p. 143-144: I am the framework for everything that happens in my life. If I cannot be present without resistance to the way things are and ac effectively, if I feel myself to be wronged, a loser, a victim, I will tell myself that some assumption I have made is the source of my difficulty.
Hmm, so apply this to my life: I don’t know if I can. The revelation might be too painful, too real. I do this to myself on a daily basis! I have created my difficulties.
Quite honestly, I need to read this book again, outside the pressures of a time frame. I want to be able to scour the pages, mark it up; consume it. The words roll off the page and land in my lap. They soothe my strained soul. Chapter ten, Being on Board, literally had me in tears. The stories speak renewal of self; something I desperately need; want.
In chapter 11, I love the idea introduced that changing the perspective, changes the outcome. This is illustrated so nicely with the example of the students on tour in Brazil. Most of us would have read them the riot act for going out and then for not being passionate about the performance later that night. However, redirecting the vision brought a new sense of appreciation for the piece and for what they were there to do!
This book has been a breath of fresh air! Revitalization for the future and for our purpose in pursuing this degree. Thank you for the read, Prof. Joe!
Amongst everything else that I have going on, the little time I do have available, I have had to sacrifice my school work to make time for my family. Yes, there is only a month to go, but my daughter only sees her dad once a week, on Sunday afternoon because he works at night during the week, and Saturdays he is usually doing something else. So today, with the pending threat of incomplete school work, I got in the truck and went out on the boat with them. I have to admit that the time spent on the boat was refreshing, renewing, restful. I didn't think about the work waiting for me when I finally got back home. I had to enjoy the moment, since there seem to be less and less of them the older my daughter gets. Her first year of middle school has almost come to a close. The closer I get to not having her around, the more I need her around. I know I could have let them go without me, but selfishly, I think, I chose not to.
Maybe this need to relax with them is the reason I am ALWAYS pushing thing to the last possible minute. LoL
Lindsay said:
How do I contribute to the ignorance about educational technology? Do I write my representatives and school board members to inform them? Do I run for public office myself? Do I conduct in-services and trainings to provide seasoned teachers with the support they need to adequately integrate technology? No, no, and no. I don't do any of those things, so at the end of the day, I am allowing myself to be a product of the things that happen around me, as opposed to choosing to take control of the things that happen in my playing space.
I said: I felt myself cringe as I read parts of your post. I am that person; the one who complains about those who don't get why technology integration is so vital; the one who mocks those who think PowerPoints are a big deal; the one who screams at legislatures who don't see the importance of putting money into technology. You are dead on. How dare I complain when there are many things I could do to make a difference in my small world, other than gripe and complain!
Gary Milton Said: Well here we are at the end of month 11. The end of a very busy yet very exciting time for me. I have learned so much about technology and how it can be used to really improve my student's educational life. I have been exited about the possibilities and frustrated by the lack of progress on the part of those I work with to catch the technology bug. I know that if they could see what I see they would be all about getting this out there for our students. I have grown to understand that the role that I will play in the future may very well be, as the person who shows them (other teacher and admin) the possibilities of the technology that is available. I have come a long way in this past year and in many ways this program has taught me so much more than just a bunch of techie stuff. Some of my fellow classmates have talked about what to do with the degree and many things have been suggested but for me, this was never about getting a degree but more about getting a set of new skill to help my students enter their future. So for me this program has done everything I have asked of it and so much more. The more is all of you. The thing I didn't count on getting from this program was you. The thing I didn't count on getting was a chance to get to know such a great group of people so all over the country. I never thought that I could have such good friendship with people I've never even seen in person. This is the true gift that comes from this new world of technology. I know understand that the world outside is so much bigger and brighter then I had ever dreamed it could be. I now know that the world is full of people like you who all care and are committed, like me to helping students to find their dreams and prepare for the brave new world that is in front of them. Thanks so much for being apart of the journey.
I said:I am one of those that want more to come, but you are correct. If all we get out of this program is a renewed vigor for the students we are blessed to teach, then we should be happy for that. If all we get out of this program is the motivation to share our enthusiasm for technology with others, than FSO has done a great job! I can't stop talking about what we can do; however, I often find my passion is met with resistance. However, change often is!
