John Yula's Mastery Journal

Strengths

• What do you do well?
• What unique resources can you draw on?
• What do others see as your strengths?

My technological aptitude stands out when looking at my strengths, especially being able to utilize it in conjunction with learning theories such as SAMR and TPACK. Through combining theories and technology, I am able to better engage learners with their content. One additional strength is my ability to collaborate with others through which, I believe that my knowledge in technology stands out to others. I also am extremely thorough and detailed oriented in everything that I do. This stems from my belief that any product is representative of the person that created it. In this class in particular, my strength in research and the subsequent application of that information shined. 

Weaknesses

• What could you improve?
• Where do you have fewer resources than others?
• What are others likely to see as weaknesses?

My biggest weakness is how easily I get distracted and overwhelmed in any given situation. In order to combat this, I try and seclude myself whenever I want to make any type of meaningful progress in any given task. While I can excel working in a group, typically I work alone due to my susceptibility to distractions. As a result, my network of resources is relatively low leaving me to rely upon my ability to research answers and contact my supervisor for any task that I am unsure of. Something that others may see as a weakness that I have comes in the form of my honesty and bluntness. I speak my mind and if something is not being done correctly or the most efficient way, I very often will speak up which many people do not appreciate.

Opportunities

• What opportunities are open for you?
• What trends could you take advantage of?
• How can you turn your strengths into opportunities?

One opportunity that currently exists for me is time. Currently, I am transitioning between jobs, therefore I have more time on my hands which I am able to dedicate to my graduate program. A trend that I have seen in my area that I can take advantage of is a need for technological refinement and updating for companies and individuals alike. I have had people approach me recently about helping them with this which will give me the opportunity to use the skills that I am acquiring through my classes in real-life situations. From my various previous employments, I also have developed strengths in coming up with technological solutions for people and then training them in how to take advantage of these solutions themselves.

Threats

• What threats could harm you?
• What is your competition doing?
• What threats do your weaknesses expose you to?

My biggest threat currently is time. While this may seem like a contradiction as I also consider time an opportunity, if used improperly it can work against me. I am trying to figure out the best way to manage my time so I can dedicate enough time towards my studies in addition to being able to financially support my wife, and soon to be child. Once our child is born, I will have even more that I need to split my time between so I need to develop the skills before then that will assist me in not becoming overwhelmed causing me to fall behind. My competition is currently working in the fields in which I wish to eventually join. Their added time in the field can potentially negate the experience that I have acquired that sets me apart from others my age. 

Keep Doing

• Based off of the feedback and my performance during week one, I made some changes that made things easier and I believe they will continue to do so moving forward. In order to better understand what I did wrong I contacted my instructor and setup a meeting. This was immensely helpful as I was able to talk through my confusion and truly learn from my mistakes. Moving forward I will continue to reach out and seek clarification when I really need it. I also made sure to remove myself from distractions and go to an alternate environment to work. The standards that I hold myself to have not changed and I remain dedicated to producing the best possible work I can. As week three quickly approaches, I know that I will be away on family vacation. In preparation for that I have been working to get all assignments for both weeks two and three prior to arriving in New York. In doing so, I forced myself to manage my time better and because of that, I will be able to enjoy this time with my family more. I will continue working to get assignments done earlier in the week as the sense of accomplishment and relief that I feel once they are complete is extremely rewarding.

Stop Doing

• While I did a better job of seeking help during week two, I also believe that I obsessed over the minutia too much. I do feel as though the clarity I received helped me understand the content more. As a graduate student though, I need to become more independent and confident in my abilities. Before I ever contact an instructor, I make sure that I research as best I can to find the answers. That is something that I should keep doing but I also realize that I should believe in myself more. Most of the time I have discovered the correct answer through my research. Finally, while it is extremely important to take breaks and walk away from things sometimes, this must be done within reason. Occasionally I am good at limiting the amount of time I take for a break while other times I go to the extreme. I either deprive myself of any kind of break or take too long of one. Typically, I will take too long of a break and feel guilty for not being productive for such an extended period of time. As a result, I will then wait until I am on the verge of burning myself out before taking another one. I need to learn how to find a happy medium in which I afford myself the breaks I deserve while limiting them to a reasonable length.

