Gabriela+Bustamante

gbustamante@fcaq.k12.ec
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Reflections on Scavenger Hunt.
Our group decided to begin our search at School, where we spend most of our day. I believe this made our scavenger hunt more interesting because we sometimes have difficulty looking at old familiar places with new perspectives. I realize we walk around school but we don't actually pay attention to what we see. Places get to become so familiar we don't see things in a new light or differently. I also learned that our mind can be very flexible. If one of the members of the group thought she saw one of the themes, we could all see it. There was no arguing because we were able to adapt to each others point of view.

=ASSIGNMENT 2= =APPLICATION OF CREATIVE STRATEGIES=

APPLICATION OF CREATIVE STRATEGIES IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
Gabriela Bustamante Margarita Delgado

=LESSON 1=

These strategies will be used with teachers in grade level meetings to work on schedules for next school year. We may have to change what we have this year.
 * 1) **Discipline: ** **School Administration** ** Topic: ****Scheduling**
 * 2) **STRATEGY **: **Problem Solving, Morphological Matrix**

 **__1. PROBLEM: WORK ON SCHEDULES 1 through 12th grades.__**

**Objective:** Have teachers analyze what goes into an ideal school schedule, and compare to what we currently have. Decide on the schedule for next year.

 1. Have teachers write down what the perfect schedule in an ideal world would have
 * DAY 1: **

 2. Share ideas among other teachers in their grade level

 3. Brainstorming: what new ideas can we come up with for next year's schedule (No criticism, Freewheeling, Many ideas welcome, piggy backing on other ideas is welcome)

 **DAY 2:**  1. List the attributes of our current schedule and possible modifications or changes

 2. Morphological matrix: by using the current schedule's attributes, work out a matrix using student distribution, hours, subjects and teachers.

 **DAY 3:**  Talk about results of our findings regarding our current schedule and possible schedule changes. Designate a team to work on trying something absolutely new, and another to work on modifying and making changes to our current schedule.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> **DAY 4:** <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Decide on best option.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Assess the option that was chosen. Create a survey that can be answered by teachers at the end of first semester and a second one at the end of II semester to receive feedback on the new schedule and improve the next one.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The activity helped the teachers to realize the different points of view from their colleagues.
 * __<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">REFLECTION: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> By sharing their thoughts, many reached to the conclusion the changing the schedules drastically might represent a deeper problem. Some accepted that some important changes might contribute to a better accomplishment of goals on the academic fields. <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Next time, the discussion time can be extended because teachers showed their need to share their thought and exchange good ideas to optimize the academic time with their students.

I THINK YOU HAVE APPLIED THESE STRATEGIES EXTREMELY WELL TO USE TO SOLVE A REAL PROBLEM. BRAVO!! I DO BELIEVE THAT FACULTY SHOULD HAVE A STRUCTURE TO USE CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING TO DEVELOP ANSWERS TO PROBLEMATIC SITUATIONS.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 24px;">………………………………………………………… **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 24px;">LESSON 2 **
 * 1) **<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Discipline: ****<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">School Administration <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Topic: <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Faculty and Staff Handbook **
 * 2) **<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">STRATEGY **<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">: Brainstorming, SCAMPER

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**PROBLEM:** How to get teachers to become familiar with our new revised Teacher Handbook

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">**Objective:** Teachers do not usually read and learn about the teacher profile and responsibilities. We have worked on a new handbook for next year and require teachers to read it.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> **DAY 1** <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Strategy: The Wonderful World of Words.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Teachers will be asked to go through the new Faculty & Staff handbook and pick out words for different scenes from the teacher profile and responsibilities, then, they will represent different scenes in groups, they would act the problem and the solution. This would act as an ice breaker and encourage creative activities for teachers. SUPER IDEA!!!!

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> **DAY 2:** <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Teachers will work in groups looking through the Teacher Manual and write down questions or comments on the most common issues that arise frequently through the school year (ie. Abcences, parent-teachers conferences procedures, etc.)

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> **DAY 3:** <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> SCAMPER strategy to help teachers address issues in the handbook which may cause them stress or find solutions to deal with certain

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> responsibilities that worry them.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Teachers will work in groups.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> **DAY 4:** <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Teachers will share their problems and their scamper strategy.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Assessment: Teachers will demonstrate that they know the handbook by talking about the contents in the handbook. WILL THEY BE ABLE TO MODIFY THE TEACHER HANDBOOK ACCORDING TO THE IDEAS THEY DEVELOPED? IF NOT, THIS WILL BE A VERY FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE.

<span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">By acting the different topics on the F&S Handbook, teachers were able to memorize the main points of official procedures and mandatory steps on their most common concerns. <span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">It is evident that the reason for Faculty not to be completely informed about the internal rules is not only time, but the high amount of information discouraged them to read the Handbook. Creative and fun activities in specific Faculty and Staff meetings help to strengthen the knowledge of internal rules and procedures. I AGREE BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THESE ACTIVITIES LEAD THEM TO DEAL WITH THEIR CONCERNS CREATIVELY NOT JUST BE "FORCED" INTO COMPLIANCE.
 * __<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro','serif'; font-size: 16px;">REFLECTION: __**

**ASSIGNMENT 3** **CLASS PARTICIPATION AND REFLECTIONS** = = = = **PRE ASSIGNMENT FOR CRS 560**

1, Write a summary of five main points you find compelling from these articles.
 * The creativity crisis (Newsweek) Scott Berkun
 * View Ken Robinson’s Ted Talk.

