It’s often the wrong question:
G.K. Chesterton, one of the most influential English writers of the 20th century, distilled the phenomenon down to 13 words. “It’s not that they can’t see the solution,” he said. “They can’t see the problem.”
Here’s my dilemma: I own a nearly 3-year-old Macbook. I also own an iPhone (contract expires this June), but I find it hard to read and communicate on, though I do my best. (Bad eyes?) I want to have something (not just a Kindle) that is lighter and smaller (with more than wifi). The Macbook is actually fine, though it doesn’t have much memory and the fan races when I try to watch any videos.
Soooo, I am pondering these choices. I ‘d love to have you all weigh in on this.
Option One: Buy a new Macbook Air and keep the phone. Use the Air for most everything (I’ll buy a 3G card)
Option Two: Buy an iPad and keep using the Macbook. Take the data plan off the iPhone (don’t want two data plans)
Option Three: Buy a Xoom and keep using the Macbook. Take the data plan off the iPhone
I’m thinking I may also need a Kindle, but maybe not if I have the iPad or Xoom.
What’s the word?
One of the best parts of this collective learning is hearing from others about “good reads.” Frankly, there are just too many books about learning and schools these days, and I don’t have time time to check each one out.
So I rely on folks I trust to point me in the right directions. Sheryl Nussbaum Beach, for example, led me to Charlene Li’s book, Open Leadership. Today, Will Richardson shared John Seely Brown’s new book, A New Culture of Learning.
I, too, have been following John Seely Brown for some time, and this book is one I don’t want to miss.
Some of us used FB recently to share our One Little Word of the year.
Mine is Invite.
Our words give us the chance to focus on intentions. For me, it means saying yes. Yes to opportunities. Yes to health. Yes to living a life that is meaningful.
Playwright George C. Wolfe once said “you have to be available to the invisible voices swirling around you.” To me, that means being open to possibilities, being aware of my feelings and reactions to things, and living each day with hope.
What’s your One Little Word?
Have you ever noticed how certain words elicit feelings in you? Have you ever tried to find a theme?
I’ve been paying attention to how I respond to words. Wisdom, reflection, curiosity, peace, joy. These are words that make me sigh, breath deeply, and feel calm. (Same with ocean, chocolate, runner, yoga.)
Reform, rank, sort, organize, smart, sports, mark, perform. These are words than make me uncomfortable, quiet, and almost give me a headache. (Same with liver, chemistry, loud, plastic.)
Just wondering these days if our attraction to words is a way to determine who we are and what we want to do in life.
What words are you drawn to? What themes do you see?
“Words are the voice of the heart.” Confucius
Through the blackest night, morning gently tiptoes, feeling its way to dawn. ~Robert Brault
From Radical Learners this morning.
If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves. Maria Edgeworth
Funny, I read Peter Senge years ago…but for some reason he keeps drawing me back. I want to get these two quotes down, and think about them.
“Organizations learn only through individuals who learn. Individual learning does not guarantee organizational learning. But without it no organizational learning occurs…..” Peter Senge
“Our prevailing system of management has destroyed our people. People are born with intrinsic motivation, self-respect, dignity, curiosity to learn, joy in learning. The forces of destruction begin with toddlers–a prize for the best halloween costume, grades in school, gold stars–and on up through the university. On the job, people, teams, and divisions are ranked, rewarded for the top, punished for the bottom. Management by Objectives, quotas, incentive pay, business plans, put together separately, division by division, cause further loss, unknown and unknowable.” Edwards Deming
Coming back to this later. Need to run and process…
If part of your work means helping folks understand the shift in educational reform/revolution and the necessity for change, then this may help.
I stumbled across this e-book by Rick Maurer recently, and his suggestions for helping implement change seem simple yet profound.
He says there are three reasons why people don’t change.
These three levels, he says, are alive and either working for you or against you. To move things along, he says you should:
“Making a compelling case for change is the most important thing you can do–and the most neglected,” he says. “Avoid the trap of moving to HOW before WHY is answered.”
His e-book is here (about halfway down the page) and contains many specific suggestions (unfortunately he starts talking as soon as you hit the page, so turn down your speakers if you are in class!) The book (a PDF) addresses each level, so you’re not left with the “yeah, but how do it?” For example, he addresses how to “build institutional muscle.”
I’ve been saying personality plays a role in whether or not people seek change. And that may be. But we can’t change personalities, so these suggestions may help.