Start Doing

• As I work to complete the assignments for week three, there are some things that I need to start doing in hopes of improving my success within my graduate program. In order to more fully engage myself I need to create more of a set schedule. Right now, I just work on my class until I get burnt out and need to take a break. This is highly inefficient as my breaks then become longer than they should be. Establishing a well-balanced, structured routine will not only help me in IDT520 but all of my other classes. Due to our current financial situation, I also need to restrict my spending as well as increasing the amount of time that I look for scholarships or jobs. In finding potential scholarships, less money will have to be allocated to schooling. That way my wife and I can focus on supporting each other and our new child.

Keep Doing

• Sometimes, one of the best things to do when trying to complete an assignment or task, is stop working. It may sound counterintuitive, but it really makes an immense difference. I have utilized this strategy throughout my life whether it be for academics, sports, extracurriculars, or work. I get so wrapped up in what I am doing that my frustration builds and then I get paralyzed, unable to make any meaningful progress. This past week I spent a lot of time working on an assignment only to discover that I had done it wrong and needed to redo it. The best thing I could do in the moment was to step away and pick it back up the next day. I also made sure to contact my instructor to get clarification and insight into the assignment itself. Doing those two things, taking a break and seeking clarification from an expert, helped me see success and create a product that I am proud of, despite my setbacks. I realize that these things will occur and if I continue handling them in this way I truly believe that I will continue to see success throughout my graduate program.

Stop Doing

• One of my biggest flaws is my perfectionist nature. Don’t get me wrong, this can be a great quality, but I torture myself with it. Everything that I do I overanalyze and plan out trying to create the best product possible. The problem is, I waste so much time and typically, the time added does not make a huge difference in the quality of my work. There are times when this is appropriate but overall, I need to change how I approach assignments moving forward in my master’s program. If I continue doing what I am doing I will get academic fatigue and my motivation will get reduced, especially with a child on the way and having to get another job soon. In order to make my situation better I need to stop worrying about every individual detail and focus on chunking assignments into more manageable and reasonable tasks. I also need to make sure that I am confident in my work. After completing it and making corrections I do not need to correct it and change it five more times when it does not need that. 

Start Doing

• Moving forward, there are strategies that I plan to employ in order to ensure the greatest probability of success as a graduate student. These are based primarily around project planning and time management. Whenever I get a new task, I need to sit down and chunk it into smaller pieces that are more manageable. I then need to start working on these chunked portions earlier in the week. That way, any setbacks, obstacles, or distractions are not as big of liabilities that could threaten the completion or quality of my work. Also, I am going to make sure that I work in a distraction free environment incorporating the Pomodoro technique more regularly. This technique ensures that I am focused for a certain amount of time but take occasional, guaranteed short breaks in order to reduce burnout. As a graduate student, there are some sacrifices that are required. While I know that it is important, for me especially, to take time for myself away from working I need to make sure that I do not take too much time. This may involve reducing the amount of time I spend on social media, or my phone in general, as well as video games. I have already reduced the amount of video games I play but my phone is a distraction that I need to eliminate in order to more fully engage myself in a class in order to fulfill all requirement to the best of my ability.

            As the first course in my Masters program comes to an end I reflect on my journey thus far as well as what I have to expect moving forward. Going into this I was not sure whether or not it was the right time to be starting graduate school. The school year ended, I decided I would not be returning, and my wife and I have our first child due at the end of October. There has not been a “good time” to start though since I graduated college so why did now seem right?

            There are a couple of factors that led my decision to start working towards my Masters. The first is that I cannot see a better time in the foreseeable future. With a baby on the way it will only get more difficult. School is out and I continue to get paid through August so financially there is a little bit of a cushion. Also, the injury that I incurred during my time working in the oil fields has required two surgeries and a lot of physical therapy. This means that I have been receiving worker’s compensation for the injury and while not permanent, it has helped and will continue to do so until I reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). 

