemning or justifying the habit, without saying it is right or wrong, without thinking, 'How dreadful, I must be free of it,' and so on.

I am aware without choice, step by step, as I smoke. You try it next time, that is, if you want to break the habit. And in understanding and breaking one habit, however superficial, you can go into the whole enormous problem of habit: habit of thought, habit of feeling, the habit of imitation - and the habit of hungering to be something, for this too is a ha bit. When you fight a habit, you give life to that habit, and then the fighting becomes another habit, in which most of us are caught.

We only know resistance, which has become a habit. All our thinking is habitual, but to understand one habit is to open the door to understanding the whole machinery of habit. You find out where habit is necessary, as in speech, and where habit is completely corruptive.

Krishnamurti Collected Works, Vol. XIII - 204

The Germ of Defeat

The mature mind knows that the germ of defeat lies in every selfish thought.

-Charles Haanel

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Train the mind by training the body

It is midnight I am still up……

My body still aches from the jog I went on previously in the day. As I ran, my mind thought about the conditioning regiments athletes put themselves through. These regimens are often discussed as not only a conditioning of the body but of the mind as well. The fact that rigorous training builds mental toughness is almost axiomatic in the sports realm. The ancient Samurai Musashi identified that the reason warriors are fierce is because their training is fierce.

In the education realm, we would call this "toughness", persistence. Persistence is a person's ability to identify and see a task through to its completion. Many factors come into play when identifying people with high levels of persistence. One major factor contributing to persistence is an individual's level of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is one's perceived ability to control the direction their lives take. A person with a high level of efficacy will persist longer through adversity than someone with a low level of efficacy. Physical training can help to increase a person's perceived level of self-efficacy as people gain much of their perceptions about efficacy through the interpretation of physical stimuli. Training one's ability to manage, control and interpret physical stimuli through exercise will in turn influence one's ability to enhance perceived levels of agency.

Old Habits

Old behavior patterns die hard. Best to redefine how you engage life's situations through the adjustment of your mindset. Assess the perspective you have about your histoy. Also assess the traditions you hold dear and the symbolism you integrate into your life. Are these things in line with your desired path? All three elements will help you transform your circumstance.

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A State of Mind

I sat in contemplation today thinking about the role mindset plays in how we interact with the world.

A mindset of ownership and responsibility will yield different behaviors, than a mindset of one trying to get by in a world created by others.

Change the mindset and you change the behavior. The trick is that all of your habits and routines must reflect the new state of mind. Habits are the indicators and reinforcers of our current internal condition.

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Emotional resilience is a necessary component of success. Emotional resiliency allows one to learn from mistakes and adjust the approach. It is an overriding belief in success that turns obstructions in the road, into building blocks to future success. A true leader is well aware of the fact that the difficult in not synonymous with the impossible.

Excerpt from: Way of the E-lightened Mind

When you are aware that you are transformed, you are not.

A man who says, 'I know' is the most destructive human being because he really does not know. What does he know? So, when you are conscious you are transformed, when you are aware that you are transformed, you are not.
-Krishnamurti, Collected Works, Vol. VIII - 5

Microphone Check….

On a napkin she entices life into rhythmic forms and swarms of conceptualized feeling.

The ceiling, of which she has yet to find, intertwined within the fibers of dead trees bleed emotion.

Oceans of each would not even capture a blink of the most high so with the passion of many she fruitlessly tries to reflect but a piece of what will never cease not even within the immensity of time.

She sits at the bar contemplating coffee creations and whatever else happens to come to mind.

She primes the mind on instrumental renditions of hip hop greats and so she strives to capture infinity in just one take.

For the sake of art and for art's sake, she captures the moment with a taste of sweet words.

Dig it…

Because I feel what is what.

And I do what is and what.

Could I see that reality is only what I perceive it to be?

In the pitter of pattered beats I run towards ecstasy towards dreams towards me.

