Week 4-Comment on Jenn's blog

Jenn, I also love the idea of "giving an A".  Asking students to think ahead is one of those skills that are essential to learn, but isn't a subject in school like math or science, so it sometimes gets overlooked.  I think you're exactly right: our culture doesn't exactly encourage that often. 

Jenn's post:

Week 4: Art of Possibility

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Jenn Hollern

The entire book is about reframing our perceptions on the world and, almost more importantly, about reframing how we interact and respond with the world. These chapters, though, really help us to buckle down and get into the nitty-gritty of what that looks like.
I really enjoy the stories that both authors share in Chapter 9 about doing some things in person. I’m a tech junkie, to be sure, but sometimes things just need to happen with face-to-face interaction. Honestly, to be completely relevant in this moment of the EMDT program, I sometimes wonder whether the frustrations our cohort has felt about the changes we’re experiencing in the CBR project would have occurred if this were a traditional classroom program. Explaining complex problems, discussing really emotional or personal matters, finding solutions and brainstorming – sometimes, there are just things we need to do in person.
Again, one of the authors shared the concept of “getting an A” before the semester even begins. I just love that. To encourage students (or anyone, really) to think far enough in advance and decide what needs to happen in order to deserve an A is just a type of thinking that our culture does not often encourage.
I wonder if this exercise could be repurposed for non-students and ask folks who may be in ‘crossroads’ type of positions to justify their ‘A.’ Could we ask our friends or families or coworkers who seem to be in a rutt to do this exercise – think about how it is that you’ll be happy again in a year – and write down how that happened for you. Hmmm…there are a few folks in my life who might benefit from these self-reflective letters.