#I will be a generous collaborator and have room and resources for creative curiosity

[centraldaddyfigure]

hey what should I do with my life

[wehavethoughts]

Darryl Carter Review! Part 2: The Collected Home

The Collected Home: Rooms with Style, Grace, and History

By Darryl Carter

With Trish Donnally

Photographs by Gordon Beall

Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2012

“Forgo the immediate, and embrace the lasting.”

Darryl Carter is a sophisticated interior designer who champions blending the modern with the traditional. Last review, I looked at The New Traditional, in which Carter defined his style with shining examples and anecdotes from his personal experiences. Four years later, The Collected Home elaborates on Carter’s special approach to interior design, providing more concrete suggestions by room for readers who are on their own design journeys. Welcome to Part 2!

The Collected Home is successful in its generous plethora of ideas shared in an organized way, as well as its written voice which encourages the reader to follow her own preferences, goals, and intuition. In the end, the hard-cover merits 5 out of 6 treasured geese.

In the Introduction and throughout, Carter repeatedly rallies the reader to have fun during the process. Without forgetting to urge you to be thoughtful and careful in your selections, Carter promises that patience and excitement can coexist. The Collected Home is, in a way, antithetical to current DIY movements; both welcome creativity, but Carter’s approach favors discovery, planning, and listening. Reflection questions throughout the volume ask readers to consider how they use spaces from needs to style proclivity:What appliances do you use? 

Where do you anticipate needing electrical outlets? Step-stools?

How many people eat here regularly?

How often do you buy food? How do you store it?

Where do you want privacy? 

How frequently do you use things?

What’s important to access in your daily life?

I think reflection is key. Too often I see everyday people getting into interior design by coming into contact with a particular aesthetic they like and want to consume. This isn’t bad or good, but doesn’t allow for a few things to happen. 

First, you end up robbing yourself of the joy of collecting, which takes time. Of course, most interior designers recommend starting with mood boards or inspirational images to brainstorm goals and envision ideas. But if this stage is done in one afternoon, or after watching one YouTuber, the result is rarely a style you will truly treasure, let alone one that will last. Changing and growing is to be expected (and celebrated!), but Carter’s idea of home is to be an assemblage of meaningful treasures, and a gathering of all things personal. Basically, not something you can replicate from elsewhere.

“The home should be oriented toward your personal use and enjoyment.”

The second incentive to reflect deeply before transforming your space is because often we do not listen to what the house tells you, about itself and about you. I really appreciate when designs recognize that the home has a voice, and that the particularities of the space are one-of-a-kind! This includes materials in walls, light coming from outside, proportions of doors and closets, everything! Carter insists on process as play: upcycling or reclamation, contributions from everyone in the household, and envisioning multiple possibilities can say a lot about how the home wants to be inhabited. In his price-range, Carter recommends collaborating with tradespeople, architects, and others who can provide a solution you may not have thought of-- or even how to make a limitation work better than the original idea. Does the house offer natural lighting instead of needing to buy a fixture? Would durable floors serve residents better than a fancier floor, thus allowing something else in the space to shine? Can you repurpose cabinets as children’s desks? Or reuse an old door as a pony wall for a bit of separation? Are you able to retrofit furniture into existing architectural elements, like shelving? Knowing and building relationships with craftspeople and experts will only enhance your experience creating your home.

“Often, intangibles define the experience of a home.”

Carter clearly has years of experience and an extensive network in his field. My main critique of The Collected Home is in being way out of league for many readers. Most people don’t collect antique Han dynasty figurines to learn how to display, or own a cast-sculpture of a carousel horse to orient in a foyer. Carter uses lots of terms I had to look up. He also shared swatches from his own paint line that he developed. He’s clearly involved in the art world and has a sophisticated relationship with artists, sculptors, and antique vendors. Furniture designer George Nakashima is featured for embedding an antique work table into a ‘frame’ to actually function (below left). It’s actually really cool. The book just seemed out-of-reach at times.

This is not for lack of encouragement and really clever ideas! I particularly like his vision to buy furniture pieces that can translate into different uses over time. A lot of projects he described leaned into a chance find at a flea market, or pre-existing architectural features, such as staircases or windows. All of his nuanced and well-trained advice is great for people who have the resources to hire experts. Any of his inspiration can be ‘dialed down’, especially because Carter included so many concrete questions to ask and possibilities to consider. For example, he acknowledges the more affordable but high-impact option of ‘try painting it’. He repeats that nothing should be too precious to use, which is an excellent sentiment. 

The Collected Home showcases impressive and high-quality interior design, exactly what it says it does. 5 of 6 sensible geese.

With loving curiosity, 

DesignMod

[natpeabct]

i’m not creative

How ineffective “creative” pedagogy can lead to self doubt

My first Creative Technologies (CT) experience occurred before I even enrolled. I had a lot hinged on this course. My options were to drop everything and move up from Dunedin, or to continue rolling pizza dough full time. However, my arms were getting tired.

Open day seemed necessary. I had to be certain moving to Auckland would be worth it, and CT was not a traditional course. Trying to explain it to family and friends only made me realise how little I understood. The vague CT presentation didn’t silence my screaming doubts and burning questions, instead left me feeling inadequate and anxious. My confidence sunk even further when a list of CT traits was displayed. Contrastingly, my parents felt reassured as they believed that I fitted this archetype. Given the nature of CT, it makes sense that the presentation was ambiguous. To be otherwise would contradict the essence of creativity and CT. My feelings after the presentation were perpetuated by the single insistent thought of “I’m not creative”.

New Zealand filmmaker and artist Taika Waititi defines creativity as “having fun, looking at life through the lens of a child” (Ted X Talks, 2010). Prior to CT I felt as though creativity was binary, you either had it or not. When I thought of creative people, I thought of my free spirited, accomplished artistic friends. I had constructed a stereotype that creative people looked a certain way and produced unique creations, ignoring that creativity is a way of thinking without restriction, and child-like curious exploration. So why was it I felt this way? What influences have made me feel uncreative?

Personally, I believe it was a traditional education system that didn’t foster curiosity and student directed self-discovery. Harris (2016) affirms that learning and teaching practices are responsible for fuelling creativity and the networks that support it (as cited in De Bruin & Harris, 2017). My primary school experience consisted mainly of a transmissional approach to teaching which I found disengaging. For example, we were still being read to in Year 5, while we were capable of exploring our own interests and literary worlds. This is particularly dangerous considering the important formative stages of Year 5. Disinterest for reading may arise if the chosen text doesn’t resonate with them and agency over their reading is not fostered. How can primary school facilitate creativity while still adhering to National Standards? I believe that all primary teachers should encourage curiosity by treating every question, suggestion, answer and comment as valuable. When posed with outlandish questions, “I’m not sure, good thinking” should be replaced with “I’m not sure, let's find out”. Students feel valued when the teacher is humble and willing to learn alongside them, while autocracy is detrimental to a child's creativity (Lin, 2011).

The church was another major authoritative influence in my childhood. An unattributed proverb states, “the fish will be the last to discover water”, meaning when constantly immersed in something, they will know no difference. Church, for me, was a place full of doubt. Ultimate biblical statements were indoctrinated through light-hearted innocent media such as the animated talking Tomato called Bob. The lack of research suggests that we ignore the danger in teaching such existential topics to children in such a mollified way. However, Ennew (2006) says “spiritual-abuse” can subtly occur when adults “devalue children’s appreciation of awe, wonder, and imagination; making faith strictly cerebral” (as cited in Segura-April, 2016). This reflects my feelings as a child at church. There was little room to be curious as the sacred Bible had all the definite answers. How and when certain topics are introduced need to be examined, to avoid raising generations of doubtful children. I believe that when dealing with significant topics such as creation, afterlife and punishment of sins, children should be intellectually capable of having critical discussion. Adults must be willing to converse with curious doubtful children, and share the historical context that the Bible was written in and the inherent “Mystery of Faith”. Being definitive about such topics leads to indoctrination, which consequently extinguishes creativity.

As I developed a more critical mindset, school and church became less daunting. I met certain teachers who had the humility to foster my curiosity - most notably an old, strict chemistry teacher from New York. This teacher, as old-school and blunt as he was, would answer every question with equal attention. On the occasions where the answers were uncertain or non-existent, he would make the effort to research and learn about the topic alongside students. Not only did this facilitate students curiosity, but it also humanised the teacher. He effectively enabled his students and allowed us to learn from each other, authority was exercised in a manner of mutual respect, and humility. This was effective teaching because my teacher sort wisdom from his students and was aware of his own uncertainties. Students are enabled in classroom environments where questions are encouraged, they will have freedom to explore and deepening their understanding of the curriculum.  However, it is important for teachers not to view thoughtful questions, challenging or clarifications personally (Waks, 2018). If we continue to measure the performance of schools and teachers on pass rates, then teachers will solely focus on the curriculum. This creates a culture where all learning must be “by the book”. A teacher saying “don’t worry, it’s not in the exam” exemplifies the pressures put on teachers by senior management to produce strong pass rates. High school teaches us so much about so little; only the teachers and students who see through the artificial curriculum will learn anything. High school and primary school are regulated by NCEA and National Standards respectively, which incentivises teachers to only teach what is required, leading to avoidance of divergent topics and treating areas of interest as nonsense. This diminishes creativity in both teachers and students.

CT is an industry focused environment where diversity is celebrated through different disciplines, thinking and people. I felt petrified at open day because of how foreign CT was. It is a student-directed, passionate and democratic pedagogy I had encountered only few times throughout my education. The freedom of CT became apparent at the presentation. It both excited and scared me. My preconceived idea of University consisted of lecture halls, academic journals and competitiveness, however CT is an open studio, conversation and collaboration. Learning in a studio compared to a lecture hall is evident of the pedagogy present. Shulman (2005) compares the different “nurseries” of learning. He states that we can learn about professions through studying their places of training and development. Notably, a lecture theatre has a lecturer behind a desk at the front, while a studio has groups of students working around tables with an instructor circulating among them. They are representative of autocratic and democratic atmospheres. Both have a figurehead but one talks while the other talks then observes/listens. Through a democratic approach to teaching CT, in a studio format with a focus on experimentation and collaboration, learning is organic. We are given the freedom to discover with and from each other, as teachers and students. The culture of CT supports students through teachers who recognise the fluidity of creativity. Students are encouraged to be resourceful, adaptable and diverse in thinking and skills. After two months in CT, I feel comfortable with the freedom and learning processes. Making frequent mistakes is seen as a valuable lesson rather than failure, this spurs me on to try and try again, a valuable and natural way to learn.

Open day was a glimpse into a teaching method that confused me. I was challenged on how I perceived university and creativity. The subsequent feeling of inadequacy was built on outdated pedagogy which didn’t allow for collaborative exchanges or self-discovery. Famous creatives are often viewed as outcasts and rebels, perhaps because societal pressures and education systems are too rigid and funnel people towards certain outcomes rather than supporting their own curiosity and interests.  Several contributing factors are responsible for this channeling - the stereotype of creativity only being practiced in fine artists, indoctrinating establishments such as the Church and the inflexible education system which limits our educators. “I’m not creative” is a self-fulfilling-prophecy (von Oech, 1973). As the poster in my father’s classroom room states, “if you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right”.

References:

De Bruin, L., & Harris, A. M. (2017). Developing Creative Ecologies in Schools: Assessing creativity in schools. Australian Art Education, 38(2), 244–260. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aft&AN=128027487&site=eds-live

Jeffrey, B., & Craft, A. (2004). Teaching creatively and teaching for creativity: Distinctions and relationships. Educational Studies, 30(1), 77-87. doi:10.1080/0305569032000159750

Lin, Y. (2011). Fostering Creativity through Education—A Conceptual Framework of Creative Pedagogy. Creative Education, 2(3), 151. doi: 10.4236/ce.2011.23021

Segura-April, D. (2016). Appropriate Child Participation and the Risks of Spiritual Abuse. Transformation, 33(3), 171. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=115728074&site=eds-live

Shulman, L. S. (2005). Signature pedagogies in the professions. Daedalus, 134(3), 52-59. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/20027998?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

Ted X Talks. (2010, November 04). The Art of Creativity | Taika Waititi | TEDx Doha [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/pL71KhNmnls

Von Oech, R. (1973). A Whack On the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative. California, USA: Creative Think.

Waks, L. J. (2018). Humility in Teaching. Educ Theory, 68(4/5), 427-442. doi: 10.1111/edth.12327

[thelegacyproject]

Jennifer Buffett

Jennifer Buffett is co-president of NoVo Foundation with her husband, Peter. She is responsible for creation and oversight of the Foundation’s vision, strategy, and program development. In addition, Jennifer is co-chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Jennifer works passionately advocating for girls and women worldwide and to end violence and exploitation against them, promoting “whole-child” education practices, and supporting balanced, sustainable communities. Jennifer and her husband Peter were named in Barron’s list of top 25 most effective philanthropists in 2009 and 2010.

My Definition Of Success:

“Success to me means aligning my energy, gifts, resources and skills in ways that harmonize with the energies, gifts, resources and contributions that others bring towards positive effects. It takes intellectual and emotional intelligence to be successful collaboratively and doesn’t always happen. Success has often been defined as what one person can do solo. But I feel most successful when I’ve been able to work well with, and also support, others and catalyse a positive ripple effect. Sometimes that can mean supporting someone else to rise to the occasion. Success to me has changed in terms of the importance I place on achieving alone. And I greatly value the how things get done and the many contributions others make along the way.”

I Am Driven By:

“What drives me is a love for the incredible organic intelligence and wisdom of planet earth and the belief that we could create a more nurturing, respectful, kind and safe world for all and for future generations. I am driven by a desire to wake humanity up out of the collective madness that is destroying so much of this world. We could be living in a world where each human safely and supportively develops and shares their unique and innate gifts in life-giving, regenerative ways. But this means a real and deep shift needs to happen. I want to be a part of the shift out of our current paradigm and systems of domination, competition and exploitation, towards co-creation, collaboration and partnership.”

