Reaching My Escape Velocity
Well friends...here I am in the last class of this beautiful journey and I find myself procrastinating to write my final summations. I am not putting this assignment off because I do not know what to say. In a strange way, I am delaying because a big part of me does not want what has become a norm in my life to be over.
However, I did learn one very important thing about myself over the last 18 months. I am a lifelong learner that embraces the process more than ever before. Although, this part of the journey is coming to an end, the skills and the confidence I have gained throughout the entire DLL program will always be there to assist me on all of my future journeys.
Reflecting on some of the learning processes in my life, I am transported all the way back to elementary school. My formal education began in the early 80's. I attended Kindergarten through eighth grade on the same rural country campus where the learning was more prescriptive and finding your social niche was definitely one of the hardest processes to navigate.
Growing up in such an intimate academic environment, the suitable roles of each classroom hierarchy seemed to fill rather quickly. One of the most common and most important roles to be played was the one of the teacher's pet. We all knew one. We all rolled our eyes at their annoying eagerness to command the constant attention of authority figures.
Do you ever wonder what happens to the teacher's pet when they become an adult? Do they still seek approval? Are they still trying to be the person others want them to be? Does fear still have a hold on their life? If you would have asked me those questions 18 months ago, my answer to all of them would have been a definitive YES.
All throughout grade school, it seemed that my teachers gave me opportunities to shine by completing an assignment they selected, they created, they presented to us from behind a podium on their stage while pushing their personal agendas for learning. Being a teacher pleaser, you give me a worksheet and I could hunt and find or fill in the blanks faster and better than anyone else in the class, but in essence, their Choice, Ownership, Voice and Authenticity was my COVA and any opportunities to buck the system were rare.
Fast forward many moons to the present and I find myself 14 years into a very fulfilling career as a teacher. Most of my days are spent helping my AVID students discover their COVA and apply it to real life learning. As satisfying as it is to routinely help others, I was well into the DLL program before I realized that I too had a Choice, Ownership, Voice and Authenticity in my learning just waiting to shine.
Once a teacher pleaser, always a teacher pleaser...right? Not really, but old habits are hard to break. Early on in the DLL program, I would get these ideas in my head for various assignments and email them to the professor for guidance, feedback and approval or so I thought. What I really was seeking was the professor to decide for me the assignment path to walk down. If I was just told exactly what to do to get an A, believe me I would do it. However, the response to my emails and video conference questions were often, "Great start Brandi, but remember to be less prescriptive." If I had a dollar for every time Dr. Thibodeaux said "less prescriptive", I would be taking a nice, long, tropical vacation after graduation.
The freedom to choose my own project destiny was a terrifying feeling. So much so, that in the beginning, I would often procrastinate on every assignment(just as I did on this one)until I absolutely had no other choice but to trust myself and trust in the process enough to produce a quality product. I adjusted to the process by building quality relationships with my professors and my peers. These relationships helped me to overcome my fear of failure and take on the mantra that mistakes are proof that I am trying...I am just not there...yet.
Knowing what I know now, I would have partnered more with my peers on projects. I let a lack of face-to-face interaction and distance hinder me from collaborating with some pretty amazing people.
I found it very difficult to focus on my organization as the audience for my work. Again, I wanted to please the teacher with my course work instead of meeting the needs of my audience. Early on, part of my problems stemmed from my athletic coaching days. I could get kids to "run through a wall" for me on the field or on the court, but trying to coach adults through technology integration was like pulling teeth with no anesthesia. I had almost no patience for technology apathetic teachers. I could not understand why my belief in the positives of technology integration was not enough to convince the resisters to get on board. I remember sharing my first BHAG with Dr. Harapnuik. That was the first time my eyes were opened to the extremely negative approach I was taking to leading organizational change.
My leading organizational change ah-ha moment came in the form of a simple phrase. The head won't go where the heart hasn't been. I could hear the choirs of angels sweetly singing from on high with each joyous refrain of this glorious phrase. Now, I had a focus to appeal to the emotions of my audience before moving in any logical direction towards change.
Since the head won't go where the heart hasn't been became my mantra, I thought it was only fitting to create my last reflective video submission around this life changing theme.
