ShadowFeet

Brooke Fraser

When time and space are through ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4KiGN1j1No

You Are Blind Until You See

David Garibaldi
http://vimeo.com/23864881

Here it is! There it goes!

My first blog with this new "Art Out, Man" blog title.  Here it is and there it goes!  Enjoy and return.

The Family Before Color

Beth Raatz

This drawing of Beth Raatz was completed sometime in 1982.

David Crockett, Charity, and Congress

"Remember that a government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have."

"It is not the amount, Colonel, that I complain of; it is the principle. In the first place, the Government ought to have in the Treasury no more than enough for its legitimate purposes. But that has nothing to do with the question. The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be entrusted to man, particularly under our system of collecting revenue by a tariff, which reaches every man in the country, no matter how poor he may be, and the poorer he is the more he pays in proportion to his means. What is worse, it presses upon him without his knowledge where the weight centers, for there is not a man in the United States who can ever guess how much he pays to the Government. So you see, that while you are contributing to relieve one, you are drawing it from thousands who are even worse off than he. If you had the right to give anything, the amount was simply a matter of discretion with you, and you had as much right to give $20,000,000 as $20,000. If you have the right: to give to one, you have the right to give to all; and, as the Constitution neither defines charity nor stipulates the amount, you are at liberty to give to any and everything which you may believe, or profess to believe, is a charity, and to any amount you may think proper. You will very easily perceive, what a wide door this would open for fraud and corruption and favoritism, on the one hand, and for robbing the people on the other. No, Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity. Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose. If twice as many houses had been burned in this county as in Georgetown, neither you nor any other member of Congress would have thought of appropriating a dollar for our relief. There are about two hundred and forty members of Congress. If they had shown their sympathy for the sufferers by contributing each one week's pay, it would have made over $13,000. There are plenty of wealthy men in and around Washington who could have given $20,000 without depriving themselves of even a luxury of life. The Congressmen chose to keep their own money, which, if reports be true, some of them spend not very creditably; and the people about Washington, no doubt, applauded you for relieving them from the necessity of giving by giving what was not yours to give. The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution."

Joy in a Sock Monkey Hat

Claudette's Lamp

Black Splash No. 2

One Tree; Three Versions

Five Trees; Before & After

Art & Nancy Turkey Chicken

One Simple Fish

Three Cool Fish In Red Hot Black Flaming Water

Three Cool Fish

Two Fish; After & Before

If We Would of Hurried

If We Would of Hurried

by: Billy Rose, Stories from the Heart 

There once was a fellow who, with his dad, farmed a little piece of land. Several times a year they would load up the old ox-drawn cart with vegetables and go into the nearest city to sell their produce. Except for their name and patch of ground, father and son had little in common. The old man believed in taking it easy. The boy was usually in a hurry -- the go-getter type.

One morning, bright and early, they hitched up the ox to the loaded cart and started on the long journey. The son figured that if they walked faster, kept going all day and night, they'd make the market by early the next morning. So he kept prodding the ox with a stick, urging the beast to get a move on.

"Take it easy, son" said the old man. "You'll last longer."

"But if we get to the market ahead of the others, we'll have a better chance of getting good prices," argued the son.

No reply. Dad just pulled his hat down over his eyes and fell asleep on the seat. Itchy and irritated, the young man kept goading the ox to walk faster. His stubborn pace refused to change.

Four hours and four miles down the road, they came to a little house. The father woke up, smiled and said, "Here's your uncle's place. Let's stop in and say "hello."

"But we've lost an hour already," complained the hotshot.

"Then a few more minutes won't matter. My brother and I live so close, yet we see each other so seldom," the father answered slowly.

The boy fidgeted and fumed while the two old men laughed and talked away almost an hour. On the move again, the man took his turn leading the ox. As they approached a fork in the road, the father led the ox to the right.

"The left is the shorter way," said the son.

"I know it," replied the old man, "but this way is so much prettier."

"Have you no respect for time?: the young man asked impatiently.

"Oh, I respect it very much! That's why I like to look at beauty and enjoy each moment to the fullest."