My Highlights:

“I am incredibly proud of being a part of building and shaping the NoVo Foundation from the ground up and for not being afraid to work in some very difficult arenas – such as ending sexual exploitation, child and domestic abuse and challenging social norms in terms of disparities due to race, class and gender.  I am proud of the vision we hold for a world where girls and women and the natural world are held in great reverence and respect.”

The Difference Between Good And Great:

“People who are great at what they do love what they do and can’t stop trying to improve upon, see and do things in new ways. They show up with enthusiasm, with fresh energy and curiosity – never thinking they’ve seen, done or know it all. They also know how to listen deeply and leave room for other’s creativity and talents. They have learned how to bring their skills and gifts, but also know how work with their ego in check and work with and recognize others.”

A Key Talent:

“I think a strength I have, and have really developed over time, is discernment. I have learned how to use my intellectual and analytical skills combined with my intuition and “feeling” sensibilities. In one’s professional life, read and analyze proposals, correspondence, communications and review carefully and more than once. Learn how to ask as many questions as you can to take as much of the guess work out of a situation as you can. Learn how to consult with others to see how they analyse situations, problems and solutions. Check your thinking with others you trust and ask for feedback. Look for gaps and kick the tires on what’s presented to you. Don’t be afraid to say that you don’t know and ask for advice. Learn also how to listen to your gut. Trust and verify. All of these things help you develop a keen sense of discernment and sense of how to manage almost any situation, task or project.”

Principles I Live By:

“I believe in showing up in one’s daily life with humility, respect, positivity and kindness. I believe that daily random acts of kindness and putting out positivity are as important as the more perhaps “recognized” things we achieve in life. I believe in leaving things – homes, jobs, projects, people, etc. – better than how you found them. I believe in doing no harm and being as aware, self-reflective and responsible for your words, deeds and actions as possible.”

Lessons I Have Learnt:

“I’ve learned so many things on my journey, but one thing that guides me daily is the understanding that ALL people fundamentally wish to be and feel safe, seen and celebrated. And if we all contributed to making that a priority and a reality for the people in our daily lives, and people who our lives touch, we would have a much better world.”

Performing At My Peak:

“Sleep and exercise are key for me as well as a maintaining a healthy diet and regular preventative medicine (such as massage and acupuncture). I believe in taking quiet time for introspection and connecting meaningfully with colleagues and friends. I believe in taking time in nature and finding ways to slow down and be as present and in the moment as possible. If you are truly able to be present and fully embodied and not distracted, you make better choices and perform optimally.”

Resources I Use To Stay Inspired:

“I love reading – I could read books and articles all of the time and be very happy. I also love listening to long podcasts and online YouTube lectures and documentaries.”

[imora1212-blog]

CPS Repository Contribution

1. Creative Problem Solving (CPS) for Coaching Psychology Practice

Yoga Tokuyoshi, Syoichi Iwasaki and Stephen Palmer

The CREATIVE model

C: Curiosity purpose or goal

This stage is designed to set a goal at a coaching session by collaborating between the coach and coachee. The coach asks the coachee of their curiosity purpose and goal of this coaching session.

R: Research Resources, Reframe (including Reverse)

This stage explores the coachees’ resources and helps to reframe their ideas. The coach facilitates the coachee to explore their resources and also attempts to encourage and inspire coachee creativity.

E: Expand or Eliminate

In this stage the coach/coaching psychologist uses creativity techniques and skills applying Creative Problem Solving (CPS). They can use the techniques of ‘Expand and Eliminate strategies’. By using ‘E’ strategies they can put ideas into practice to generate new ideas or values. For example, the G-ABCDEF model (Palmer & Szymanska, 2007) was adapted to the Coaching Psychology field.

A: Adapt, Attach, Apply to combine

This stage is designed to use the techniques of ‘Adapt, Attach, and Apply to combine strategies’. The coachee puts various ideas into practice by applying old ideas to new situations or by testing one’s personal resources in a new situation using ‘A’ strategies. For example sandwiches were invented as a new dish by combining bread and various food materials. A similar invention is the Japanese Onigiri (Rice ball), which contains various materials in a rice ball.

T: Technique or Tool

This stage is designed to use the techniques of creativity, ie ‘New Technique or Tool strategies’. An old idea may be developed into something new by introducing a technique or inventing a new tool. The new technology is usable for discovering new values. For example, paper clips are put into various uses besides their original usage of clipping papers in our daily life. As a new method of measuring brain activities, the fMRI provides new research areas and have led to new discoveries in cognitive neuroscience.

I: Import from different fields or cultures

This stage is designed to use the techniques of ‘Import from different fields or cultures strategies’. For example, the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training program developed by Kabat-Zinn (1990) adapted ideas and methods from Buddhism for use in North America and beyond.

V: Venture (make a plan to implementation of ideas)

In this stage a plan is developed for the implementation of ideas. The Coach facilitates and encourages the coachee to proceed with the implementation of their ideas. The coach facilitates the coachee’s imagination by using imagery exercises and techniques (eg. Idea showering, Creative thinking, and End goal imagery).

E: Evaluation (point assessment technique, ranking, create priorities)

In this stage the coach facilitates and encourages the coachee to evaluate his/her plan in order to proceed with the implementation of ideas. The coach facilitates the coachee to evaluate their ideas. For example, they check and make evaluations based on ‘Originality’, ‘Utility’, ‘Profitability’, and ‘Priority’ of the coachees’ ideas.

Cons Relies heavily on external sources to generate original ideas or methods. This strategy is more about pre-existing strategies and discovering how they will for you. I agree inspiration is key but this model doesn’t seem to allow much room for original ideas.

Pros Similarities in this model to others that work well across the board is the identification or purpose of the goal which can be translated to “accepting” the task. Implementation followed by evaluation is a carry over from other models but where this model sets itself apart is the fact that it incorporates feasibility into the evaluation process. So even after a solution or technique has been implemented it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is sustainable.

 2. Marketing and the Creative Problem-Solving Process

Philip A. Titus (Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University) is an associate professor of marketing at Bowling Green State University.

Problem Identification/ Analyzing Marketing Opportunities Initiation of the CPS process begins with the identification of a problem (Couger 1995). As such, the ability to identify important, unresolved problems plays a vital role in creative expression. It serves as the driving force behind the entire CPS process. Until or unless a problem is identified, there is no opportunity for creative expression to occur. As shown in Figure 1, problem identification (i.e., analyzing marketing opportunities) also plays a critical role in the marketing process. The ability to identify unmet consumer needs and/or problems and then develop products and services to satisfy those needs is a hallmark characteristic of marketing. Problem Delineation/Select Target Markets Marketers are continually faced with the task of clearly specifying the nature and intensity of consumer problems. Delineating the needs and/or problems of the marketplace directly affects the strategic process of segmenting and selecting target markets (e.g., benefit segmentation). Similarly, as reflected by Figure 1, the CPS process requires the problem solver to thoroughly understand and delineate the problem. Past research suggests that individuals frequently spend insufficient time and effort defining problems and thus fail to fully grasp their scope (Couger 1995). How one defines the problem directly affects the path taken toward resolving it. Parnes (1988) favors delineation approaches that expand the scope of the problem. Information Gathering/Marketing Research Marketing practitioners frequently collect and analyze data to assist in their strategic decision making. For instance, surveys or focus groups may be conducted among loyal customers to find out what has caused them to alter their shopping behavior. This information may then be used to identify new market opportunities and develop effective marketing strategies to respond to these changes. Idea Generation/Developing the Marketing Mix Idea generation, or the act of generating novel ideas, is the activity most commonly associated with creative problem solving. It is the part of the CPS process that is most likely to be neglected and where individuals experience the greatest difficulty (Osborn 1963). As presented in Figure 1, idea generation commonly surfaces in the marketing process as marketers devise creative solutions (i.e., marketing mix) to consumer problems. Idea Evaluation and Refinement Deferring judgment during idea generation is an essential part of successful ideation. In contrast, idea evaluation and refinement require the problem solver to critically examine the quality of the ideas generated during ideation. However, it should be noted that the purpose of this evaluative process is not to kill off ideas but rather to assess their strengths and weaknesses as viable and creative solutions. Idea Implementation/Managing and Marketing Effort While generating a genuinely creative solution can be a daunting task, implementing the solution can be equally challenging. Unfortunately, idea implementation has been given less attention by CPS researchers. Nonetheless, as indicated by Figure 1, idea implementation is an essential part of both the CPS process and the marketing process. As Levitt (1986) so succinctly states, “Ideas are useless unless used. The proof of their value is in their implementation.”

Cons

Doubting the lack of evaluation following implementation of the idea

Idea evaluation and refinement states that the purpose is not to kill off ideas but yet at some point ideas need to be narrowed down. I wonder when this process happens?

The model goes further on into saying the generation of more ideas is essential to generating a quality idea. Again, evaluation of these ideas seems to be the key factor in narrowing down the possibilities but what evaluation is put ito place after implementation?

Pros

Focuses heavily on consumer needs during “Problem Identification and Problem Delination”. This takes into account the problem solvers awareness of their environment and the needs of their environment.

Information Gathering allows for the consumer to have a say before the ideation process to spark ideas that directly come from the stake holders

3. Creative ProblemSolving Embedded into Curriculum

ANNA CASSALIA,OLD DONATION CENTER SCHOOL,VA

ComponentOne:Understanding the ChallengeConstructing Opportunities.

Exploring Data

Framing Problems

Component Two:Generating Ideas

The Generating Ideas component has just one stage in which the students generate multiple and varied ideas then focus their ideas to create a solution. Creative thinking is often referred to as the divergent process in which we begin with a single thought or questions and expand our thinking to create new possibilities

Component Three: Preparing for Action Developing Solutions. Building Acceptance

Component Four: Planning Your Approach Appraising Tasks. Designing Process

Cons Many models are falling short on the evaluation process following implementation. This model is no different. Students are asked to reach a solution at the culmination of the exercise yet there is no reflection following imoementation of the idea. Identifying problems or evaluating feedback and obstacle preceeds final implementation which isnot bad but should also exist during the last step of a CPS model Pros This model was reconstructed to serve two purposes, to teach the model by using the model. As a teacher guides the students through the CPS process the teachers themselves can use the model to identify ways to teach the model This model simplifies the steps to introduce a younger audience to the CPS model. 6 and 7step cps models may come off as a little too daunting for elementary level students I was especially fond of the appraising task step where students had to prioritize and understand the longer term goals for their ideas. Teaching children the patience to look at the bog picture was something that could even be promoted in more advanced CPS models.

4. How to solve a problem like a Software Developer

Written by Marcel Folaron.

1. Restate the problem This is one of the most important steps. Restating the problems allows you to show YOUR understanding of the problem. As many great people have said: It is not about what has been said, it is about what has been understood. The moment someone speaks, we apply our own interpretation and understanding on the conversation. This has benefit; it speaks to our brains and allows us to process new and unfamiliar situations by matching them to our previous experiences. However, while beneficial, it is frequently the source of many misunderstandings.  The purpose of restating the problem is to avoid the potential mistakes that may occur through our own assumptions. 2. Find your Audience, your stakeholders Define the consumer of your solution. Think outside the box. Who will benefit from your solution? Who will have to maintain it? Who will be responsible? Who will be merely a spectator? Based on your audience, your approach for the presentation and the solution itself will be different.  It is important to target your presentations to your specific customer. 3. List your Assumptions / Risks After you have developed an understanding of the problem, you want to write down your risks and assumptions for the problem -- as well as the risks and assumptions for the possible solution. This is usually a document that will be frequently revisited as the solutions are being developed in order to make sure all assumptions and risks have been captured. Assumptions and Risks can be very detailed and should be customized to your audience. There may be assumptions that are important to the System Architect but less important to the Marketing Manager. 4. Define and Validate your Solution This is an iterative process. You have your audience. You have your assumptions. Now you can begin working on an actual solution approach. You should validate your solution as often and as quickly as possible. Obtain validation by speaking to your direct stakeholders and getting feedback on the progress of your solution. Most of these concepts can be found in Scrum - How to do twice the work in half the time. The idea is that you want to get feedback from your users as soon as you have a presentable solution. Don't waste yours or the stakeholders' time. 5. Define your Presentation: How To Present your Solution Now, this step seems counter intuitive in terms of the list, as we are discussing a presentation format in general. This step describes the format in which we choose to write down our solution: Is it a visio diagram? a Word Doc? a formula? or PowerPoint? Again, refer back to your audience and validate the pros and cons of each approach. Explain how your solution solves the problem and what it doesn't solve. 6. Present examples Examples, examples, examples. You want to present real examples that showcase how your solution solves the problem. You should include examples from the full problem spectrum; are you catching all the edge cases and special cases? Show examples how these special cases will be handled or if there are problems with these. If you don't feel comfortable presenting special cases, you should work on your solution again, 'cause what you have ain't it.

Cons

Being a somewhat technical approach to problem solving I am surprised how little there is with regard to research and analyzation. Most research seems to be done at the user level and does not dive deep into the expertise of others in the field. It heavily relies on common knowledge of the Problem solver and the stakeholder. Where is the validation of the ideas and possible solutions? Another model that appears to fall short on evaluation of the solution. Not only does it fail to evaluate the solution bit also fails to evaluate and identify obstacles along the way. Although other models I have previously listed failed to evaluate following implementation, at least there was some sort of evaluation process along the way. This model does not include that.

Pros

This model understands the gap that might exist between stakeholders and problem solvers and aims to clarify problems early to minimize confusion of the problem and generate better ideas There is definitely a large emphasis put on the stakeholders involving them every step of the way

5. A Scientific look at the Creative Process Digital Surgeons Design Firm

Insight ○ Find and define the problem ○ Informed by research ○ Art and science Saturation ○ Research and information gathering ○ Dull, not sexy, people think it's not creative Incubation ○ Let it marinate. Some call it "thinking aside" ○ Shut off your mind to spark Creativity Illumination ○ We know this as the "Aha!" moment or when the big idea hits ○ The idea you get in the shower Verification ○ Make it a reality ○ Proof of concept ○ Prototype it!

