Loading
AmeriCorps Montgomery

"locals serving locals for over 25 years."

Posts by Paul Costello1

Project CHANGE does STUDY CIRCLES- Part One

October 7, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

sutdy-circles-1
The Project CHANGE team experienced Part ONE of the Study Circles today, seeing the work that members Merary and Deepna are doing every day with school communities in Montgomery County, and being led by Yesenia, a Project CHANGE alumnus from 2013.

Study Circles teaches people how to design the structures of safety and trust that allow for difficult conversations around the issues of race. Sadly, race is one of the most reliable predictors of achievement in our schools and it does not have to be this way. study-circles-16

The achievement gap is one of the big buzz words in educational circles, but what does it look like on the ground? It is a complex mixture of teacher-student engagement and understanding, or lack thereof.

The Team today were invited to share their own family and school stories and to begin to build the shared story of concern and interest that will lay the foundation for confronting the issue of racism head on at the next meeting.

study-circles-2-16The other part of the day was to have some fun, playing kids games, and relaxing after another hectic week of service. A few early sniffles are being heard and some of the team look a little tired. Perhaps a long sleep and a revival weekend is in order.  They surely deserve it.

Project CHANGE serves to improve students’ Academic Engagement

September 16, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

scoresToday was an intense workshop on understanding the impact Project CHANGE aims to make in the lives of K-12 students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in Montgomery County. We examined the official documentation and test trialed the evaluation instruments before we sat together to share experiences of our own education, and ask ourselves the keyquestion-

What were the influences that shaped our attitude to school, for better or for worse?” 

A lot of amazing stories came out- How a certain teacher or a coach took an interest, or how a student suddenly became competitive with their cousin or their classmates, or someone needed to get above a 2.0 grade average to be able to play on the school football team.

There were lots of different experiences but each of them in their own way demonstrated the lessons of the day, and how to help students develop a more positive and constructive attitude toward their education.  We used the research that says that students engage if they experience

SUCCESS,

develop CURIOSITY,

can express themselves with ORIGINALITY,

are allowed to foster RELATIONSHIPS,

are taught and mentored with ENTHUSIASM and

experience SAFETY.

The word is SCORES, as a way for the team to remember what the path to their goal is. There are there domains of academic engagement- cognitive, behavioral and emotional. CHANGE is about the third one, to help improve the attitude of students towards their school in all its dimensions.

We explored how AmeriCorps members, acting as mentors and tutors, can “infect” their kids with positivity and enthusiasm, and be a role model of learning.

If you want a story at the back end, design it at the front end

September 9, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

presentation-designIf you want a story to be told at the back end, the lesson the AmeriCorps Project CHANGE members learned today was that you have to design it from the front end.

Yes, you can wait for things to happen spontaneously but while you wait, most of your experience gets lost or is wasted because you created no story catching grid, or plotted no map of where you are to begin with and where you want to go. There are three stages of a story and three different energies:

We are at the BEGINNING where the energy is to CREATE.

We will progress to the MIDDLE where the energy is CORRECTIVE.

And we will come to the ENDING where the energy is to COMPLETE.

Each phase of the story is distinct, and offers a once-only opportunity. Hence it is vital to capture it. Change happens so imperceptibly that we end up forgetting what we once were.

Stealing from Aristotle’s idea that a story needs a Beginning, Middle and Ending for it to feel coherent, the members plotted their year of service across a 9 space template which turned BME on its side, to create  9 story phases of the year ahead:

Beginning of the Beginning,
Middle of the Beginning,
End of the Beginning,

Beginning of the Middle,
Middle of the Middle,
End of the Middle,

Beginning of the End,
Middle of the End,
End of the End.

 

At each stage of the journey, we will build a scaffold to ensure that we capture this phase of meaning as it emerges into fullness. Now we have a map, and we know how meaning will grow by layers, as we begin three times, come to a middle three times and end three times.  And if it all works, we will come to the end and know the beginning for the first time, and we will be ready to launch on a new story.

Tell me the story…. that got you here.

September 9, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

tell-me-the-story-1536x560-banner
Today Project CHANGE began their story work with the simple prompt:

“Tell me a story that helps me understand how you came to be here.”

All the stories that came out were moving, incredible, inspiring.

“I am here because I refuse to give up on myself.” one storyteller boldly declared. In two stories, it was a mentor who saw what the member did not see and said, “This program would be ideal for you.”

An inspired teacher of psychology at Montgomery College turned two members on to the study of psychology, and one was inspired by her grandfather, a refugee from war and partition,who  lived out his life as a lawyer serving his people.