However, I did learn one very important thing about myself over the last 18 months. I am a lifelong learner that embraces the process more than ever before. Although, this part of the journey is coming to an end, the skills and the confidence I have gained throughout the entire DLL program will always be there to assist me on all of my future journeys.
Reflecting on some of the learning processes in my life, I am transported all the way back to elementary school. My formal education began in the early 80's. I attended Kindergarten through eighth grade on the same rural country campus where the learning was more prescriptive and finding your social niche was definitely one of the hardest processes to navigate.
Growing up in such an intimate academic environment, the suitable roles of each classroom hierarchy seemed to fill rather quickly. One of the most common and most important roles to be played was the one of the teacher's pet. We all knew one. We all rolled our eyes at their annoying eagerness to command the constant attention of authority figures.
Do you ever wonder what happens to the teacher's pet when they become an adult? Do they still seek approval? Are they still trying to be the person others want them to be? Does fear still have a hold on their life? If you would have asked me those questions 18 months ago, my answer to all of them would have been a definitive YES.
All throughout grade school, it seemed that my teachers gave me opportunities to shine by completing an assignment they selected, they created, they presented to us from behind a podium on their stage while pushing their personal agendas for learning. Being a teacher pleaser, you give me a worksheet and I could hunt and find or fill in the blanks faster and better than anyone else in the class, but in essence, their Choice, Ownership, Voice and Authenticity was my COVA and any opportunities to buck the system were rare.
Fast forward many moons to the present and I find myself 14 years into a very fulfilling career as a teacher. Most of my days are spent helping my AVID students discover their COVA and apply it to real life learning. As satisfying as it is to routinely help others, I was well into the DLL program before I realized that I too had a Choice, Ownership, Voice and Authenticity in my learning just waiting to shine.
Once a teacher pleaser, always a teacher pleaser...right? Not really, but old habits are hard to break. Early on in the DLL program, I would get these ideas in my head for various assignments and email them to the professor for guidance, feedback and approval or so I thought. What I really was seeking was the professor to decide for me the assignment path to walk down. If I was just told exactly what to do to get an A, believe me I would do it. However, the response to my emails and video conference questions were often, "Great start Brandi, but remember to be less prescriptive." If I had a dollar for every time Dr. Thibodeaux said "less prescriptive", I would be taking a nice, long, tropical vacation after graduation.
The freedom to choose my own project destiny was a terrifying feeling. So much so, that in the beginning, I would often procrastinate on every assignment(just as I did on this one)until I absolutely had no other choice but to trust myself and trust in the process enough to produce a quality product. I adjusted to the process by building quality relationships with my professors and my peers. These relationships helped me to overcome my fear of failure and take on the mantra that mistakes are proof that I am trying...I am just not there...yet.
Knowing what I know now, I would have partnered more with my peers on projects. I let a lack of face-to-face interaction and distance hinder me from collaborating with some pretty amazing people.
I found it very difficult to focus on my organization as the audience for my work. Again, I wanted to please the teacher with my course work instead of meeting the needs of my audience. Early on, part of my problems stemmed from my athletic coaching days. I could get kids to "run through a wall" for me on the field or on the court, but trying to coach adults through technology integration was like pulling teeth with no anesthesia. I had almost no patience for technology apathetic teachers. I could not understand why my belief in the positives of technology integration was not enough to convince the resisters to get on board. I remember sharing my first BHAG with Dr. Harapnuik. That was the first time my eyes were opened to the extremely negative approach I was taking to leading organizational change.
My leading organizational change ah-ha moment came in the form of a simple phrase. The head won't go where the heart hasn't been. I could hear the choirs of angels sweetly singing from on high with each joyous refrain of this glorious phrase. Now, I had a focus to appeal to the emotions of my audience before moving in any logical direction towards change.
Since the head won't go where the heart hasn't been became my mantra, I thought it was only fitting to create my last reflective video submission around this life changing theme.
As you can see, having Choice, Ownership, Voice and Authenticity in my learning process has made all the difference throughout the entire DLL program. Knowing what I know now about COVA has helped me to realize that as an AVID elective teacher, I have been using COVA all along over the last five years. I just was never able to put a name with a face until now.