I worked really hard on my proposal this week. I am presenting my project in November at a Teacher to Teacher Expo for several counties here in Florida. My presentation for that will be more how to do it, though. Not the academic side of the proposal. So, I looked for a few other places that might seem more acceptable to present. I felt like I pulled together a nicely composed presentation, containing all the components required in the paper, while creating a video with the cycle results and interviews, as well as posted student work. However, I totally fell apart when it came to the presentation. I don't know what it was, the pressure, how tired I was, how stressed I am, or how I feel that my work PALES in COMPARISON to most of my classmates. They are amazing and so inspired and motivational. I see them as movers and shakers and me as a leech. I struggle to maintain my work at school, my family, my part time job and my school work from Full Sail. The majority of my comrades seem to float through, while I am drowning. They know what they want from this degree and this program, and I am questioning how the hell I am going to pay it back. I want something to come from this. I will avidly pursue a better position. I just have to come to terms with the idea that I am worthy of this... (Zander is helping with that.)
p. 102: Mistakes can be like ice. If we resist them, we may keep on slipping into a posture of defeat. If we include mistakes in our definition of performance, we are likely to glide through them and appreciate the beauty of the longer run.
What a powerful statement! And what a thing to hold over someone’s head. They make too many mistakes? I have done this; I have been angered by the constant mistakes made by my child or one of my students or my husband or even myself. Every time I encounter a mistake, I freak, overreacting. What a waste of energy and precious time.
What would happen if I learned to embrace the mistakes as a part of everyday life? Would I continue to scream, frustrated by everything? Would I continue to tense and seemingly explode?
Accepting that mistakes are an intricately woven part of life, and that those mistakes are what can take myself and those I love to the next level is a very challenging concept. It goes against the core of my nature. I am wired to go haywire. I have to redirect my energy and my focus and it is not something I can do overnight. It’s acknowledging it in the moment and slowly learning to remember “Rule Six”.
p. 114: Giving way to passion has two steps:
1.)The first step is to when you are holding back, and let go. Release those barriers of self that keep you separate and in control, and let the vital energy of passion surge through you, connecting you to all beyond.
2.) The second step is to participate wholly. Allow yourself to be channel to shape the stream of passion into a new expression for the world.
I find it easy to give way to my passions; it is what comes after giving way to my passions that I struggle with on a daily as basis. After I have gotten a little bit out of my new passion, I am then bored with it. But I wonder, am I really giving way to my passions or just my newest hobby or desire? Passions control you; passions define you; passions radiate from you. Even if it might not be my true passion, I find it hard for me to not let go of controls and connect. I think I often let my inhibitions get in the way of my passions. I become guarded of what people will think of me. I don’t want to let people in and let them get to know me. Because of that, I participate but act standoffish before really giving myself the total experience. For example, last summer I was in a show at a local community theatre. I was only in the chorus; even so I was having a lot of fun. However, I was always aware of my lack of dance ability. Never mind that I was not put in the show for my amazing dance moves but for my voice. I never let my guard down and just danced the show for the fun of it. I was always counting steps and trying to remember what came next. I am passionate about singing but never really got the whole experience because of my fears. I also never let myself get close to the cast. I was older than a lot of them, with a kid only a few years younger than the lead. I just didn’t want to let my guard down, say the wrong thing or look silly.
This week I worked really hard on catching up on my AR site. I laid out the site quite a while ago, but failed to continually update the information as needed. Most of my projects from month one through nine were lost in the crash of March 2010. So, I haven't quite figured out how to post those projects yet. I do know some of them are on Viddler and seem to still be there. Unfortunately, I can't seem to remember all of the professor's names to email them and ask them if they would be able to send me a copy of the file that they have in the system. If they have a file in the system.
Lol I am such a mess...
I updated my cycle results, completed my presentation page, my literature review, I typed the rest of the articles up, but haven't pasted them into the references section. I posted most of my student's works. I still need to fix the interviews; I used the elevator for a lot of the recordings, and I thought the lighting was fine. I mean, I could see the kids just fine when I was recording them. But when I went back to watch it, I couldn't see half of them. I pulled the video into final cut pro and fixed the lighting but then the video looked distorted. Next, I pulled it over into iMovie to see if I could do what I needed to do in there. It seemed to work just as well, and was a lot simpler. Both programs made the video look grainy, but I can't redo the videos, so I will just deal with the shoddy recordings. It's my own fault.
LoL I am such a mess...