The winding path led through graceful meadows, wildflowers and along a rippling stream - all of which the young man missed as he churned within, preoccupied and boiling with anxiety. He didn't even notice how lovely the sunset was that day.

Twilight found them in what looked like a huge, colorful garden. The old man breathed in the aroma, listened to the bubbling brook, and pulled the ox to a halt. "Let's sleep here," he sighed.

"This is the last trip I'm taking with you," snapped his son. "You're more interested in watching sunsets and smelling flowers then in making money!"

"Why, that's the nicest thing you've said in a long time," smiled the dad. A couple of minutes later he was snoring - as his boy glared back at the stars. The night dragged slowly, the son was restless.

Before sunrise the young man hurriedly shook the father awake. They hitched up and went on. About a mile down the road they happened upon another farmer - a total stranger - trying to pull his cart out of a ditch.

"Let's give him a hand," whispered the old man.

"And lose more time?" the boy exploded.

"Relax, son ... you might be in a ditch yourself. We need to help others in need - don't forget that." The boy looked away in anger.

It was almost eight o'clock that morning by the time the other cart was back on the road. Suddenly, a great flash split the sky. What sounded like thunder followed. Beyond the hills, the sky grew dark.

"Looks like big rain in the city," said the old man.

"If we had hurried, we'd be almost sold out by now," grumbled his son.

"Take it easy ... you'll last longer. And you'll enjoy life so much more," counseled the kind old gentlemen.

It was late in the afternoon by the time they got to the hill overlooking the city. They stopped and stared down at it for a long time. Neither of them said a word. Finally, the young man put his hand on his father's shoulder and said, "I see what you mean Dad."

They turned their cart around and began to roll slowly away from what had once been the city of Hiroshima.

Changing Tires @ The High

Trust, Character, and Leadership: Inseparable Triplets

Trust, Character, and Leadership: Inseparable Triplets 

(The Common Theme in Leadership Literature) 

