INTERIM SYNTHESIS
DEBORAH M. KENNEDY
DUE June 18, 2006
My father once told me that “The most important thing in life is family”. As I reflect on my TEAM experience I realize that all the relationships that we make are most valuable. As we journey through our lives we connect with others. We may lose contact with some and make new relationships with others. New experiences bring new connections and relationships. Even though new experiences can sometimes make one feel uncomfortable true learning is the outcome.
Reflecting back to the beginning of TEAM, I did not know what project to embark upon or even how to utilize the technology. As a result of a brainstorming session I decided that I wanted to create a part of a site that would help students interpret “critical lenses” and respond to them. All of the people in my group wanted to work on a project that had something to do with teaching tolerance. While working collaboratively our group looked at the word tolerance and then decided to call our project Global Understanding. The purpose of our project collaboration was driven by the key elements introduced through the readings from Schools That Learn by Peter Senge as well as The 16 Habits of Mind by Costa and Kallick. Global Understanding was designed for teachers and students to utilize technology as a tool to open the pathway to meet with others and respond to perception and beliefs which will, in turn, initiate a cycle of communication that can lead to social change. Global Understanding believes individuals need to be challenged in order to expand their perspectives. Educators must reexamine, reevaluate, and possibly reconstruct their pedagogical methodology to reflect the needs of the changing world.
During our second year of TEAM I made a clear and serious plan for my technology advancement as well as conference and workshop schedules. I wanted to learn more about video editing and producing. I had a clear goal to attend workshops/conferences and capture video to include in out next collaboration. Another goal was to learn more about Flash. The EEV North Star collaboration evolved and my plan fit like a puzzle piece.
My first conference was the International Day of Peace at the United Nations in 2005-2006. During the year 2005-2006 I visited the United Nations. At that time I did not attend with students. I always regretted not bringing students with me and made a promise to attend the International Day of Peace with students in 2005-2006. I wanted this to be a fantastic project and I left my mind open to all ideas. Through collaboration with Evelyn O'Doherty, a colleague and fellow TEAM member, we came up with some ideas. We were careful to leave room for flexibility in our plan. We prepared by bringing a video camera, a digital camera, pencils and index cards. We wanted to capture student thoughts, opinions and reflections in some way. After viewing the United Nations website and introducing the day, we made a plan to create a peace pledge. On the bus ride home both teachers and students wrote our Pledge of Peace. It was our plan to create a pledge of peace poem. We created a poster to share our peace pledge with our school community. Photos were taken of the multicultural door paintings that were on display and video captured student thoughts and reflections. This pledge of peace as well as the video is included into the EEV North Star collaboration. Also included in the United Nation site is one of my first intense attempts at a Flash Document. The students and teachers each gave one word that reflected their experience and those words were included in this Movie. A photo of the International Peace Bell was the focus and the sound of the bell was included. The words roll in a line at a time and the photos of the multicultural doors were resized in Fireworks to create a border at the bottom of the page.
The second workshop/conference that I attended was the Prejudice Reduction Conference. My plan was create a section on Chivy Sok to include in the EEV North Star Collaboration. I brought the video camera and the digital camera. The day started in the conference room and it was quite moving as the organizers of the day shared their personal losses and experiences. This set the mood for some real emotional connections. I captured Chivy in her opening address on video. I was inspired by Dr. Marr's presentation and the creativity of the project highlighting Asian American students on Long Island . The technology that was used in the project as well as the student involvement inspired and motivated me. I was able to meet Chivy Sok on a more personal level at one of the workshops. The Searingtown Project was introduced during this workshop. This project included student poetry and artwork inspired by Chivy's presentation. I made a plan to connect with the teachers in order to include this project into the EEV North Star Collaboration. After the conference I went to Betty's home. What a special invitation! I was able to connect with so many special people in the comfort of Betty's home. Betty is the “guru” of inspiring people to make meaningful connections. Great food, inspiring conversation and inspiring connections were the highlights of the evening.
In between these conferences, our collaboration TEAM brainstormed about the purpose and design that we envisioned the EEV North Star site to be. At that time our group realized that the website would utilize various technologies to create an interactive and dynamic resource to motivate individuals to model, take action, and follow their hearts to explore a personal Journey. Individuals will be able to discover connections, make reflections and respond to those reflections. The site was going to have the following sections: Reflections; Action; Journeys; Navigation; Conversation; Inspiration; Mission and Feedback. It was decided that there should be a splash page that would be a star modeled from The North Star a book created by Peter Reynolds. The secondary index page would link to all the sections and include a Flash movie that highlighted all sections of the site. In the next weeks the EEV North Star took form. A vision or purpose statement was included for each section. Through constant collaboration adjustments on the sites congruency concerning design ending with success and the sites final form came to rest.
