Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mel Rainey MAC 2010051 Donita Massing Comment Post

Donita Massing:Thursday, May 6, 2010

MAC_Wk1_Reading&Video_1

Wow! I was so inspired by the Ocoee Middle School video shot by Mr. Bustillos, "Gotta Keep Reading." Why can't I get my high school students that motivated? Maybe I can. Often, creativity comes from restrictions. Perhaps the lower level of motivation I'm seeing from my students is simply a boon for creative thought in disguise.
At any rate, I think it would be so neat to take an idea like this one and get my students involved in designing, shooting, and production.
A multimedia instructor at a nearby career center recently had his students aid in the production of a Hollywood motion picture shot in their town. Of course they had to gain the cooperation of the CTE district; but most of the production was done outside the school day and on weekends. The name of the film escapes me, but all I can say is "Wow! What opportunities" and at the same time, I am a little envious!

This video seems to play right into what I am speaking of! That perhaps the most motivating possibilities come about because of the dreamer's perspective. To quote Benjamin Zander rather loosely,"one characteristic of a leader is that he not doubt for one moment, the capacity of the people (s)he's leading to realize whatever (s)he's dreaming." He also added,"imagine if Martin Luther King would have said "I have a dream... of course I'm not sure they'll be up to it..."
Perhaps my vision of motivating students is more dependent on me than I've previously understood!
The Art of Possibility is limitless thinking and the Law of Attraction. Perhaps instead of becoming negative and getting worn down when things go wrong, I should recant all the great things that have happened and dwell on the possibilities one day at a time.
Mr. Rainey said...

@Donita
Truly it is the dreamer's perspective!! Reflection is some of the best assessment tools, that I know how to use and use with my students. That why I thing blogging, a our social sites in Ning are such powerful tools to use in the classroom.

I like the phrase "Live into IT, not up to IT", from our readings. that is going to be my new take on classroom education. When the day is not going as planned, switch gears and live in it.

May 9, 2010 6:04 PM
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1 comment:

  1. jbbMay 15, 2010 at 8:29 PM

    Funny as it might seem, motivating students isn't nearly as difficult as motivating teachers, or more properly respectfully getting them out of the way so that students can exercise the full power of their creativity. I just posted a video from a high student student who has gotten almost 200,000 views: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev-fqtvi0z8&feature=player_embedded

    BTW, I was just a consultant and still-photographer for the Ocoee video, the principal, and lead teachers did the heavy lifting (with Kathy Craven editing and directing, and the hardworking Fullsail production staff and student camera folks). It was so much fun.

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