     Leadership is inseparably linked to character and trust. Leadership crumbles when character and trust is found lacking. Every leadership book we reviewed deals with character and trust. It's exemplified in Zapp or outright stated in the other literature. Maxwell (p. 46 & 47) sets forth the basis of leadership that must be followed by all who desire to pursue effective leadership; trust and character. “Character makes trust possible. And trust makes leadership possible” (Maxwell, p. 47). A leader must engender trust. A leader must ooze trust all over those who follow. It’s invisible, yet very noticeable ooze. When trust is shattered, character is destroyed and leadership dissolves into pushing and shoving. And no one will follow you over the hill or go the extra mile. Loyalty turns into mutiny. Desertion desecrates moral. Therefore, character is leadership. Maxwell uses General H. Norman Schwarzkopf to point out how significant character is to leadership. Schwarzkopf points out that character is more important than strategy. That says something coming from a general planning an invasion. I can see how this works. One’s strategy must be trust and character, not only the invasion in view. If you desire to lead effectively you must have integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness. You must deal fairly and respectfully with people; even under pressure. Not that a leader must be perfect. No person is perfect. He must genuinely apologize when mistakes are made. When a mistake is made a trustworthy leader, as Covey says, “…have the reserves to draw on” (p. 205). People appreciate this honesty and appreciate the ability of a leader to take ownership of his mistakes and flaws. When a leader makes a mistake or treats someone inappropriately and refuses to acknowledge it or try to make amends, distrust and suspicion follows.
     Covey points out that trust must be established over time. No immediate results here. Gradual natural development over time develops quality trust. The aging process cannot be rushed when producing fine Scotch. “And trust grows out of trustworthiness” (Covey, p. 203). It’s foundational to character and relationships. Trustworthiness is genuine and cannot be faked in a leader. Fraudulent deceptive trust will eventually seep and spill out the true intentions of the individual. Covey says trust is foundational to communication as well (p. 203). Lack of communication causes discord, lack of productivity, and eventually financial loss. Covey shares three ways in which time can be maximized by leadership that is trustworthy in communication. (1) “…Releas[ing] the tremendous creative potential in others so that they govern themselves, (2) …take the time to work with others and clarify expectations… [and] (3) …build relationships that make effective communication possible (Covey, p. 206). Trust, character, and leadership are all about putting people first. And this will lead to success and effectiveness. Leadership must put people first as Covey points out, “…the fourth paradigm is people first, things second” (p. 206). Covey’s comparison chart on page 206 reveals the differences between treating people as widgets or as a they should be treated, as appreciated and loved.
     Fullan provides an entire chapter, the first chapter in his book, emphasizing the importance of this love for employees. FoEs, firms of endearment value both their customers and employees. When you have happy, valued employees you will have a business that is successful. Fullan on page 29 lists twenty-eight companies that are successful FoEs. I’m glad to see Wegmans and Trader Joes on the list. They all have loyal followers, including myself. I love the experience and the products. The Trader Joes brand of Bavarian beer is outstanding. Check out my blog about Wegmans (http://jglorvigenvisualarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/wegmans.html).
     It’s remarkable and beneficial to observe how our assigned leadership literature echoes each other. Covey’s first chapter deals with priority, comparing the clock and the compass and bridging the gap between them. What will drive your life is Covey’s point, direction or time? A leader possessing character must use the compass and not let the clock tear away focus and purpose. The title for chapter one (Covey, First Things First, p. 17) of that first section is “How Many People on Their Deathbed Wish They’d Spent More Time at the Office?” What a life piercing question! Maxwell (p. 44) also makes the same point about priorities, ‘Nobody on his deathbed ever said, “I wish I had spent more time on my business”.’ Spend your time with people! Value them. Byham in his book, Zapp! In Education, lists some effective coaching methodologies (p. 147) that every leader should employ to be effective. Although all are imperative for a leader, item six captures my attention: “Express confidence in the person’s ability to be successful at the task.” This certainly demonstrates leadership to effect change, which demonstrates a positive value in personhood that is the opposite from Joe Mode’s Notebook list earlier in Zapp where teachers are afraid of change and demoralized (p. 10 & 11). Blanchard and Bowles in their book, High Five (p. 68) describe the first key to team success, “A sense of purpose…” which I would echo as the first key to personal and leadership success.
     Purpose is something that every leader must possess. Character provides input as to the purpose and direction. One’s internal compass is set according to that purpose. Trust is part of the moral fiber that character must possess. Once morality breaks down, trust, character, and leadership follow. An issue I wish our leadership literature would pursue involves this “morality” and its origin. The source of this morality that informs conscience and character must come from a belief in God. We must believe we are accountable to God for how we treat people and live our lives. Why else be a leader or want success? Does success and leadership mean anything without God? If one can be successful by deception and double-cross, why not? We are just worm food in the end. Live for the moment a get ahead by any means possible. Enron certainly had this approach. Eventually, leadership comes down to what life is all about. What is the purpose of man and the reason for our existence? If evolution is true, that we are an accident, then morality becomes a necessary evil and the end justifies the means. We can pretend to care and be trustworthy for our own profit and advancement. Leadership without God is a scary, awful thing. Deceit and deception are the pillars of godless leadership. What will happen when someone moves the cheese of a godless leader? He will rob, cheat, and steal to get his cheese back. It won’t matter who gets in his way. He’ll stomp and crush your head to get what he wants.
     Leadership is character. Character comes from morality and that morality founded upon one’s belief in God. Yet, it doesn’t stop there. What kind of God do you believe in? That question we’ll save for another time. The things discussed in our leadership literature are worth my time to implement. It has caused me to look at how I interact with my colleagues and those in authority over me. If they are leaders in title, yet not in practice, I need to be. I need to lead as set forth by our review of literature even if my “leaders” do not.

