Action Research Question:
"How will implementing new motivational methods targeted at first generation college students impact the retention success rates of students obtaining their undergraduate degrees?"
My action research study will focus on new motivational methods targeted for first generation college students. My purpose is to discover ways that these methods could impact the retention success rates of students in obtaining their undergraduate degrees.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics “First-generation students are defined as those whose parents’ highest level of education is a high school diploma or less. In cases where parents have different levels of education, the maximum education level of either parent determines how the student is categorized.” (U.S. Department of Education, 1998)
The target population for my action research will be the number of active first generation participants enrolled in the TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) program at Lamar. Since more than half of the students in the SSS program at Lamar are first generation college students, addressing their needs and barriers to increase their motivation toward completion of a degree would likely result in a greater impact on the performance of the program as a whole.
There are 160 active participants in the SSS program and out of these students, 82% have been identified as first generation students. I believe this would provide a good representative sampling of the students from the larger student population at the university since in 1989 – 90 almost half or about 43 percent of first-time beginning students were identified as first-generation students.
To my knowledge, no previous action research has been conducted on the Lamar campus in this area and it is believed that providing information on this topic would benefit all of the university staff that serve in the area of retention.
The goal or objective of my action research plan is to increase the student retention success rates for the Student Support Services program at Lamar University. The activities I plan to achieve this outcome will be to begin by analyzing the quantitative student data using the Student Access and Banner student management systems, as well as gathering qualitative data by collecting surveys and conducting student and advisor interviews, soliciting comments from students using the SSS blog, maintaining a journal or weblog including links to articles of interest, and reading literature related to research and ideas for motivating first generation students. As a part of the activities included in the plan will be to share the results of my research and findings on a blog site and to prepare a Powerpoint for presentation to retention advising staff.
The timeline for implementation of this research will be from September 2010 to May 2011. The persons responsible for implementation of the plan will include me, and the SSS program director, Andrea Stephenson. The process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives will be to meet with my director on a monthly basis to review the progress toward completion. The assessment instrument to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study will be the annual program reports which are submitted to the federal government reporting the retention success rates of first generation student who are actively enrolled in our program.
I plan to share my action research project by first writing about the results of my findings on my action research blog site. I agree with noted education ethnographer Harry Wolcott (1990) who stated that writing not only reflects thinking, but “writing is thinking”. Writing about the action research process will help me clarify my thoughts and create an outline so that I can then move toward preparing a Powerpoint to use as part of an oral presentation which I will initially share with SSS staff in an informal weekly staff meeting format. According to Dana (2009), “Writing up your inquiry, .... remains a wonderful way to clarify your thinking and make your inquiry tangible so that it can be shared with others.” Sharing my research on a blog will allow me to take ideas a step further and explore and develop concepts. It will also allow me to connect to a larger audience and allow them to post comments and expand on the research.
Next, I will ask to share my findings with a larger audience in a Partners in Advising meeting with campus advising staff members. I will begin by sharing my own personal success story of being a first generation college student and some of the barriers that I encountered along the way to achieving my goals.
Lastly, I will summarize my findings by creating a brochure that can be used to enable advisors to effectively identify the barriers of first generation students. This brochure will also serve as a desk aid / tool to suggest a variety of motivational methods that have been proven to be effective in working with first generation college students.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. First-Generation Students: Undergraduates Whose Parents Never Enrolled in Postsecondary Education, NCES 98-082, by Anne-Marie Nunez and Stephanie Cuccaro-Alamin.Project officer: C. Dennis Carroll. Washington DC: 1998.
Wolcott, H.F. (1990). Writing up qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Action Research Planning Template
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Action Research and the Value of Reflection
The following is part of an assignment for my coursework in Educational Technology Leadership and includes a compilation of some things that I have learned on the importance of action research and the value of reflection ....
According to Aileen Ferrance (2000) “action research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully, using the techniques of research.” Action research or administrative inquiry is a reflective process of intentionally engaging in the systematic study of practices in order to find ways to improve or change based on the results. It is a powerful tool for professional development and can be used to gain deeper insight in order to enhance the improvement efforts of any organization.
Action research allows leaders to step back, ask questions, and look at data to continually improve. The process allows for inquiry and discussion and is a collaborative activity that enables leaders to search for solutions to everyday problems and look for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement.
