Rocking The Boat How To Effect Change Without Making Trouble by Debra E. Meyerson
Book Focus
Rocking The Boat is about finding your way when your way does not exactly conform to the status quo. I found the book thought provoking because we always think of ourselves and our situations as being in isolation. This book brings to the surface the fact that many people find themselves not exactly in tune with organizational expectations at some time or another. I believe the author is identifying choices and opportunities that allow us to maintain our own integrity and be part of the organization.
As I read through the chapters I saw myself in many of the situations from my past experiences. having worked in the corporate world I found myself negotiating my way through difficult situations or rather than challenging a colleagues assumption finding a way to make them feel that a different approach was their idea. Ms. Meyerson exposes all the sticky situations someone might find them-self in when challenging the status quo. The "BIG IDEA" is it can be done you just have to find the approach and be flexible within your own ideas.
How am I Different
Currently I would like to be part of the change that lessens the effect of standardized testing for both students and teachers.My philosophy on learning deals more in learning through doing than learning by regurgitation. Totally understanding the need for specific basic knowledge I believe as educators we have gotten away from allowing students to find their way. With so much emphasis placed on a test score teachers today are covering the scope and sequence needed to teach all the skills that will be on the test. This leaves little room for exploratory learning. How will I change that without rocking the boat? As I am currently doing and will continue to do, there are ways to etch out time to allow students to explore, build, choose, and discover on their own. You just have to find the time and utilize it to its fullest.
Beyond the "Tempered Radical" or How to keep moving along the continuum of change?
Significant changes take place gradually. Nothing happens due to one situation or one change.
"Just Do It"
Frustration and Burnout
This is an interesting topic particularly because I am currently working at Chicago Public Schools and frustrations, emotions and burnout are running high. I particularly find it interesting that so many political views about teachers are so negative today. I say political because money appears to be the main motivational source behind views on teachers and education. I find myself caught in Chapter Seven "Organizing Collective Action". I am the Union Delegate for my school. This means I am constantly weighing both sides of the argument and trying to find solutions for which I feel I have very little impact. At this juncture I feel I must just stay the course and ride this out. Eventually, there will be a resolution. In the between time we must stay strong to our convictions and remember why we got into education in the first place, because we want to teach. The teaching, the learning, the students, that's what its all about.
Setting Goals: Instrumental and Missional Thinking
Short Term Goals:
Reflecting on this past year and what I have learned and experienced through the MSU-WIPRO Fellowship I want to work across the curriculum in the next six months to a year. I have a vision of bringing reading, social science, and health and wellness into the STEM and TPACK fold. I am lucky to work with some receptive colleagues and I feel we could make a big impact on student learning if the students saw how all content areas connected. My initial thoughts include College and Career Readiness Standards. These CCSS Standards are similar for all content areas and by designing a project that included all content areas students would begin to see how every class is important for their future. Ideally, students and teachers would move toward inquiry based and project based learning to round out the scope an sequence of skills that must be achieved.
Long Term Goals:
Because I am a lifelong learner I am certain I will engage in some program that will enhance my craft as a teacher. More specifically I intend to broaden how I incorporate STEM with an emphasis on technology in my teaching. Finally, "always remember TPACK"
Book Focus
Rocking The Boat is about finding your way when your way does not exactly conform to the status quo. I found the book thought provoking because we always think of ourselves and our situations as being in isolation. This book brings to the surface the fact that many people find themselves not exactly in tune with organizational expectations at some time or another. I believe the author is identifying choices and opportunities that allow us to maintain our own integrity and be part of the organization.
As I read through the chapters I saw myself in many of the situations from my past experiences. having worked in the corporate world I found myself negotiating my way through difficult situations or rather than challenging a colleagues assumption finding a way to make them feel that a different approach was their idea. Ms. Meyerson exposes all the sticky situations someone might find them-self in when challenging the status quo. The "BIG IDEA" is it can be done you just have to find the approach and be flexible within your own ideas.
How am I Different
Currently I would like to be part of the change that lessens the effect of standardized testing for both students and teachers.My philosophy on learning deals more in learning through doing than learning by regurgitation. Totally understanding the need for specific basic knowledge I believe as educators we have gotten away from allowing students to find their way. With so much emphasis placed on a test score teachers today are covering the scope and sequence needed to teach all the skills that will be on the test. This leaves little room for exploratory learning. How will I change that without rocking the boat? As I am currently doing and will continue to do, there are ways to etch out time to allow students to explore, build, choose, and discover on their own. You just have to find the time and utilize it to its fullest.
Beyond the "Tempered Radical" or How to keep moving along the continuum of change?
Significant changes take place gradually. Nothing happens due to one situation or one change.
"Just Do It"
Frustration and Burnout
This is an interesting topic particularly because I am currently working at Chicago Public Schools and frustrations, emotions and burnout are running high. I particularly find it interesting that so many political views about teachers are so negative today. I say political because money appears to be the main motivational source behind views on teachers and education. I find myself caught in Chapter Seven "Organizing Collective Action". I am the Union Delegate for my school. This means I am constantly weighing both sides of the argument and trying to find solutions for which I feel I have very little impact. At this juncture I feel I must just stay the course and ride this out. Eventually, there will be a resolution. In the between time we must stay strong to our convictions and remember why we got into education in the first place, because we want to teach. The teaching, the learning, the students, that's what its all about.
Setting Goals: Instrumental and Missional Thinking
Short Term Goals:
Reflecting on this past year and what I have learned and experienced through the MSU-WIPRO Fellowship I want to work across the curriculum in the next six months to a year. I have a vision of bringing reading, social science, and health and wellness into the STEM and TPACK fold. I am lucky to work with some receptive colleagues and I feel we could make a big impact on student learning if the students saw how all content areas connected. My initial thoughts include College and Career Readiness Standards. These CCSS Standards are similar for all content areas and by designing a project that included all content areas students would begin to see how every class is important for their future. Ideally, students and teachers would move toward inquiry based and project based learning to round out the scope an sequence of skills that must be achieved.
Long Term Goals:
Because I am a lifelong learner I am certain I will engage in some program that will enhance my craft as a teacher. More specifically I intend to broaden how I incorporate STEM with an emphasis on technology in my teaching. Finally, "always remember TPACK"