Cons Over simplification of the process. Too many questions on how information is gathered. Interviews, surveys, analytics? No evaluation following the verification process. If this is the last process how can we consider a proof of concept a final solution? Illumination should come before incubation. Aha moments or big ideas should precede diving deep into those ideas and letting them “marinate.” After research and information gathering there should be more done to identify/define the problem once all data has been received.

Pros Hard to see any advantages of this model other than the fact that its oversimplification allows for interpretation and expanding upon these steps to create your own model. However I would probably use another model as a starting point.

[blackfeminismlives]

Full Moon Recipes for Creative Renewal

“Though the world forgets me I will say YES and NO.”

-June Jordan

On July 9th, June Jordan’s birthday and the full moon in Cancer ten creative spirits gathered in love.  We reminded each other that NO is a love word and that YES is sacred.

Our Sunday dinner gathering was based on Sista Docta Alexis Pauline Gumbs’s recent publication in Obsidian “Seven Possible Futures for the Black Feminist Artist” from the recent Speculating Futures: Black Imagination and the Arts issue of Obsidian.

We gathered ourselves from as far as Brooklyn and Winston Salem.  We washed each other’s hands in flower water.   We fed each other with food and life-learned lessons. We wrote words on mirrors and walls.  We sang about love as lifeforce and the light of the generations before us.  We asked questions about breathing and forgetting. We redesigned our homes and our writing desks. We reminded the youngest person there a few too many times that June Jordan went to Barnard. We called on loved ones far beyond the room.  We created an eternal-life serum by finding the chemical connections between the lessons we have learned so far.  We thought about how we could share this intimate space with the beloved all over the world.   That’s you!

We invite you to start with a deep breath and a question.  What have you been breathing besides air?

We have been breathing tasks, grief, hope, forgiveness, resistance, grind, patience, worry, uncertainty, truth, intuition, self, fragile, light, trust, support&love, good grease&increase, creativity, capability and curiosity about who we’ve been.

What have you been breathing?  Whisper it to yourself or write it down.

When we started talking we realized we had a lot of lessons among us that felt like answered prayers in the room and that might serve you on your journey to keep breathing and creating:

Here they are!

Recipe #1

wake

listen

work

relax

hear

speak

allow

accept

life

live

Reminder

Be around people who see your fabulousness, who are thrilled, but not surprised by your brilliance.

7 Steps

by Julia Roxanne Wallace (Sangodare)

Make a list of 7 things you want, but only after taking 7 deep breaths with your eyes closed.

Look at the list and eliminate all material and physical items and ask what is underneath that item. (E.g. If you wrote “a mcmansion” –> “home everywhere I go.”  If you wrote “a Tesla” –> “peaceful, beautiful and life-giving transportation.”  If you wrote “a husband/wife” maybe “divine love filled relationship etc.”

Make sure you have 7 things.

Turn the list into 7 questions that begin with “Why…”  (E.g. Why is it so easy to have divine love filled relationships? Or a romantic relationship?  Or “Why do I have home everywhere I go?”

Repeat the questions for 1 week.

Listen to, read, write and say the questions every morning and every night.

Be who you are.  One divine tranifestation of love.

In other words

Follow desire

see the shadow

Love the shadow

and set it aside

  See your desire

turning to face you

present and loving you

ask it why

every day

in every way.

  Be love–

the object of

your desire. 

  Recipe for Revolutionary Love Cornbread

by Michelle Lanier

*corn milled in the land of an ancestor

*egg from a happy hen

*2 kinds of leavening for 2 uprising souls

*cool spring water

*oil and milk of coconut

*and honey

  nana’s recipe for a good getting up morning

by Alexis Pauline Gumbs

*keep the book in reach

*start with a word

*pray for those you love

*pray for those who infuriate you

*pray for people you barely know at all

*pray for the loved, maddening, and as-yet-unknown parts of yourself

*repeat

  recipe for keeping on going when you want to give up

take one step.  curl your toes deeply into the soil

uncurl your toes and wiggle them wildly

take another step

 repeat steps 1, 2, and 3!

  Another Reminder:  Collaborating on life together makes family at home.

  Recipe for the Where and What of You

Just flow…then…

Be still as chrysalis. Then break free again and again…then

…celebrate your gorgeous wings…then repeat.

*************

Please feel free to share your own recipes in the comments.  And if you want to participate in a collective process with renewal but you don’t live in Durham, sign up for July’s upcoming online intensive Becoming Turquoise: Intergenerational Accountability 

Mon and Tues July 24 & 25 3-6pm Eastern

This intensive is designed for those of us who are ready to deepen the practice of dedicated art-making, intellectual work, activist work and community building. Who is your work dedicated to? If your work is accountable to multiple generations, how do you generate practice, measures and resources that sustain that work in the moment?  Based on “Xuihatl: Becoming Turquoise” a poem by Alexis Pauline Gumbs in Imaniman (a recent anthology of poetry in honor of Gloria Anzaldua), this intensive is for old souls and young elders whose work would not be imaginable without deep relationships of longing and accountability to the very old and the very young, the dead and the not yet born.  We will use individual and collective poetry, stone and crystal work and meditation and conversation to deepen and resource our intergenerational work.  The course is limited to 9 participants.  Sign up here.

  via WordPress http://ift.tt/2u4Q4fM

[2700fstreet]

THEATER / 2018-2019

CARTOGRAPHY

STUDENT GUIDE

World premiere Kennedy Center co-commission Written by Christopher Myers Directed by Kaneza Schaal

Teacher and Parent Guide: Cartography

“We are in the middle of one of the largest mass migrations in human history.” —Kaneza Schaal, Cartography director

So, What’s Going On?

Inflatable rafts on the Mediterranean Sea. Dark holds of cargo trucks. Family photos wrapped carefully in a backpack that crosses border checkpoints. Cartography explores how the world is alive with movement and migration as migrants and refugees leave or flee their homes due to war, poverty, and climate change in hopes of a better life. It examines the forces that shape where we have come from, how we have moved, and where we are going.

About the Play

Caption: Photo taken by Christopher Myers at a Cartography workshop in 2017. Credit: Photo by Christopher Myers

The word “cartography” refers to the science and art of creating maps. It is an ancient practice using symbols to represent places and landscapes to help travelers and others to understand and navigate where they are and where they hope to go. Maps, both physical and conceptual, are a core theme and symbol in the play Cartography.

Cartography asks audiences to examine the history of human migration and plight of refugees. It invites us to relate their stories to our own or those of our families and our past generations. How did we get here? Why do we humans move from one place to another? What are we escaping? Or what are we moving toward?

“It’s such a gift to understand the world as one of migration as opposed to these hot points of tension and trauma,” explained playwright Christopher Myers. “We wanted to use theater to create a point of contact through which people who have experienced this kind of hardship and the people have never experienced this kind of hardship could meet and see each other.”

About the Process

The play took form after the creative team of Christopher Myers and Kaneza Schaal spent time working with young refugees and migrants from around the world. These young people had fled war, persecution, and poverty in search of a better life far from where they were born and spent their early childhoods. Some hiked overland while others arrived in lifeboats, alone or together with family members. In recent years, thousands of refugees are believed to have died in the effort.

The performance of Cartography isn’t based on a playwright’s written script in the traditional sense, nor is it a plot-driven narrative moving toward a climax and resolution. Instead, it is “devised documentary theater.” This style of play is based on factual material including interviews. A group of performers then improvise and experiment with related ideas and scenes. The writer or writers watch and listen for what works and refine it into a script.

For Cartography, this creative process revealed the actual experiences of young people, rendering their stories into short scenes, or vignettes. The play does not center on individual characters. Instead, the performers portray the range of experiences, sharing stories and acting out events.

Talking Terms

World events come at us fast, and often the information we get is incomplete or even distorted. This difficulty includes news reports about migration and refugees. Here is a glossary of key terms that can help you get the most out of Cartography as well as current news coverage.

Migration is a pattern of human or animal movement from one location or habitat to another.

Internal migration is the pattern of movement within one country—from the countryside to the city, for example.

Refugees are persons fleeing armed conflict or persecution, perhaps because of their racial or religious identity. It is often unsafe for them to return home.

Migrants choose to move to improve their lives often by relocating somewhere with more resources or opportunities.

Immigrants are people who move to another place to live. Undocumented immigrants are immigrants who settle in another country without seeking permission.

Asylum is when refugees receive official permission to stay in a country after arriving there.

Visas are official documents that allow visa holders to visit or stay in a foreign country.

Passports are government documents that prove citizenship in a specific country.

ID, short for identification, refers to papers that prove a person’s identity.L

This video explains basic definitions and concepts related to migration. “What Does It Mean to Be a Refugee.?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bwiSikRsI

The Creative Team

The playwright of Cartography, Christopher Myers, is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books. He travels the world, stimulated by his curiosity to experience other cultures and artistic expressions. On his website, he says, “I’ve been asking the question lately, ‘What does it mean to be an artist whose work is rooted in the experience of global cultural exchange?’”

Kaneza Schaal is a theater professional based in New York City, but who has developed creative projects worldwide. She specializes in using collaboration and multimedia to produce theatrical experiences that reflect on the interactions of cultures and the meaning of being human.

Schaal and Myers worked with young refugees and migrants for a month at the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany, and later at New York University Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. They listened and brought together stories and insights about the experience and effects of migration. “There was this young man from Syria,” Myers recalls. “I asked him what he wanted me to bring back after speaking and working together. He said, ‘I don’t want to be invisible anymore.’”

This collaboration between youth and artists grew and developed into the play Cartography. For more information about its development, see the Q & A with Christopher Myers in the Adult Guide.

What to Look and Listen for

Cartography does not follow a traditional storyline, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Instead, it consists of a series of vignettes or scenes that explore the uncertainties and aspirations of young refugees and migrants. With this in mind, check out:

Ways the scenery and props are used to create settings, from life rafts to border walls to waiting rooms.

The production’s simple set design. “I designed it so that it could be packed and moved in a hurry,” Myers says, reflecting one of the challenges faced by people constantly on the move.

How the young refugees treat and think about their possessions, from family photos to cell phones to house keys. (You’ll find a related activity below in the “Take Action” section.)

How the production uses contrasts to create and intensify moods onstage—dark and light, loud and calm, funny and serious.

During the scene in the lifeboat, how the sea behaves depending on the action and sound onstage.

At one point, a character says: “So they want a story? … We may not have much, but we have those.” Listen for how the characters use stories to make sense of what is happening to them.

Their feelings about “home,” both the places they have fled and their hopes for making a new home in a new country.

When the actors are performing as characters, and when they switch to speaking as themselves.

How the characters interact with the audience and use technology to compare and contrast family histories of migration.

Think About This…

At the heart of the play is a core question: What is the meaning of “home”? Answers vary from person to person, yet we share many common experiences across personal history and cultures. To explore this question, it may help to keep the following ideas and inquiries in mind:

Listen to the stories the characters tell, and try to see and describe the emotions, motivations, choices, and actions you observe.

Describe the expectations as well as fears these young people have about starting a new life in a new place, and what they are missing about what they have left behind.

What does “home” mean to you? Is it a house or neighborhood? Your family? List the people, things, and memories that make a place home to you.

What causes people to relocate? Often, there is a combination of “push factors” forcing people to flee a place, and “pull factors” that draw them toward another. What push and pull factors are discussed in the play? What are forces that work against the characters?

As dramatized in the play, migrations are key turning points in the stories and histories of many of our families. Where did you and your family come from—recently and in past generations? (You’ll find a related activity below in the “Take Action” section.)

What do you carry with you that connects you to your home? They can be physical like photos or metaphorical like a song or comfort food from childhood. (You’ll find a related activity below in the “Take Action” section.)

Notice the characters’ attention to “paper” and its importance in Cartography. Why are their papers so important to them?

Maps come in many forms and are used in many ways. What are ways you use maps in your life? How do the characters use maps in the play and what do maps mean to them?

Think of a move or migration you or others have made—short or long-distance—and consider what adjustments were necessary. Did it involve learning new words or languages? Making new friends? Picking up a new set of dos and don’ts? In other words, what are ways that changing places can change people?

Take Action

“My Stuff” Activity In Cartography, the characters recall the physical objects they brought with them when they left home—from underwear to a Bible to “lemons to fight sea sickness.” What objects are important to you? Tell the story to a friend of a meaningful object in your life or share a photo of it at #KCTYA and #CartographyDC.

Identity Collage What are the various elements that make you you? Collect images and words/phrases that reflect elements of your identity from magazines, catalogs, and photographs. Cut them out and glue them on card stock or cardboard. Fashion them into a collage that reflects your ideas about your identity. (Small objects like buttons, badges, and decals can also add interesting textures and ideas.)

“How to Make an Archetypal Soul Collage Card.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rJwUjrwfQ0

If you prefer working digitally, there are free online apps for collaging, including www.photocollage.com, www.befunky.com, and https://pic-collage.com.

Migration Map “In the end, we are the sum total of the stories that have come before us,” says Myers. “It’s true of anyone.” For him, one of the stories is a grandfather who arrived from Germany in 1928. What do you know about your family history? Where did your ancestors come from and what are historical family names? What migrations—big or small—brought you to where you live now?

Research your family’s past by talking to parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. What are family stories that have been passed from one generation to the next? List meaningful towns, cities, states, and countries where “your people” came from. Plot these places on a blank world map, adding lines that trace your family’s movements to where you call home today.

For a free printout of a world map, see: https://media.nationalgeographic.org/assets/file/world-1pagemap-nolabels.pdf.

Get Your Write On

Writing is an effective way to turn random thoughts into ideas. Try this exercise and see what ideas are floating around in you.