"Resistance is Futile"

In overcoming resistance to change the first strategy perhaps is to adjust one's perception of the phenomenon of resistance (Piderit, 2000). Currently resistance is viewed as something that must be overcome in many academic texts. This perception tends to take a pro-management slant, offering little balance to the investigation of this phenomenon. Addressing resistance in a manner reflective of balance can lead to more inclusive and accurate perceptions of the situation. This balance is crucial to finding an appropriate response to resistance, as the mental models or perceptions we hold, influence the quality of the decisions we make (Senge, 1992).

A second strategy in which resistance can be addressed is to create a sense of urgency within the organization. If a sense of urgency is created within the institution, the drive to find an appropriate response is enhanced. Participants in the process would welcome an agreed-upon decision.

A third strategy in addressing resistance is to create a guiding coalition comprised of employees from varied backgrounds. This practice creates a sense of shared responsibility, destiny and vested interest across the entirety of the organization. The cohesion fosters the strong foundations of collective action.

References:

Piderit, S. K. (2000, October). Rethinking resistance and recognizing ambivalence: A multidimensional view of attitudes toward an organizational change. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 783.

Senge, P. M. (1992, March/April). Mental models. Planning Review, 20(2), 4-11.

Phenomena of Culture

Implications

The opportunity to reflect over the past few weeks has allowed me to evaluate the phenomena of culture. The comprising elements of artifacts, values and assumptions allow a person to understand this ephemeral concept in much greater depth. Managing the process of change would appear to be in large part a process of managing culture. The aforementioned components of culture should be points of focus when creating a shift within an organization. I have found knowledge of these concepts to be useful as it would allow a leader to influence cultural shifts within institutions. Often times one might espouse the fact that a cultural shift is desired, but the strategic steps to get there are not apparent. Without knowledge of cultural transformation one's efforts might even work against one's overall desired ends.

Conclusions

As a leader within institution of higher learning this knowledge will allow me to pay more attention to cultural considerations. By understanding the specific components of culture and having a framework through which to view this phenomenon; I will be able to more effectively navigate institutional change processes.

e-lightened Insight: Components of Change

Implication

The components of change I have learned to view in a much deeper manner. The monolithic impression I once held of change is giving way to a nuanced impression of the concept. Three types of change are now a part of my conceptual vocabulary; developmental, transitional and change (Anderson, & Anderson, 2001). The value which I have found in these concepts resides in the manner in which I can approach my work. Understanding the demands each change type would require of its participants will provide me with a detailed blueprint on how to support them in an effective manner. Another point that I've come to realize through the first two weeks of this class is that as a leader it's not only important to understand external drivers of change but it is equally important to understand the internal aspects of change to effectively navigate an organization through times of transition a leader must have an accurate measure of all elements involved both objective and subjective.

An important skill set for a leader navigating an institution through times of change is the ability to understand how culture must be responsive to the process of change on a deeper level it is important for a leader to understand what unique characteristics or type of culture must be present in order for a given external challenge to be addressed in an effective manner. For example if an organization is going through a change that requires an entirely different perspective to be maintained within the institution a leader in such an environment would need to understand what cultural elements are conducive for such a transition to be maintained. A leader in such a scenario might decide that a shift is needed within the organization to effectively cultivate a new perspective.

 

Conclusion

The important lesson I learned from the previous two weeks is that change is holistic; an effective leader understands the complexity of change. The readings over the past few weeks have challenged me to understand the nuances of the change phenomena. As a leader I have also been challenged to not settle for simplistic models and perspectives in relation to effectively addressing change. My evolution will encompass a balanced outlook and approach to addressing shifting contingency.

 

Reference:

Anderson, D., & Anderson, A. L. (2001). Beyond change management. San Francisco: Jossey-

Bass/Pfeiffer

 

The Role of Risk in Learning (e-lightened mix)

Moment of e-lightenment: Importance of Understanding Change

Over the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to reflect upon change and its various dimensions. Something I have realized is that change is not a monolithic occurrence comprised of uniform components. There are many nuances and paradigms existent within the concept. Cultivating a deeper understanding of this reality would allow leaders in any filed to operate with a greater level of prudence. Decisions are based upon an evaluation of what one perceives to be a given reality. Inaccurate evaluations of reality lead to ineffective strategies. The quality of one's actions as a leader would appear to be dependent upon the quality of his or her perception. On an organizational level, change is something which must be dealt with on a consistent basis. Leaders gaining a deeper insight into change from a conceptual standpoint would help their organizations navigate the tumultuous waters of contingency.