Another member was determined to get to college, despite none of her family ever getting the chance and has won four student scholarships. So far.

Three members got so totally messed up in their chosen courses at college- did the wrong subjects etc,  and had to change direction and in the process, discovered what they really loved, not teaching or broadcast journalism but public service.

Another was serving at Reading Partners AmeriCorps in Baltimore and decided now she wanted to give back to her home Montgomery County.  One was working in retail but missed the chance to serve so much that she quit.

Each of them witnessed to a desire for change and a desire to serve, to make a bigger difference in the world. The vital moment came to one member when her Mom invited her to a Vibe Concert. Good for Mom! Another was drifting from one job to another with no real sense of purpose or any sense of how effective he was with students. Someone took the time to speak, to encourage, to notice. “Hey, you can do better.”

My story was about my adopted son, who 26 years ago, was lost on the streets and in need of a father who would believe in him. One randon moment in life that endures because it shapes a lifetime.

When all was told, we reflected on the power of stories that brought them to this special place, and their exceptional choice to serve for a year. If a story brought you here, imagine the story that you will create, and the testimonies you have the chance to inspire in the lives of others who, perhaps in 20 years time, will be telling their stories of you.

Stories move us, literally as well as emotionally. We can so easily  get trapped in a story that disqualifies us from claiming our agency. They get us lost in the negativity of problems. AmeriCorps is an invitation into a new story of possibility, a story that empowers, instead of imprisons. Today, we heard the prologue. So Let the AmeriCorps story begin in earnest.

“Once upon a time, in Montgomery County, 16 intrepid adventurers on Project CHANGE set out on a journey to serve. “

Project CHANGE begins its 16th year with a great new team

September 2, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

Sept14212722_10154781270843352_6444523610545488932_nember is a time for new beginnings. School is back in business and so is Project Change, with five more member slots than before, and new partners to join the collaborative work that CHANGE has been doing in Montgomery County for the past 16 years. We want to thank our MD State and Federal funders for their vote of confidence in what we are doing.

These inspired volunteers met today as a team for the first time and got a sense of the power of shared service. Each member introduced the role they would be playing and the need that they would be seeking to meet-from kids who are grieving the loss of a parent and in danger of dropping out of school, to 17 year olds who have only had 5 years of formal schooling due to family disruption or separation; from inspiring smart high-schoolers  to imagine what their parents never could, a future in college, to teaching advocacy to talented teens through the media of video and graphic arts. The diversity of the partners makes the program so rich in stories, stories that every training day, we want to capture.

The length and breadth of the service the CHANGE team is offering also gives the program a privileged insight into the deeper needs of students in Montgomery County. Our members are eager to use their training times to share what they are learning, as well as share what they are teaching. Every day, their service is taking the pulse of the county.

What makes CHANGE even more important and unique is that 10 out of the 16 members are all graduates of Montgomery County Public Schools. CHANGE affords them a special way to give back. As the only Montgomery County/ MCPS inspired and supported AmeriCorp program serving Montgomery County students and one that actively recruits MCPS graduates among its members, Project CHANGE is proud to continue to serve the county that gave it birth.logo

Getting Ready for a New Team- Goodbye to the Old Team

August 31, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

The Team of 2015-16 have all had their exit interviews. The Supervisors have sent them all off with words rina516d0629b20f70be058f31e9b0bf5dcging with endorsement and gratitude. Here are some of the comments we heard:

“Expanded our program beyond any other year.”
“Took initiative way above the job description.”
“Made our programs better”
“I tried to single out one category as Good but no, they had to be all Excellent”
“I never doubted her ability to cope.”
“I heard the kids ask ‘Is Ben coming back?’ He was much loved.”
“She was excellent in every way possible”
“Always flexible, so good to work with.”
“Never a problem- she knows how to do spread sheets and organized everything.”
“Able to organize and sum up what was needed in a very short time.”
“Lovely to work with. Willing to try things head on. Go with the Flow.”
“A source of inspiration to our students. Exceeds everyone’s expectations. Used her experience to connect with the students.”
“The amount of personal and professional growth from our member has been inspiring”
“He taught himself, always flexible and open, and he worked so well with the kids. They loved him.”

 

Well Done Class of 2016. You did us proud.

 

A Monumental Time for Project CHANGE- April 15th

May 4, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

You might live in a big city that tourists pay a lot of money to come see, and not ever do what the tourists do. Such was the case today when Project CHANGE took time out to visit the Lincoln Memorial, and walk through to the  MLK and FDR memorials to end at the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin. For some members, though they are locals, this was their first visit.