Action research refers to research intended to bring about change of some kind and allows practitioners to become collaborators in educational research by investigating their own problems and facilitate change. It is a research paradigm model that is conducted by practitioners inside an organization and focuses on providing insight into one’s own practice in an effort to change and improve.
Traditional educational research involved doing research on or about people and finding all available information on a topic of interest, looking for correct answers, learning why we do certain things, or problem-solving to find out what is wrong. Traditional research was performed by outside researchers and focused on explaining a process or controlling, predicting, and impacting the results.
Some examples of action research in educational settings include university coursework, superintendent / district meetings, leadership teams, and professional learning communities. By taking part in university coursework, leaders have opportunities to share their experiences with colleagues and classmates which enhances the inquiry process. Superintendent, district, and leadership team meetings allow leaders to share their work and the responsibilities of leadership with others as well as building a culture of collaboration. Professional learning communities allow groups of professionals to connect and network to learn from each other’s practice.
Some of the benefits of conducting action research are that it provides a meaningful way to grow professionally and allows principals to become role models for teachers and students. It also a process which helps best practices to flourish and enables principals to spend more of their time becoming proactive rather than reactive.
Reflection is an important skill in leadership because it is a continuous exercise that leads to greater productivity and efficiency. According to Dana (2009) “many principals do not engage in the process because they just can’t find the time”. Scheduling a planned consistent time for reflection and inquiry will allow a greater sense of control and accomplishment. Time for reflection is an important aspect of action research because it enables leaders to make informed administrative decisions and to feel better about the important decisions they make on a day to day basis. “One way to help ease the tension of time is to make inquiry a part of your daily practice rather than a separate part of it.” (Dana, 2009) Another way is to make inquiry a part of something you are already doing such as evaluating annual reports.
In an earlier post on this blog titled Reflecting on Reflective Thinking dated Dec. 16th, 2009, I wrote the following .....
"I have been thinking alot this week about the value of reflective thinking. As a counselor I use reflective listening techniques in working with students to help them solve their own problems and overcome challenges and barriers to their academic success. I have come to see how using our class discussion board, writing on our blogs and wikis, and completing our group and individual reflection assignments enhances our learning process. From my own personal experience, since I began participating in social networking sites and blogging, my own reflective thinking skills have increased tremendously. Before I began this course, Teaching with Technology, I don't think I had a true appreciation or understood the importance and value of the skill of reflective thinking."
Educational leaders would benefit from using an online journal or blog as a tool for capturing reflective thinking. Blogs are easy to create and update and can also serve as a good way to facilitate the thinking and learning of others. A weblog serves as an “online diary” where you can post text, images, and links to other blogs as well as interact with others by posting comments and receiving feedback from peers or anyone in the world. By reviewing our thought processes or connecting thoughts together over a period of time, the continual exercise of journaling or blogging can lead to greater insights into administrative practice.
Another statement that really stuck out to me on this subject was from noted educational ethnographer Harry Wolcott ( 1990) who stated that "writing and thinking are synonymous. The conventional wisdom is that writing reflects thinking. I am drawn to a different position: Writing is thinking". (p.21)
Ferrance, A. (2000). Themes in education: Action research. Providence, RI. Retrieved on July 17, 2010 from http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Wolcott, H.F. (1990). Writing up qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
According to Aileen Ferrance (2000) “action research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully, using the techniques of research.” Action research or administrative inquiry is a reflective process of intentionally engaging in the systematic study of practices in order to find ways to improve or change based on the results. It is a powerful tool for professional development and can be used to gain deeper insight in order to enhance the improvement efforts of any organization.
Action research allows leaders to step back, ask questions, and look at data to continually improve. The process allows for inquiry and discussion and is a collaborative activity that enables leaders to search for solutions to everyday problems and look for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement.
Action research refers to research intended to bring about change of some kind and allows practitioners to become collaborators in educational research by investigating their own problems and facilitate change. It is a research paradigm model that is conducted by practitioners inside an organization and focuses on providing insight into one’s own practice in an effort to change and improve.
Traditional educational research involved doing research on or about people and finding all available information on a topic of interest, looking for correct answers, learning why we do certain things, or problem-solving to find out what is wrong. Traditional research was performed by outside researchers and focused on explaining a process or controlling, predicting, and impacting the results.