After seeing Cartography, find a quiet time and set five minutes on a timer. Alone or with a partner, write down all the words that watching the play brought to mind, e.g. maps, cell phone, passport, borders, bombs, etc.

Use your word list to inspire an acrostic poem. An acrostic poem is a type of verse where the letters of a key word are featured. Here are two kinds—one with the word’s letter beginning each line, the other where the letters occur within the lines.

We cannot seem to help ourselves, A burning need to prove we’re right, Renders peace beyond our grasp.

They are Just words Yet Our hearts rise When we Know our humor Lifts the hEarts of others.

Create an acrostic poem based on the word “home,” and share it at #KCTYA and #CartographyDC.

H O M E

“Acrostic Poem: Examples for Kids.” English Literature Hub. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acr7nckxO5I

Go Deeper/Learn More

“‘Refugees’ and ‘Migrants’ – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).” What is the difference between a “migrant” and “refugee”? This United Nations Q & A gives clear answers about migration and international law. http://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2016/3/56e95c676/refugees-migrants-frequently-asked-questions-faqs.html

“Origins and Destinations of the World’s Migrants, 1990–2017.” Pew Research Center. Feb. 28, 2018. This interactive website lets viewers investigate recent migration patterns. http://www.pewglobal.org/2018/02/28/global-migrant-stocks/?country=US&date=2017

Video: “Watch 125,000 years of human migration in 1 minute.” World Economic Forum. Nov. 2, 2016. Think human migration is only a current event? Watch this clip to see how central it is to human history. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/11/watch-125000-years-of-human-migration-in-1-minute/

EXPLORE MORE

Go even deeper with the Cartography Extras.

You’re ready for Cartography.

-

Writer: Sean McCollum

Content Editor: Lisa Resnick

Logistics Coordination: Katherine Huseman

Producer and Program Manager: Tiffany A. Bryant

-

Cartography is part of the Kennedy Center's Human Journey www.kennedy-center.org/humanjourney

The Human Journey is a collaboration between The Kennedy Center, National Geographic Society, and the National Gallery of Art, which invites audiences to investigate the powerful experiences of migration, exploration, identity, and resilience through the lenses of the performing arts, science, and visual art.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Deborah F. Rutter President

Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President Education

Bank of America is the Presenting Sponsor of Performances for Young Audiences.

Additional support for Cartography is provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; the Kimsey Endowment; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Funding for Access and Accommodation Programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David M. Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

© 2019 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

[abbyklinkenberg]

01 July 2017

I just finished reading One Hundred Years of Solitude for the second time. It's a hot day in Chicago and the edge of the circle of time is so sharp. 

I decided that I should try to see all 50 major museums here in Chicago before I leave, so yesterday I went out on the Brown line & transferred to the Red line in order to get to the Chicago station. There, I had a Potbelly sandwich and talked to Aidan for a little while before heading to the first museum: the Loyola University Art Museum, which turned out to be a very Catholic museum full of religious artifacts from the middle ages/Renaissance era, mostly. There were relics, the bones of saints, in some of the pieces--there were silver chalices from Germany in the 1700s and Roman keys from the first century BC and paintings by students of Caravaggio and stone apostles defaced during the Reformation. One of the hallways was full of self-portraits done by member of a poor community somewhere in Chicago, just pencil sketches that mostly looked as if they were done by children but were probably done by adults who never had the time or resources to fool around with artistic experiments. I tried to read all of the little museum information signs but at some point I got overwhelmed by the religious imagery and simply took it in aesthetically. There were two stained-glass windows done mostly in gray with bright yellow shading as the only color that I probably liked the best. A display of keys from the copper ones of the Roman empire through to the iron ones of the Middle Ages and steel ones of the Renaissance was also really striking. I like that they all did the same things but in slightly different ways, that they were all so neat and precise in their designs--one even had a club shape as the barrel of the key, or whatever it's called. It was really empty, I only saw maybe one or two other people apart from the staff (college-aged girls in blue shirts and black pants) who gossiped with one another while I walked through the museum. 

The Museum of Contemporary Art was only a block away, and was the real object of my day, so I went over there and paid the $8 entrance using my JNU student ID that expired last month. Lots of young people sat on the steps leading up to the entrance and the windows above were adorned with a giant tentacle motif in homage to the Murakami exhibition on the third floor. The first floor had two exhibitions, ETERNAL YOUTH and SMOKE, RISES or something; the first was nostalgic somehow, with magazine prints of Marky Mark and Kate Moss in Calvin Klein ads, an Instagram model blown up to be life-sized, and some other not-so-surprising or provocative looks at youth; it's not surprising anymore, to see kids wrecked by drugs or hiding behind masks or struggling with the trials of adolescence; we're so oversaturated with such content these days, it felt like a somewhat lazy exhibition--I did find some of the text pieces interesting, talking about the commodification of youth and how it's used as an empty promise and vague reason to buy something. 

The other, across the hall, was a series of basic sculptures involving 'other people' outside of the exhibition somehow, outside of the museum. Marble sculptures with shallow pools containing contact lenses of people who didn't know one another, SIM cards in cement blocks, manipulated window panes folded in strange shapes with cigarette buts or guitar strings attached to them. The most provocative one, to me, was a 'wall' with a square canvases on either side painted in the pattern of a shirt and a dress worn by a man and a woman who would occasionally come to the museum; the might meet, they might not; the canvases were put on parallel tracks that ran the length of the wall. And then a metal rod with a single earring through it--the other is presently worn by a woman somewhere in the world, which is the complementary part of the sculpture. The artist invites you to imagine the human elements that are contained in-part, yet that ultimately transcend, the museum space and sculpture itself. I found myself wanting more of that one, I felt that it was real art that provoked something in the viewer, a creative act that was the same and different every time. 

There was another gallery on that floor, tucked in the corner--a series of made-up constellations was on one wall, understandably meditating on the arbitrary yet meaningful nature of any constellation in the night sky that we have come to identify. The exhibit was named after some part of Moby Dick, 'the shallow level' or something like that. From Ahab's quotation about needing to strike through the mask, about how there is something beyond us that we can't quite access. Though the written explanation of the intention excited me tremendously, I found the art to be somewhat lacking, probably just because it's not to my taste. A painting that was overlaid with pink paint such that you can still kind-of see the stuff beneath (really obvious relevance, not profoundly interesting), a set of concrete blocks that looks solid from 3/4 sides but opens on the other, a map written over with a poem by the artist about metaphor and perception and imagining an analogous human example of reducing the world to a map, which I liked best, and some other things that didn't strike me particularly. 

Upstairs was an installation that I really hated with some computer-generated supermarket images of fruit and weird grocery store dollies and something about trying to make you feel like you're inside of a freezer with bags of fake ice and all that. Then things that look like paint cans but are actually meticulously crafted wooden sculptures of paint cans. The only part I liked, which was small, was built into the wall; a supposed massage parlor--you can see the entry with the sign, a stairway up to a door, and a back entrance, all in miniature, through holes in the wall. Playing the voyeur with nothing to see, sparking a curiosity that exists but can't exist there. 

On the third floor was the Murakami exhibition, which I didn't expect to love so much. The wall was covered in silver and electric pink, tentacles patterns and a stylized 'MURAKAMI.' Some of his beautiful early works with a traditional Japanese artistic technique that depicted turtles that seemed to have been made of condensed and reptilian mystery. A massive blue wall of many panels and absurdly deep blue pigments, an ornate stage setting with 2/1 at the top to celebrate the artist's birthday by making fun of that one guy who only made art that was the date written out on a canvas. More of those mocking types except the date and the canvas were painted the same color so it can hardly be distinguished. And then some rooms on Mr. DOB, his mouse-thing, that I liked sometimes but mostly didn't. Some explanation of his workshop technique making his larger pieces was also featured, but I wasn't too interested in seeing how the magic is made, but rather in the magic itself. His 'superflat' pieces were really compelling--flowers with faces covering an entire wall, for instance--and his aesthetic came back to me from his various famous collaborations with people in the 2000s, especially. None of that stuff was really my thing, but the rigorous detail impressed me. It started to get really exciting for me upon seeing Kanye's Graduation album cover in real life, in addition to a sculpture of the Kanye Bear and another painting from that time-period. A grandmother was trying to explain to her grandkids who Kanye West was--'a very famous rapper' and I found it funny. 

The room that made me feel the most, though, was a huge rectangular gallery with two massive sculptures of demons or something, red and blue, at the entrance and exit of the room, with some Murakami stained-glass windows behind them in a sort of religious allusion. The long walls were covered by two pieces--one was a white and blue dragon that didn't captivate me terribly much, but the other was a huge, intricate, and profoundly striking work of 100 monks of various sizes, stylized and detailed in the most precise and stunning manner. It was both grotesque and ascetic, simultaneously religious and irreverent. The size of everything was really moving to me. 

The final room displayed Murakami's most recent piece, done especially for the exhibition, entitled 'the octopus eats its own tentacle' or something like that. It's a reference to a Japanese saying that deals with cutting off an arm in order to grow a new one, with the recycling of the past and the coming of a circular future. That one was also beautiful, though I had been too impressed by the previous room to feel anything but a visual hangover as I pondered the equally beautiful scene. 

I left looking for a place to read and enjoy something to drink while listening to Vince Staples' new album, which I was inspired to hear because the museum is having him speak there later this month. I really liked what I heard and keep meaning to peruse it further. I ended up at a little French bistro where I had some happy-hour red wine that I had missed. Red wine was plentiful in Argentina, but I was very deprived of it in India, so it felt like a revelation. I read my book, talked to my sister and parents, and then ordered some muscles around sunset. They were gorgeous; I had smelled them from another table earlier in the evening and resolved to try them despite my ongoing attempts at vegetarianism (currently, I've decided to eat meat only one day per week). And it really was a beautiful day, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Solitude isn't necessarily that bad. 

[scienceblogtumbler]

Creative, but scientifically rigorous, COVID-19 solutions

An origami microscope, a 20-cent centrifuge, and an app for tracking and identifying mosquitoes. These are just a few of the many imaginative inventions that have resulted from the curiosity-driven – and often frugal – work of Manu Prakash, associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University, and his lab. With their penchant for turning whimsical ideas into scientific realities, it’s perhaps unsurprising that these researchers are leading several COVID-19 projects.

PPE is one of the most important protective layers for healthcare workers around the world in a crisis like COVID-19. In the U.S. and globally, there is an urgent need for fast stopgap solutions to meet the current demands for PPE.

But this time, the work is far from business-as-usual.

“The process right now is very strange. The lab was shut down,” said Prakash, referring to Stanford’s restrictions against all but the most essential lab operations during the pandemic. “We got approvals to do some essential work but there are still very stringent rules.”

Prakash and his team have evolved to become an all-hours virtual hive of activity, teleconferencing and sharing documents with collaborators around the world.

“It has been an interesting time,” said Prakash during a Zoom interview sandwiched between two others that would take him to 11 p.m. “But I’m focused.”

The team is developing six COVID-19 projects so far – a number that will likely continue to grow. In brief, they are: a converter that makes full-face snorkel masks into reusable personal protective equipment, or PPE; guidelines for decontaminating N95 masks; a��universal remote for controlling ventilators from outside a patient’s room; a ventilator built with abundantly available parts; a simple filtration test setup for face masks; and a technique, inspired by cotton candy machines, for spinning filter fibers from Styrofoam.

That trademark splash of Prakash lab quirkiness remains, but every creative solution conceived amidst this pandemic is built on deadly serious intentions and painstaking analysis. The group continues to follow their frugal science approach but with an increased emphasis on being able to scale up their innovations quickly and responsibly.

A scientific checkpoint

In the very early stages of each project, the lab is sharing their ideas and aims publicly on their website and Twitter.

“If any of our work inspires and energizes others, it already moves the needle in the right direction,” said Prakash. “This crisis is not just in our own backyard but is global, and making all the information – our current experiments, data, thoughts and ideas – accessible and live to everyone is the only way I could think of working in this time of crisis.”

Once the team feels their work has reached a stage where it could be a feasible solution in the clinical world, they move onto some formal work behind the scenes, such as final data analysis and, in at least one case so far, application for FDA approval. The last step, for now, is publishing a preprint and creating a formal website for each final product.

Of course, “finality” is a shifting concept in the fast-paced world of the novel coronavirus. Before this pandemic, health projects like these would have required months, maybe years of testing, fundraising and approvals. Now, with so many people looking to apply whatever skills or resources they have to the quick creation of vital solutions, barriers have been lowered and actions are swift, but this also raises the likelihood of overpromising and under-delivering.

“What started bothering me early on was that everybody was waking up to the crisis but not appreciating that these are clinical problems that require a really rigorous mindset,” said Prakash. “For these solutions, there are strict expectations and you have to follow those no matter how much you love an idea.”

More so than ever before, the Prakash lab understands that the greatest value they can offer in the current situation is taking responsibility for the most scientifically-demanding portions of their projects in a process that unites expert and non-expert contributors.

“There are lots of DIY [do-it-yourself] solutions out there, but the DIY community is not used to clinical validation. Many people are working on the first 90 percent of every problem,” said Prakash. “If people want to help, they can replicate our efforts and they can share their replicated data. Then we can cover that last 10 percent. The role we are really playing is being a scientific checkpoint. People’s lives are on the line.”

A new way

Like many of us, Prakash and his team are exhausted. They’re encouraged by their achievements so far – including going from idea generation to FDA submission in seven days for their snorkel-based “Pneumask”– and the need for creative solutions keeps them determined. Thinking beyond COVID-19 can feel like a luxury, but Prakash wonders, in the brief snatches of free time available to him, what he and others will do with the hard-won lessons of this pandemic once it’s over.