Now that I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel, I have found my motivation again. I was literally at the point where I was going to quit, or expand the time I was in the program. It just seemed simpler than continuing to battle obstacle after obstacle. Just this week, I had to call Apple because I could no longer open iWeb. After several hours of this or that, the very helpful staff determined that I needed to reinstall the operating system. Of course, they also convinced me that I needed to upgrade to Snow Leopard. I backed up my domain prior to the reinstall, but was panicking when I opened it back up, only to find it had all been cleared out. Thankfully, I had saved it another place, the wrong place, but when I found that file and opened it up, my iWeb files were there! Thank you God! Something good at least!
As excited as I am about what I have learned in my time here at Full Sail, I don't see how I caan successfully carry it over to the required curriculum the powers that be are continually pushing on us. Now the entire county is to be on the same place on the curriculum map, continuity across the board. I am a very creative teacher, constantly coming up with new and fresh ideas that I would love to implement. I am fortunate to work at a school that performs fairly well academically, therefore the county leaves us alone. My administrators have been in my room twice this entire year. When they came in, they were looking to see if my lesson essential question was on the board and if I had the correct word wall up. Nonetheless, the problems are compounded daily, and by next year it will have reached near fatal levels.
The way standardized testing is going, the classroom is more and more falling back into the traditional style of teaching. Teachers creativity is confined; our county even said that they had to place more stipulations because the teachers had too many freedoms. We are being told when to give a paper and what the topic will be. How can I use time-consuming technology? It's VERY frustrating and discouraging.
The county pays for Blackboard, and I worked really hard to set up my required Blackboard site. It's so disheartening to know that it is almost May, and our students were never given their login information. I wanted to have them blogging this year as part of their journaling. I wanted my advanced classes to create wikis. Alas, because of the confines in which we must work, I wasn't able to travel outside of Blackboard and never used it.
I guess I need to finish my reading of Zander's book. Maybe it will inspire me to begin looking for the up side of the situation, rather than focusing on that which will only bring me down even more. I must continue to strive to better grow into someone who doesn't allow the outside stresses of life to kill my joy!
Carlene Young said, "Zander’s The Art of Possibility has been a wonderful, breath of fresh air in our long, arduous year of studies. I have already recommended it to several people and am inspired by it again and again. In Chapter 10 he states:
“If I cannot be present without resistance to the way things are and act effectively, if I feel myself to be wronged, a loser, or a victim, I will tell myself that some assumption I have made is the source of my difficulty” (p. 143).
I am reminded that life is not fair, it’s the way things are. If I find myself in conflict and feel put out, or like a victim, I just need to turn the tables and say, “OK, what am I assuming? Is that the problem?” If I am assuming that every teacher in my school has as much passion and desire to have their students learn the arts as I do, I’m sure that’s false, no matter how much I wish it. I have to back up and see the whole board, and enjoy my dealings with all of the teachers and their classes. They aren’t all as supportive as I wish, but I can deal with that and enjoy those classes in a different way.
I replied, "Sometimes when we are so passionate about something, it is so difficult to see why others don't get it. Feeling that the louder we exclaim your belief, the better chance they will have of believing us. The fire inside that a passion for something creates is hard to quench, unless we are finally beaten down and the fire just goes out altogether. I guess the question is: How can we redirect that passion in a way that is supportive of those who might not necessarily see things the same way we do? In theory we know that we are supposed to look for the positive, but sometimes, the emotions those passions bring to the surface, override and logical or reasonable thought."
"Mistakes can be like ice. If we resist them, we may keep on slipping into a posture of defeat." (p. 103). This statement hit me smack in the face during my reading this week. Not too long before writing this post I blogged about not liking to go back and readdress mistakes that could have been prevented if I had known the direction of the task more clearly. I think this was be being a bit whiny. I know that mistakes are inevitable in my life. I've made my fair share of mistakes and I'm sure I have many, many more waiting for my future. I guess the "ah ha" moment for me in this statement was the part referring to resisting those mistakes and basically setting myself up for permanent failure. I have come very far in this process of life and have hit several patches of "ice". Some of those patches I did not allow growth for learning to occur and as a result I faced some defeat along the way. The previously mentioned statement goes on to say " If we include mistakes in our definition of performance, we are likely to glide through them and appreciate the beauty of the longer run." (p. 103) I am no more immune to mistakes than any other human being on this planet. I think the thing I am taking away from this is that mistakes are going to happen. How I deal with those mistakes determines the success of my overall performance.