Some examples of action research in educational settings include university coursework, superintendent / district meetings, leadership teams, and professional learning communities. By taking part in university coursework, leaders have opportunities to share their experiences with colleagues and classmates which enhances the inquiry process. Superintendent, district, and leadership team meetings allow leaders to share their work and the responsibilities of leadership with others as well as building a culture of collaboration. Professional learning communities allow groups of professionals to connect and network to learn from each other’s practice.
Some of the benefits of conducting action research are that it provides a meaningful way to grow professionally and allows principals to become role models for teachers and students. It also a process which helps best practices to flourish and enables principals to spend more of their time becoming proactive rather than reactive.
Reflection is an important skill in leadership because it is a continuous exercise that leads to greater productivity and efficiency. According to Dana (2009) “many principals do not engage in the process because they just can’t find the time”. Scheduling a planned consistent time for reflection and inquiry will allow a greater sense of control and accomplishment. Time for reflection is an important aspect of action research because it enables leaders to make informed administrative decisions and to feel better about the important decisions they make on a day to day basis. “One way to help ease the tension of time is to make inquiry a part of your daily practice rather than a separate part of it.” (Dana, 2009) Another way is to make inquiry a part of something you are already doing such as evaluating annual reports.
In an earlier post on this blog titled Reflecting on Reflective Thinking dated Dec. 16th, 2009, I wrote the following .....
"I have been thinking alot this week about the value of reflective thinking. As a counselor I use reflective listening techniques in working with students to help them solve their own problems and overcome challenges and barriers to their academic success. I have come to see how using our class discussion board, writing on our blogs and wikis, and completing our group and individual reflection assignments enhances our learning process. From my own personal experience, since I began participating in social networking sites and blogging, my own reflective thinking skills have increased tremendously. Before I began this course, Teaching with Technology, I don't think I had a true appreciation or understood the importance and value of the skill of reflective thinking."
Educational leaders would benefit from using an online journal or blog as a tool for capturing reflective thinking. Blogs are easy to create and update and can also serve as a good way to facilitate the thinking and learning of others. A weblog serves as an “online diary” where you can post text, images, and links to other blogs as well as interact with others by posting comments and receiving feedback from peers or anyone in the world. By reviewing our thought processes or connecting thoughts together over a period of time, the continual exercise of journaling or blogging can lead to greater insights into administrative practice.
Another statement that really stuck out to me on this subject was from noted educational ethnographer Harry Wolcott ( 1990) who stated that "writing and thinking are synonymous. The conventional wisdom is that writing reflects thinking. I am drawn to a different position: Writing is thinking". (p.21)
Ferrance, A. (2000). Themes in education: Action research. Providence, RI. Retrieved on July 17, 2010 from http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Wolcott, H.F. (1990). Writing up qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Real Life Research Action Examples
I watched 3 video interviews as part of my week 2 assignment for EDLD 5301 Research. The first interview was with Principal Johnny Briseno of Rancho Isabella Elementary, Angleton ISD. The area of action research he discussed was making data-based decisions. He stated that when you are presented with a problem you have to look at the facts first by asking questions intended to identify the problem and then determining the source of the problem. He stated that numbers do not always tell the whole story but you have to also discuss the qualitative data by asking the “why” and “what” questions such as “why are students not being successful?” and “what can we do to intervene on student’s behalf?”. Principal Briseno recommends that future leaders read articles in order to solve problems or pull up Google and see what other campuses or districts are doing to deal with their problems. Something that I learned from Principal Briseno is that it is best for teachers to share their best practices with their peers rather than the information coming from the leadership because it is more likely to be accepted and received.
The last interview was with Dr. Kirk Lewis, Superintendent of Pasadena ISD. Dr. Lewis stated that their district received a research based grant for a program called Expectation Graduation intended to target 9th grade students to get them in line for on-time graduation. He stated that their action research focused on looking at changing the way they delivered instruction and they spent a great deal of time looking at the data and reading research that other districts had provided. His advice for instructional leaders involved looking at what others are doing and finding a way to translate that into what you are doing and discovering what fits in your situation. He said that you need to ask the question “What is practical for you?” in order to directly apply your situation to student learning and the environment you are looking at whether it is a classroom, campus, or district-wide. Something I learned from Dr. Lewis is that students benefit more from practical rather than theoretical research.
