Friday, January 28, 2011

Creativity

A revolution more powerful than the industrial revolution is happening now???? Interesting.  I am not sure about that, but I think what he has to share is really thoughtful. 

I think he is right on the money about creativity being necessary to move forward ... that is ..... as long as that creativity is for the betterment of society; all societies, regardless of race, class, creed, gender, or sexuality. Now that would be revolutionary.....

He is also right on the money when he speaks to the natural creativity so present in younger children that becomes almost diminished in teenagers and young adults. Yes, there is creativity happening, but mostly I see the students I work with frustrated and bored. Though the most recent school is a charter school where the creativity in all classes is encouraged and the students are way more engaged.

We all have the ability to re create a new world.  Co creating is more what I am thinking lately.
Cheers.

Friday, January 21, 2011

where i am at now

What I have learned about myself in this past unit is that I know more than I thought and less than I thought. I am finding that this is not so hard, but it does take time and patience.
My triumphs are that I feel comfortable with the process and not resistant to the learning. It's like swimming. I never learned growing up in NYC and a couple of years ago I took lessons. I had been so scared of water before the lessons, but once I got in there, I was like a fish, happy as can be.
The challenges that remain are what still is to come. I know that this week two assignment package is more complex and will take time in a different way than the first weeks assignments. I do not ave anything specific for classes, and my work stuff is confidential, so I am not sure what to work on yet. I hope I remember everything I am learning.
This new experience will help me in many ways, actually. In my newish job at a high school, I am having to compile information on each of the students for state testing and make reports that will be on spreadsheets, and in word documents, and I might use the presentations piece for something to do with my senior project, though I am not quite there yet. Soon, though, soon. I see that the digital storytelling is important for me, and I will look forward to learning more.

Friday, January 14, 2011

what they do not know

Recently I told informed my daughter that not only did we not have computers when I was her age (she is 14, I am not almost 50), but we did not have VCR's, or DVD's, or cable, or digital camera's, or laptops, let alone a computer.  I told her I loved to type on a real typewriter, that I took typing in high school along with shorthand.  She laughed and we had a great conversation about how fast things have changed and how different things are and the benefits of then and now and finding the happy middle.

I remember learning to type on an old heavy black typewriter with ribbon in my grandmother's house and I remember getting in trouble for getting the ribbon stuck or pulling it out and how messy it was.  I remember next taking typing in high school with electric typewriter's and how much easier it was than the manual one and how much faster and there were also manual non-electric ones but nobody wanted to use them.  I would like a real typewriter to do my creative work, actually, real being relative, of course....

And I remember when I got my first computer.  I should say I remember when my kids got a computer from their dad, my older kids, that is.  He got a newer one and the kids wanted one, so there it was.  It was prehistoric in many ways, but not to me.  That was in 2002.  I remember getting so upset when the older 2 would be up in the middle of the night instant messaging, and I was shocked other people were on line as well.  Now I sit here our after hour and little did I know how much a part of life computers would become.  And here I sit.....