A Moment of Contemplation: Rules of Persistence

What are principles of persisting through challenges? What are the thought processes that occur? Can this be trained? Difficult times are often when new stages of development emerge.

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Chronicle of Higher Education

James R. Zanewicz: Marketing Academic Inventions in a Tough Market

With the economy on the ropes, moving academic inventions from the lab to the marketplace is increasingly important — and increasingly challenging. James R. Zanewicz, director of the Office of Technology Transfer at the University of Louisville, says universities need to be more flexible in the deals they negotiate and more realistic about the money they expect to earn.

[Audio]

A Subtle Thought

"Me We"
-Ali

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Pon the Stone (The Silent Mix)

Reading from the book: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago

True Learning Comes Through Experience

A careful analysis of the teacher-student relationship at any level inside or outside the school, reveals its fundamentally narrative character This relationship involves a narrating Subject (the teacher) and patient, listening objects (the students). The contents, whether values or empirical dimensions of reality, tend in the process of being narrated to become lifeless and petrified. Education is suffering from narration sickness.
The teacher talks about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable. Or else he expounds on a topic completely alien to the existential experience of the students. His task is to “fill” the students with the contents of his narration — contents which are detached from reality, disconnected from the totality that engendered them and could give them significance. Words are emptied of their concreteness and become a hollow, alienated, and alienating verbosity.-Paulo Freire

Esclavitude

"What am I feeling" he thought. The precession of the day's activities rushes forward like a river busting forth from a damn. He fears that his goal should slip through his fingers like sands upon a desert landscape. The lack of profound thoughts caused a slight fearful stir to emerge within his core. For at this very moment in the silence of night and nature, he did not feel extraordinary. No thoughts of significance called aloud in defiance. Only the creeping caress of normality embraced him that night.

"The path of heroes is tough" the man thought. "For the endurance required maybe outside of my capacity to give". The man paused after this solitary thought echoed about through his mind. Looking out into the distance the man contemplated the meaning of valor and what it must feel like to dive headlong into Glory. "To gladly give all of myself unselfishly to the service of others without a second glance must be an experience to savor". The man had a secret so deep that he was barely cognizant of its presence, and that secret is to rid his mind of fear….

A fear of life, a fear of death, fear of success, fear of failure, fear of himself , a fear of others, a fear of being trapped within the company of the crowd, a fear to be alone, a fear to be normal, a fear to be great……

As the litany continued a sense of fatigue pricked the man's mind with a disturbing familiarity this feeling he knew all too well. From within the haze of thought and contemplation an insight rang aloud….the clarity was pristine ….

"Fear enslaves"…...

The expression of research in the language of identified behaviors

This week has offered me a chance to reflect upon quantitative and qualitative methods and how using a variety of statistical tests can provide a researcher with a holistic view of studied phenomena. An area of growth for me proved to be the interpretation of statistical data into the language of human behaviour and practice. When one uses research to guide operational improvement findings will be of little use if they cannot be made relevant to the actual behaviours inherent in a given discipline. I found that bridging the gap between statistical understanding and the articulation of recommendations to be a distinct skill set unto itself.

Leaders within organizations would benefit by understanding that improving performance through research must be backed by the ability to articulate specific, measurable behaviours. It is not enough to merely comprehend areas of opportunity, but one must be able pull this comprehension into the realm of human experience, allowing it to transform the organization.

In engaging in my own work I must remain vigilant in identifying practical ways that improvement can be attained. In ensuring that I do not become lost in a haze of data and conjecture, a prudent practice would be to filter potential plans of action through the lens of actual practice. Much as the grounded theorist establishes constructed theory upon actuality, I will establish recommended actions upon specific behaviours.