Leadership 101

Maxwell Critique: Character is Leadership

     Maxwell’s book, Leadership 101 is the most significant book in the leadership literature repertoire that you assigned. This is a life book, not just a book on leadership. Maxwell lists four areas to master in life: Relationships, Equipping, Attitude, and Leadership. In my opinion, all of them involve character. Character is inseparably linked to leadership. Actually, I think it can be said, character is leadership. Leadership crumbles when character and found lacking. Maxwell points out that, “Character makes trust possible. And trust makes leadership possible” (p. 47). Maxwell uses General H. Norman Schwarzkopf to point out how significant character is to leadership. Schwarzkopf points out that character is more important than strategy. One’s ultimate strategy must be character. If you desire to lead effectively you must have integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness. All these are the building blocks of character.
     His question in the preface, “Why Leadership 101” he discusses influence. Later he discusses it in more depth. Maxwell points out that we will influence at least ten thousand people in our lifetime. That’s a bit unbelievable, yet reasonably true if we reach 80. His question raised for us to consider is how will you use your influence? In that regard this book challenges me. To be a leader I must first lead myself. Simple point, yet an important one. How can I lead others if I am not leading myself? What am I influencing my own character with? This book provides a map to follow. It’s pocket size too!
     On extending influence, Maxwell points out that you must grow so that you have something to give. The work never stops. One can always grow and one should grow. I guess the problem is desire to do so. Change is hard and when you grow things must change. Personal growth is important. When we stagnate we start to rot and smell. We take those around us for granted and begin to use them for our own selfish gain. Not good stuff. Principals should not use and destroy others for their own selfish aggrandizement. Some stepped on others, cheated, and laid waste to themselves, their colleagues, and the school system. Then others, tainted by the scandal of failed leadership must pick up the pieces and lead. Yet, the leadership is one that involves politics and micro-managing. True change in my opinion involves empowering as Maxwell describes it on page 96 and 97. I doubt that most principals will empower their staff this way. An appearance of change must be made; I hope true change will also result. Maxwell’s book should be on every teacher’s Christmas gift list for their principal and School Board member! It’s a blueprint for true leadership. The cover is blue too!

Three Fish: Two Cool, One Warm

Flaming Blue Water: 2 1/2 Versions

The Problem with Public Education

     Over the past three or four decades politicians, intellectuals, educators, and the like tried to solve the ills of public education. And so the quest continues. More experimentation. More blame. More calls for change. And more nasty stuff thrown at the wall to see if it sticks. Has anyone gotten the correct answer to obvious question? What is the problem with public education? If you don't get the answer right, you certainly will not see any improvement. After reading chapter three of Goodwin’s “Simply Better”, my suspicions have been confirmed. The problem with public education is the public. Simple but true. Twenty plus years of teaching in the inner city has demonstrated to me that education is in the condition it is in due to the current condition the public is in…specifically, the family. The break-up of the family, the building block of society, is broken all over the country to some degree and certainly the effects are compounded in the city. If I can find a two-parent family, it's a rarity and very pleasantly noticeable. We know the problem (unhealthy broken families) and the answer to that brokenness is not within our power to remedy. Yet, we can attempt to fill the gap that the broken family has left. Simply Better is on the right track. I’ve seen the movie, The Blind Side and the solution was the family. That family rescued him, nurtured and loved him, fed and clothed him and gave him a bed and a place to grow. Hodgkinson’s 13 risk factors associated with lower student achievement are seen by me on a daily basis. Yet, Goodwin quotes Rothstein, ”Good teachers alone, for most children, cannot fully compensate for the disadvantages many children bring to school.” Then how does the teacher effect change? Short of taking children away from parents, early childhood programs are the answer. Teaching children social skills (negotiation and compromise) and giving them exposure to things they would not otherwise not know, will change lives and futures. Additionally, teaching children to read will not only transform their lives, it will rescue them from a life of poverty and hopelessness. This is the ounce of prevention approach. Knowing that many critical brain functions and processes take root before the age of five and implementing strategies to heighten those critical brain functions; this can have a major effect on many children.
     Exposure creates background. Children need prior knowledge to achieve. My field trip to the High Museum was canceled due to the exhaustive testing of the third, fourth, and fifth grade. No exposure for these inner city 5th graders. This exposure thing must be a top down agenda and thought of as important. Now it's up to me to bring the High to the fifth graders. I wonder if the High will allow me video the show?
     Goodwin mentions something that I will attend to. Being moved around from school to school and then pushing a cart around affords me little in the way of word walls. Now that I have my room back I can bring out that packed away art word wall that I created. If I can't find the rolled up alphabetized four foot by eight foot chart I will certainly make a new one. I have one on a window shade, yet I want one that always displays the words all the time for viewing and perusing. I do want words to be pegs, as Beecher says, for students to hang ideas on. One word I use constantly is appropriate. It demonstrates the uniqueness of art and answers the whinny complaint children use, “He’s copying me!” No he’s not, he is appropriating it; which means take and use for your own. In art you are allowed to take another's idea, change it and use it for your own. I will intentionally weave vocabulary into my art instruction. The five step process for direct vocabulary instruction is a winner. A living vocabulary is a crafty way for children to take what they have learned with them where ever life takes them. This is a legacy of sorts for teachers; to impart knowledge, through words, in unforgettable ways.
     Another topic Goodwin covers is interest and motivation. I think we can work too hard instructing children. There is a place for play in instruction. I use it as much as I can. Play greases the instructional wheels. This is where interest and motivation comes into the picture. Capture their interest and you've done half the work. That's a chapter out of Kay Toliver's book.
     Goodwin is correct, “Unless educators act proactively rather than reactively, they will remain in a perpetual state of emergency.” Sounds like a correct assessment of the current educational dilemma. We know the diagnosis, now to implement the plan. We cannot put the family back together, yet we can transfer knowledge and motivation into those we teach in hopes the cycle will not repeat.