My teaching career was not always this bright. I taught 7th grade Science for seven years and with each passing year of that assignment, I seemed to dig myself deeper and deeper into a rut. I would love to say that I found AVID, but truthfully AVID found me and saved my life.
AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination and is a college readiness elective taught in 46 states and 16 countries serving nearly one million students. AVID focuses on teaching students the three biggest skills necessary for success...organization, note taking and peer tutoring, but AVID's core philosophy centers around giving teachers the freedom in the form of COVA to build a strong sense of community with their students.
The AVID system is a true holistic approach to learning by going beyond academic skill building to address the needs of the whole student and the whole campus. AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. The fundamental principle in AVID’s mission is “ALL means ALL” when it comes to developing and sustaining a college going culture of successful learners.
In reviewing ideas from various course readings, I am reminded that the fundamental principles of the AVID system are very closely modeled by those in Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown’s book, A New Culture of Learning. The following chart represents a side by side comparison of these foundational ideas.
My teaching career was not always this bright. I taught 7th grade Science for seven years and with each passing year of that assignment, I seemed to dig myself deeper and deeper into a rut. I would love to say that I found AVID, but truthfully AVID found me and saved my life.
AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination and is a college readiness elective taught in 46 states and 16 countries serving nearly one million students. AVID focuses on teaching students the three biggest skills necessary for success...organization, note taking and peer tutoring, but AVID's core philosophy centers around giving teachers the freedom in the form of COVA to build a strong sense of community with their students.
The AVID system is a true holistic approach to learning by going beyond academic skill building to address the needs of the whole student and the whole campus. AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. The fundamental principle in AVID’s mission is “ALL means ALL” when it comes to developing and sustaining a college going culture of successful learners.
In reviewing ideas from various course readings, I am reminded that the fundamental principles of the AVID system are very closely modeled by those in Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown’s book, A New Culture of Learning. The following chart represents a side by side comparison of these foundational ideas.
fundamentals_of_a_new_culture_of_learning_and_avid.docx | |
File Size: | 13 kb |
File Type: | docx |
These fundamentals lend themselves nicely to using COVA as a creator of significant learning environments. Perhaps the most important component of COVA and the one I rely on the most is authenticity. In my teaching, I always strive to connect the learning to real-world situations. I firmly believe this method is the best was to positively impact learning for generations to come.
In researching and reflecting on how to best use COVA to create more significant learning environments, I stumbled upon a TedTalk that held all of the answers needed to reach my own escape velocity through COVA. When you first hear the words escape velocity, it sounds like the title of a blockbuster Sci-fi movie. In actuality, thinking along the lines of science is correct as escape velocity is the minimum velocity required for a spacecraft to break free from the powerful gravitational force of Earth.
You might be thinking what does escape velocity have to do with using COVA to create significant learning environments? Andrew Crawford gives us the answer to this question by describing escape velocity as a metaphor for human potential. Checkout his TedTalk below for a better understanding of escape velocity and it relates well to my experiences throughout the DLL program.
In researching and reflecting on how to best use COVA to create more significant learning environments, I stumbled upon a TedTalk that held all of the answers needed to reach my own escape velocity through COVA. When you first hear the words escape velocity, it sounds like the title of a blockbuster Sci-fi movie. In actuality, thinking along the lines of science is correct as escape velocity is the minimum velocity required for a spacecraft to break free from the powerful gravitational force of Earth.
You might be thinking what does escape velocity have to do with using COVA to create significant learning environments? Andrew Crawford gives us the answer to this question by describing escape velocity as a metaphor for human potential. Checkout his TedTalk below for a better understanding of escape velocity and it relates well to my experiences throughout the DLL program.
T. (2017, February 16). Reaching Escape Velocity: Pro Snowboarder to Rocket Scientist | Andrew Crawford | TEDxBigSky. Retrieved March 26, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trB1TCkzyxI
In the TedTalk, Andrew begins by challenging us to overcome the limits and barriers in our lives by believing through determination we are capable of fulfilling our wildest dreams and completing our biggest goals. When I began the DLL program, I honestly felt like I did not belong. I was too old and waited too late to compete with the other students who were younger and much more tech savvy. I would read others' writings and see their final projects only to be overcome with the feeling that my writings and projects are no where near their high level of achievement. I felt like an impostor.