Using behaviour or performance based outcomes to express the intent of statistical findings allows organizations to take advantage of research efforts. For determined strategies and plans to be effective it must filter through the multiple layers of the organization. They best way to do this is to distil research findings into the palatable format of lived experience.

 
 

Importance of Validity in Intellectual Inquiry

Throughout this academic journey I have been challenged to view research presented in journals with a more discerning eye. Two things which I look for in much greater depth is the systematic approach of the data collection process and the strategies used to ensure personal bias is not introduced into the research findings. These elements are crucially important as they influence the internal validity of one's study. The goal of research in many instances is to draw an inference about the world through the investigation of a smaller piece. If factors which detract away from validity are not minimized the ability to draw insight from one's research efforts will be precluded. Neuman (2003) is of the sentiment that through effective research and maintaining a diversity of perspectives, research techniques will advance knowledge of the social world, I concur with this position.

 

Reference:

Neuman, W.L. (2003). Social research methods (5^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

 
 

You educate through example. You educate by your life...what you are.

Myles Horton Audio

Self-Knowledge

Right thinking comes with self-knowledge. Without understanding yourself, you have no basis for thought; without self-knowledge what you think is not true. You and the world are not two different entities with separate problems; you and the world are one. Your problem is the world's problem. You may be the result of certain tendencies, of environmental influences, but you are not different fundamentally from another. Inwardly we are very much alike; we are all driven by greed, ill will, fear, ambition, and so on. Our beliefs, hopes, aspirations have a common basis.

We are one; we are one humanity, though the artificial frontiers of economics and politics and prejudice divide us. If you kill another, you are destroying yourself. You are the center of the whole, and without understanding yourself you cannot understand reality. We have an intellectual knowledge of this unity but we keep knowledge and feeling in different compartments and hence we never experience the extraordinary unity of man.
-Krishnamurti

Remain Resolute

The ability to remain focused, upbeat and resolute amidst the turbulence of disappointment and challenge is a necessary skill which one who strives to succeed must obtain. It is important to not let disappointment in one’s life turn into an indictment of one’s efforts and cherished goals. “An individual’s ability to carry on in the face of calamitous adversity showcases critical leadership traits, including perseverance, self containment amidst difficult circumstances, courage, perspective, and an ability to focus on the needs of others rather than oneself. Individuals who have mastered such challenges in their own lives are more apt to be viewed as leaders able to serve others” ( Strock,2001,pg.93).

-Regi Adams

excerpt from:Way of the e-lightened Mind.

The Role of Encouragement in Education

Listening to the pulsing waves of melodic transmissions emanating over my head phones I sat down to ponder the importance of encouragement in the educational process. The role of positive reinforcement is sometimes overlooked as perhaps it is often viewed as a frivolous activity of appeasement. Yet such a notion could not be further from the truth. Education is an activity which challenges learners to expand into unknown territories. An undertaking such as this requires the fortitude to assume risk. Risk to one's ego and perceptions of agency. Positive reinforcement and encouragement helps learners mitigate the intensity of the unknown. Encouragement allows learners to cultivate a belief in their ability to withstand potential failure, thus nurturing a greater willingness to assume risk. It is only through assuming risk that we truly learn.

The Power to Inspire

Nine tenths of education is encouragement.

-Anatole France

Characteristics of Adult Learning

Social Cognitive Theory

Social Cognitive Theory is the overarching theoretical framework of the self-efficacy construct (Bandura, 1986). Within this perspective, one's behavior is constantly under reciprocal influence from cognitive (and other personal factors such as motivation) and environmental influences. Bandura calls this three-way interaction of behavior, cognitive factors, and environmental situations the "triadic reciprocality." Applied to an instructional design perspective, students' academic performances (behavioral factors) are influenced by how learners themselves are affected (cognitive factors) by instructional strategies (environmental factors), which in turn builds on itself in cyclical fashion.