“It’s almost teaching us a new way of doing science,” said Prakash. “It’s something I’ll reflect more on later, when I can. But what if we did something like this for malaria? What if we did this for climate change? Could we finally crack those problems?”

source https://scienceblog.com/515996/creative-but-scientifically-rigorous-covid-19-solutions/

[krisrampersad]

Introducing these Caribbean-Flavoured Festival Fables for children from 3 to 103, complete with startling scenery, dynamic action, witty dialogues,  and singalongs that explore interconnections between the natural and cultural worlds.

I the Sky and Me the Sea, is the first book in the adventures of Munnie Butterfly and Danny Dragonfly, Munnie’s Multicultural Musical Masquerade series. It includes two infectious singalongs, ‘Splish Splash with Me,’ Song of the Sea to the Silent Sky; and the Sky’s response, ‘See What I the Sky Spy from Up High’.

Ask About Our Stimulating CSR Development Partnerships, Sponsorships & Collaborative Associate Initiatives

Work with us to get copies for schools, libraries and communities. Contact for bulk discounts and our unique sponsorship partnerships an collaborative product placements.

Support development of our multimedia learning academy. 

We invite Corporate an other sponsorship of copies of books for libraries, communities and schools and creation of multimedia learning materials. See page here

To discuss corporate and other stimulating development fill out contact form or contact the author. 

A Few More Words From the Author:

  Stories were the first form of journalism. They inspired my entry into journalism and study of literatures and travel through many lands. My father told us stories from his imagination every night as children growing up in the Caribbean. The story of Munnie and her world of travels began as I wrote for my Nephew, Saiesh, when he was only three years old. I found it difficult to convey the realities of many of the children’s books available to stimulate his creativity and imagination from not one but multiple dimensions. His mom read the stories to him.  He was its first critic. He grew into an avid reader. His enthusiastic reception and wish for more encouraged these Festival Fables. Read about Saiesh’s achievements here.

Over the last decade, these Munnie stories inspired other children in oral traditions of storytime, theatre workshops, and in my activities as an independent educator and journalist trying to stimulate interests in reading and cultural heritage in stimulating literary tributes and tours (LiTTributes & LiTTours) – our Reading Room Outside the Reading rooms, available on request in any city.

The purpose is to integrate entertainment with education, nurturing curiosity while encouraging appreciation of diversity, respect, value and appreciation of others. I now move the stories from private to the public spheres to be available to all. I hope these encourage family activities with children, even while they integrate new technologies with multimedia animation, musical and dramatized versions. Subscribe to my website http://www.krisrampersad.com for more exciting, entertaining, educational interactive lifelong learning materials and events. Contact me for bookings and downloadable activity workbooks for all ages.

It’s GLOC@l – Global, Local, Caribbean Travels an Adventures for All

The multicultural canvas of the broad Caribbean, its diaspora across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Africa, and its interconnections with the globe through Atlantic and Pacific Oceans form the backdrop of a new series of Fables.

In I the Sky & Me the Sea, Book 1 of Leaves of Life Festival Fables, MUNNIE, an adventurous butterfly explores new lands and makes new friends. She meets Danny a Dragonfly. These two Best Flitter-Flutter Friends (BFFFs) share different views of the world and learn to appreciate their differences. They celebrate the world of flitterers and flutterers, in a beautiful sing-along with the Sea and Sky.

Visually and aurally appealing with refreshing insights into our interconnections, the new Festival Fables  are written by award-winning international heritage educator and journalist, Dr Kris Rampersad. (https://krisrampersad.com/; amazon.com/author/krisrampersad). Even before its release, the Fables have already received kudos, having been named a winner in an international short story contest for its musicality.

Dr Rampersad is an award-winning international author, educator and journalist. She is a cultural heritage specialist trained by the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) who has explored many lands. Her special interests are presenting the rich and vibrant global multicultural milieu and interconnected heritage of the world and stimulating the imaginations of children from ages 3 to 103.

Encourage Curiosity & Critical Thinking

With captivating dialogue, startling scenery, and memorable singalongs, this is the kind of novel new age early childhood reading material that may appeal to Disney, Sesame Street, parents, teachers and others working to inspire our inner youth. With broad global appeal, the stories at the same time, fill a need in the Caribbean, for intelligent material that stimulate curiosity and creative thinking, promote cultural confidence and self-esteem and build resilience against many of life’s challenges from an early age.

Returning Confidence to Imagine an Create

“The Fables are meant to restore and faith in our imaginations to help us unearth our innate superpowers and strengthen us through the many life challenges we face,” said Dr Rampersad. She noted that these are part of her collective knowledge pot of material that sit as the foundation of her outreach initiatives, Leaves of Life.

  These delightful festival fables for all take a close look at the diverse world. They explore our linkages to each other and to nature, through interconnected natural and cultural heritage. They help understand migration, peoples and cultures of many lands. They entice readers to unearth their innate superpowers by encouraging curiosity about our world and everything in it.

Subtly injected into the story, young readers can learn colours, shapes, numbers and word appreciation, enjoy rhyme schemes, word play, puns and sharp insights into human nature as well as sharpen listening and observation skills, sensitivity to natural sights and sounds and be awed with refreshing wonders in our world.

Though simple Fables, they incorporate an integrated vision of merging perceptions of the arts and science, environment, numeracy, literacy, cultures and heritage, and treat them not as separate disciplines, but holistically, as an interconnected collective whole.

Foster intangible skills: Care, Respect, Value

They also foster other intangible skills: to listen, observe, care, respect and appreciate.

Dr Rampersad said they aim to subtly transmit critical thinking with lifelong learning tools that break down established biases and prejudices. Workshops, workbooks and learning tools to accompany the books will replace defective forms of receiving and viewing the world with novel ways to integrate diverse disciplines.

“I hope to awaken and stimulate confidence in our imaginations to imagine and inculcate new values of our interconnections and create the world we want,” she said in an interview.

Develop innate superpowers

Music Festival Winner Andre Mangatal perform with LiTTscapes at LiTTribute to the Republic

EDUCATE

Said Dr Rampersad. “The stories are expressions of my inner child as I hope they draw out the same in readers of any all age. The world is grappling for an integrated vision for sustainable development. We are trying to advance development that encourages us to use resources that serve our current needs, while replenishing so these can be enjoyed by future generations. However, much of the current generations are inducted in ways of thinking and feeling and being that go against sustainable ethics.

The challenge has been how to reverse what existing educational materials have done to promote this sense of wholeness from an early age and redirect early childhood thinking and feeling about the world from notions of separateness to concepts of collective oneness. These tales, while they are enjoyable and easy to read, present the many fields of study as a united whole, rather than separate them into subjects as our school systems do. By this I hope they work to revise how we think about our place in the world, our innate superpowers, and how we view and value each other. The stories have all been presented and tested with real pre-kindergarten children, drawing out their responses. The multimedia lifelong learning tools that accompany each story are designed for various age groups, so readers, parents, child carers, and teachers, discover new elements in all of their favourite Festival Fables that grow with them. They are made for children from ages three to 103, under the umbrella of our Leaves of Life GLOC@l Knowledge Pot – a world of knowledge and new lifelong learning materials drawn from my Global, Caribbean to Local engagements. Look out for others in this series, as well as other exciting new collections of stories of other lands and landmarks.

Rampersad promises others in the series. Book 2 to be released soon:  The GREAT GREEN ONE-EYED GIANT.

Also look out for the stimulating heritage travel adventure series POSTCARD FROM by Dr Kris Rampersad.

   Singalongs of I the Sky and Me the Sea

  I the Sky and Me the Sea – The Adventures ofMunnie Butterfly and Danny Dragonfly, Book 1 by Dr Kris Rampersad is available on Amazon (amazon.com/author/krisrampersad).

Other exciting travel experiences through multimedia with animation and music, and interactive colouring Interactive learning tools and sessions with the author are available through https://krisrampersad.com.

Explore the Adventures of Munnie and Danny and, fun activity workbooks and lifelong learning tools.  to stimulate critical thinking and creative imagination. Join the author in stimulating sessions at her knowledge portal, Leaves of Life Global, Local, Caribbean (LOL GLOC@L) Knowledge Pot, http://www.krisrampersad.com.

DR KRIS RAMPERSAD is an award-winning international author, educator and journalist. She is a cultural heritage specialist trained by the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) who has explored many lands. Her special interests are presenting the rich and vibrant global multicultural milieu and interconnected heritage of the world and stimulating the imaginations of children from ages 3 to 103.

EXPLORE ENTERTAIN EXCITE EDUCATE EMPOWER with Multimedia Heritage Educator, Dr Kris Rampersad. The website offers Lifelong, Interactive Leaning Tools for all.  Build Self-Esteem. Intangible learnings with think tools! Stimulate Imagination Curiosity & Confidence.  Learn to Respect! Care! Understand! Appreciate!

ThinkTools: Colours. Sounds. Shapes. Words. Rhymes. Listen. Read. React. Respond. Share. Spell.

Develop Literacy & Numeracy skills and integrated approach to The Arts, Mathematics, Music, Science, Nature, History, Heritage, Culture, Language, Literature, in every Adventure.

Visit our Interactive MultiMedia Gallery. For Sessions with the Author, Colouring & Activity Books Learning Journeys, Virtual Tours, Events, and to make a request, share your thoughts or to keep track of exciting new releases, Subscribe to the Website http://www.krisrampersad.com.

Message from the Author:

Stories were the first form of journalism. They inspired my entry into journalism and study of literatures and travel through many lands.

My father told us stories from his imagination every night as children growing up in the Caribbean.

The story of Munnie and her world of travels began as I wrote for my Nephew, Saiesh, when he was only three years old. I found it difficult to convey the realities of many of the children’s books available to stimulate his creativity and imagination from not one but multiple dimensions. His mom read the stories to him. He was its first critic. He grew into an avid reader. His enthusiastic reception and wish for more encouraged these Festival Fables. Over the last decade, these Munnie stories inspired other children in oral traditions of storytime, theatre workshops, and in my activities as an independent educator and journalist trying to stimulate interests in reading and cultural heritage in stimulating literary tributes and tours (LiTTributes & LiTTours) – our Reading Room Outside the Reading rooms, available on request in any city. The purpose is to integrate entertainment with education, nurturing curiosity while encouraging appreciation of diversity, respect, value and appreciation of others. I now move the stories from private to the public spheres to be available to all. I hope these encourage family activities with children, even while they integrate new technologies with multimedia animation, musical and dramatized versions. Subscribe to my website http://www.krisrampersad.com.

Authors Preface

The story of Munnie and her world of travels began unfolding as I wrote for my Nephew, Saiesh, when he was only three years old. I found it difficult to convey the realities of many of the children’s books available to stimulate his creativity and imagination from not one but multiple dimensions. He was its first critic. He grew into an avid reader. His enthusiastic reception and wish for more encouraged these Fables.

Over the last decade, these Munnie stories inspired other children in oral traditions of storytime, theatre workshops, and in my activities as an independent educator and journalist trying to stimulate interests in reading and cultural heritage. The purpose then as now is to integrate entertainment with education, nurturing curiosity while encouraging appreciation of diversity, respect, value and appreciation of others. From this long gestation, they are now reborn in print form. Stories were the first form of journalism. My father told us stories he spun from his imagination night after night when we were children growing up in a rural district in the Caribbean. I hope these encourage that kind of family activities with children, even while they integrate new technologies with multimedia animation, musical and dramatized versions in the making. Subscribe to my website www.krisrampersad.com for new ways of using these stories, new learnings forms and participate in interactive sessions, with new activities and exciting online and events.

MUNNIE, an adventurous Butterfly, explores new lands and make new friends in this delightful new series for children.

In the first of these New Age Festival Fables, Songs of I the Sky and Me the Sea, Munnie meets Danny a Dragonfly. These two become Best Flitter-Flutter Friends (BFFFs). They share different views of the world and learn to appreciate their differences. They celebrate the world of flitterers and flutterers, in a beautiful sing-along with the Sea and Sky.

Pumped with joy of living, the Caribbean is the canvas as a meeting place of the world in these New Age Fables meant to develop early childhood sensibilities to the complex and diverse world in which we live.

Re-Envisioning Early Childhood Education

The series represent a remarkable departure from conventional approaches to children’s education that sacrifice understandings of the intricacies of life. While each is a simple and enjoyable Fable, each story explores and responds to the complex fabric of our interrelations and connections to others and the natural and cultural universe, that are discernible even to children.  The series adopts an integrated approach to early childhood teachings and learnings, with exposure to a range of fields spanning numeracy and literacy and the tangible and intangible natural and cultural universe.

They nurture and feed early curiosity about the diversity in the world around us. They tell of our linkages to each other and to nature, through our natural and cultural heritage. Be prepared to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary, adventure in the everyday routine.

Interdisciplinary thoughtful material

In keeping with preparation for understanding, valuing, respecting and appreciating and grappling with the challenges of the inherent diversity in our communities, they treat with a range of disciplines simultaneously. The arts, sciences, mathematics, geography, geology, anthropology, archaeology, heritage, history, environment, ecology are all part of the collective creative canvas on which these pages unfold. All this through simple, enjoyable reading material to stimulate and feed a child’s curiosity about the world around with quick, thoughtful and intelligent responses.

The story of Munnie and her world of travels first began unfolding for my Nephew, Saiesh, when he was only three years old. He was its first critic and his enthusiastic reception and demands for more encouraged the unfolding of these stories. In the decade of gestation, it was pitched to children of many age groups. This tested how it may be utilised and applied to broader social educational and entertainment functions of nurturing curiosity, while encouraging reading, it was. Storytelling in the Park. was adapted and dramatized by the Trinidad Theatre Workshop for a special interface with underprivileged children through the Rotary Club

Get curious in a world of diversity of interests, people, places, animals and many other things. Others in the Series: Book 2: The GREAT GREEN ONE-EYED GIANT

Coming Soon, Other in the Series: Munnie MultiCultural Musical Masquerade:

Inside the Dragon’s Mouth

The Devil’s Woodyard

Dinosaur Tales … and many more.