Mr. Crawford speaks of experiencing the Impostor Syndrome as a new hire for Google. The Impostor Syndrome is a feeling that you have that your employer made a mistake in hiring you. Impostor's feel that it is only a matter of time before their inadequacies are found out and they are fired. These emotions are exactly like the ones I was feeling early on in the DLL program. Thankfully, I had COVA to help me climb out of this very deep hole.
With COVA, I found confidence in creating my assignment products and belonging through open dialogue discussions and weekly Adobe Connect sessions. My perceived limits weren't limits at all. They were simply challenges that needed overcoming.
In retrospect, the DLL program pushed me physically, mentally and spiritually helping me to reach my escape velocity and reveal my maximum potential as a lifelong learner. As I move forward and faster to creating more significant learning environments, I encourage my students and my collegues to discover their COVA and use it to reach their own escape velocity.
Armed with the greatest weapon of all...COVA, I set out on another leg of my DLL journey. This time the task at hand was to apply my new found knowledge to create a plan for innovation.
When I first began the DLL program, I was so wide-eyed and excited to jump right in to using technology to change the world. I prepared a comprehensive plan for innovation using blended learning as my platform to create more significant learning environments. Here I am rip roaring and ready to go innovate and I immediately get a huge slap in face, wake-up call that the teachers on my campus are no where near ready to integrate blended learning into their curriculum. In fact teachers were not even using their district issued devices at all!
This revelation stopped me in my tracks and caused me to put my plan for innovation on hold until I figured out another plan to get teachers using their district devices. You see there were no expectations for technology on my campus. No expectations meant the teachers were not using their district devices so why should the parents take a chance on renting a device for their child, it breaking and then having to pay costly repair fees for a device that is not being used consistently.
Fast forward a few courses and I learned that in order to lead any organizational change, I must first appeal to the heart instead of the head. Because...the head won't go where the heart has not been. As mentioned before, this mantra stuck with me as one of the most valuable bits of authentic learning throughout the entire DLL program.
With the heart in mind, I set out to create an online course that would help teachers to create more significant learning environments through the use of Microsoft OneNote. Upon completion of my five week online course learners using their district device will create personal, staff and student OneNote notebooks. The creation of these notebooks empowers teachers to use their device for its intended educational purposes giving them endless opportunities to use their COVA to create more significant learning environments.
To date, I have shared my online course with my district technology specialist and she loved it. She liked it so much that it will be uploaded into the district online professional development course list allowing for any teacher district wide to take my course and receive continuing education credit hours.
My hope is to focus on one campus at a time and work with the willing to increase the use of district devices in the classroom. Once this huge step is taken then I can introduce my innovation plan for blended learning and continue to support my learners all along the way.
To be completely honest, I originally picked blended learning as my DLL program area of focus because I thought it was a cool buzzword. I knew I could find an abundance of digital resources involving BL. So, I set out to create my innovation plan mostly out of compliance. I had no idea how much my plan would evolve and that I would personally and professionally evolve along with it.
Mr. Crawford speaks of experiencing the Impostor Syndrome as a new hire for Google. The Impostor Syndrome is a feeling that you have that your employer made a mistake in hiring you. Impostor's feel that it is only a matter of time before their inadequacies are found out and they are fired. These emotions are exactly like the ones I was feeling early on in the DLL program. Thankfully, I had COVA to help me climb out of this very deep hole.
With COVA, I found confidence in creating my assignment products and belonging through open dialogue discussions and weekly Adobe Connect sessions. My perceived limits weren't limits at all. They were simply challenges that needed overcoming.
In retrospect, the DLL program pushed me physically, mentally and spiritually helping me to reach my escape velocity and reveal my maximum potential as a lifelong learner. As I move forward and faster to creating more significant learning environments, I encourage my students and my collegues to discover their COVA and use it to reach their own escape velocity.
Armed with the greatest weapon of all...COVA, I set out on another leg of my DLL journey. This time the task at hand was to apply my new found knowledge to create a plan for innovation.