The methods for changing students' percepts of efficacy, according to Bandura (1977, 1986), are categorically subsumed under four sources of efficacy information that interact with human nature: (1) enactive attainment, (2) vicarious experience, (3) persuasory information, and (4) and physiological state.

Source: http://www.positivepractices.com/

Research Notes:The Seeking Process of Self-Directed Learning

Mathie (1993) active learning strategies:

1. Provide overview of goals
2. Set expectations
3. Empower student to make choices
4. Environment that stresses rapport

The Teachable Moment

Moments of uncertainty and new challenges are managed through the discipline of routines. Routines anchor excursions into the unknown, allowing for untapped potential to be realized. Develop the tools to be ready for the moment.

Strength to Love 1963

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Power of Vision

Where there is no vision, the people perish; where there is no framework of moral reasoning, the people close ranks in a war against all. -Cornel West

Possibility’s Reality

The curse of indecision in a world of wisp and cloud, aloud one proclaims the desire to be. See the possibility, rather than the cold disappointment of limitation. Resuscitation of childhood dreams seems to be the remedy for the soul. The key to life is held within the focus and discipline of spiritual mettle. One must not settle for the quick and convenient, for neither can deliver the providence of the "as yet" and the ''not yet'' born.
-Regi Adams
excerpt from: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago

Catch a Fire

"Passion is not friendly. It is arrogant superbly contemptuous of all that is not itself, and , as the very definition of passion implies the impulse to freedom, it has a mighty intimidating power. It contains a challenge. It contains an unspeakable hope". -James Baldwin

....the Small Stuff

The world perishes not from bandits and fires, but from hatred, hostility, and all these petty squabbles.
-Anton Chekhov

Can't Stop, Won't Stop...

Tread the path of persistence with a faithful heart and a patient spirit. Endure the tumultuous waves of adversity as the reed endures the tide of the tempest. All things are revealed in their due time. The nature of the struggle is to be embraced and the essence of the moment to be cherished. Do not surrender the pleasures of your art to anxiety and worry.
-Regi Adams

Excerpt from: Way of the E-lightened Mind, Book of Success

As a Man Thinketh

When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his "proper place" and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.
-Dr. Carter G. Woodson

Life long Learning

There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.
-Jiddu Krishnamurti

Emotion, Learning and the Online Learning Environment

"In spite of evidence that more and more students are engaging in online learning experiences (Alan & Seaman, 2006), clarity about the transition to a new learning environment is still at arm’s length (Cleveland-Innes, Garrison & Kinsel, 2006). In addition, the impact of the emotion created by dealing with this new environment on learning is virtually (pun intended) undiscovered. In this session, Dr. Marti Cleveland-Innes and Zehra Akyol will review theory and data regarding emotion in online environments, with opportunity for discussion of the effect of emotion on teaching, learning and instructional design. In addition, this presentation corresponds with the launch of a web-site to support continued discussion and research on emotion and online learning. The web-site will be introduced at the end of the session"(Canadian Institute of Distance Education Research,2008)

View Session Here

Knowledge to Wisdom Part I

The need to rethink educational strategies and pedagogy is perhaps at the most critical stage observed in U.S history. The record drop out rates in our school systems and the wide spread underdevelopment of our students are ominous signals of turbulent times ahead. The jewel of society rests squarely in the bosom of its intellectual institutions. The strength of a society's ideas and its passion for learning are foundations on which thriving and sustainable communities are built. To nurture the mind, in a desire to develop a deep understanding of the world around us, has often been relegated to an inferior status within the hierarchy of our society's considerations. It is rarely acknowledged that intellectual wherewithal is what makes all other considerations achievable goals.

I would like to illustrate this point with an analogy. The grand structure of a tree starts but from a modest seed, one would rarely see the logic in this were it not for the commonality of such an occurrence. The same principle can be seen in the existence of a bustling society, knowledge and learning are the seeds by which all else grows. The germination process occurs and the seed of knowledge sprouts roots which can be likened to wisdom. These roots act to stabilize that society in the midst of challenge, turmoil, etc. As is the case in nature, the life that the seed has introduced into the world must continually be nurtured in order for it to live and grow. Without the continual nurturance of the tree by the environment, the tree would surely perish no matter how magnificent the tree might be in stature.