The last interview was with Dr. Kirk Lewis, Superintendent of Pasadena ISD. Dr. Lewis stated that their district received a research based grant for a program called Expectation Graduation intended to target 9th grade students to get them in line for on-time graduation. He stated that their action research focused on looking at changing the way they delivered instruction and they spent a great deal of time looking at the data and reading research that other districts had provided. His advice for instructional leaders involved looking at what others are doing and finding a way to translate that into what you are doing and discovering what fits in your situation. He said that you need to ask the question “What is practical for you?” in order to directly apply your situation to student learning and the environment you are looking at whether it is a classroom, campus, or district-wide. Something I learned from Dr. Lewis is that students benefit more from practical rather than theoretical research.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Program Virtually Puts Students in Classroom
A coworker directed me to an interesting article today on the website of Sam Houston State University about their virtual classroom in Second Life called BearKat Island. The article states that "through Second Life, at www.secondlife.com, professors can incorporate any traditional classroom activity, from PowerPoint presentations to lectures to assigning class projects, virtually, and literally. They can even invite speakers from across the globe to guest lecture to their students." The advantage of using virtual classrooms is their interesting, and innovative format appeals to a tech-savvy generation of students and allows instructors to extend their knowledge to a global community. Read article here!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Action Research and the Value of Reflection
The following is part of an assignment for my coursework in Educational Technology Leadership and includes a compilation of some things that I have learned on the importance of action research and the value of reflection ....
According to Aileen Ferrance (2000) “action research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully, using the techniques of research.” Action research or administrative inquiry is a reflective process of intentionally engaging in the systematic study of practices in order to find ways to improve or change based on the results. It is a powerful tool for professional development and can be used to gain deeper insight in order to enhance the improvement efforts of any organization.
Action research allows leaders to step back, ask questions, and look at data to continually improve. The process allows for inquiry and discussion and is a collaborative activity that enables leaders to search for solutions to everyday problems and look for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement.
Action research refers to research intended to bring about change of some kind and allows practitioners to become collaborators in educational research by investigating their own problems and facilitate change. It is a research paradigm model that is conducted by practitioners inside an organization and focuses on providing insight into one’s own practice in an effort to change and improve.
Traditional educational research involved doing research on or about people and finding all available information on a topic of interest, looking for correct answers, learning why we do certain things, or problem-solving to find out what is wrong. Traditional research was performed by outside researchers and focused on explaining a process or controlling, predicting, and impacting the results.
Some examples of action research in educational settings include university coursework, superintendent / district meetings, leadership teams, and professional learning communities. By taking part in university coursework, leaders have opportunities to share their experiences with colleagues and classmates which enhances the inquiry process. Superintendent, district, and leadership team meetings allow leaders to share their work and the responsibilities of leadership with others as well as building a culture of collaboration. Professional learning communities allow groups of professionals to connect and network to learn from each other’s practice.
Some of the benefits of conducting action research are that it provides a meaningful way to grow professionally and allows principals to become role models for teachers and students. It also a process which helps best practices to flourish and enables principals to spend more of their time becoming proactive rather than reactive.
Reflection is an important skill in leadership because it is a continuous exercise that leads to greater productivity and efficiency. According to Dana (2009) “many principals do not engage in the process because they just can’t find the time”. Scheduling a planned consistent time for reflection and inquiry will allow a greater sense of control and accomplishment. Time for reflection is an important aspect of action research because it enables leaders to make informed administrative decisions and to feel better about the important decisions they make on a day to day basis. “One way to help ease the tension of time is to make inquiry a part of your daily practice rather than a separate part of it.” (Dana, 2009) Another way is to make inquiry a part of something you are already doing such as evaluating annual reports.
Ferrance, A. (2000). Themes in education: Action research. Providence, RI. Retrieved on July 17, 2010 from http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Wolcott, H.F. (1990). Writing up qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
According to Aileen Ferrance (2000) “action research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully, using the techniques of research.” Action research or administrative inquiry is a reflective process of intentionally engaging in the systematic study of practices in order to find ways to improve or change based on the results. It is a powerful tool for professional development and can be used to gain deeper insight in order to enhance the improvement efforts of any organization.
Action research allows leaders to step back, ask questions, and look at data to continually improve. The process allows for inquiry and discussion and is a collaborative activity that enables leaders to search for solutions to everyday problems and look for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement.
Action research refers to research intended to bring about change of some kind and allows practitioners to become collaborators in educational research by investigating their own problems and facilitate change. It is a research paradigm model that is conducted by practitioners inside an organization and focuses on providing insight into one’s own practice in an effort to change and improve.
