Peabloggy

“In Darfur, Sudan, 300,000 people have died over the past three years as a result of civil conflict, lack of food, and disease. Two million children,women and men are refugees, with little food, drinkable water, protection or hope. The U.N. has identified Darfur as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today.”

In December 2004 my home church in Tipp City, OH led by head pastor Michael Slaughter decided to do something about what is going on in the Sudan.  Slaughter challenged the 4,500 + congregation to see Christmas not as their own birthday, but as Jesus’ birthday.  He said whatever amount you spend on Christmas, to bring in the same amount to the give to the Sudan.

“The first year resulted in $317,000, which Ginghamsburg Church immediately used in partnership with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to establish a self-sustaining agricultural project. This project put 5,208 Sudanese families back into the farming business in 2005 and resulted in a successful harvest that has now expanded as of 2007 to feed 65,000 people in five internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Darfur. The program also strengthened the region’s economy as local blacksmiths created the tools, area threshers assisted with the harvest, and resultant seed was packaged for selling at local markets. The second year’s offering resulted in $530,000, which Ginghamsburg deployed in partnership with UMCOR to initiate the five-year child protection & development program. The first year’s results included 190 teachers trained, 90 classrooms constructed or rehabilitated and 15,000 children receiving educational materials.”

This year the church is focusing on raising money to not only continue what has already been started (crops, child protection & education), but also to establish an initiative to build 10 water yards to provide safe water and sanitation. 

What is so unique about what we are doing is that this is not a hand out, it is a hand up.  The church is not raising money just to send supplies to the Sudan, which would cause more problems because they would have to figure out a way to divide them and disperse them without conflict.  Rather, the church is partnering with the Sudanese to allow them to farm again, have education opportunities, have protection, have clean water, and best of all have hope. 

 I don’t know about you, but when I read about the current conditions of Sudan in the History books of my future children, I want to know that I did something about it. 

If you are interested in learning about the crisis in Sudan or the Sudan Project of Ginghamsburg Church please go to: thesudanproject.orgYou can get information about the status of the project as well as watch video updates of actual footage of Darfur, Sudan from when the Ginghamsburg teams have gone there to build relationships and see the fruit of the seeds planted. 

There are many ways that you can become part of solution.  Please check it out.

-Anna Oparah

I just went to hear the founder of the “Not for Sale Campaign” speak.  He wants to end slavery in our lifetime.  You might think, “what?  slavery ended a long time ago with President Lincoln” but slavery still exists.  It is weird, isn’t it?  People don’t talk about it.  I didn’t learn about modern day slavery in grade school or high school.  I would think it should be part of the materials that should be taught today in school and talked about at the coffee station at work. 

Today, 27 million people are enslaved.  It is incredibly widespread.  It ranges from people working in sweatshops all day with no pay making nice jewelry for Americans to buy to young women and girls being kidnapped to be whores against their will at under cover brothels all over the United States.  I just mentioned two examples that are directly connected to the US.  Slavery is in every country! 

I think people need to know.  I think something needs to be done. To learn more about modern slavery and what you can do about it visit the website: www.notforsalecampaign.org

-Anna

In preparation for an upcoming summer class, I’ve been reading Jean Elshtain’s book, Democracy on Trial. This quote caught my attention:

“A major concern for all who care about democracy is the everyday actions and spirit of a people. Democracy requires laws, constitutions, and authoritative institutions, yes, but it also depends on what might be called democratic dispositions. These include a preparedness to work with others different from oneself toward shared ends; a combination of strong convictions with a readiness to compromise in the recognition that one can’t always get everything one wants; and a sense of individuality and commitment to civic goods that are not the possession of one person or of one group alone.”

- Rachel Bowers

Has anyone ever taken a practical course in leadership that is offered outside of an academic setting and is more practically-focused? Thoughts? Worth it? What did you learn?

I am particularly curious about how it compares to a course offered by an academic institution. Do the two go hand-in-hand? As in, do the courses offered outside of a strictly academic setting discuss theory and apply it? Would you benefit from having taken a leadership theory course? Or is it all practice?

In our leadership courses, we read articles about studies that have been mathematically reduced — using coefficients, variables, controls, etc. etc. — to a conclusion about how humans lead one another. Is that part of these more practically-focused classes?

Thoughts, anyone who has invested in one of these?

–Kristen Hayner

Hammer is probably not the best choice of tools for this blog post, but I think it will get the analogy across.

In Geoff Bellman’s Book, The Consultant’s Calling, he makes a great statement regarding using what you have as a unique individual to consult with a client. Without quoting verbatim, the assertion is made that, no matter the tools you use to consult — the books, manuals, processes, templates, agenda guides — you are ultimately the one who is using the tool. And therefore, it’s truly your own.

I found this a simple yet profound statement. As someone who looks for best practices and to emulate what other “smart people” do, it’s refreshing to know that, even if I use someone else’s idea and attempt to follow it to a “T,” it’s still my own work. It still will have my own stamp — right or wrong, beneficial or harmful to the client.

We’ll be speaking with Bellman during our next class for LPO 3372 via simulcast and I’ll surely have questions for him about this. I’ll keep you updated.

~Kristen Hayner

The longstanding debate about the credibility and relevance of the doctorate in education continues to simmer. At the same time, Vanderbilt’s Peabody College continues to be held out as a model for Ed.D. reform.

On Wednesday, Education Week highlighted the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, which includes a couple of dozen ed schools that have committed themselves to examining their Ed.D. programs and making changes to ensure that their programs meet the needs of high-level practitioners. Vanderbilt Peabody was mentioned as an example of one university that has already made significant changes:

At Vanderbilt University, Ed.D. candidates now take courses in a prescribed order in a cohort of about 20 students, and they finish by completing a group project. In the past, they took courses as they could, and wrote individual dissertations.

In addition, the group projects at Vanderbilt involve producing work for a client, such as a school district. Ellen B. Goldring, a professor who teaches in the program, said the endeavor better mirrors the kind of work that education leaders do in the field.

“Our assumption is that the quality of work will be much higher,” said Ms. Goldring, whose education school is part of the Carnegie initiative. “You’re not just doing it to finish up a degree. Your name is on it, and it’s going out into the world of practice.”

Ed.D. programs have gotten a lot of ink, most of it unfavorable, in the two years since Arthur Levine released his scathing report calling for the degree’s elimination. But even Levine, who was then president of Teachers College, acknowledged that Vanderbilt’s program offered an exception to the rule.

Read the EdWeek article here.

–Kurt Brobeck

Generic, I know.

But insanely important.

So my question is simple: What is the most practical way you think your boss or supervisor — whomever signs your checks and evaluations — can show you leadership?

It is a 15 minute cup of coffee in the cafeteria, one-on-one? Is it an encouraging note? Is it a star system like in kindergarten which stacks you against the others in your class in healthy competition? Or is it entirely different?

Asked another way, if you could advise the CEO of a large corporation of the silver-bullet in building trust with his or her employees, what would it be?

PS: This isn’t a general knowledge question. It’s a real scenario I am dealing with in a class. And I need a great answer!!

~Kristen Hayner