It is my belief that life long learning and education are the means through which societies can maintain their vitality and heath. The underlining goal of education should be to transform the mere accumulation of facts, digits and data into meaningful understandings and enlightened perceptions. The contextualization of learned information into the larger perspective of the world and responsibility helps to nurture this process.

...Mind over Matter

“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 Kimbro, Ph.D.

Freedom of the Artist

In its origins, the word art meant science, knowledge, or learning. But it now connotes more than that: it refers not to learning and knowledge simply but to learning and knowledge in ways different from those associated with science. Art is a way of seeing, or apprehending, the world of man and nature through visual, sound or mental images. Through these images, the whole conglomerate of skills that we call art or the arts assault our consciousness to make us take a certain view of the world of man and nature.

Reference:

Barrel of a Pen: Resistance to Repression in Neo-colonial Kenya. 1983. Trenton N wa Thiong’o - NJ: Africa World Press

Sources of Self-Efficacy Information

Sources of Self-Efficacy Information;. People make judgments about their capabilities, accurate or not these estimations are based on enactive experience, vicarious experience (observation), persuasory information, and physiological states. In school, children gain knowledge and experiences through experiential activities. They also gain information based on seeing how peers they judge to be similar to themselves perform at various levels and under given circumstances. They also are told by teachers, peers, family and others about their expected capabilities. Children give themselves physiological feedback about their capabilities through symptoms such as soreness or sweating. These sources of efficacy information are not mutually exclusive, but interact in the overall process of self-evaluation.

Bandura, Adams, & Beyer (1977) advise that enactive experience is a highly influential source of efficacy information. Successful experiences raise self-efficacy with regard to the target performance while experiences with failure lower it. Another source of efficacy information is vicarious experience through observation. Observing peers, or peer models, especially those with perceived similar capabilities, perform target performances results in evaluative information about one's personal capabilities.

Verbal persuasion or convincing serves as another source of efficacy information. Teachers, for example, can raise or inhibit students' percepts of efficacy by suggesting whether or not they have the capabilities to succeed in a given task (Bouffard-Bouchard, 1989). Models can also be used to demonstrate to self-doubters that personal capabilities are more often a result of effort rather than innate capability. Students often have physical reactions to anticipated events. Many a public speaker testifies to sweaty palms and nervous vocal reactions when performing a speech. These physiological indicators are sources of self-efficacy information as well. Social cognitive theory postulates that the aforementioned sources of self-efficacy information are the most influential determinants of performance.

Source: Positive Practices.com

Freire on the Banking Concept of Education

In the banking concept of education, knowledge is a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowledgeable upon those whom they consider to know nothing. Projecting an absolute ignorance onto others, a characteristic of the ideology of oppression, negates education and knowledge as processes of inquiry. The teacher presents himself to his students as their necessary opposite; by considering their ignorance absolute, he justifies his own existence. The students, alienated like the slave in the Hegelian dialectic, accept their ignorance as justifying the teacher’s existence — but, unlike the slave, they never discover that they educate the teacher.

The raison d'etre of libertarian education, on the other hand, lies in its drive towards reconciliation. Education must begin with the solution of the teacher-student contradiction, by reconciling the poles of the contradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers and students.

Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed; Chapter 2

Zen and the Universe
The search for truth is a road of enduring proportions, persistent yet elusive. Those who claim to have mastered its secrets are perhaps those furthest from it. Will I ever really know? Soul searching solitude and nights of contemplation are my companions in search of the way.

Excerpt from: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago

Emotions, What Good Are They?.....

I sat in a dimly lit coffee shop sipping on a mixed green tea of my own creation. I came across an entry I had made in a research journal I use to document my thoughts and insights. The entry discussed the role of emotions in the learning process. This insight sparked my mind as I began to reflect upon this in greater depth. It occurred to me that as an educator I should not overlook the role of emotion within the realm of education. Emotions help us discern immediate pressing concerns from those that are not critical. In transforming one's life through learning, emotions help us to prioritize our selected tasks and objectives .