Traditional educational research involved doing research on or about people and finding all available information on a topic of interest, looking for correct answers, learning why we do certain things, or problem-solving to find out what is wrong. Traditional research was performed by outside researchers and focused on explaining a process or controlling, predicting, and impacting the results.
Some examples of action research in educational settings include university coursework, superintendent / district meetings, leadership teams, and professional learning communities. By taking part in university coursework, leaders have opportunities to share their experiences with colleagues and classmates which enhances the inquiry process. Superintendent, district, and leadership team meetings allow leaders to share their work and the responsibilities of leadership with others as well as building a culture of collaboration. Professional learning communities allow groups of professionals to connect and network to learn from each other’s practice.
Some of the benefits of conducting action research are that it provides a meaningful way to grow professionally and allows principals to become role models for teachers and students. It also a process which helps best practices to flourish and enables principals to spend more of their time becoming proactive rather than reactive.
Reflection is an important skill in leadership because it is a continuous exercise that leads to greater productivity and efficiency. According to Dana (2009) “many principals do not engage in the process because they just can’t find the time”. Scheduling a planned consistent time for reflection and inquiry will allow a greater sense of control and accomplishment. Time for reflection is an important aspect of action research because it enables leaders to make informed administrative decisions and to feel better about the important decisions they make on a day to day basis. “One way to help ease the tension of time is to make inquiry a part of your daily practice rather than a separate part of it.” (Dana, 2009) Another way is to make inquiry a part of something you are already doing such as evaluating annual reports.
In an earlier post on this blog titled Reflecting on Reflective Thinking dated Dec. 16th, 2009, I wrote the following .....
"I have been thinking alot this week about the value of reflective thinking. As a counselor I use reflective listening techniques in working with students to help them solve their own problems and overcome challenges and barriers to their academic success. I have come to see how using our class discussion board, writing on our blogs and wikis, and completing our group and individual reflection assignments enhances our learning process. From my own personal experience, since I began participating in social networking sites and blogging, my own reflective thinking skills have increased tremendously. Before I began this course, Teaching with Technology, I don't think I had a true appreciation or understood the importance and value of the skill of reflective thinking."
Educational leaders would benefit from using an online journal or blog as a tool for capturing reflective thinking. Blogs are easy to create and update and can also serve as a good way to facilitate the thinking and learning of others. A weblog serves as an “online diary” where you can post text, images, and links to other blogs as well as interact with others by posting comments and receiving feedback from peers or anyone in the world. By reviewing our thought processes or connecting thoughts together over a period of time, the continual exercise of journaling or blogging can lead to greater insights into administrative practice.
Another statement that really stuck out to me on this subject was from noted educational ethnographer Harry Wolcott ( 1990) who stated that "writing and thinking are synonymous. The conventional wisdom is that writing reflects thinking. I am drawn to a different position: Writing is thinking". (p.21)
"I have been thinking alot this week about the value of reflective thinking. As a counselor I use reflective listening techniques in working with students to help them solve their own problems and overcome challenges and barriers to their academic success. I have come to see how using our class discussion board, writing on our blogs and wikis, and completing our group and individual reflection assignments enhances our learning process. From my own personal experience, since I began participating in social networking sites and blogging, my own reflective thinking skills have increased tremendously. Before I began this course, Teaching with Technology, I don't think I had a true appreciation or understood the importance and value of the skill of reflective thinking."
Educational leaders would benefit from using an online journal or blog as a tool for capturing reflective thinking. Blogs are easy to create and update and can also serve as a good way to facilitate the thinking and learning of others. A weblog serves as an “online diary” where you can post text, images, and links to other blogs as well as interact with others by posting comments and receiving feedback from peers or anyone in the world. By reviewing our thought processes or connecting thoughts together over a period of time, the continual exercise of journaling or blogging can lead to greater insights into administrative practice.
Another statement that really stuck out to me on this subject was from noted educational ethnographer Harry Wolcott ( 1990) who stated that "writing and thinking are synonymous. The conventional wisdom is that writing reflects thinking. I am drawn to a different position: Writing is thinking". (p.21)
Ferrance, A. (2000). Themes in education: Action research. Providence, RI. Retrieved on July 17, 2010 from http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Wolcott, H.F. (1990). Writing up qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Beauty of Mathematics
The Beauty of Mathematics ...
Just the math part is good enough, the end is even better!!
Beauty of Mathematics
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
Just the math part is good enough, the end is even better!!