            The other main factor for making this life-changing decision was the death of my father. He knew that this has always been a life goal of mine and in some ways, it became a goal for him as well. While he was alive I always had the fear that I would not be able to make him proud despite how often he told me otherwise. Now, every morning I wake up and put on his cross before I go about my day hoping that he will guide me and I can do my best to make him proud. 

            I do get nervous though, that moving forward I will not be able to properly balance school and supporting my family. I will continue to do my best to reach this level of balance and at the same time, know my limits and when I need to take a step back. With our child being expected at the end of October I know that I will be taking November off. Not only do I want to ensure I do well but more importantly, I want to be able to enjoy the birth of our first child and learn everything that comes with being a dad myself. If I can not take the time to do that, then I am doing something wrong and need to reevaluate my priorities in life.

            Something that also continues to get me through is an image that I had designed when I was younger. My cousin Kimberly had died in a car accident in which the driver was the only one that survived. I will never forget my mom’s scream when she got the call, or the devastation my closest cousin felt from losing his sister. Everyone experiences loss and I realize that, but the effect that her death had upon my family was incredible. Not only that, but the last memory that I have of Kimmy was her trying to give me a hug and I giggled and ran away. I loved her and was little; I had no idea that that would be the last time I saw her. 

            Growing up I was extremely religious, and I still hold many of those values close to me today. I am not sure when it came to me but I knew that I wanted something that would define me in a way. I do know what prompted me to actually create the image though. My childhood was not a bad one by any means, except for school. I was bullied from the third grade throughout eight and even into high school a little. My escape, was the ocean.

            Every summer we would go out to Montauk, New York where my family had a beach house. There I would surf and lifeguard, spending as much time at the beach and in the water as possible. Once I started surfing, I was hooked and nothing could match that feeling. Every summer I saved up and bought a new board, it was something that I looked forward to and constantly thought about. One year, I decided that I would have a custom board made for me and for that, I needed an image. While I am creative, I am not very gifted when it comes to drawing so I recruited my friend Scott. I told him exactly what I wanted and made some sketches for him as a guide. He completed it on rice paper which then became part of my board. In college, I wanted the image in a form that I could use for whatever I wanted and so my other friend digitally rendered it for me. 

There are four elements to this image, each relevant to my life in its own way:

• a heart, a symbol of hope that things will always work out
• a cross, representing my faith in God that has gotten me through so much
• an anchor, life without charity is one not truly fulfilled and it helps ground me
• a butterfly, the symbol of my cousin Kim, reminding me constantly that life is not permanent and to live everyday like it could be the last for me or the ones I love

Why? Why do we do what we do? Is it for the money we can make? How about the fame we can acquire? What about the attention we seek? Or rather, is it for another reason entirely? For me, my “why” is knowing that there is something out there so integral to society and human development that is broken. My “why” is knowing that I might have to be the one to fix it.  

I have said it before and I will said it again, our educational system is broken, and no one seems to care. Sure, there are people out there that say they care, and in their own way I am sure that they do; but to me caring means taking action. I have met too many educators that have the mentality of “This is how it has always been, what is the point fighting it?” Unfortunately, many teachers are stubborn and resistant to change, especially the veterans. Who can blame them though? Schools go through more “initiatives” and “implementations” than any other industry I can think of. This should help modernize education, right? Maybe if schools and educators actually wanted to adopt them then yes. The problem is, teachers are so underpaid and underappreciated in the United States that the turnover rate is ludicrous. As of 2017, it was estimated that the average turnover rate for teachers in the United States was around 16% compared to the 3% to 4% attrition rate in places such as Finland, Canada, Singapore, and Ontario (Carver-Thomas & Darling Hammond, 2017). With this high of a turnover rate, how can there be any hope of success for initiatives, never mind consistency for students. 

Many new teachers are scared of attempting to try and change things for fear of upsetting veteran teachers. Also, education has become so political and children so coddled that having any real expectations or standards is essentially career suicide. 

“…education has become so political and children so coddled that having any real expectation or standards is essentially career suicide.”

Outside of my student teaching I have been in three different K-12 schools and in each one of them, administrators have changed the grades of my students to either appease parents, make sure they were eligible for sports, or pass the class/graduate. I have refused to stand by and watch this happen so at the end of each of these respective school years, I have left in hopes of finding a school that seems to have a moral compass similar to my own. 