I replied, "You are definitely not alone in the resistance of mistakes. Nobody likes to face failure and mistakes always felt like an intensified and repeated failure. I took this attitude in my work place and with my daughter, who is now 11. It has been within the last few months that I realized how detrimental that fear of failure can really be. I had created a child who was afraid of everything, and do extremely poorly because she could never do enough or do it right enough to make me happy. In August I had to have an emergency hysterectomy and went from wanting more kids one moment and never being able to have another one the next. That opened my eyes to what I was doing to myself, my daughter, my students, my coworkers. I still find myself freaking out because I want everything to be perfect it and it far from it. Especially now that I am nearing the end of school and feel like I am drowning. Slow breaths and thoughts of serenity remind me that in this one life I have, I can best grow and flourish when I truly embrace who I am, mistakes and all."
Currently set up to present information and projects from Cycle One at the Teacher to Teacher/School to School in Mid-November in Winter Haven, Florida. There are several counties there, and close to a thousand teachers travel through the booths.
Convention 2:
The Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education conference will be in Nashville, TN in March 2011. This conference is a great way to Network with others in the industry as well as share the knowledge acquired through this journey.
Publication 3:
The Journal of Technology and Teacher Education is a journal that also partners with others to hold conventions. Both are a wonderful resource, as well as a wonderful place to start with getting my work published.
So, here I sit, my dinner made up of stale graham crackers in one hand and typing with the other, musing over what I actually accomplished this week.
I'm now only one week behind on the blogs, not three. So props for that. (I am kidding of course about receiving props.)
I am pretty much done with my Literature Review. Other than some tweaking, here and there, the idea is outlined. I think I have to add more, but I am not sure.
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I have redone my interviews and data from cycle one and cycle two and will have it posted soon. I definitely have that to get done soon.
I am not sure what I am going to do about the lost data. I guess I need to figure out a solution soon because I need it posted on my site.
The AR presentation is nearing a close, so I think I will be ready.
I also share the sentiment; however, I sometimes let it get the best of me, taking everything so serious. Most of the time I get to the place where I can comfortably let things go. Count it a blessing that you are a let it roll off your back kind of chick! LoL
I can relate with the feeling that being number two isn't good enough. But I have been trying to apply the "Giving myself and those around me an A" philosophy. Which ties in nicely with the idea of not taking ones self quite so serious. I know people who just can't seem to help themselves and really indulge when it comes to making sure others see things the same way they do, to the point of being obnoxious.
I also think that part of any good leader is being able to own up to your error and to reconcile it. I've known teachers that would refuse to credit a student a correct answer because they felt they couldn't have made the mistake and even if they did, they wouldn't change the points. To me that seems a little bit like a dictatorship. My way is the only way mentality. As a leader, the goal is to bring out the strengths in each member of your team. As the teacher, it is my goal to bring out the best in each of my students.
What would have to change for me to be completely fulfilled?
This is a deep question. One that I do not know if I should apply to all aspects of my life when reflecting on this question in this public forum: the blog. Therefore, I will only apply it to my time here at Full Sail University. The premise behind going after this degree was probably not as thought out as it should have been. I acted on impulse, to the tune of many thousands of dollars. I began to regret the decision, the time spent in the program.
But I also noticed something else about myself in this process, and just recently had the following revelation: I apparently have a fear of success. I know you are just clamoring for me to elaborate, so fear not, I will.
I first started college in 1994, and that lasted until 1996 when I used the excuse of the death of my dad to quit school at Stetson University. I had my daughter in 1998 and decided in 1999, that I had better go back to school. So I was in school from 1999 until the end of 2001. After that I had three credit hours to go, one class I needed to finish in order to have my BA. It took me four years to final get it done. So in 2005, I finally graduated. Many of my jobs were not able to hold my attention, so I simply quit or did something to jeopardize my position within the company. Once being looked at for promotions could quickly dissipate into barely being able to maintain the job.
So one thing I must change in order to be completely fulfilled is the acceptance of my success. It’s okay to want to achieve bigger and better things and to not penalize myself and holding myself to other’s ideas of what I should be.
“Imagine a world where a single raspberry is your only possession and you give it to a friend.”