The EEV North Star's vision statements and mission page was created through the use of a “Quicktopic” conversation, the EEV North Star Wiki, and person to person collaboration. The following is part of the description of the sites purpose.
The EEV North Star site showcases the accomplishments and endeavors of individuals and groups of people who are trying to make a difference in our world. Links are provided to learn about these leaders and their causes, organizations, and missions, as well as how to become involved in promoting change. Visitors are given both the opportunity to read reflections upon these highlighted actions and the invitation to contribute their own responses. The North Star journey asks individuals to look at the world through a fresh perspective. Our purpose was to challenge mental models and encourage seekers to reflect on their own beliefs and that of others in order to develop a sense of Global Understanding, participate in local, national and world events and reflect personally on what changes we need to make in order to create a unified planet. Seen here are events, activities and ponderings of those individuals who choose to make a stand and promote world peace, even if it means having to make a personal sacrifice themselves. North Star showcases the accomplishments and challenges of individuals and groups of people who have had to make a change or have chosen to change the path of their lives. Visitors are given the opportunity to view journeys taken by others and given a chance to identify with others' personal stories. Links are provided to encourage visitors to learn how to showcase and share their own journeys. Threads of the key elements that were introduced through the readings from Schools That Learn by Peter Senge as well as The 16 Habits of Mind by Costa and Kallick are woven throughout the EEV North Star site.
Through the aforementioned collaboration conversations our EEV collaboration team also defined “Why” we created the site. It reads as follows: Nothing matters more to students than to have their work taken seriously and nothing achieves this better than work in the community that really matters. Educators have found that connecting students with meaningful experiences can change the way they approach learning. Learners discover how to educate themselves. The correlation between success and practical education has been proven.
The last workshop/conference that I attended was a trip to the Tolerance Center in Manhattan . On April 10th, 2006 Evelyn O'Doherty, Ellen Collins and I visited the New York Tolerance Center . We had each attended the Prejudice Reduction Conference in Huntington during November of 2005. We were introduced to the museum's existence at that conference and we were eager to visit at the earliest convenience. When we arrived at the Tolerance Center it was everything that I thought it would be. I loved the fact that reflection, sharing and assessment were intertwined throughout the experience. I loved the design of the building. I felt like I was in a really large space but in all actuality it was well designed and created the feeling of intimacy. The day's activities flowed from one space to another. The whole experience was informative. The experience of self analysis and reflection was most valuable and at times uncomfortable. It is important that one realize that you can not experience the museum in one visit. Although this is true, I believe that even if I did experience the same presentations I would have a different personal reaction. I believe the experience would change with each group that met there. My plan for the future would be to take a group of students in the year 2006-2007.
Through the reflections that I have made throughout the past two years I have realized that I have had an incredible period of growth not only professionally but personally. Professionally I needed to find a teaching style that is creative that I feel I once had with younger children. At this time I am solid and secure about teaching with a style that will capture the students as well as motivate them to become all that they can become. I believe education needs to be a humanistic experience. We must create a system that can integrate social relationships with learning. All the people involved in this educational system need to have a shared vision of happiness, growth, success and personal mastery. I am committed to the idea that all students can learn. A student's success is dependent on this team of people with that shared vision. This team must not exclude the student if it is to be successful. A plan for the development of an integrated curriculum must grow from this team as well as a plan as to how to integrate that curriculum. School organizations must keep in mind that education is an integral part of life. This learning system must be flexible and diverse so it can meet the needs of all individuals. It is imperative that this system be a “living system” which is always evolving.
My personal philosophy is that I believe happiness is the most important thing to have in our lives. For happiness is all that truly matters. The journey to find it is most interesting. Connecting with myself and my family gives me great joy. Finding beauty all around me gives me peace. Discovery and learning motivates me. Sharing with others makes me complete.
In conclusion, I feel that my TEAM experience challenged me personally as well as professionally to be all that I could be and therefore I have reached a level of happiness and confidence that I have not reached before. The connections and the experiences that I have had have been challenging but rewarding. The friendships I have made are surely lasting ones. I am trying not to make a huge plan of growth for the future so I reflect and put into practice the knowledge that I have attained.
My sincere thanks to Bette, Dr. Byrne, Donna and Faye for making my TEAM experience the most valuable educational experience of my life!