Get all the Adventures of Munnie and Danny. Explore the multimedia series with animation and music, and interactive colouring, activity and workbooks to stimulate critical thinking and creative imagination. Join the author in exciting sessions.

DR KRIS RAMPERSAD is an award-winning author, educator and journalist from Trinidad and Tobago. She is a cultural heritage specialist who has explored many lands. Her special interest is presenting the rich and vibrant global multicultural milieu and interconnected heritage to children from ages 3 to 103.

EXPLORE EXCITE ENTERTAIN. EDUCATE EMPOWER with Multimedia Heritage Educator, Dr Kris Rampersad. Visit Leaves of Life Glocal, Local, Caribbean (LOL GLOC@L) Knowledge Pot at www.krisrampersad.com.

Lifelong, Interactive Learning Tools

Ages 3-6 ImagineTools Colours. Sounds. Shapes. Words. Rhymes.

AGES 5-8  ThinkTools: Listen. Read. React. Respond. Share. Spell

For Any Age: Build Self-Esteem Learn To: Respect. Care. Understand. Appreciate. Think! Imagine!In Every Adventure find The Arts, Mathematics, Music, Science, Nature, History, Heritage, Culture, Literature, Language.

Leaves of Life GLOC@l Knowledge Pot is located at www.krisrampersad.com.

Find More Adventures. Explore Our Interactive MultiMedia Gallery. For Sessions with the Author, Colouring & Activity Books Learning Journeys, Virtual Tours, Events, Subscribe to the Website. To make a request or to keep track of exciting new releases visit http://www.krisrampersad.com.

[contact-form]

    Caribbean Flavoured Festival Fables Introducing these Caribbean-Flavoured Festival Fables for children from 3 to 103, complete with startling scenery, dynamic action, witty dialogues,  and singalongs that explore interconnections between the natural and cultural worlds.

[lisarprahl]

Company Culture Feature: Grant Thornton

One of the most important factors that accounting graduates utilize to determine which firm(s) would be the best fit for them after graduation is company culture. Which is why earlier this year we began a series showcasing individual firms, showing what makes them unique in their mission and values to set them apart. In the past few months, we featured an interview with Jim Proppe, Managing Partner at  Plante Moran and Jen Wyne, Executive Director of Human Resources at Moss Adams. This month we’re excited to feature Mike McGuire from Grant Thornton. 

Grant Thornton LLP is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International, one of the world’s largest independent audit, tax and advisory firms – growing sixfold in 15 years. Mike McGuire, CEO, has worked to instill the passion, curiosity, and fresh thinking that would distinguish Grant Thornton to clients as a firm that goes beyond status quo approaches to do whatever it takes to move clients forward. This has not only increased client quality and satisfaction, but has enhanced brand reputation and improved employee recruitment, engagement, and retention. At the heart of Grant Thornton’s company culture is a “bring your whole self to work” philosophy intended to inspire an atmosphere that empowers the firm’s more than 8,000 employees to be their authentic selves because they know that their unique contributions are valued. 

Roger CPA Review: Grant Thornton has been named as one of the “Top Places to Work” in a couple different publications. What is it about your company culture that sets you apart from other accounting firms? 

Mike McGuire: We decided about six years ago that we wanted a single, unifying culture for our firm, and that we would be very deliberate and thoughtful in creating it. We hired Senn Delaney, the firm that really created the corporate culture industry, to help guide us. We’ve invested in our culture work consistently, with time and budget. That commitment, from the top and through the organization, has brought our culture to life in a way that’s different from other firms. It’s about collaborating, respecting and supporting each other so we can deliver quality and innovative solutions to our clients.

RCPAR: Where does Grant Thornton draw its company culture inspiration from? How much do you take into consideration employee feedback and generational differences? 

MM: One thing we’ve learned is that we need a clear vision and strong leadership to build culture, but we can’t impose culture on people. Culture is strong when it grows organically. We have a shared set of values, and a shared language about behaviors that reinforce the culture we want. But every day, the culture grows when leaders and teammates throughout the firm make it real in the way we work together and treat each other. 

RCPAR: Grant Thornton has also been listed as one of the best companies for working mothers. Can you please share specific strategies and initiatives that have resulted in this recognition? 

MM: We have a generous benefits package to support new moms and dads. But more than that, we take a really flexible approach with all our people. Everyone has their own complications in life, and we’re very proactive in helping people find the best ways to balance taking care of business at work and at home. For example, our Flexible Time Off policy lets people take time off work without counting days. The policy is, simply, be responsible for getting your work done and adding value, and take the time off you need to balance your life.

RCPAR: To what level does diversity play a role in enabling the firm to thrive?  For other companies or organizations looking to incorporate diversity in a more prevailing way, what would your best piece of advice be? 

MM: My experience is that teams are at their best when everyone has a chance to play and contribute and thrive. We create better solutions for our firm and for clients when we have diverse voices in the room – whether that’s diversity of background, gender, race/ethnicity or any other kind of diversity. Diversity and inclusion are cornerstones of our culture, and we support them in a lot of ways. We have Business Resource Groups that provide support and networking opportunities for teammates. We host “Fearless Conversations” to build awareness and understanding about teammates’ diverse experiences and perspectives. And we’re in the process of developing a series of development opportunities about “unconscious bias,” to help us all better understand how to listen and learn from one another, and work together to achieve the best results. My advice is, if you want the best team, and you believe diversity and inclusion are part of that, it’s like any other business goal: You have to be deliberate, have a plan, focus and execute.

RCPAR: How has your culture and all of the above accolades and initiatives translated to your client serving success?

MM: This is the most incredible thing to me. We started our culture program for ourselves. But it turns out, no one appreciates it more than our clients. They notice that we show up differently from other firms. They see that we’re better at collaborating, that our people are more curious about their business, that we offer more creative solutions to their business challenges. I’ve had clients tell me that they will give Grant Thornton their business on the condition that we come and talk to them about culture. That tells me all I need to know.

RCPAR: If you could sum up Grant Thornton’s company culture in one word or phrase, what would it be and why? 

MM: Our rallying cry in the market is, “Status Go!” That means we don’t settle for the status quo – we’re always pushing each other to be curious and creative, to innovate, to find a better way to do things – for our firm and our clients. That’s what our culture is about – achieving our aspiration to be the “firm of the future” by collaborating and supporting each other so we can do our best work together.

***

Special thanks to Mike McGuire for the time he took for this interview about company culture at Grant Thornton.

Categories 

Firms

Feature on ACT Professors page 

Teaser 

What makes Grant Thornton's company culture unique from other firms?

We interviewed CEO Mike McGuire to learn more about the efforts and investment Grant Thornton makes to turn everyone into Thorntonites. 

from Accounting News https://www.rogercpareview.com/blog/company-culture-feature-grant-thornton

[ashleydpalmerusa]

Company Culture Feature: Grant Thornton

One of the most important factors that accounting graduates utilize to determine which firm(s) would be the best fit for them after graduation is company culture. Which is why earlier this year we began a series showcasing individual firms, showing what makes them unique in their mission and values to set them apart. In the past few months, we featured an interview with Jim Proppe, Managing Partner at  Plante Moran and Jen Wyne, Executive Director of Human Resources at Moss Adams. This month we’re excited to feature Mike McGuire from Grant Thornton. 

Grant Thornton LLP is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International, one of the world’s largest independent audit, tax and advisory firms – growing sixfold in 15 years. Mike McGuire, CEO, has worked to instill the passion, curiosity, and fresh thinking that would distinguish Grant Thornton to clients as a firm that goes beyond status quo approaches to do whatever it takes to move clients forward. This has not only increased client quality and satisfaction, but has enhanced brand reputation and improved employee recruitment, engagement, and retention. At the heart of Grant Thornton’s company culture is a “bring your whole self to work” philosophy intended to inspire an atmosphere that empowers the firm’s more than 8,000 employees to be their authentic selves because they know that their unique contributions are valued. 

Roger CPA Review: Grant Thornton has been named as one of the “Top Places to Work” in a couple different publications. What is it about your company culture that sets you apart from other accounting firms? 

Mike McGuire: We decided about six years ago that we wanted a single, unifying culture for our firm, and that we would be very deliberate and thoughtful in creating it. We hired Senn Delaney, the firm that really created the corporate culture industry, to help guide us. We’ve invested in our culture work consistently, with time and budget. That commitment, from the top and through the organization, has brought our culture to life in a way that’s different from other firms. It’s about collaborating, respecting and supporting each other so we can deliver quality and innovative solutions to our clients.

RCPAR: Where does Grant Thornton draw its company culture inspiration from? How much do you take into consideration employee feedback and generational differences? 

MM: One thing we’ve learned is that we need a clear vision and strong leadership to build culture, but we can’t impose culture on people. Culture is strong when it grows organically. We have a shared set of values, and a shared language about behaviors that reinforce the culture we want. But every day, the culture grows when leaders and teammates throughout the firm make it real in the way we work together and treat each other. 

RCPAR: Grant Thornton has also been listed as one of the best companies for working mothers. Can you please share specific strategies and initiatives that have resulted in this recognition? 

MM: We have a generous benefits package to support new moms and dads. But more than that, we take a really flexible approach with all our people. Everyone has their own complications in life, and we’re very proactive in helping people find the best ways to balance taking care of business at work and at home. For example, our Flexible Time Off policy lets people take time off work without counting days. The policy is, simply, be responsible for getting your work done and adding value, and take the time off you need to balance your life.

RCPAR: To what level does diversity play a role in enabling the firm to thrive?  For other companies or organizations looking to incorporate diversity in a more prevailing way, what would your best piece of advice be? 

MM: My experience is that teams are at their best when everyone has a chance to play and contribute and thrive. We create better solutions for our firm and for clients when we have diverse voices in the room – whether that’s diversity of background, gender, race/ethnicity or any other kind of diversity. Diversity and inclusion are cornerstones of our culture, and we support them in a lot of ways. We have Business Resource Groups that provide support and networking opportunities for teammates. We host “Fearless Conversations” to build awareness and understanding about teammates’ diverse experiences and perspectives. And we’re in the process of developing a series of development opportunities about “unconscious bias,” to help us all better understand how to listen and learn from one another, and work together to achieve the best results. My advice is, if you want the best team, and you believe diversity and inclusion are part of that, it’s like any other business goal: You have to be deliberate, have a plan, focus and execute.

RCPAR: How has your culture and all of the above accolades and initiatives translated to your client serving success?

MM: This is the most incredible thing to me. We started our culture program for ourselves. But it turns out, no one appreciates it more than our clients. They notice that we show up differently from other firms. They see that we’re better at collaborating, that our people are more curious about their business, that we offer more creative solutions to their business challenges. I’ve had clients tell me that they will give Grant Thornton their business on the condition that we come and talk to them about culture. That tells me all I need to know.

RCPAR: If you could sum up Grant Thornton’s company culture in one word or phrase, what would it be and why? 

MM: Our rallying cry in the market is, “Status Go!” That means we don’t settle for the status quo – we’re always pushing each other to be curious and creative, to innovate, to find a better way to do things – for our firm and our clients. That’s what our culture is about – achieving our aspiration to be the “firm of the future” by collaborating and supporting each other so we can do our best work together.

***

Special thanks to Mike McGuire for the time he took for this interview about company culture at Grant Thornton.

Categories 

Firms

Feature on ACT Professors page 

Teaser 

What makes Grant Thornton's company culture unique from other firms?

We interviewed CEO Mike McGuire to learn more about the efforts and investment Grant Thornton makes to turn everyone into Thorntonites. 

from Accounting News https://www.rogercpareview.com/blog/company-culture-feature-grant-thornton

[lazykoalacollectionblog]

Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based | New Topic

New Post has been published on https://ugcnetpaper1.com/teaching-support-system/

Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based | New Topic

Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based.

In the 7 Post blog series we have covered the entire syllabus of general paper teaching aptitude unit to help students to cover important details in progressive manner so that you can easily follow them and prepare quick notes based on these.

The last  (i.e 7th )post contains the Solved MCQ papers based on question asked in previous papers.

Unit-I Teaching Aptitude Latest Syllabus 

Teaching: Concept, Objectives, Levels of teaching (Memory, Understanding and Reflective), Characteristics and basic requirements.

Learner’s characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners (Academic, Social, Emotional and Cognitive), Individual differences.

Factors affecting teaching related to: Teacher, Learner, Support material, Instructional facilities, Learning environment and Institution.

Methods of teaching in Institutions of higher learning: Teacher centered vs. Learner centered methods; Off-line vs. On-line methods (Swayam, Swayamprabha, MOOCs etc.).

Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based. [This article]

Evaluation Systems: Elements and Types of evaluation, Evaluation in Choice Based Credit System in Higher education, Computer based testing, Innovations in evaluation systems. 

MCQ Based on Solved Question Paper | Extensive 12 Years Solved Paper

Introduction

Today, in the 21st century understanding is more important than ever. That is why it is vital for educators to use methods or techniques in teaching that will enable learners to use their knowledge efficiently to solve problem in their daily lives.

The rapid growth of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has challenged the traditional method of teaching and changed the educational landscape globally. The teaching method is now divided into two different ways of thinking on education, one is traditional and other one is ICT Method.

Most of the teachers and experts have explored new methods of teaching and believe that modern methods or the ICT method is better than the traditional method of teaching.

When we talk about teaching methods then our society divides into three groups; one group favors the traditional teaching methods, second group favors modern teaching methods and third group is the one who supports the combination of both for effective teaching.

In this article I will explain that what are the pros and cons of each teaching support system and how we can integrate both traditional and modern teaching methods for effective teaching.

What is Teaching Support System

Traditional teaching methods and support system

Traditional education, also known as back-to- basics, conventional education or customary education, refers to long-established customs that society traditionally used in schools.

The back-to-basics traditional education method, also known as ‘chalk & talk method’

This old fashioned way of teaching was all about the recitation and memorization techniques.

The traditional role of teaching focuses on the teacher as organizers of learning activity,

providers of information and experts of knowledge.

