Virginia de la Garza

January 22, 2009

I. "MY SYNTHESIS PRODUCT SHOWS THAT..."

A. I can convey who I want to influence/affect concerning what (Subject, Audience, Purpose).

At first, when I started writing the story Per-se-vere, (main objective of my synthesis) it was intended to influence children (5 to 8 years old) but then I decided to change my audience and orient it to parents and teachers too. I made this change because I believe that the development of habits of mind and skills to become Intellectual Perseverant can be better achieved when discussed and guided by an adult.
One of my challenges was transmitting the messages of the story in English. I wrote the story in Spanish first and 32 Spanish speaking kids read it. This made me see which parts were clear, impacted kids, etc. Modifications were made. I still have not gotten the same impact with the English version. I would like to continue working on that.




B. I know what others have done before, either in the form of writing or action, that informs and connects with my project, and I know what others are doing now.

I know what others are doing in terms of the theory of how student’s perceptions and beliefs about Intelligence, Learning, Success, Failure, Effort impact their attitude towards learning. The literature that I found most interesting was Carol Dweck’s.
On the other hand, visiting bookstores in Mexico and USA, to search and read children books about perseverance was very useful to understand what is out there and what are kids reading. What I found was far from what I was intending to do. I could develop something completely different.




C. I have teased out my vision, so as to expand my view of issues associated with the project, expose possible new directions, clarify direction/scope within the larger set of issues, and decide the most important direction.

My synthesis changed direction a couple of times. At first aimed for children (5 to 8 years old), then included parents and teachers. I am now thinking about doing a series of books developing a less complex version for younger students which include materials such as puppets and a flannel board so that teachers and students can manipulate. In addition, writing a more complex version of the story for older students would be interesting too. Developing a manual or booklet for parents is one of my goals as well.
I am still not sure if I am developing this materials in a printed form or if I show create a space in the internet where I can include them.



D. I have identified the premises and propositions that my project depends on, and can state counter-propositions. I have taken stock of the thinking and research I need to do to counter those counter-propositions or to revise my own propositions.

My project depends on the following propositions: 1) Perseverance is needed for significant learning. 2) The teaching of intellectual perseverance is taken for granted. 3) Perseverance needs to be taught. 4) Some habits of mind can lead to intellectual perseverance.
It has been difficult for me to find counter-propositions, I plan to do future thinking and searching about this.



E. I have clear objectives with respect to product, both written and practice, and process, including personal development as a reflective practitioner. I have arranged my work in a sequence (with realistic deadlines) to realize these objectives.

The objectives and deadlines I stated worked fine but I am still interested in continuing with the development of this project after graduating. I know that there are still areas that need further thinking and development that can improve my understanding of the project. I would like to keep using the strategies that I propose for being intellectually perseverant in my personal challenges.


F. I have gained direct information, models, and experience not readily available from other sources.

My teachers experience and expertise has given me information and examples that has been useful for my project and that I didn’t find in other sources. Being able to experience as a student, the dynamics that they use for teaching, have let me better understand how the thinking process works. This experience is much more significant compared to what I can read or find in other sources.


G. I have clarified the overall progression or argument underlying my research and the written reports.

I started my project by reading a lot of relevant literature. Then, I identified the most important ideas/theories that I wanted to consider for the story. Making the connections between the theory and the characters was challenging. I found ways of expressing my ideas through the children’s story and that was great. I worked in many drafts and I could clearly see the development of my ideas in the story.




H. My writing and other products Grab the attention of the readers/audience, Orient them, move them along in Steps, so they appreciate the Position I've led them to.

The Spanish version of the story was read by Spanish speaking kids and the discussion lead after made me confirm that the different parts of the story were clear and that they felt motivated with the topic.

I still need to get the chance to see the English speaking students reading and responding to the story. I am sure that the story can be improved by making it funnier and more accessible for kids using vocabulary they will feel more identified with. I need to find help in that area.



I. I have facilitated new avenues of classroom, workplace, and public participation.

This piece of literature will be very useful in school and at home but I am still not sure how it can be introduced in the school system. I guess it could be introduced as a brief curriculum topic. I need to get advice in the topic.




J. To feed into my future learning and other work, I have taken stock of what has been working well and what needs changing.

When I started the program I was interested in the teaching of thinking skills. I now understand that saying “teaching of thinking skills” is extremely broad. At this point I recognize that there are many different levels and areas related to the teaching of this topic. I have felt very curious and interested in the subtopic, Intellectual Perseverance and would like to continue doing further research and understanding.

