Week 4 Leadership Project Sharing Session

Nyssa Arcos and I met via video chat on Thursday evening August 26, to discuss our progress on our Leadership projects. We were both sharing how the iWeb disaster has affected us and ways we've been working around it. As a result, we've both had to resort to creating entirely new websites from scratch! (I never dreamed of such a disaster--Welcome to the world of Technology!

Our discussion eluded to the use of Keynote presentations that we are in the process of producing to be prepared to show in the Saturday Wimba session. I explained to my colleague that I was not yet prepared for such a task because of the amount of time it has taken me to recover. We have agreed to stay in contact with one another for suggestions, encouragement, and support to make the best of a not-so-fun situation.

Week 4 Reading: Comments on Felicia Andorko's blog

Photo avaiable from Free digital photos: www.freedigitalphotos.net

The hyperlink above is access to my comments on Felicia's blog and are also posted below:


NATALIE HOWARD
Hi, Felicia.

Let me be the first to offer you and your family my condolences on the passing of your dear aunt. I had an aunt who passed away last year of cancer and I watched her 4 sisters (one being my mother, the eldest) uphold the responsibility as sisters to care for her and console her until she went on to be with the Lord... It was mostly difficult because my aunt lived in California and all 4 of her sisters made sacrifices to join her traveling all the way from the East coast. They also had to come together to maturely and calmly discuss funeral arrangements and each of their roles financially in the process... and this, after spending hundreds of dollars to get from coast to coast. But that however, was not their major concern.

It was such a tough time because they all knew she didn't have long to live and having that thought in the back of their minds was even more difficult at times to work through. On top of that, my aunt was in so much pain in the final stages of her illness and my 4 courageous aunts not only stuck together to strengthen themselves, but stayed right by her side until she took her last breath... It was happy and sad because some days they laughed together as they reminisced with her on her life, but after her life was gone, the reality of her demise set in.

On a happier note, it was nice to hear that your brother is now experiencing college life as a Freshman! He now has the responsibility of taking care of himself and applying all of the family's values he's learned over the last 18 years. I can identify with that as well because we just took our oldest son to experience his Freshman year in Alabama! It is my prayer as well, that our son uphold his responsibility of making good choices and carrying out his family's values that he's been taught as he pursues his education.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us and I pray for your family's continued strength during these times of "dynamic change".
Friday, August 27, 2010 - 10:57 PM

Week 4 Reading: Chpt 10 Being The Board

My audio response is a rewritten version of chapter 10 from the readers' personal perspective. You're invited to click the hyperlink above to hear the audio version, or you may read the written version below. The choice is yours! In either case, Enjoy!

Hello. My new name is "The Board"-- the board on which the whole game is being played... I'm that person who has renamed herself as a means of transforming herself and the world in lieu of accepting the way things are that offers no possibility. Like, the way I tend to be when things don't go my way? when I'm angry and others (like my spouse and children) are not seeing things or doing things "my way?" when no ones willing to cooperate or even see things "half my way?" when nothing or nobody's moving and I feel that all of my efforts are worthless and I therefore, have reached my wits end...?"

I therefore, have transformed from this mentality of fault and blame, of pointing blame on others (or myself) for my own self-satisfaction, to one who makes a difference, one who sees the entire picture as a whole, who instead, repairs breakdowns in relationships, presents no obstacles to others and names myself as the instrument that makes ALL relationships become partnerships... because in essence, I am the framework for everything that happens in my life AND I am responsible for everything that happens in my life. With my renewed and transformed mentality, my spirit is whole and leaves me free to choose again! Besides, apportioning blame only divides and is an effort to keep a level playingfield of fairness... But my renewed mental strength is focused on perpetual integration. I no longer care to break down relationships in my life because of my old "calculating self" who once lived predominantly in "fault and blame" (especially when its NOT my fault).