The teacher carries too much of responsibility for teaching in the classroom to make sure everything they are teaching is understood by the students.

Teacher is also responsible to control class where the teacher teaches using blackboard, explains concepts, asks students to copy and makes sure that students are paying attention

This technique of teaching is a one-way flow of information in which the teacher often continuously talks for an hour or more expecting that when he asks a question, the students will able to reproduce the same thing that he was talking about.

Every important thing regarding the topic is written on the blackboard and students make important notes from the blackboard. After the lecture is over students revise their notes and try to memories the notes.

Instruction based on textbooks, lectures and individual written assignments

The main objective of traditional teaching is to pass the examination.

Merits and demerits of traditional teaching methods-

Traditional methods of teaching that are still being adhered to in the schools, It has more interaction between the teacher and student.

Traditional teaching systems helps to build the discipline in the class room

Lack of collaboration and group learning

More emphasis on examinations and results rather than understanding of concepts

Tools used in Traditional Teaching Support System-

Blackboard

Textbooks

Charts

Images & posters

Maps & atlas, globes

Flash cards, flip cards

Science lab apparatus, models

Workbook

Drawing books

Dictionary, encyclopedias

Vedic math tools

Puzzle books, general knowledge books

Modern and ICT Based teaching methods-

Gone are the days of blackboard and chalk …it all replaced by LCD Projectors & interactive whiteboards in the classroom. When we talk about the modern or ICT based education system its include full fledged usages of high tech equipment in the educational institutions.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education is the mode of education that use information and communications technology to support, enhance, and optimize the delivery of information.

ICT Based Teaching methods

The Mobile learning (m ‐learning) as a form of e ‐learning is a rising trend where the education has outgrown the physical constraints of the classrooms and acquired mobility. Students access information whenever and wherever they want, and institutions that provides such advanced technological terrains is rising in number day by day.

Source – https://stories.linways.in/ict-enabled-education-d190bcc91bf0

  Use of computers or laptops & Technology-driven classrooms

Smart interactive boards with help of PowerPoint presentation and interactive videos

Use of microphones for delivering the lecture in the classroom

Emphasis on understanding of concepts, Activity-based learning and learning labs

Digitization in teaching, learning assessment and feedback improves learning process and it also helps Integrative and social responsibility and civic engagement.

Collaborative learning and Problem-based learning is key aspect of Modern Teaching Methods.

Below are few key teaching techniques based on Modern and ICT Based teaching methods.

Flipped Classroom – Its allow students to go beyond their normal boundaries and explore the lesson before teacher describe them in class-room.

Design Thinking & Creative ideas – This involves real life case to increase the curiosity, analytical skills and creativity.

Mind Maps – Use of self-learning tools

Gamification – Learn through the play using quizzes and hunt ideas

Free online Learning Tools

ICT Based Teaching Methods – Virtual Reality , Virtual Labs , Open educational Resources

Learning Management system (LMS) & Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

Merits and demerits of modern and ICT based teaching methods-

Interactivity and collaborative learning process with more interest among the students with the help of interesting group activity

Lots of audio visual recording and online contents helps the students to understand the subject better and also helps students to memories the concept for longer time

Modern teaching methods teacher can cover more syllabus in lesser time

Modern teaching methods can adversely affect the eyes of the students.

Less integration with teachers

Tools used in Modern & ICT based Support system

ICT Based Devices – Laptop / Pad / Electronic notebooks, E-reader etc.

Educational games/ Online Puzzles and quiz’s

Audio Visual Teaching aids

Flash educational games

CD/DVD, Projectors

Interactive white boards

Various electronic devices to support Games, VR , and LMS

[abtec]

Filling in the Blank Spaces through the eyes of Exhibition Coordinator Sara England

Sara Nicole England is an MA candidate in Art History at Concordia University and Research Assistant at Obx Labs/AbTeC/IIF. Her thesis research examines public displays of labour in turn-of-the-twentieth-century industrial tourism in the United States. Sara is part of KAPSULA Magazine, a digital publication and online platform for critical and experimental writing. She has a BFA in Criticism and Cu­­­ratorial Practice from OCAD University in Toronto, Ontario.

***

I joined AbTeC last June to assist with the coordination of Filling in the Blank Spaces, the first-ever retrospective of the research and creative work of AbTeC held at the Leonard and Bina Ellen Gallery from November 4th to December 2nd, 2017. I came to this project with an interest in AbTeC’s collaborative approaches and the ways technologies and media were being remixed, modified and, sometimes, created from the ground up to strengthen and complement Indigenous cultures and communities. Taking part in Indigenous-led projects is an important part of situating my research and myself as an academic and settler on unceded Indigenous lands; I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of the amazing work of AbTeC.

(Credit: Paul Litherland/Studio Lux © Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, 2017)  

Mounting an exhibition of over twenty years of media production was no small feat! I started the project with what any art historian would do: I referred to Concordia’s library and online databases to research examples and methods of curating new media and digital art. Texts by Sarah Cook, Christiane Paul, Beryl Graham, and Sara Diamond, and projects like CRUMB (Curating Resource for Upstart Media Bliss) laid out the landscape of cyber culture and digital art curating in the 1990s and early 2000s, and offered a theoretical framework for thinking through modes of participation in media art exhibitions.

I quickly learned that the history of new media production moves fast—really fast—and I wasn’t going to find an exhibition model or guidebook that provided all the answers or accounted for the breadth of AbTeC’s experimentation with media; even within the short span of a decade, curatorial models for digital art were often outdated by the time they were published. Relatedly, the term “new media” has stayed the same but the practices that it defines are continuously expanding and evolving; indeed, what we group under the umbrella of new media, and the curatorial strategies for its display, is ever expanding too. Continuous experimentation may be the connecting thread.

(Credit: Paul Litherland/Studio Lux © Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, 2017)

The research and creative work featured in Filling in the Blank Spaces maps out a history of new media in and of itself, with Indigenous artists, academics, technologists and others, at the forefront.  For example, the pioneering project CyberPowWow (1997-2004) was one of the first ever online art galleries, combined with a chat room, and incorporating live events that later would be termed “mixed-reality” events. Jason Edward Lewis and Skawennati’s Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Technological World (2002) was made with Flash, a nearly defunct application. Listening to it today, the artists remarked on how bad sound compression was at the turn of the millenium.  “I sound like I have a lisp!” said Skawennati. The exhibition presents AbTeC’s present-day work, too: Activating AbTeC Island (an open invitation to visit AbTeC’s virtual land in Second Life) (2008-2017) expands some of the ideas first explored in CyberPowWow while computer games produced in the Skins Workshops use new media techniques like modding to bring Indigenous storytelling and representation to game culture; Virtual Reality works by Scott Benesiinaabandan and Postcommodity created in AbTeC’s artist residencies and Illustrating the Future Imaginary (a series of postcards with artwork by Indigenous artists) imagine our world seven generations into the future. AbTeC’s dedication to thinking about the future means that AbTeC is not only part of a history of media history, but also defining and creating its future.

So, we made up the rules as we developed the show. To be sure, there are guiding questions that emerge with any exhibition, especially an interactive and largely virtual one: how will visitors move through the space? How do we get visitors to interact and engage critically and with curiosity? And more specific to the nature of this exhibition: how do we get visitors to recognize the layers of intervention, production, and collaboration when their interactions are mostly at the level of the interface? How do we invite—and empower—visitors to become “users,” “players,” and, in certain instances, “decision makers?”

One of the aspects of Filling in the Blank Spaces that I found interesting is how it acknowledged a material history of technology. In New Media in the White Cube and Beyond, Jon Ippolito writes, “… new media art can survive only by multiplying and mutating.” In some instances, mutation and multiplication were built into the works. Poetry for Excitable [Mobile] Media (P.o.E.M.M.) (2007-2014), a series of interactive and digital poems by Lewis, was an experiment in how digital texts perform across multiple screens and how these interactions between text and device dictate different modes of readership and bodily engagement. In other cases, the artwork had outlived its media and thus required new hosts. CyberPowWow ran as a “canned version,” meaning it operates offline, and was displayed on a virtualized Windows XP program, which ran off a globular iMac G4. The layers of intervention, here, mark a history of technological changes and reveal relations between new and old media in order to contextualize the technological milieu in which CyberPowWow was created.

(Credit: Paul Litherland/Studio Lux © Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, 2017)  

Imagining Indians in the 25th Century (2001), a website that imagines a character who visits significant moments in Indigenous history—created by Skawennati before the age of tablets and touchscreens—was displayed on an iPad in the exhibition. Most of the works in the exhibition behaved independently from their media or means of display. I think this is a valuable curatorial strategy—working without consistency across old and new media—as a way to get people to think beyond the interface and develop a media awareness that attends to both the material and immaterial components of media art. As a form of media literacy, the strategy is not apart from the aims of AbTeC.

For much of the exhibition I also acted as a docent in the gallery, introducing visitors to the work, assisting them with questions, and, most importantly, encouraging them to interact with the various components. This experience was gratifying because I was able to witness and take part in people’s experiences with and responses to the retrospective. I learned that many visitors often needed an invitation to touch the works and to participate fully in the experience. Despite the relative ubiquity of the technology used in the show, this further demonstrated the uniqueness of the exhibition.

The exhibition asked visitors to think about their expectations of a gallery and how artwork should perform. It required active engagement rather than passive viewership (though I’m inclined to think all artwork asks for active participation) and people had to do the work.

(Credit: Paul Litherland/Studio Lux © Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, 2017)

Many did! It was amazing to see visitors, who had never played a computer game before, defeat the evil archaeologist in Ienién:te and the Peacemaker’s Wampum or express wonder when they discovered that their avatar could fly in Activating AbTeC Island, the gallery installation of AbTeC’s virtual land in Second Life. Creating the circumstances for discovery and surprise, for me, is the main goal of exhibition production, and I think we pulled it off!

Jason and Skawennati engaged with me as a collaborator, encouraging creative input and providing ample time and significant resources for me to ask questions, learn about their practices, and flesh out ideas. During this time I was also able to learn how to use the computer-modeling program SketchUp to plot exhibition layouts. Some of the images you can see here.

(Credit: Paul Litherland/Studio Lux © Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, 2017)

Like all of AbTeC’s projects, many people contributed to the making of the exhibition: among many other contributors, Mikhel Proulx added an archival and historical component to the exhibition by organizing an archive section and writing an exhibition essay; Sabine Rosenberg made the technical magic possible; Valerie Bourdon designed the beautiful exhibition title and vinyl game instructions; Roxanne Sirios and Nancy Townsend designed a visitor-friendly environment within the virtual land AbTeC Island and even created AbTeC avatars for visitors to inhabit; and a team of research assistants activated the exhibition as gallery docents and led the workshop series. Filling in the Blank Spaces is the result of years of dedicated artistic production, research, and collaboration. The making of the exhibition reflects that process, and was made possible by the contributions of an enthusiastic and imaginative team at AbTeC. I can’t wait for what’s next!

Notes

1.     Jon Ippolito, “Death by Wall Label,” ed. by Stephanie Fay and Christiane Paul in New Media in the White Cube and Beyond, ed. by Christiane Paul (Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press, 2008), 106.

[writtenandrecorded]

Subjects that Propel Modeling

cinematography

photography (photograph locations & people/do self portraiture)

acting/improv

dance (body awareness & choreography & posing)

non-verbal communication (body language & facial expressions)

principles of design  

the history of

fashion figure illustration

Self video (third person perspective awareness)

OTHER:

study of statues mannequins & portraiture art

People-watch Observe rooms full of personalities Exaggerate them create their stories

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52 Weeks Challenge: How do our ideas for the photo shoots come about?

1. Title: sometimes the idea comes simply as words for the title: like- “Try Hard” “Mockery” or “You Seem Disinterested” (<– coming soon) ..phrases I can’t get out of my head until I fabricate the visual components to them. Then, picking the outfit & location that best matches the perceived vision/action comes next.

2. Story: sometimes the idea develops from the desire to express a themed story, like our halloween shoot- “Photojournalist Discovers Escaped Mental Patient” *These shoots happen the least often, and require the most preparation, but turn out the BEST ..because my best modeling style is actual acting- playing a character role.

3. Spontaneity: sometimes there’s no idea, it’s all spontaneous. We pick some outfits we’re feeling that day and drive around until we find a location that speaks to us & fits the outfit. *This method happens most, and requires the least amount of thought.. best displayed in “Cow’s Creek.”

4. Fashion: sometimes I get the desire to style a themed outfit series, like- “New West” & the sweater theme as seen in “Chandail.” Or, we get inspired by a particular item we picked up- like the top in “Contemporary Art,” the jacket in “Broken Arrow,” and the yellow coveralls in “Acid Rain.” Clothing inspirations bring right along with them the ideas (mood & scene) for which we’d like to see them photographed.  

5. Despisal: sometimes I don’t want to shoot at all. I haven’t eaten all day, had a lack of sleep, or I’m just in an out-of-it or bad place mentally <– BC modeling can be a very draining experience. (You lose yourself by constantly feeling the need to compare & compete, even if you started modeling as loving yourself just as you are, at one point or another, you WILL fall victim to the superficial games… and one can only handle so much superficialness.. and then you have to find yourself again). But, because of the 52 weeks challenge, the photo show must go on, and my efforts are forced- if any effort is given at all. These shoots just consist of me negatively existing- “The Silver Lining” and “Anything Goes.” In retrospect though, if I completely forget how I was feeling, the photos turned out beautiful, often the most “high fashion” looking. The important thing to remember–> EVERY SINGLE THING has a downside, and that’s normal. It isn’t called a challenge for no reason, now is it?

But, mostly it’s fun, satisfying, and an overall great experience to explore and push creativity.

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SuperModel

Balance trying and being

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Feature Karlie/Cara eyebrows Coco posing Kate defined 90s grunge era Tyra smize Giselle the body

“She just HAS IT” What is and who defines “it?” How does one achieve greatness and success in this industry?