I wanted to investigate this concept further. Some questions came to mind. What role does emotion play in learner retention? What role does persistence play in the same equation? Retention is a passive action on the part of the student. Persistence is an active movement towards a goal. In the persistence paradigm the student is the active agent in his or her own transformation. The student acts and is not acted upon.

“Regardless of combat circumstances, you must always remain calm. Calmness is attained through meditation and belief in your own skills.

-Miyamoto Musashi

Despite the appearance of the challenge that lies before you, the ability to remain calm is the starting point to its remedy. Calmness gives birth to focus and focus breeds success. One must maintain a cool disposition in the midst of turmoil and struggle. The success of the mission is dependent upon one’s ability to do this. Remaining calm at all times is a skill that must be trained like any other. One’s training should consist of visualization and meditation. Meditation trains the mind and senses, strengthening their abilities of clarity and focus. These faculties will serve you well while engaged in the throws of struggle.

Train hard, and believe in yourself. Belief shows respect to the efforts of self-evolution that you have engaged in. Whilst others slept you toiled, while others enjoyed states of comfort you forsake yours for the hard path of cultivation. For this, you are a warrior, relevant and worthy of respect. The result of the competitive struggle is none of your concern. Your only concern should be the expression of your art.

Excerpt from: 4 Steps to Conquer

Excellence is developed through patience and holding steady through the process of self development. The quick and accessible route is not always in the best interest of quality and longevity. Lasting excellence is a methodical and arduous process. Patience allows one to establish a firm platform from which to build and to grow. The key to cultivating patience is to focus upon the activity, which one is currently involved. “An effective coach displays the following skills and characteristics: empathy, active listening, ability to size up people, diplomacy and tact, patience toward people, concern for the welfare of others, self-confidence, noncompetitiveness with team members, and enthusiasm for people”(DuBrin,2005).

Excerpt from: The Way of the E-lightened Mind, 10th entry

Problem based learning (PBL) is an instructional methodology, which engages learners by presenting them with scenarios reflecting real world challenges. This approach to education is different from many traditional “chalk and talk” methodologies, as PBL does not rely on the extensive use of lectures and monologues to drive the curriculum. The traditional paradigm of instruction tends to emphasize an approach where knowledge flows “downhill” from the instructor, to the less informed mind of the student.

The active agent in this instructional model is the teacher who propels the delivery of the lesson plan. A learner’s role within this paradigm tends to be passive, reduced to a role of no more than an “empty receptacle” passively receiving presented information.

Excerpt from: The Power of We!

The Darkest Forest

The warrior stood at the boundaries of the darkest forest, staring intently into its depths. The absence of light played tricks on the senses, as morphing shapes took on forms of a familiar nature, before vanishing
back into the murky depths. The warrior’s heart beat with an increased rapidity as the anticipation of the eventual confrontation filled her sensibilities. There was a heightened state of awareness. It was as if time stood still for that one moment.

Excerpt from: The 5 O'clock Coup

"You must be fierce, but have patience at the same time. Most inportant of all you must have complete determination. The worst opponent you can come across is one whose aim has become an obsession". -Bruce Lee

Never Mind that Man behind the Screen
Get at the impetus, the force behind the action, distraction from the true
reason. Treason of the senses leaves the traveler lost among landscapes
of emotion and conjecture, lectures of the heart lead to teachable moments and pockets of understanding; left standing with none but self
and possibility.

Excerpt from: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago, pg. 44

The Virtue of Patience

Ultimately, patience is the bedrock on which excellence rests. If one can enjoy the moment, enjoy the process and take it for what it is, then one can experience the natural flow of the activity. If one strives to live every moment, and strives to win every moment, then the natural conclusion of success will manifest because of these efforts.

