Thursday, May 24, 2012

Week 4 Reading - Paying-Forward the Experience




In my weekly reading of The Art of Possibility this week I was attracted to the chapter on creating frameworks for possibility. After seven years in my current dream position I will be moving on to another dream position. I will be the Educational Technology Director for a PreK-12 private school. The school is a technologically progressing institution seeking advice, ideas, and leadership to be forward thinking and not downward spiraling in technology adoption.

I see my initial challenge, not yet knowing the political landscape; as working with educators some who may be reluctant to immerse themselves or their students into technology and others who are ecstatic. I will need to find the sparks that will ignite them. In fact I will be seeking the enrollment, for some, in something they may not have complete “buy-in” yet.

In applying what I have read, I have a ready-made game plan for entering my new environment. I will first need to have defined for me or define the school’s technology vision. Within the framework of possibility as defined by Zander, what are the vision’s elements? Equipped with this information I can then begin the steps to the practice of framing the possibility in my new position. First, make a new distinction by determining any downward spiraling and its cause. Secondly, I will submit to “what is” and seeing the possibility of the environment as it is. Lastly, I’ll develop “on track” and “off track” milestones in order to keep my finger on the pulse of the technology vision.

I will attempt to get the faculty to enroll in the possibility I’m offering and what I’ll be offering will be in the support of the school’s vision. To do the support job of a school’s EdTech Director it must not be about me. It’s about the teachers and students that I will be serving. As I see it that’s what I’m going to do to pay-forward from my experience with the universe of possibility.





Resource
Image: eye.png, by Bill Harris, taken on 05/25/2012 
ImageThe-Art-of-Possibility-Zander-Rosamund-9780142001103.jpghttp://lfp-blog.com/the-art-of-possibility/the-art-of-possibility-1-of-15-the-story-of-african-shoes/, retrieved  on 05/25/2012
Image: zander.jpg, by Jurgen Banda Hansmann, 2008, http://www.jurgen-photo.com and f-Possibility-Zander-Rosamund-978014200110.png, arranged by Bill Harris, http://www.betterworldbooks.com/the-art-of-possibility-id-0142001104.aspx, retrieved on 05/25/2012

3 comments:

  1. Bill, I can't imagine anyone better for the job than you! Our coursework at Full Sail has certainly prepared you for a bunch of teachers who are stuck in a rut! After all, how many times in the past year have we been faced with coursework that we had no idea how to do or even begin to approach?? But look at us now, ready to go out there and light the spark in our co-workers. I wish you were coming to my school!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Amanda. Its peers like you that keep me fired up to do what I do. Besides as you have said we are prepared and ready to go...they have you.

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  2. Wow, it sounds like you have a great plan of attach for next year based on the reading. That is exceptional!

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