Contemplative Leadership

I’ve been involved in one way or another with open source software since 1995. It is the sleeping giant in most school systems and that’s only because of the relative ignorance that most folks have about it. I had the privilege of attending ISTE 2012 in Philadelphia, PA and the very last presentation I listened to was by Steve Hargadon. In that presentation, Steve claimed that we could actually provide K-12 students with entry level skills if we could teach them MySQL, PHP and Apache.  I tried to move in that direction this year and what really has held me up is my own unfamiliarity with project based learning. I have a lot of open source skills that I could teach students, but what would the project look like and how could I carry it off.

Today’s article taken from OpenSource.com speaks more to individual open source skills and how they could be a spring board to career advancement. I’ve seen that first hand this year. A classified advertisement from a regional information center stipulated Linux skills and certification. I have a completed the initial stages of LPI (Linux Professional Institute) certification and I’ve had Red Hat Linux System Administration training along with the Linux Boot Camp. If suggest if you’re out of work or looking to change careers that you take seriously the quote below and develop some open source expertise by getting involved in an open source project.

Posted from Diigo.

Today was the wrap up assembly at Franklinville Central elementary school. Today’s assembly is the capstone each year and it’s attended by all of our students. The kids get prizes and small medals for successfully completing 3 legged races, 75 yard dashes, foul shooting contests and the like. At the end of the assembly each year Mrs. Kopp puts together a multimedia Presentation that has a picture of each student in action along with contemporary music. Even the students who don’t win prizes stamp their feet on the bleachers, laugh and clap. The endorphin level is high as teachers, students, staff and principals join in. We come together as a community. We bond and pass along a tradition that spans decades. There is no doubt that every participant wins in some way. I contrast these good vibes with the upset and angst created by tests. Testing in some form is necessary and good testing informs both learner and teacher. I wonder how we might craft assessments which honor, inform and create community. The original intention of public schools was to create an informed electorate who could pass on the culture in a free society. How can we return to that?

Since January of this year I have been making a conscious effort to include at least 30 minutes a day of mindfulness meditation. Along with that at the suggestion of my daughter I began taking Yoga. Within the first month of this mindfulness practices I noticed that circulation in my feet improved. Since beginning the Yoga practice nearly three months ago I’ve noted improvements in concentration and overall stress reduction in my life. Along with the mindfulness and Yoga practice I’ve been reading many books on the subject. Some of these books have been written by teachers who have incorporated Yoga and mindfulness into their classrooms. In all cases these teachers have claimed that both practices reduced student hyperactivity, improved focus and in most cases improved test scores. I began to introduce some of my own students to a brief Yoga opener at the beginning of one of my classes. I noted that one of the most troublesome students not only liked the practice but became more focused and less combative in class. This "Simple Yoga Exercise to Build Brain Power," fits within those observations. I hope that it invites you to explore and perhaps consider the place of Yoga and Mindfulness in today’s classrooms.

• A Simple Yoga Exercise To Build Your Brain Power

  •  I  recently stumbled upon an interesting Yoga brain training exercise that according to it’s developer can enhance ones brain function and fitness. It’s called SuperBrain Yoga and is being used by doctors and teachers alike to improve peoples thinking and mental function. Improved grades and increased mental focus among people who practice Superbrain Yoga are being reported, even among those with mental disabilities.

  • • •   The children are more focused and ready to work.
      • The children are displaying improved emotional states.
      • The child displaying bizarre behaviors appears to have a normal behavior.
      • The memory and retention of new information appears to have improved.
      • The entire dynamic of the class has improved dramatically.

Posted from Diigo.