Excerpt from: Way of the E-lightened Mind, 12th entry

Journal Entry on Self-Concepts

It is 12:51am New Years day and I am still awake…thinking. Over the past few weeks I had an opportunity to catch up with some old friends. It is always interesting seeing how things change over the years. Sharing in the personal success of people and observing their growth is an edifying experience. I began to wonder about how people come to believe in their ability to succeed. I wanted to know what creates this change this evolution in personal perspective. Is it possible for someone who may not have a good impression of themselves to change it for the better?

If one already has a positive opinion of themselves can they improve upon it? With many of these questions in mind I began to look at the phenomena of self concepts. "In a nutshell self-concepts can be viewed as the totality of a complex organized, and dynamic system of learned beliefs, attitudes and opinion that each person holds to be true about his or her personal existence" (Purkey, 1988).

Where do our beliefs about ourselves arise? Well one powerful contributor to this concept is our personal experiences. The occurrences in our lives over time construct an overall picture of who we perceive ourselves to be. Reflecting upon experiences of success or mastery contributes to a positive self-concept. The opposite of this is true as well. The self-concepts we develop about ourselves do not simply reside in the realm of our minds but has a tangible influence in our lives made possible through our daily behaviors. Prescott Lucky (1945) contributed to our understanding of this best when he stated that self-consistency, or maintaining the status quo is a primary motivating force in human behavior. Stated another way our actions will create our reality around based upon our self-concept. Subconsciously or otherwise people will act out in ways indicative of self-perception.

-Regi

“...I feel that the period will sooner or later arrive when I must abandon life and reason together, in some struggle with the grim phantasm, FEAR.”
-Poe

Fear is the foe of a thousand lives and shapes for it manifests in our lives in so many expected and unexpected ways. The greatest accomplishments the world has ever seen are the products of people who have conquered their fears. Within all endeavors, a decisive moment arises, a moment when a person must come face to face with their
deepest fears.

Excerpt: 4 Steps to Conquer pg. 9

The Seed of Bravery

Last night I dreamed of freedom and the plunge into fate. The slow depletion of life at the hand of conformity no longer held its sway. The warriors’ way displays a disdain for turning one’s back to adversity. The perversity of such and act is forbidden to those trained to dive headlong into the abyss of the unknown. Authority’s throne is meant only for those who sown bravery’s seed in the daily workings of their lives.

Self-Efficacy Insights
Tony Earles, Harvard School of Public Health and Maya Carlson, Harvard Medical School in Conversation at OLPC. In this clip Maya Carlson explains the concept of self-efficacy.

Tools of Self-Efficacy

I sat huddled in front of my computer on a cool Phoenix night. The soft glow of the lap top illuminates the room with bluish hue. Tonight like most nights I am contemplating self-efficacy. I am intrigued by the self-directed nature of human agency. The stories I often reference in illustrating profiles of self-development are of people who have personally decided to walk the
path of growth. It was a choice they made of their own volition.

I contemplated how one who has chosen to walk the path of human agency could enhance and strengthen the experience. My preliminary deliberations on the subject led me to three potential tools a person can use in seeking higher levels of actualization. The tools are:

1. Portfolios
2. Case Studies
3. Journal

Portfolios
Keeping a portfolio of one's professional and personal accomplishments offers a holistic illustration of development. Observing a body of work from a big picture perspective can provide insights into one's progress and potential patterns of future growth. I think portfolios are a great confidence builder as they can help a person see the fruits of their labor. Portfolios can also serve as a reminder to the underlining personal mission one seeks to attain through one's work.

Case Studies
Case studies offer people a glimpse into the performance of others. I think the best case studies one should make use of are those that illustrate the triumphs of people in similar circumstances. The case study can quickly become a blueprint when used effectively.

Journals
Journaling offers reflection and insight into internal cognitive processes. Gaps in understanding can be observed and addressed through the analysis of a well maintained journal. Self-development goals can be established around areas of opportunity identified in the journal. Maintaining a journal can also help to identify areas of competency that a person possess as well. This practice of journaling ultimately leads to a higher level of self-knowledge.

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.