Jennifer Harris’ Post

Being with the right people, at the right place is the game changer! In a social experiment conducted by Washington Post.. Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell, dressed in casual clothes, stood near a wall at DC railway station for 45 mins. Few Passer-bys stopped there for few mins, few spared him a dollar and few gave few quarters. In total Joshua collect about $30+ in about 45 mins. Just days before this experiment, Joshua had performed at Boston’s Symphony Hall, where even the cheapest seats were over $100 and all seats were sold out. The Joshua Bell experiment shows that context and the right audience are crucial for recognition. It makes us rethink how we see value and talent in everyday life and highlights the importance of showcasing skills in the right setting. Whether in arts, business, profession, or personal life, being with the right people and place is key to getting recognition. Thoughts?

I've been thinking about....the paradigm shift to #authentic learning experiences. Now, hear me out. I call out the #paradigmshift because providing authentic learning experiences for our young people is SO much more than mimicking real-world experiences. It's about building #relationships among the adults in a #school, #district, and #community that result in enlightened collaboration that INCLUDES how we can work together to create actual experiences for young people that impact the world around them. Left alone, teachers, at best, can create versions of real-life experiences. And, in some cases, teachers are pulling together what's needed to create these opportunities for our young people but..honestly...they shouldn't be left alone to shoulder the effort. If we empower teachers by providing the structures, processes, and incentives needed for deep collaboration across a community....well, just imagine what they can do? One simple example is shared here by Jayden Balbuena Valles - a new colleague I met via collaboration here on #linkedin. Jayden is a part of a film maker team in Santa Ana Unified School District who, as a result of the intentional collaboration of a lot of adults AND the determination of young people, is creating real-world products for real-world clients. Imagine the impact on #motivation when young people come to school to learn in this way. Imagine the impact on #chronicabsenteesism when THESE are the types of experiences awaiting our young people. Imagine how much more possible this type of design can be when every single one of us sees ourselves as a part of making it happen (aka this is NOT a "teachers should...." type of shift). Feeling brave? Share an idea below about how YOU (yeah, not "they" or "them") can become involved in making authentic learning happen in your community schools. There. I said it. #itatakesallofus #communitymatters Dawn S. Reese, CFRE Tim Hanner Jerry Almendarez Dr. Lorraine Mora Perez Eric Timmons Cory Strasser Andy Johnsen, Ed.D. Joseph Clevenger Ed Manansala Ed.D. Frank Miranda, Ed.D. Laurie Dent, Ph.D. Erin Jones Trevor Greene, Ed.D. Gloria Ciriza, Ed.D. Todd Lile Babatunde Ilori

For your entertainment, the arts and science of entertainment

Overview of the program I will be part of this week.

This is a new song. It will likely be the title track for the next record. I have decided to experiment with different percussion and guitar styles. I'm introducing a wah pedal into the mix. These are stylistic choices I would have never made a few years ago. There's nothing new here in terms of using 1970s influences in modern music, but everybody's take is going to be different. Lyrics and titles for the songs I write can vary. They can be dense or sparse, depending on what a melody needs. From verbally packed, to a single sentence repeated throughout the whole song. Everything is instinctual. In the old days, I would overthink things to death. Now I trust myself, and try to honor my initial feelings about what I'm doing if they feel correct. This song is one of the sparer ones, but I try to make each phrase mean is much is possible in conjunction with one another. The title phrase probably was me having a moment of reflection on the finite amount of time I have left to accomplish what matters to me. I tried, in the song to look backwards, forwards, and describe the now. For some reason it felt right to let these phrases take up a lot of space in between each other. As you're listening to the music, they have time to drift from one thought to the next. It's not linear, but each of these snippets are about the perception of time. This is stuff that makes sense only after a life of experiences and feelings. It's a shorthand for deep thoughts. THis ENds Whatever happened to the mayor of Dogtown? Let’s look at a clip You hear everything but me This ends This ends This ends I’m 59, but I read it a 65-year-old level Let’s look at a clip You hear everything but me This ends This ends This ends We’re on Twilight zone time now You hear everything but me You hear everything but me https://lnkd.in/dy-6RABS

