The Dialog Opens
I'm thrilled because I feel like we're finally beginning to talk amongst ourselves about areas of focus and projects of interest. We're not all going to agree, but that's the point of having several project ideas from which to choose. There are more issues than there are people in our class.
I keep going back to the lesson learned once at our retreat, again at the Health and Human Services session. We were given a task and separated into groups. In both cases we worked in our groups to achieve our goals. We were often not successful. Both times the lesson was that no one told us we couldn't all work together to reach the goal.
Would it be possible to apply that lesson, here? Could we choose one objective and use our collective talent, time and intelligence to make a difference in one area?
Thanks to all of you for the comments and encouragement (both online and off) regarding this site. I hope we continue to use it to further our thoughts and discuss amongst ourselves.
posted by StLmom @ 10:55 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Marijean, I think your idea of one big project is definitely worth exploring. The difficulty is that we all have our own passions, so a large project that we could all participate in would have to be wide in scope. Here's my thought ...
A couple things that have struck me so far are (1) just how much help needs to be offered and (2) just how much help is already out there! There are so many groups of wonderful people trying to help in the various areas from housing to health care to education. My concern has been that without any sort of central system of organization, the services are either not being found, are duplicative or are otherwise not operating as efficiently as they could be. I think one way we could help the entire community and still separate ourselves within the larger group into our areas of passion would be to find a way to help the entire system of non-profits work together more efficiently.
For example, United Way has their new website (BeAVolunteer.com) which is directed toward those trying to help. I think we could create a companion site directed toward those needing help. There would probably also need to be a non-internet version of what we produce so it is accessible to everyone (maybe a print version available in the library, office of social services, etc.) I envision, however, a resource that indexes the various help organizations by category with a summary of what they do and contact information, so their services can be found more readily by those who need them.
This would be a large task, because it would involve at least all of the following:
- Getting out there and finding everything that's being offered and by whom (This class has given us a good head start)
- Efforts to figure out how to host a website and or print the publication (Perhaps the City, with their new award-winning website, would be willing to take it on, perhaps a major charity like United Way, perhaps the Chamber, or perhaps we create it from scratch if we have enough people willing to continue with the project long term to keep it going)
- Fund raising efforts to support our costs in getting it done
- Publicity efforts to notify people of the new service (including TV and print, as well as direct efforts by us in going into the communities most likely to need the services and informing them of our new creation by talking with people, handing out fliers, etc.)
As you have learned from our previous LC projects, so have I ... that you all have better ideas than me, so I'm sure that this idea could be flushed out and improved a lot more with additional comment. I just thought this might be an effort that could touch on and include all the various needs we have encountered, and could really make an impact if we can make it easier for people who need services to get them.
I've learned since posting this that we're committed to 5-6 different projects.
I love your idea, Pete and would welcome the opportunity to play a role in it, particularly the publicity part and the Web coordination.
I'd like to set up another coffee meeting to discuss further the specific project ideas that have been generated since our last discussion.
MJ—thanks for doing all of this. This is my first-ever blog so…here goes…
I’ve frequently thought about something that Dr. Pam Moran captured in her comments. So much of what we teach our children is independent learning. As an elementary school student, you have your own letter notebook where you diligently practice your letters. Early on, there are individual art projects. As a middle schooler you study for a test and then regurgitate the information in isolation. Even university honor codes stress independent study. If you work together it’s called “cheating” not “collaboration.”
And then, we send them off from school and tell them that they have to go work with people. People! Where did you come from? I’m supposed to work with you!?! I don’t even like you…people…
Valerie mentioned yesterday that the number one reason employees leave their job is because they don’t like their co-workers and/or supervisor.
Okay, now, this is where I get on my soapbox. There is good news. There is at least one place that we are teaching kids to work together. Students that are part of the yearbook staff, the theater club and/or the field hockey team are learning to work together for a common goal.
Participation in school activities covers so much.
I glance back over our sessions.
1. Media and communications—certainly a child participating in speech and drama has a hand up on a career in television and radio.
2. Criminal Justice—if we’re worried about kids when the crime rate is highest (breaking and entering between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.) team them up with coaches and give them a ball to kick.
3. Economic vitality and poverty—extra-curricular or co-curricular school activities help alleviate the working parent’s child care woes.
4. Health and human services—athletic participation helps prevent obesity and promotes lifelong wellness.
5. Diversity—teams provide an opportunity to meet others and share or discover a common passion.
A USA Today survey revealed that 95 percent of Fortune 500 corporate officers at the executive vice-president level or higher had one experience in common: they had all participated in high school athletics.
In what did you participate? Benefits certainly do not come only from athletics. There are students that shine in debate or scholastic bowl. We’ve got a pretty capable group so I’m guessing that most of you were involved. Did you play an instrument? Were you involved with student government? If you are female and graduated prior to 1972, chances are, there was not much available. We’ve come a long way, eh?
What are your memories from high school? Was it a particular test or was it the friend you made on the team?
I just had a brief conversation with an Albemarle county employee regarding middle school sports. As it stands right now, Parks and Rec. administers basketball, volleyball and track. A community group administers field hockey and lacrosse. The person in charge of the field hockey and lacrosse program is giving it up. Another individual has agreed to handle lacrosse. But no one has agreed to keep the field hockey program alive. It is likely that the 130 girls involved in the field hockey program will not have that opportunity in the future.
The city has after school programs for elementary schools. http://www2.ccs.k12.va.us/teachers/class/
Walker (5th and 6th grade) has Edge. http://www.ccs.k12.va.us/programs/edge.html#served
The high school has fairly strong extracurricular activities. (Yay VHSL!)
I can’t find much for the 7th and 8th graders. Who loved 7th grade?—not many people. Should we give them something to love? I’ve just left one of the assistant principals a message so I’ll let you know what they have in place.
A co-worker just came in to tell me about a young friend—an eight year old boy at a public school in Richmond. He is in an after-school program and if he is able to run 200 laps (approximately 26.2 miles—the length of a marathon) before the end of the school year, he will earn a free ticket to Kings Dominion. He’s so pumped because he and his buddy are over half-way there. Sometimes they run together, sometimes separately but they’ve made a pact to finish together.
“Nowhere do you find it in education like you find it in athletics: that teachers are teaching what they want to teach to students who are learning what they want to learn, and both are willing to work hour after hour on their own time after school so that everything that can be taught is taught and everything that can be learned is learned.” Al Burr, renowned educator
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