My graduated way of thinking reminds me of 2 very small, yet very powerful words that restore broken down relationships or ones in the process of breaking down: "I'm sorry." As The Board, apologizing now comes so easily for me, especially with Rule #6 also in perspective, I choose to rethink things without concentrating so much on myself. As The Board (even in a leadership role) I can swallow my pride and write a letter of apology to someone who's subordinate to me, that I know I openly offended instead of finding reasons to convince myself that what I did was right because I'm in charge and they'll eventually "come around..." As The Board, my apologies are now sincere, authentic, genuine, and non-manipulative. The Board allows me to come "face to face" with ways I may have indirectly hindered my spouse and yet willingly apologize so that we can build upon new distinctions that we formulate together because any stumbling blocks that are in my way, are also in his AND only I can remove them...

As The Board, I don't have to have the last word, I don't always have to be right, and everything doesn't always have to be done my way, because like Rule #6, "I'm not all that". Occasionally, things that are unjust and unfair will prevail in my life, but as The Board, I factor all things into the equation. In so doing, I will soar on my journey of transformation and development with others--a renewed, mature mentality that does not "manage" relationships just to avoid conflict... because the barriers that may be causing any conflict have to first be canceled within me; And then I can extend the courage and compassion that others may need... Thus, I am rewarding myself with "self-respect" and I'm making a difference so that others may count on me to clear the pathways for accomplishment.

(This chapter meant so much to me, that I chose to hear myself make these confessions as a part of my personal "transformation!")
All quotes and paraphrases were taken from The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional & Personal Life. Zander & Zander, 2000 pgs. 146-159

Week 3 Comments on Stacie's blog

My comments on Stacie's blog are viewable via the above hyperlink and posted below.

Natalie said...
Hi, Stacie. This is an awesome response to this week's reading! You said so many things that I made mention of in my audio podcast. (Were you peaking in when I was recording that...?) lol I like how you refer to the 4 principles' relevancy to the words of Jesus in God's word, the Bible. Wouldn't this world be a better place if we'd just follow through with what His word says? If I'm not mistaken, the Bible is still the number one best seller! The truth of reality, positivity, and humanity are all there.

I appreciate your straightforwardness about how sometimes the "downward spiral" effect can affect your attitude when it comes to teaching. And this is one of the places, unfortunately, where so much negativity resides. Teachers like you and I who care about children and their future is what will keep us focused on conversations of possibility rather than resorting to what's easy.

Your idea to have the phrase "Light a Spark" painted on your classroom wall is a great idea! As a result, I hope the sparks will eventually catch on fire and burn the entire school with a new attitude of positivity, motivation, and conversations for possibilities! That could be the beginning of a great and much needed change...
August 19, 2010 11:33 AM

Week 3 Comments on Amanda Wright's blog

My comments to Amanda's blog are below which are also accessible from the hyperlink above.

Natalie said...
Hi, Amanda. Wouldn't it be great if the expression on your son's face could be the way we respond to "the small stuff" that comes our way in life..? You're right when you say that life is serious and that it can be quite easy for us to become depressed about what's going on in the world or in our personal lives (which is quite relevant to our next reading in Zanders' chapters 7-9). Many times we can surmount our present circumstances if we had a good dose of laughter! It promotes a healthy heart and heals like medicine (Prov.17:22)
August 19, 2010 10:47 AM

Natalie said...
Amanda,
I used the photo of your son on my blog post. I couldn't resist! I hope you don't mind...He's adorable even when he makes faces! (How old is he now, by the way?)
August 19, 2010 10:56 AM

Week 3 Comments on Pedro Azcona's blog

You may click on the hyperlink to be catapulted to my comments which are also posted below.

Natalie Howard said...
Pedro, this video is cool and kid-friendly. I was engaged the entire time and I'm sure your students are too when they watch it. The music, the narrator's voice, his sense of humor, the colorful visuals and their timing in the video all make it good. It offers needful advice that all of us (children AND adults) can benefit from. I was perplexed by what he said about NY and CA...
"Leave NY before you get too hard, and leave CA before you get too soft!" LoL
What do you think that meant...? hmm...
August 19, 2010 1:15 PM

Week 3 Reading: The way things are AUDIO PODCAST

This audio podcast is the response in my own words about where I stand in the continuum of the way things are.
All quotations are from The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life (Zander, R. 2000)
Free music courtesy of Jamendo: City Lights Flicker. Locatable via: http://www.jamendo.com/en/
Art work created by Natalie Howard via Dabbleboard located at: http://www.dabbleboard.com/draw