As noted in a previous post (at some point) when I work with anyone in the work field, as well as my own students, knowing ‘why’ you’re doing what you’re doing is imperative. Throwing a dart at a dartboard with no ‘bullseye’ is not highly recommended (at least from my vantage point). One of the best ways (in my opinion) to truly hone in on your purpose is to tie in various personal passions into the form role we portray in the workforce. These could be anything from music, movement, cooking, art, horticulture, etc. For me, one of my passions is music. I compose, play the instruments, and publish my compositions within the musical realm (i.e. Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Pandora, etc.). Now, back to tying your passion(s) into your professional role. Oftentimes, what I teach my students inspires a song idea in my head. If so, I compose and record my song. For example, my class does the novel, “Iceberg” by Jennifer Nielsen. As I am fascinated with the lore and historical significance of Titanic, the ideas began flowing. One aspect that came to my mind was the frantic environment as the minutes ticked away and the boat began submerging into the Northern Atlantic. Hence, time was running out for everyone aboard. So, I came up with the title “Closing Fast” (i.e.) time was running out for all passengers. The song is linked on this post. https://lnkd.in/eTb8g5ce Then I’ll provide my students a form of assignment/assessment. In this case, it was a writing prompt to connect the song’s mood, tempo, etc. to content from the story/novel, in this case. You can see a paragraph provided below.  The song, “Closing Fast” by Brian Dalton ties well with the thematic elements of “Iceberg” by Jennifer Nielsen. For example, the entire song has an upbeat tempo, much like a heart beating after a long run. It seems obvious that the passengers aboard Titanic in real life, but also in “Iceberg” would be moving frantically as water began rushing in and aboard the world’s grandest ship. Most impactful is the song’s CODA at the end. This portion of the song is relentless. I can truly envision people running, falling into the icy waters, crying, and searching in vain for a lifeboat. Then, there is an abrupt end to the song’s score. It is here that the full weight of the disaster comes to heart. The ‘light’ has been extinguished for more than half of the souls aboard the ‘ship of dreams’. Ultimately, beginning at 11:40pm on April 14th, 1912, the window of life was “Closing Fast” for approximately 1,500 souls . . . specifically in 2 hours and 40 minutes! #inspiration #motivation #purpose #education #leadership #consulting #professionaldevelopment #bestideas #whatinpiresme Brad Waid Rochester Community Schools Wade Stanford Neil DeLuca Ed.D.

"Do not bite, kick or hit, except in self-defence. Do not torture and bully other children, so you don’t end up in jail. Eat in a civilized and thankful manner, so that people are happy to have you at their house, and pleased to feed you. Learn to share, so other kids will play with you. Pay attention when spoken to by adults, so they don’t hate you and might therefore deign to teach you something. Go to sleep properly, and peaceably, so that your parents can have a private life and not resent your existence. Take care of your belongings, because you need to learn how and because you’re lucky to have them. Be good company when something fun is happening, so that you’re invited for the fun. Act so that other people are happy you’re around, so that people will want you around." — Jordan B. Peterson (12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos)

Let's talk about something we all love—MUSIC! 🎶 Did you know that the right beats can skyrocket your productivity? Whether you're grinding through a tough project or brainstorming your next big idea, the perfect playlist can make all the difference. Here are some tips to tune your workday: Instrumentals for Focus: Lyrics can be distracting. Try instrumental tracks or classical music for deep concentration. I have personally been obsessed with this instrumental: https://lnkd.in/gSGDu74w !!!!!🎻 Upbeat Tunes for Energy: Need a pick-me-up? Upbeat, fast-paced music can boost your energy and keep you motivated. Think pop, rock, or dance tracks. 🕺 Nature Sounds for Relaxation: Feeling stressed? Nature sounds or ambient music can create a calm environment and help you relax. 🌿 Personal Favorites for a Mood Lift: Sometimes, all you need is your favorite song to lift your spirits and get you back on track. 🎤 I'd love to know—what's your go-to work music? Share your favorite tracks or playlists in the comments below!🎧👇 #Productivity #MusicAtWork #WorkSmart #MotivationMonday #LinkedInFam

Learn more about our programming and support groups in this month's #whatsupfortmac episode! #prideymm

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