TOP 1%

Photographer- gives boost push believes in mentors gives model A CHANCE

Repetitive use MUSE to at least someone but most can see and agree

Something beyond simply doing the job- giving effort being pretty/having the look Through the eyes/emotion/movement More than a photo Can see/feel it instantly- that there’s SOMETHING MORE Inspire curiosity/interest

DOMINATES in relation to no matter the project no matter the task

DEPTH Bad dark troubled sexual passionate

ATTITUDE

Non-conforming deviant DIFFERENT stands out Can’t be visually silenced

INSPIRES creativity/curiosity/feeling through her obvious craving/passion for her job (modeling art photography fashion) Brings something (ideas) to the table

Ultra CONFIDENT Limitless fearless no-hesitation effort Self acceptance/genuine love

ACTRESS Performer

PERSISTENT Refusal to take no Too short? Make them see No one can stand in the way of self motivation/passion Be the first if need be Don’t take rejection personally keep going

Do whatever it takes Redefine your style Become loyal to maintaining proportions skin care exercise/diet- the LIFESTYLE

PROFESSIONAL- knowledgeable (of history/field/technical aspect) Know how to sit stand body awareness face angles how clothes move how light bounces off fabric etc Not difficult to work with never complain! Show up on time give it all you’ve got every time no matter what

SALESWOMAN- strong ability to sell clothes/accessories/products Kate Moss- “Put Kate on the cover she just sells”  

ENTREPRENEURIAL- understand the business and how to claim/improve your financial stake in it Understand the big picture and work towards achieving the overall goal Visionary Business woman Overwhelming desire for success

BRAND- work with only the best to be the best Protect self brand image/reputation Whatever your brand OWN it! Do your style better than anyone else can Run your self-image like a business

In relation to: EXCELLENCE is in relation to Who’s my competition What has the client been exposed to/consider great?

Ability to REINVENT stay relevant and interesting Innovative Positive outlook Perseverance Refusal to simply fade away

Photographer/model relationship- perfect SYNCHRONIZATION excellent understanding and communication Both give absolute all But if relationship is lacking or feels awkward a supermodel doesn’t allow that to be fabricated through the photos

SELF AWARENESS- competition only with self- have to know/appreciate myself better than I did yesterday Live experiment learn experience struggle grow succeed Have to acknowledge and call upon my good along with my bad (conflict/suffering/darkness) Synchronize with self

…then just be Just IMPERFECTLY EXIST You’ve had it in you the whole time simply become a self-exploitation master- a master communicator Use/call upon everything

Resist the desire to hide and impress Or I’ll waste too much energy “trying” Remember my MESSAGE: there’s beauty in ALL things Embrace Be true/loyal to me even to my worst sides Be loyal to the lens/produce great images Use available resources/sources- emotion mood insecurity/vulnerability

PERSONALITY celebrity popularity recognized known

REPRESENTative of current era generation time or trend setter- DEFINE

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WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT MODELING? discovering myself through the photographer's lens How he captures my essence filtered through his own beautiful & unique perspective & getting into character

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"The DISCIPLINE of the muse: effort combined with inspiration That’s what the muse not only advocates but cultivates"

"ARTIST-MUSE relationships are made possible when they are truly collaborative; where the model is just as much the artistic contributor as the photographer is"

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Posing Practice:

SELF EXPRESSION/PERSONALITY DISCOVERY TEST #1

Goal: become aware of (discover) personality and natural expressions

Level 2- call upon personality manipulate those expressions to stay within the confines of what “looks good” for modeling  

Level 3- Switch from one emotion/expression to next in a snap Put soul into it and make it believable!  

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Model- personality attitude inspiration

[heritagexperiential]

THS Wikipedia page

 Location   Sector 62, Gurugram 122 011, National  Capital Region, India  map

Information

 Type                   Private not for profit co-educational day school

 Established        2003

 Founders           Mr. N.C. Jain, Mr. Manit  Jain

 Principal            Ms. Kaye Jacob

 Faculty               350

 Grades                Nursery to  12

 Enrolment           3,300 students

 Teacher-student ratio      1:9

 Campus           7,85,141square  foot of area

 Website            http://ggn.ths.ac.in/

 Branches       The Heritage School,  Rohini; The Heritage School, Vasant Kunj, both in  New Delhi

 The Heritage School (THS), Gurgaon, is one of the few experiential learning schools in India and is regularly ranked among top 10 day-boarding schools in the country by EducationWorld, India’s first education-based magazine. In 2016, this prestigious ranking placed THS at number 5 countrywide in the day school/co-educational category.  As an experiential learning school, THS is focused on deeper, authentic and inter-disciplinary learning. It uses a progressive pedagogy and community-bound curriculum and has a well-integrated special needs program. THS offers three curriculums: Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE),International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and International Baccalaureate’s Diploma Program (IBDP). However, it attempts to be curriculum agnostic through its own organically developed curriculum.  

THS is known for its innovative curriculum and pedagogical initiatives. It believes that four vital elements shape student learning and achievement in school: curriculum, instruction methodology, assessment, and culture and character.

 LEADERSHIP TEAM

The THS leadership team has over 425 years of cumulative experience:

Mr. N.C. Jain, Chairman, a well-known philanthropist

Mr. Manit Jain, Director, Masters in Education from Harvard University

Mr. Vishnu Karthik, Associate Director, Alumnus of Harvard University

Ms. Kaye Jacob, Principal, Former Principal Woodstock School, Mussoorie

Ms. Neena Kaul, Principal, The Heritage School, Rohini

Ms. Sunita Swaraj, Principal, The Heritage School, Vasant Kunj

Ms. Smriti Jain, Co-Founder, I Am A Teacher, Masters in Learning and Teaching and Instructional Leadership, Harvard University

Mr. Rajesh Jain, Director, Strategy, Alumnus- Harvard Business School

 VISION

A learning community where each is free to be and grow towards the realization of his/her highest human potential through a harmonious integration of spirit, heart, mind and body.

 DHARMIC PRINCIPLES

Freedom to be, learn and grow; attentiveness; respect; excellence; inclusion; authentic

 LEARNING PRINCIPLES

THS is committed to the philosophies of Kurt Han, Vygotsky, Rudolf Steiner, Sri Aurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi and J. Krishnamurthy. Its experiential learning curriculum places focus on Relationships, Relevance and Rigor (in the same order) and adheres to the following learning principles:

• Children learn by doing

• Children are connected to the real world through community-bound projects

• Content is an excuse to build craftsmanship, culture and character

• Productive and creative work is a medium of teaching and learning

• Children are active partners in learning

• There should be real freedom, empowerment and citizenship through classroom pedagogy and corridor culture

• Children learn from each other -- power of ‘crew’ work

• Integrated and holistic development of children

 ACADEMIC LIFE

The school has three academic programs:

Junior Program: Nursery – Grade 3

The program’s aim is to create a joyous and vibrant space for children to feel comfortable in, with themselves and their new environment. It focuses on:

•      Inquiry based learning/teaching

•      Fostering and nurturing curiosity

•      Experiential learning integrated units

•      Focus on rhythm, movement and music (fusion of Waldorf and Kodaly method of music)

•      Dialogue with art, literature, poetry

•      Jodo Gyan math curriculum (Real Mathematics Education movement from Hungary)

 Middle Program: Grade 4- 7

The Middle Program focuses on creating the right contexts and experiences for learning that resonate in the student's mind. Some key objectives are:

•      Construct concepts, knowledge and skill sets modelled around inter-disciplinary learning expeditions based on real-life contexts.

•      Inter-disciplinary projects that provide context and address a problem or purpose that children can relate to

•      Well-designed Outbound Learning Expeditions, e.g., ‘Khoj’ – the annual expeditions

•      Focus on key skills like observation, reflection, analysis, synthesis and consideration of multiple perspectives.

•      Help students understand systems as a whole and think systemically

•      Recognize that a child is an agent of societal change

 Senior Program: Grade 8-12

The Senior Program helps curate opportunities to build citizenship and transform students into change agents. The focus is also on building critical 21st century and college ready skills. Some key traits of which are:

•      Dialogic and participative pedagogy

•      Deeper learning, authentic assessments through live and integrated projects (or expeditions).

•      Multiple ways to express understanding, assessments and assignments

•      Create a wider awareness of the world and provide space for the development of aesthetic, moral, ethical and emotional dimensions.

•      College and career counselling based on psychometric, aptitude assessment and mentoring

•      Coaching, mentoring and active psychological and mental support where needed

•      Building student leadership through student-led events, societies/clubs, and programs

•      Building college readiness skills through independent research work, internships and projects

•      International exchange programmes

 The school’s Enrichment Centre works for students with special or different needs; regular career and psychological counselling is held for students as well.

 CAMPUS

THS is spread over 7,85,141square feet of area; this includes 1,27,994 square feet of built-up area. The weather controlled classrooms are equipped with audio-visual aids and broadband internet facility, Wi-Fi and wired intranet. Academic facilities include subject laboratories for the sciences and humanities curriculum, design laboratories for the arts programme, and libraries and resource rooms with over of 76,000 books for teacher reference and the Student Reading Programme.

Fully equipped studios, practice rooms and laboratories support the school’s vibrant and extensive visual and performing arts programmes which focus on fine arts, painting, ceramics, pottery, fashion design, dance, music and theatre. Five auditoria and an amphitheatre with a total seating capacity of 1,550 form the hub of all academic, social and cultural activities.

Over 4,35,508 square feet of area accommodates five football fields, two hockey fields, cricket ground and five cricket nets, four basketball courts, two volley ball fields, 10 tabled table-tennis stadium, two badminton courts and a six-laned swimming pool as well as a 200-meter competition track. Also available are an indoor gymnastic stadium and facilities for carom and chess.

The school operates 30 of its own buses fitted with CCTV. Dining facilities cater to 500 students at one time and an open modern kitchen with multi-cuisine catering has the capability of handling 3,500 students and staff per day. There is also a creche facility for teacher wards, a health and medical room and a Global Meditation Research Centre.

 SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

The school has well-structured performing and visual arts and physical education programmes through which students are encouraged to follow their passion in different fields. Its annual ‘Khoj’ expeditions are designed for children in the age group of 10 to 17 years, and is based on curriculum needs, interest of the children, life skills that need to be developed and the habitat in which Khoj takes place.

Clubs and societies: Numerous clubs and societies help the students to develop and hone their skills and interests in different subjects in a non-competitive atmosphere. These include a science club, a western vocal music club, a photography club, arobotics club, adebate society, an environment conservation society, a drama club, a literary society, a community service society, a visual and performing arts club, and adance club.

Annual events: Annual events at the school are an opportunity for students to express and showcase their creative energies and for parents to participate in school life of their child. Yearly events include: Kala Parv, a week-long art fest; Wired, a rock bad competition; Yujan, a carnival that also showcases music, dance, drama by students; Model United Nations or MUN; to name a few.

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

THS builds capacities of students and helps them engage in active and responsible citizenship by taking up issues impacting the local community through collaboration with governance agencies, non-governmental organizations and also the local citizen community. Some examples include:

Raahgiri Days: which originated in THS when 6 Grade students worked on a project to make Gurugram a cycle-friendly city. The project later evolved into advocacy for non-motorized days, and in collaboration with local civil society organizations, came to be celebrated as RaahgiriDay. The days are now held in 11 cities in India and the movement continues to gain momentum.

The Muskan Programme: THS has also been working with the state government to improve the quality of education in Haryana. Under the pilot project of Muskan, it adopted a government primary school. THS has shared its best practices in learning, innovative ideas and creativity with the school since adoption in September 2016 and its students have been interacting constructively with students from the adopted school.

Partnering with Municipal Schools: In collaboration with I Am A Teacher (a partner not-for-profit organisation which aims to build an alternate and practice-based model for teacher education), THS is partnering with the Police Colony, HauzKhas South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) School.  The goal is to improve enrolment, infrastructure and quality of education in the SDMC school.

 LEARNING COMMUNITY

THS’s teaching community represents various cultures from across the country and the world. Apart from the mandatory Cambridge and IB workshops, THS focuses on curating learning experiences round the year. Mentors and trainers include workshop leaders from reputed global organizations and other leading education experts. THS also has annual retreats that focus on reflection and self-awareness. The school actively supports teachers to be certified accreditors, trainers and workshop leaders.

An important part of its learning and development calendar are the “Xperiential Master Classes”. They are a series ofworkshops and seminars that are conducted by subject experts from India and abroadfor the larger learning community so asto enable sharing and dissemination of knowledge and training and  facilitate internalisation of experiential education skills by participants.

In a recent employee satisfaction survey organized by The Great Places to Work® Institute, the following were the top three areas of strengths as against all India scores of top 50 organizations. THS also has the highest scores for professional development in comparison to other surveyed organisation.

 ACADEMIC PARTNERS

Disha India Education Foundation

Works with THS on co-creating the curriculum and pedagogy for Middle Programme based on the principles of experiential education.

Jodo Gyan

Helps develop and re-structure the maths programme in the primary school, based on Realistic Mathematics Education (RME)

Steven Levy, Expeditionary Learning Schools

Helps THS implement project-based learning as a part of its curriculum.

Dr. Ravindran

Works with THS on behavioural and discipline related issues

I Am a Teacher

THS is the practicing school for this programme, aimed at building an alternate and practice-based model for teacher education

Family Vision

Partners with THS on the innovative Samvaad dialogues

 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

NDTV Award: Recognised as the top school in North India for academics and for pedagogy by Educomp and NDTV.

Adhyayan Quality Audit: AQS ranks and evaluates the school on close to 162 parameters; THS is one of only two International Gold rated schools in the entire country.

Ashoka Changemaker School:THS is one amongst a group of only 180 schools from around the globe and one amongst only seven from North India on this listing.

HT Education Survey: THS’Junior Programme has been ranked second in the country by the Education Survey held by the daily Hindustan Times.

 curriculum development