When I first began the DLL program, I was so wide-eyed and excited to jump right in to using technology to change the world. I prepared a comprehensive plan for innovation using blended learning as my platform to create more significant learning environments. Here I am rip roaring and ready to go innovate and I immediately get a huge slap in face, wake-up call that the teachers on my campus are no where near ready to integrate blended learning into their curriculum. In fact teachers were not even using their district issued devices at all!
This revelation stopped me in my tracks and caused me to put my plan for innovation on hold until I figured out another plan to get teachers using their district devices. You see there were no expectations for technology on my campus. No expectations meant the teachers were not using their district devices so why should the parents take a chance on renting a device for their child, it breaking and then having to pay costly repair fees for a device that is not being used consistently.
Fast forward a few courses and I learned that in order to lead any organizational change, I must first appeal to the heart instead of the head. Because...the head won't go where the heart has not been. As mentioned before, this mantra stuck with me as one of the most valuable bits of authentic learning throughout the entire DLL program.
With the heart in mind, I set out to create an online course that would help teachers to create more significant learning environments through the use of Microsoft OneNote. Upon completion of my five week online course learners using their district device will create personal, staff and student OneNote notebooks. The creation of these notebooks empowers teachers to use their device for its intended educational purposes giving them endless opportunities to use their COVA to create more significant learning environments.
To date, I have shared my online course with my district technology specialist and she loved it. She liked it so much that it will be uploaded into the district online professional development course list allowing for any teacher district wide to take my course and receive continuing education credit hours.
My hope is to focus on one campus at a time and work with the willing to increase the use of district devices in the classroom. Once this huge step is taken then I can introduce my innovation plan for blended learning and continue to support my learners all along the way.
To be completely honest, I originally picked blended learning as my DLL program area of focus because I thought it was a cool buzzword. I knew I could find an abundance of digital resources involving BL. So, I set out to create my innovation plan mostly out of compliance. I had no idea how much my plan would evolve and that I would personally and professionally evolve along with it.
My Innovation Plan
edld_5304_4dx_powerpoint.pptx | |
File Size: | 117 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Click on the link below to access my online course using Schoology
As you can see, my original plan for innovation evolved into a completely different and unique plan. At first, I thought I'm going to get a bad grade because I failed to launch a successful innovation plan in the given time frame. Admittedly, it wasn't until the very end of the DLL program that I realized it was never truly about the products but all about the learning process.
As my time here comes to an end, I realize that COVA and feedback were the two most powerful tools to have throughout the entire DLL program! Although I do not want this post to end, as it signifies the completion of one truly wild ride, I enjoyed the opportunity to reflect on my journey with purpose and intent. I never imagined technology courses would be so introspective. I have grown tremendously as an educator, but most of all I am a better person for building these relationships and fully immersing myself in the holistic experience of becoming a digital lifelong learner and leader.
For now, I am overdue for a much needed vacation. However, I know that I will not be able to sit still for very long. I have a feeling that I will be embarking on another exciting journey beginning in the Summer of 2018. A journey that upon completion comes with the highest educational distinction added to my name. I firmly believe in less than five years from now, I will be signing off on my final reflection as Dr. Madeline Brandi Collins.
Until then friends...I am honored to be Madeline Brandi Collins, M.Ed.
As my time here comes to an end, I realize that COVA and feedback were the two most powerful tools to have throughout the entire DLL program! Although I do not want this post to end, as it signifies the completion of one truly wild ride, I enjoyed the opportunity to reflect on my journey with purpose and intent. I never imagined technology courses would be so introspective. I have grown tremendously as an educator, but most of all I am a better person for building these relationships and fully immersing myself in the holistic experience of becoming a digital lifelong learner and leader.
For now, I am overdue for a much needed vacation. However, I know that I will not be able to sit still for very long. I have a feeling that I will be embarking on another exciting journey beginning in the Summer of 2018. A journey that upon completion comes with the highest educational distinction added to my name. I firmly believe in less than five years from now, I will be signing off on my final reflection as Dr. Madeline Brandi Collins.
Until then friends...I am honored to be Madeline Brandi Collins, M.Ed.