II. DEVELOPING AS A REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONER, INCLUDING TAKING INITIATIVE IN AND THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS

1. I have integrated knowledge and perspectives from CCT and other courses into my own inquiry and engagement in social and/or educational change.

The CCT program has been the most significant academic experience I have ever had; It has impacted different dimensions of my life. I have developed skills that will help me academically, and personally. In addition, having found a special interest and feeling the need and motivation to continue learning about specific aspects of critical and creative thinking will help me keep growing.

2. I have also integrated into my own inquiry and engagement the processes, experiences, and struggles of previous courses.

All the courses at the CCT program were very inspiring and motivating but at the same time challenging and tough. At first it was difficult for me to express my ideas, to keep up with the new way of working. Being the only foreign student and coming from a different type of school system made the experience more challenging and interesting. Teachers and students made me feel comfortable at all times and I found a way to overcome my obstacles. I now can compare the way teachers teach here and in my country. My studying and learning process has been gradually modified and I have felt the progress.


3. I have developed efficient ways to organize my time, research materials, computer access, bibliographies, etc.

Making a portfolio with all the materials I used in the program has helped me to have all those valuable materials organized and ready to be used again or shared with others. I would have loved to have all the readings in pdf format so I can have those in my computer.

4. I have experimented with new tools and experiences, even if not every one became part of my toolkit as a learner, teacher/facilitator of others, and reflective practitioner.

As a teacher and facilitator, observing the CCT teachers effective ways of teaching showed me different dynamics and ways to motivate and share information that will be helpful for my future practice. I would have benefited by doing team projects.


5. I have paid attention to the emotional dimensions of undertaking my own project but have found ways to clear away distractions from other sources (present & past) and not get blocked, turning apparent obstacles into opportunities to move into unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory.

I experienced health challenges in my last year at the program. My CCT activities made me feel motivated despite my blockage. I found ways to overcome my obstacles and found the way to continue.
I still feel challenged by the speaking in English. I know that my ideas are much better expressed in Spanish than in English. This is to some point a limitation and frustrating. I wish I could do better in that aspect and I feel motivated to continue practicing, reading, writing, and sharing ideas.





6. I have developed peer and other horizontal relationships. I have sought support and advice from peers, and have given support and advice to them when asked for.

CCTers are very friendly and open people. I have felt very comfortable asking for help or sharing and I have always found someone willing to help and share. I am sure that some of the relationships I have made in this past years,with teachers and students, will keep developing.


7. I have taken the lead, not dragged my feet, in dialogue with my advisor and other readers. I didn't wait for the them to tell me how to solve an expository problem, what must be read and covered in a literature review, or what was meant by some comment I didn't understand. I didn't put off giving my writing to my advisor and other readers or avoid talking to them because I thought that they didn't see things the same way as I do.

My project built up in the different different courses. I shared my ideas with the different professors and students and always found supporting information and suggestions. My advisor and readers always gave the best they could. They were extremely helpful. My advisor was very interested in the topic, questioned me and guided me to develop my ideas and always motivated me to keep going. My first reader was also very caring and supportive. Unfortunately, he retired and couldn’t continue helping me until the end. I got a new reader at the end of the process who was supportive and helped me finish my project.


8. I have revised seriously, which involved responding to the comments of others. I came to see this not as bowing down to the views of others, but taking them in and working them into my own reflective inquiry until I could convey more powerfully to others what I'm about (which may have changed as a result of the reflective inquiry).

All the comments I received from others were very valuable. I shared my project with CCTers, family members, children, and elementary and early childhood teachers. The discussions were very rich and I always felt their excitement when discussing the importance of the topic in their lives or their school settings. I was constantly looking for suggestions and considered them when revising my project.




9. I have inquired and negotiated about formal standards, but gone on to develop and internalize my own criteria for doing work—criteria other than jumping through hoops set by the professor so I get a good grade.

I came to Boston and to the CCT program to learn. Learning has been my main goal grades have not been an essential issue.


10. I have approached the CCT synthesis course and the CCT program as works-in-progress, which means that, instead of harboring criticisms to submit after the fact, I have found opportunities to affirm what is working well and to suggest directions for further development.

YES! I believe that the connection between the CCT courses is perfect. It is easy to build on from one class to the other. The teachers were interested in helping me improve so I always saw their feedback as something positive that would help me be a better student.