Beauty of Mathematics
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111
9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:
1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321
Mind Boggling...
Now, take a look at this....
101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they
are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to
GIVE OVER 100%..
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
And:
K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%
But:
A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E
1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%
THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close,
and Attitude will get you there,
It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!
Now, take a look at this....
101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they
are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to
GIVE OVER 100%..
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
And:
K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%
But:
A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E
1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%
THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close,
and Attitude will get you there,
It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Grand Cayman Vacation
You may want to read the previous post below dated July 3rd before reading the following post ....
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Our flight from Houston was a smooth one. I found that I wasn't as nervous as I ususally get when I'm flying. The movie was "How to Train Your Dragon" and we noticed there were lots of families on the plane. Our transportation from the airport was a small bus and the first thing we noticed was that the steering wheel was on the right side, or should I say the "wrong side". As soon as we took off for our hotel, all four of us gasped when we saw what looked like a car pulling out in front of us. In reality the car was on his side of the road and there was a curve in the road so it looked like he was turning in front of us. We all thought we were about to hit him!!! After we realized what was happening, we all had a big laugh.
Note: Cayman dollars are worth less than US dollars so $1. US is worth $1.25 CI or Cayman Island dollars. Just one meal for 4 people in the hotel equaled about $160. - $300. CI dollars.
We probably turned in around 10 p.m. after a long day of travel and getting settled in. Our room was very nice, but it seemed to stay a little damp. We teased Patty and Jackie about being in the Presidential Suite on the 5th floor, which was also the top floor. They weren't really, but it made for lots of laughs. Jackie is very creative and quite the story-teller, so he kept us all entertained during our entire stay.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Sunday didn't seem like July 4th. No fireworks were on the agenda for our time in Grand Cayman. Although I think we did see a few fireworks, but we also learned that Monday was a national holiday in the British West Indies, Constitution Day. So any fireworks that went off were probably in celebration of that day. We also learned that the shopping areas are closed on Sundays and would also be closed for the holiday except for when the cruise ships were in port. So we planned to try to do a little shopping on Monday.
That night it rained very hard as we had dinner by the beach. At one point we had to get up and move to another table because it was raining so hard. We enjoyed great conversation with Jack and Patty as they all reminisced of school days and friends they knew and we all got to know each other better. Jack D. was able to arrange for us a tour of Hell, the Turtle Farm, and the Tortuga Rum Cake factory for Monday and for Stingray City and snorkling for Tuesday afternoon. He told them that he was a travel editor and they gave us some special rates.
Monday, July 5, 2010
We got up early today to eat a buffet breakfast again and meet our tour guide by 8:45 a.m. Nelson, a Jamaican tour guide greeted us and Jackie teased that he looked like Stevie Wonder and wondered if he could also sing like Elvis. Every sentence either started with "Hello mon!" or ended with "yeah mon", and yes Nelson did sing for us, but not like Elvis or Stevie. Nelson made the tour of the Governor's mansion, an 18 hole golf course, the Ritz Carlton, (where the rooms are $600. a night) the Turtle Farm, Hell, and the Tortuga Rum Cake factory all very interesting. He gave us lots of facts about the island and we really enjoyed our morning. We also saw some almond trees and "sea grape" trees while we were on the tour.
At the Tortuga Rum Cake factory we got to sample different flavors of rum cake, pineapple, coconut, apple cinnamon, banana, chocolate, you name it.
That afternoon, after lunch at the hotel, we decided to take a taxi to do some shopping but discovered all the shops were about to close since the cruise ships were getting ready to leave. That was at 3 p.m. We picked up a few souveniers and stopped and had a drink at a Starbucks before returning to the hotel. A taxi ride for just a few miles was $15. US or $12. CI each way.
Thankfully it didn't rain on Monday but that night we decided to eat dinner indoors at the Red Parrot since we had been in the heat all day. It was a very quiet and intimate dinner and we just enjoyed great conversation again and anticipated what we would be doing the next day. Jackie was talking about our trip to Stingray City and I wasn't really paying attention and at one point he said "nothing like unprotected s...." and he couldn't get the rest of the word out and my eyes got big!!! I started laughing at him and at myself and he finished his sentence "unprotected STINGRAYS" and we had another big laugh. So I teased him about saying "nothing like unprotected s...." for the rest of our stay.