Guerda Weissman Klein~ Auschwitz Survivor
Who in America can really say that they would be willing to give their only tiny possession to a mere friend? Not I… The depravity of the situation would seem to bring forth the beast, not the lamb. Isle, Guerda’s friend, must have been a truly selfless person. What more can be said about a person who even would consider this a possibility.
“Today was exceptional in that I learned leadership is not a responsibility- nobody has to lead. It’s a gift, shining silver, that reminds people huddled nearby why each shimmering moment matters. It’s in the eyes, the voice, this swelling song that warms up from the toes and tingles with endless possibilities. Things change when you care enough to grab whatever you love, and give it everything. )(Amanda Burr) (p.74)
2.Throw yourself into life as someone who makes a difference, accepting that you may not understand how or why. (p. 59)
The idea of asserting that you are in fact contributing to the lives of those around you in a positive manner washes away the fear of failure. The applicability of this concept to us as Master’s students is compounding daily. I just have to keep reminding myself that I am making a difference in my student’s lives and that seeking this degree has positively impacted my teaching style. I cannot get bogged down in the financial aspect of this and know that because I am actively seeking to contribute positively in life, the purpose will become clearer as I continue to strive to better myself.
Zander’s father is quoted as saying, “I discovered a person cannot live a full life under the shadow of bitterness. (p. 64)
This statement resonates with me more than anything I have read in years. I often see my life as a series of failures, rather than acknowledging the growth and progress made in who I am as a person. Living under the shadow of bitterness from decisions made when I was younger still plaque my ability to “let it go”. Recognizing that I cannot enjoy my life as I should until I find a way “give myself an A” and admit that I am doing the best that I can, has been an eye opening revelation. I do not have to compare myself to other people in the program, because I am doing the best that I can within my circumstances.
Don’t take yourself so serious! Remember Rule Six!! (p. 79)
This is going to be my new mantra for the people in my life that I love that freak out over the smallest things and truly sweat the small stuff. However, I will acknowledge that there are many moments in my own life when I will need to apply this to myself at that moment. What exactly am I referencing you may be wondering. I know I seem so calm and even-keeled; however, those who really know me would attest to that statement. Example: I can lose it so quickly over my daughter pouting a little too hard because she didn’t get her white leggings, since the store only had black. And I mean lose it!
When I should be saying, “Really? Donya, really? Do not take yourself so seriously! Remember Rule Six!”
Thos I love sometimes need to hear that the thing they are currently stressing themselves and you over really isn’t that big of a deal. But how do you do that effectively without hurting the person’s feelings?
Example: I have a friend who feels like its her job to change the structure of the current city policy on that refuses to allow restaurants to have an outdoor seating area that is not covered. While I agree with her and stand with her when I can, she takes it absolutely personal when I don’t attend a meeting she asks me to come to last minute, expecting me to change my plans to go. Or there have been times when I’ve tried to help out and she has snapped at me because I haven’t done enough. How do I address this and help her understand hoe to apply Rule Six to her own life?
Zander, R.S., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility. Harvard Business School Press.
Week One Wimba was informative, as far expectations, and deadlines. The last three months I have struggled with the deadlines, making most of them and working hard to maintain my A average. It really help me put in perspective how far behind I really am. LoL
The idea of the impact we as Master's students at Full Sail, could really have an impact on education around the world, was really eye opening. There are so many amazingly talented people in this program, and I often wonder what they are going to do with this degree. I hope that I am able to see where they go with this in the future!
You are right. It really does take time to cultivate those types of relationships with our students. I am now at the point where the students see that I care regardless of what their final grade is. I am at the point where I see them caring about their product because they care what I think. I am at the point in the year where they truly begin to appreciate all that we have done throughout the year to make learning an interactive, hands-on experience. These are the moments that propel me to keep on trying, keep on pushing to inspire them as well as myself, keep on forging and developing a relationship of mutual respect.
I have also been trying to apply the "Giving an A" philosophy with my students, but also with my husband and daughter. I have to learn to accept that if people are doing their best then I cannot ask more of them. I agree with your statement that the comprehension of the points from the book can truly be the opening to the change that occurs when we begin to take people as they are, allowing them to truly flourish in a comfortable, non-judgmental environment.
