sexta-feira, março 14, 2008

to place themselves in the future, looking back, and to report on

Quem me conhece sabe que sou um grande defensor, em qualquer empreendimento, de começar sempre pelo fim.
Por exemplo, vamos iniciar este projecto hoje, dia 14 de Março de 2008. Dentro de um ano queremos estar aqui a celebrar o sucesso do projecto.
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O que é, o que será o sucesso do projecto? O que é que atingimos de concreto que mereça ser celebrado e apelidado de sucesso?
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"It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement." (Mabel Newcomber)
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Este tipo de postura ajuda a focar nos resultados desejados e não nas actividades a desenvolver, ou nas limitações da situação actual.
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Por isso, foi com satisfação que apanhei esta história: .
"Michelangelo is often quoted as having said that inside every block of stone or marble dwells a beautiful statue; one need only remove the excess material to reveal the work of art within. If we were to apply this visionary concept to education, it would be pointless to compare one child to another. Instead, all the energy would be focused on chipping away at the stone, getting rid of whatever is in the way of each child's developing skills, mastery, and self-expression."
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Ben Zander deixou de avaliar os seus alunos de Conservatório da forma tradicional:
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""Each student in this class will get an A for the course," I announce. "However, there is one requirement that you must fulfill to earn this grade: Sometime during the next two weeks, you must write me a letter dated next May (dois semestres depois), which begins with the words, 'Dear Mr. Zander, I got my A because...,' and in this letter you are to tell, in as much detail as you can, the story of what will have happened to you by next May that is in line with this extraordinary grade."
In writing their letters, I say to them, they are to place themselves in the future, looking back, and to report on all the insights they acquired and milestones they attained during the year as if those accomplishments were already in the past. Everything must be written in the past tense. Phrases such as "I hope," "I intend," or "I will" must not appear. The students may, if they wish, mention specific goals reached or competitions won. "But," I tell them, "I am especially interested in the person you will become by next May. I am interested in the attitude, feelings, and worldview of that person who will have done all she wished to do or become everything he wanted to be." I tell them I want them to fall passionately in love with the person they are describing in their letter."
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"The person that I teach each Friday afternoon is the person described in the letter. The student reveals her true self and also identifies much of the stone that blocks her expression. Chipping away at the stone that encases her becomes our task in the class. Our job is to remove the extraneous debris that stands between her and her expression in the world."

Trecho retirado de "The Art of Possibility" de Rosamund Stone Zander e Benjamin Zander

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