After a very relaxing meal, we all walked down and sat in lounge chairs on the beach and talked. We laughed and laughed as we listened to the waves against the shore. It was so peaceful and relaxing. We also talked about some of the things that we each had learned over the years and how we measure success in life. It was a very special time for all of us and it was almost midnight by the time our heads hit the pillow.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
We stopped and had a light drink before returning to our hotel and we quickly grabbed a sandwich before we met our transportation to Stringray City at 1 p.m. We learned that a man at our hotel on the previous day had been stung by a jelly fish and their trip was cancelled so they were trying it again. So we all were a little nervous about taking this trip. It wasn't far to Safe Haven where we boarded the catamaran to take us out to the sand bar where the stingrays are. There were probably about 35 people on the catamaran with us and the weather was gorgeous and the water was pretty calm.
Note: One thing we learned about Grand Cayman is that they really seem to cater to families. There were lots of children and teenagers there. Not the partying type of crowds and babes in bikinis that you see in Mexico.
We were able to enjoy the stingrays for quite a while and then we went over to an area to snorkle but Jack was the only one who was interested. The water was deeper there and the current was pretty strong. He jumped in at first with no life vest and no swim fins, but ended up getting back on the boat and getting outfitted. He did some better but was really tired out when he got done. Even though we spent around 3 hours in the sun, we didn't really burn at all. It was still very cloudy but we really thoroughly enjoyed the trip. There was a great sense of accomplishment over conquering our fears about swimming with the stingrays. We returned to the hotel and had a wonderful dinner in the outdoor restaurant by the beach. Afterward we took a little walk on the beach and then just sat silently listening to the waves again on the beach. I was very very tired that night. I think all the sun and the week was catching up with me. I think we all were also a little sad knowing it would be our last night together and our last night in Grand Cayman.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
On Wednesday we got up pretty early and started packing our bags. We went and ate breakfast and then Jack and I headed to the beach to rent a waverunner. The water was so peaceful and calm that morning. Very few waves. Riding a waverunner was my "one thing" that I wanted to do but Jack was a little hesitant about it. I assured him that we could do this! And off we went. It was so much fun! Like riding a motorcycle except on the water. At one point he got up to about 30 miles per hour. I wanted to go again and this time drive the waverunner but we decided against it. Jackie and Patty arrived and took our picture just as we were getting off the waverunner. We then got in the water and saw some cool fish. A huge snapper fish about 3 ft. long and some cute little black and yellow tiger / zebra fish. We enjoyed it so much we didn't want to leave, but knew we had to get cleaned up and get ready to head to the airport.
We bought a few last minute souveniers at the airport including some rum cakes to take back home to friends. We also met a couple from Sealy Texas who had been on the same flight from Houston with us on Saturday, visited Stingray City with us, and then were flying home with us.
Note: We found all the people to be very gracious and kind in Grand Cayman. Wherever we went they were eager to serve us and seemed very genuine.
We worried that the flight would be rough but it really wasn't. The plane wasn't full like it was flying in from Houston and this time I had to pay extra for the movie. I chose "Dan in Real Life". It was raining a little when we arrived in Houston around 8 p.m. but not really bad. It probably took us an hour and a half after we got off the plane to get through customs and get our baggage and get back to where our car was parked. We finally arrived back home in Bridge City around 11:30 p.m. What a wonderful vacation. Something we will definately never forget. Amazing island, amazing friends, amazing time!!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Leaving for Grand Cayman Island
Amazing how time brings so many changes in our lives! Left at 8:52 a.m. July 3, 2010 driving to Houston to board a plane for Grand Cayman!! Hurricane Alex brought lots of rain this week along with some flooding in Houston. It's dry and overcast today as we cross over the bridge to Port Arthur.
Everyone at work seemed to be more excited about this trip than I was but I started getting more excited this week. I think we booked the trip around May 7th. It was my idea to invite Jack's friends Jack Dennis and Patty Suhler. I got my hair highlighted and my nails done for the trip. I was really pleased with the way my hair turned out.
I am enjoying not having coursework to worry about but the next course will begin before the week is out. I miss talking to my online friends already. So many of them have finished their coursework and will graduate in August. Only time will tell if we will remain friends.
I am looking forward to getting to know Jack and Patty better. If it hadn't been for the computer we probably would not have connected with them like this. Jack reconnected with them through his high school website and then they surprised him by coming to our church dedication day. My goal for this trip is to really reconnect with my husband. This trip was mostly his idea so I hope it will be memorable.
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