Week 1 (two weeks YAY!!) was really an interesting start to this class. It was really nice to have the time to start the class and then have Spring Break in the middle of it. For overachievers like myself that meant I was able to go ahead and get started on the projects for each week, get them mapped out and completed. At least that was my plan...that is until my wife let me know we were going to be using our Spring Break to Spring Clean and purge the house of all items we decide we no longer need. So my days have been spent moving things around as best as possible (my back still hurts from a four year old using it as a trampoline and the very heavy plastic outlet safety covers) and then falling asleep early because of the honey do list that I was working on that day.
Looking back at the start of this class, I really was worried about the lack of clear due dates, but the email has really helped me out, a lot. The previous courses with their “Honey Do List” style of check-offs really helped me focus on what was most important (what was due first) and what I had time to work on (the big projects at the end). This helped me to create a timeline in my head and let my brain know what it needed to focus on and what could be processing in the background (it sounds weird, but that’s what really goes on in there).
With the email, I have now been able to clearly focus on what needs to be completed and with the Spring Cleaning finally completed - focus is now back on the classes at hand and what needs to be completed.
Concerns and Worries - I am so focused on the end goal that my worry is something will go wrong. I have worked hard to keep the 4.0 GPA the entire year that I am so freaked out that something is going to happen that I won’t finish with the 4.0 or worse the dreaded, not feeling your ARP-Sorry. The final interview is really weighing heavy on my mind knowing it is only a month and a half away. The nervousness I feel comes from the not knowing-like what was talked about in Wimba-we’ve been working on these projects - getting good scores on our blogs and turning items in, but what if it’s not what someone wants...what happens then???
stress-just the added bonus of being a student...
My reply: I echo your frustration about the urgent need to prepare for all the faces us in the last few weeks of this program. However, unlike yourself, I find my motivation has all but turned completely off. I am trying desperately to revitalize my determination to be a success. I think part of the issue is the idea of the cost has finally hit me. "What did I do?" I silently wonder at times. I have most definitely benefited from this process; however, I hope that in the long run (or even better, short run) I will see the remuneration.
I have not enjoyed the open due date. When its not spaced out, I don't see the end. I need the order of the due dates to propel my motivation. Sadly, the intrinsic desire to succeed is not strong enough to thrust me into gear.
Have you ever started your day, passionate about the events that you were to face throughout the day? Things seem to go pretty smoothly; you get through most of the day. The morning flies by and you run to get lunch. When you get back in your car to return to work, the battery won't turn over. You try and try, to no avail. And finally, frustrated, you smack your hand on the wheel, take out your phone and call someone to rescue you. At this point, you want your day to be over. You ignore the work that otherwise would be your release, and relish the hand if the clock as it moves slowly towards the final moment when you can leave.
Well, this fairly well summarizes how I feel right now. I was moving along nicely, about to pull together all the loose strings of my ARP. That is until three weeks ago the hard drive I had moved all my massive files to, crashed. Now I feel like I am at a stand still because most of my articles were listed there, all my work from month one through nine, and a lot of stuff that I still needed to add to site. I am trying to find the motivation to pick back up and make this degree a reality.
The idea of changing how you perceive and evaluate that, which could be construed as negative, open up the doors to revitalization and the development of renewed, invigorating hope. This speaks true to my current situation. Here I sit bemoaning the loss of my ten months of work, instead of realizing that there is a way out of this seemingly dreadful situation. The suggestion to have my external hard drive looked at has been made; everyone keeps telling me it is there, but that it just needs to be pulled off of there. I also could look into having my computer hard history pulled up. Either way, I have a guy who has offered to do it for me for free, pretty much. And here I am complaining that it hasn’t happened as of yet, because I need to finish my ARP website. Working within the confines of the issue rather than complaining about the confines of the issue.
Because of this dreadful situation, I almost gave up totally. I even let this class call to the wayside. But when I did finally tackle the reading, I was inspired to get this going again.
I can see the value in the giving an A philosophy; however, in the public school system, that is a dream, more than a possible reality. I wish that I could give out A’s with the assurance that my students would then be inspired to perform to their highest ability. Alas, that is not going to happen. But I plan on applying this concept loosely at the beginning of each year. Having my students right about themselves does nothing to motivate them, so this year I started by having each student set goals for their writing. At the beginning of this upcoming year, I plan on having students write to me, telling me how they have grown as a writer and personally this year.