First Black Splash

UbD and DI An Essential Partnership

     Working smarter rather than harder is always a good idea. When time is limited, and it most certainly is, it’s necessary to be efficient as possible. Technology assists with promoting educational efficiency and I’m glad Tomlinson and McTighe included this point as axiom 6. National Board Standard #2 and Tomlinson chime together on this axiom by pointing out that teachers must address the diverse academic levels within their classrooms and use their specialized instructional acumen and rich understanding (NBS #2) to vary approaches to meet student needs. NBS #2 in part, states, “Teachers know the subject they teach and how to teach the subject to students.” Technology and collaboration (axiom 6) effectively combined can fulfill NBS #2 and successfully “teach the subject to students.” Tracking student progress via technological methodologies provides learners with feedback necessary for success and provides educators the input they need to teach the varied learner population within their purview the skills they needed for achievement. Axiom #7 continues this approach, suggesting that Understanding by Design (UbD) is not a program, rather a way of thinking; meaning educators are in the business of adapting instruction rather than the implementation of a one-size-fits-all program. As Tomlinson points out, a fluid, not static, approach to differentiation will maximize outcomes (knowledge, understanding, skill-sets) because it considers the teaching variables of who, where, how, and what. Technology can effectively handle these variables and provide teachers with a stockpile of engaging strategies and enriching content to effectively share their deep knowledge ( rich understanding , NBS #2) and propel students to success.
     A program known as “The Khan Academy” successfully blends this kind of differentiation with technology. Instructors know exactly the skill level of each student as they complete computer-based assignments and assessments. Via immediate, live, real-time feedback the instructor can identify problems and assist students; differentiating to compel understanding. Due to technological advances, this process could not have taken place 5-10 years ago. Although this Khan Academy technology is not present in my classroom, I can implement the old standby…observation and then differentiate where needed. Yes, I do use the technology available to me; LCD projector, video, and PowerPoint presentations to effectively and efficiently instruct my students. This is an improvement over the slow, 20 th century, “let me find my visual aide somewhere in the cabinet” approach that is neither fluid nor responsive to student needs. I can collaborate with colleagues and modify my presentation to differentiate instruction with a couple mouse clicks. I update my media to accommodate learning needs. Sometimes, perhaps most of the time, students do not understand due to physical sight. They just cannot see the lesson. Using a video camera to deliver “live” demonstrations, which is projected onto a large screen for student observation in conjunction with personal “hands-on” differentiated assistance for those in need, in most cases is sufficient to transfer comprehension and deliver a skill-set. An example can be noted. Second grade weaving, with the use of this fluid technological differentiation process took students from 10% success at the onset of the unit to over 90% success at its conclusion. I was excited at their success and so were the students!

Tomlinson, C. A., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and understanding by design: connecting content and kids. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.