We stood on the spot where Martin Luther King Jnr gave his defining ‘I have a Dream” speech, and then traveled to the new MLK memorial that embodies a phrase from that 1963 speech,”Out of the Mountain of Despair we will carve a Stone of Hope.”

 

To spend time in such inspiring places was in keeping with the mission of Project CHANGE.  These great statues were first built to remember history, but then become places where new history is also made. The stories that matter are ones that keep growing new chapters. Of course, the CHANGE team don’t see themselves in the same class as these great heroes, but nevertheless, they are part of that unfolding story of leadership through service of something greater than oneself. Well Done Project CHANGE.

Do the One Thing that will make all the other things easier or unnecessary

May 4, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

TiThe ONE Thing Audiobookme management is such a challenge for us all, but especially for Project CHANGE members who have to juggle their service hours with study or family or other part time job commitments to make ends meet. Sometimes, the demands can feel overwhelming.  One member recently had to give up shift work because it was just too much. He was simply not allowing himself time to sleep!  How does one work out some sense of priorities when everything feels urgent and there does not seem to be enough of you or your time to go around?

The work of Gary Klein is one possible answer. He wrote an amazing work called The One Thing, and members at our training were each given a copy. The book claims that we suffer from delusions about multi-tasking and will power and how we usually go about determining the tasks of our day. He says the brain is built to focus on ONE thing, not Two or Three. He uses the example of a brain surgeon or an airline pilot landing a plane in a storm. He says we all expect the surgeon or the pilot to be totally focused on the ONE thing that matters- saving a life or landing safely. So, in our normal lives, he recommends that we ask the clearing question.

“What is the ONE thing that I can do here that will make all the other things easier or even unnecessary?” 

We can use the same idea for a host of other areas in our lives that are in danger of being cluttered up with more demands than time.

“What is the ONE thing that I need to do to be more effective at my service site that will make all the other things easier or even unnecessary?” 

“What is the ONE thing that I need to do to be more satisfied with my relationships that will make all the other things easier or even unnecessary?” 

The team were asked to experiment and to try the question in their work. At our next meeting, we might ask how it all went.

The Story of Saturday School- April 22nd

May 4, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

Today the Project CHANGE team met to hear the story of George B Thomas Snr. and how he started the Saturday School, the 6th day of learning for disadvantaged students in Montgomery County. It is a remarkable story.

Born to a family in the south that suffered directly from the ravages of racism, George knew very early on that his education mattered more than anything. Encouraged by his mother, he strove to be the best, even when his schooling was deficient and he had to teach himself.  He served in leadership roles in the Montgomery County school system and served as president of a famous black college. His life is full of firsts, including the first African American to earn his PhD from GWU.

For the members of CHANGE dedicated to improving student engagement, the work of Saturday School resonates so clearly and deeply. We have much to learn from George B Thomas and much to be grateful for. At 85, George should be relaxing enjoying his legacy, but he is as relentless at 85 as he was at 55.  Some people never grow old.

Introduction to Mediation Training at CRCMC

March 18, 2016 Paul Costello1 Uncategorized
Off

mediation

Team CHANGE met  in Bethesda MD today at the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County.
(CRCMC) It was a fun and instructive morning, where Tim Stranges and Maile Beers-Arthur and their team led us through the basics of Mediation. Then, we were thrown into a simulation, to get a hands-on feel of the process.

The scenario was about a passenger on an XYZ flight who was bumped from the passenger list, and who complAirhelp400ained that she was being discriminated against because of her clothes,
(she was wearing a Hoodie) She sued the XYZ Airline because she missed an interview for a 75K job that she was sure of getting. She wanted the airline to pay her compensation for her loss of income.

Team CHANGE broke into three teams and each member played a role, either as the co- mediator or the parties. When we returned, what was fascinating was the three different solutions offered by each group. One led by Ben offered 20K to the plaintiff and a 55K job at the airline. One led by Jira had the idea that from now on, XYZ would hire a conflict resolution expert at the gate of their flights to deal more effectively with any complaints. And one led by Katie offered to give to the complainant a full and transparent apology which was what the process revealed to be the main wrong that needed to be made right.

The training today added to the repertoire of listening and questioning and reflecting back to the speakers what seem to be their deepest concerns. The Harvard Negotiation Program was referenced, in their important distinction between taking a position and exploring issues.;