Why did I have this diatribe? To give the background I believe necessary in order to get the most out of what I am about to share. Years ago I saw a video on YouTube of Simon Sinek (2009) speaking about “how great leaders inspire action” (TEDx Talks). Immediately something went off in my, I knew what I had to do. Sinek speaks about what he calls “the Golden Circle” in which he explains why the best leaders, no matter what the field or industry, always start with “why”. He explains why some people are exceptional at what they do when they have the same access and resources, if not less, than those around them. It is because they have been able to determine their “why“. This concept is one that I have come back to more than any other over the years. Now, as I embark on my Mastery journey I have realized that the concepts of Sinek’s why and Robert Greene’s Life’s Task are entwined (2012). If I want to be successful in fulfilling my Life’s Task, I need to start with my “why” and implement the strategies my Masters program teaches me. If I follow this formula and don’t fall to any of the Emotional Pitfalls outlined by Greene, I have no doubt in my mind that I will be successful in my Life’s Task of turning education around (Greene 2012).

References

Cagle, D. (2013, July 30). Teachers Then and Now [Political Cartoon].  
     Retrieved from https://www.cagle.com/daryl-cagle/2013/07/teachers-  
     then-and-now

Carver-Thomas, D. & Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher turnover: Why it 
     matters and what we can do about it. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy 
     Institute. 

Greene, R.  (2012). Mastery [VitalSource Bookshelf version].  Retrieved 
     from vbk://9781101601020

TEDx Talks. (2009, September28). Start with why – how great leaders 
     inspire action | Simon Sinek | TEDxPugetSound [Video file]. Retrieved 
     from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

Here are some of the resources that I believe will help me along my Mastery journey and in creating my Personal Learning Network.

Using Feedly I will continue to follow both industries within my field of Instructional Design and Technology. There are three groups that I am breaking my Feedly into:

I will continue growing my PLN through the use of my LinkedIn account. Part of this will be making sure that I continue to make new connections with those in my field as well as maintaining my preexisting ones.

In 1997 Apple released ad campaign entitled “Think Differently”, highlighting Masters of all different fields and created a commercial entitled “Here’s to the Crazy Ones” (Dormhel 2018). Steve Jobs did not want to be seen as arrogant so the original version did not include his narration, but rather that of Richard Dreyfuss. Years later however, that audio was released and in my opinion it has a much more powerful effect, especially in his stead. Jobs says that in regards to those that many consider Masters:

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them, because they change things. They push the human race forward. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. (rainbowgaiawarrior 2011)

When I first came across this commercial it was right after Steve Jobs’ passing. I was in college when I heard the news but did not feel the gravity of it that I do now. A couple of days later, however, I saw this commercial. The message, combined with its imagery, gave a college student the motivation to approach everything ahead of him with a vigor not present before. 

Years later I would come back to this again. I was alone in Alaska, cut off from the rest of the world it seemed. Listening to Jobs speak these words again helped me realize that there are much bigger problems in the world. If I just trusted in myself and that I was going down the right path I would end up where I belong, seeing success along the way. 

This past week I went looking for the video again. This time though, the one I clicked on had something more. It was followed by a few short clips of the commencement speech Steve Jobs gave at Stanford University in 2005. He talks about just trusting in something within yourself, that all of the dots in your life will connect (rainbowgaiawarrior 2011). Up to this point I have done just that. Going into my Masters program I have had feelings of trepidation. Is this the right time having just left my job and my wife and I expecting our first child in October. I am going to follow my heart and trust in the fact that everything will work out. 

References

Dormehl, L. (2018, September 28). Today in Apple history: 'Here's to the 
     crazy ones' who 'think different'. Retrieved June 15, 2019, from 
     https://www.cultofmac.com/447012/today-in-apple-history-heres-to-the-
     crazy-ones/
rainbowgaiawarrior. (2011, October 7). Stay hungry, stay foolish. Steve 
     Jobs [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
     v=D1R-jKKp3NA