FINE POINTS IDENTIFIED!! 4.Discuss how you nurture creativity in your students currently. Provide concrete examples. My twelfth grade teachers proposed an activity in which all subjects would be involved in a multidisciplinary project called ECA: “Emprende Colegio Americano”, which consisted in groups of students in which there was one student from each of the elective subjects we offer at school (Business or Economics, Physics, Biology, Environmental Systems, Psychology and History). The purpose of this project was that they plan their own small business. They needed to use the concepts in Business and Economics to plan and also to make sure that this project is sustainable and does not harm the environment. GREAT IDEA!!! 5. Finally list three understandings or skills you would like to learn in this course on Creativity.
 * Children have the capacity for innovation, and this is a rule, rather than an exception. As children grow older, education focuses on content of other subjects and in the end, as adults, creativity is an exception. Today and for future generations, creativity is as important as literacy. Creativity is as important today as literacy. One possible reason for children to be creative is that they are not afraid of making mistakes and to try something new. As adults, we grow afraid of doing something that is outside of our capacities. We are all born artists but are educated out of it.
 * Everywhere in the world there is a hierarchy of subjects, which important in College education. In general, the subjects that are high in the spectrum are Math and Languages and Humanities, and the lowest are the Arts. Even in the Arts, we can see that Music and Visual arts are above Drama and Dance. We have to rethink the purpose of education. What are we aiming for? We have done a rather good job of educating our children today for the industrial age.
 * We need to rethink the concept of “intelligence” which is not the same as academic ability. We have grown up to think that if students excel in subjects like Math, they are smarter than those who thrive in the Arts. We need to appreciate that people have different abilities. Creativity comes from the interaction among many disciplines. Intelligence is diverse, dynamic and interactive.
 * When students are exposed to creative problem solving through project-based learning, they develop creativity. Many teachers may steer away from project based learning because it requires more planning and effort, this type of project requires a different set of grading rubrics, activities are student centered, which may make some teachers feel as though they do not have complete control over the class. Some teachers may feel like activities like these are not within their comfort zone and may have space for mistakes and do not want to take the risk of putting students in control.
 * Tools, software, websites with ideas for creative strategies for teaching content.
 * Ideas for workshops to motivate traditional teachers
 * Assessment: rubrics for creative projects

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOUR OWN GOALS WERE WELL MET BY COURSE ACTIVITIES.

CREATIVITY IS......


GREAT IMAGE AND PERFORMANCE!!!

REFLECTIONS FOR "JOSHUA IN A BOX"
When we are faced with a new challenge we react in different ways. We saw that Joshua approached the problem of how to get out of the box, couldn't, then he was frustrated. I liked the part that involved frustration, where he just slammed himself against a wall and did not solve anything by doing so. This shows me not to try anything while frustrated. Take a break and try later. Many times we try to figure out solutions to problems while frustrated or angry. In my case this approach is almost always fruitless. I can relate to the end, when Joshua got out of the box but needed a new challenge. I like the sense of having completed A task. I don' like loose ends. I need to give problems closure, but then I need something new to work on. My box would be that I get stuck doing what works and don't bother to find new ways of doing things, unless it doesn't work any more. My saying is "If it isn't broken don't fix it", so this keeps me from trying new ways of doing things. FINE SELF UNDERSTANDING

ADVERTISEMENT FOR TED TALK


" Tuesday Night Live" We focused on motivating our audience to tune in to Marc Cutts. He found that if people actually try something for about half an hour each day for 30 days it will become a habit. He cited examples on how he decided to write a book and completed it in thirty days. Sometimes it is better to set thirty day marks for a goal so that it becomes easier to follow through. YOUR GROUP PRESENTING A PERSUASIVE INVITATION.

=MATH PROBLEM=

Masato is a tourist guide on his spare time. He receives a call from some tourists. They need a guide for three groups of twenty three tourists that come from different countries. They wish to visit Masai. How many tourists does he need to guide in a week to earn US 126? He charges US 13 per hour. Since it is a large group he usually offers a 10% discount. Finally he needs to know how much he will earn in shillings. The currency change at the moment is 85,23 shillings are equal to US 1.

CREATIVE APPLICATION OF DRT MATH PROBLEM. SHOWS THAT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN PROBLEM FINDING AS WELL AS PROBLEM SOLVING. =ASSIGNMENT 4= =SOCRATIC SEMINAR= I read the article: The Value of Play in the Workplace and I heard the Ted Talk: Try something new in thirty days. The article analyzes the possibility that playing promotes creativity and many companies have play centers where people that work there can take some time to play and as a result they come up with more creative ideas. The Ted Talk is about trying something new for thirty days and being able to accomplish new things by sticking to it for a month. By setting thirty day goals, they become more achievable. My questions were: 1. If teachers were to play each day for thirty days, will it be possible that they become more creative? 2. Can creativity be learned or do we need to have a naturally creative mind?

BOTH OF THESE WOULD INVITE GOOD DISCUSSION IN THE SOCRATIC SEMINAR.