May 2012
25 posts
7 tags
Tedx as an Inspiration for Student Run Events
-Enweying 2011: An Event about Extraordinary Ideas! A captivated audience listens to the words of some of Trent University’s most distinguished teachers ©
In November 2011 one Trent University student, backed by a team of supporters created a university wide event called Enweying 2011: An Event about Extraordinary Ideas! Enweying is an Ojibway word for ‘the way we speak...
7 tags
7 tags
Seven Principles that Guide Teaching and Learning... →
adventuresinlearning:
1. Writers need regular chunks of time — They need time to think, write, confer, read, change their minds, and write some more. Writers need time they can count on, so even when they are not writing, they are anticipating the time they will be. Writers need time to write well.
2. Writers need their own topics — Right from the first day of kindergarten students should use...
9 tags
The Creativity Gap: 10 of the world's most... →
“The more we understand about how creativity works—psychologically, socially, neurologically—the better we understand the optimal conditions for letting our brains get busy. And that includes our offices. All around the world, companies are looking to boost innovative thinking by embracing a radical idea: Maybe you can change how people work by changing where they work. Here, in no...
8 tags
8 tags
“I strive for a day when the very act of putting down on paper your ideals of...”
– Personal Creeds and Philosophies of the Right Kind of Education. « Cooperative Catalyst (via adventuresinlearning)
The transformative learning pedagogy and teaching methods of my great mentor, the late Lorne Ellingson have deeply influenced who I am and who I wish to grow into as an educator....
7 tags
On Group Learning and Facilitating
Recently I've been interested in how to be a better facilitator in my classroom. I spent the year working with a number of expert Outward Bound Instructors. Just watching them lead a discussion and debrief an experience taught me a great deal about facilitation and forced me to think about what's really going on when we make the assumption that learning is happening in groups. I asked Arianna, one of the North Carolina Outward Bound instructors for some advice. She inspired me to begin a journey of conversations with people whose facilitation styles I admire. Be on the lookout for great bits of wisdom in these chats. I've already learned so much; I'm excited to share with you and work on practicing what they've taught me.
Me: Ari, What makes a facilitator effective?
Arianna: when facilitators guide their work based on the tone of the conversation--what is being said, how it is being said, how it is being heard; when they are able to attend to the mood of the conversation and gracefully make the implicit, non-verbal conversation in the room part of the explicit spoken conversation. Authentically showing up, being fully present and listening deeply with all our senses (including the subtler senses like intuition and the heart) have been key ways for me to do this. Facilitators are also effective when the people involved in the conversation feel like 90% of the process was based on self-discovery and their own decision-making. (In line with Lao Tzu's wisdom "A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.")
As originally posted by: The Learning Brain, http://thelearningbrain.tumblr.com/post/23703756982/on-group-learning-and-facilitating
6 tags
What kind of story are you writing?
crooney85:
Life is a collection of events and interactions.
How we weave those events and interactions together creates the narrative of our life stories.
Think for a moment…
What kind of story are you writing?
“The theme you choose may change or simply elude you, but being your own story means you can always choose the tone.” ~ Toni Morrison
“The story you tell yourself...
8 tags
Transformational Learning: A meeting with Lindy... →
As I work towards the completion of my master’s thesis on transformational learning environments in the post-secondary classroom I am reminded of the road I have travelled that has lead me to this place. I am reminded of the extraordinary colleagues and students who have inspired me and accompanied me while I gather knowledge and undergo my own transformational learning experiences.
...
7 tags
The Courage to Choose Your Own Educational...
Joseph Campbell is proof that if we are following our dreams, things will come to us in exact timing. Even so, we do not always have the courage to choose our destiny. Below, some of his thoughts:
When you attend college, you don’t do what you desire, but you only seek to learn what is necessary to get the diploma. And this is not always the best option.
In my case, I was granted a...
12 tags
“In Dirkx’s (1997) view, transformative learning involves personal,...”
– Patricia Cranton & Brenda Wright. (2008) The transformative educator as learning companion. Journal of Transformative Education, 6(1), p. 33-47.
When we provide space for our students to be creative and to share themselves through artwork, poetry, and stories we allow them to bring their spirit...
7 tags
1 tag
8 tags
“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are...”
– John Steinbeck
8 tags
Reflections on Mezirow's Transformative Learning:...
The overall focus of this paper is the importance of being able to understand the meaning of our own experiences as they are validated by us, not as they are validated by other people – to be autonomous thinkers. According to Mezirow (1997) this is the definition of adult education. Within adult education there must be elements of transformational learning in order for adults to develop their...
9 tags
A Reflection on Yair's 'Cinderellas & Ugly...
Deeper meaning resides in the fairy tales told to me in my childhood than in any truth that is taught in life.
~ Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805)
This paper has helped me to further understand that stories of turning points show us that education can make a difference in the lives of students. More specifically this paper has indicated ways in which educators and administrators can set the...
8 tags
“Daloz (1999) addressed the importance of the relationship between teacher and...”
– Nancy L. Southern, Mentoring for transformative learning: The importance of relationship in creating learning communities of care, Journal of Transformative Education 5(4), October 2007.
As I analyse the results of my research it has become increasingly clear that the number one component in...
noraniddery asked: Hi Lindy, What is Transformational Learning in the broken down definition you have. And can you give an example? I gather it is a learning experience which changes you. Enjoy your blog! Nora
10 tags
CRooney85: On education... →
crooney85:
Author Gilbert Chesterton said that “Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.”
Reading this got me thinking…
What if this statement is true? If it is true, let’s think for a minute about what our current education system looks like? Does it reflect the soul of our society?
For teachers, how can you use this to inspire yourself to be a...
5 tags
“Courage, like fear, is a habit. The more you do it, the more you do it, and this...”
– Tony Robbins
How do you teach courage?
8 tags
4 tags
“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.”
– Wayne Gretzky
How cool would it be if Wayne Gretzky were to come and talk to the students? His words speak of belief in oneself, risk taking, practice, teamwork, and accompaniment. Sometimes life is the best teacher.
1 tag
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He...”
– Untitled:
Ronald Reagan
A quality which is found within great educators, great managers, and the best coaches.
8 tags
The professor aids in the creation of a safe space by acknowledging her/his interest and desire to from the students and with the students, removing much of the hierarchy that operates in a typical classroom. This gives students the opportunity to bring their experiences and knowledges into the class, knowing that these will be respected.
