The Refractive Thinker®

Dear Colleagues:

Today I am deep in thought regarding where I see myself as part of the world.  With regard to systems thinking, there are many worlds to consider.  In thinking of the world as a giant puzzle board, where we each are a unique piece, I can’t help but wonder if my piece fits as well as it might?  Am I being as effective as I could be?  Am I a good steward of the environment?  Am I a good steward of my students?  Of my fellow colleagues?  For my administrators of the higher institutions for whom I teach?  Hmm.

I am still working through Peter Senge’s Dance of Change, deep in thought regarding my place in the world.  We are members of many concentric intersecting circles within our environment, particularly within systems thinking.  For some circles, I feel confident I am doing my best.  For others, I am not so sure.  It has been a while to be candid that I have taken stock of ‘things’ in my life and evaluated how I feel I’m doing.  Now seems to be the perfect opportunity to focus on how my behavior supports my quest to be a refractive thinker.  Care to join me?

When was the last time you took stock?  Are you happy where you find yourself in the world?  Feel free to share your thoughts as I would be interested to know. *Smiles*.  Happy reflection time.

Remember the now famous quote by Gandhi: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”  

With respect,

Cheryl

Listen to this video regarding how our students see their future. Do share with us your thoughts.
Enjoy!

With respect,

Cheryl

Jing Video

 Realistic Support Expectations for the Student Doctoral Scholar

Hello and welcome back!  My name is Dr. Cheryl Lentz, owner of The Lentz Leadership Institute.  Today our focus is on Tips for Success for the Student Doctoral Scholar: Realistic Support Expectations.  

Are you a struggling doctoral student scholar in need of support from family and friends?  Are you the spouse or family member of a struggling doctoral student scholar?  Learn Tips for Doctoral Student Success from our upcoming webinar on March 1st, 2012 at 10 am PST.  Be sure to sign up online at http://www.dissertationpublishing.com for this free seminar by award winning author, Dr. Cheryl Lentz.

As a doctoral mentor or chair, committee member, and editor, I often see the challenges that a doctoral student faces first hand regarding realistic expectations for their doctoral program.  Not only is meeting their program requirements important, but how they will meet the expectations in their work and personal lives as well can be a daunting challenge.  Students do not exist in a vacuum.  Life does not stop while one is in school.  Often we have others in our lives to include family, friends, coworkers, and significant others who also have expectations for our time over the course of our doctoral pursuit.  Many times, this balance of commitment priorities is a struggle and a source of continual stress and heart ache.  For some, this lack of balance can be a show stopper as well.

The real challenge may be that students simply do not know what is realistic to expect; they don’t know what they don’t know.  Consequently, they do not know how to prepare their friends, family, and significant others for their realistic expectations either.  What then is a student to do?

The most effective strategy to avoid this crisis of expectations is to have a meeting of the minds with all stakeholders in the student’s life who have a stake in the outcome.  This meeting will facilitate what may be possible in partnership with the student in their pursuit of their doctorate degree.  The student cannot complete this journey on their own.  This bears repeating.  The student’s name may be on the front of their diploma; however there are many names that will be needed that will appear on the back to move EVERYONE successfully forward.

Few students ever take the time to sit down with their families and significant others to outline and discuss realistic expectations for everyone who is affected by the student’s life during this process of the pursuit of the doctoral degree.  What events can a student realistically attend?  What events might they have to miss or postpone?  There are only 24 hours in a day, how we each divide these hours among the priorities in our lives can be a daunting challenge.  With realistic expectations on the part of the student as well as those in the student’s life such as one’s spouse or significant other, children, parents, extended family, church, community groups, and the student’s employer, success will be more realistically possible for all concerned.  Remember that these sacrifices are only over the short-term during the doctoral scholar’s time as a student.  This stress will not last forever. *Smiles* Having realistic expectations with the appropriate perspective will contribute to everyone’s effective outcome as the doctoral student scholar pursues their dream.

For students, I wish you continued success during your doctoral journey.  For those affected by a student’s pursuit, I hope these realistic expectations may provide a stronger foundation on which to travel.  I do hope our work together today regarding the importance of support will save everyone valuable time, reduce stress, and minimize the potential negative impacts of the doctoral journey.  I have found that my own journey was well worth my efforts; however there were many rocky hills to climb being a source of stress that might have been avoided.  Hang in there—everyone! 

For more tips on effective academic study systems and graduate writing, please visit my blog at refractivethinker.com Click on Blog.  Thank you again for joining me today.  My name is Dr. Cheryl Lentz and I hope you find these suggestions within this video helpful. Good luck to you in your academic writing pursuits.  Cheers!

With respect,

Cheryl

Dr. Cheryl Lentz
Chief Refractive Thinker®Award winning author and publisher
The Refractive Thinker® Press, where discriminating scholars publish.
Las Vegas, NV 
Join me: Twitter , Linked In , My Blog , My Website , & Facebook
*Join us for our Summer 2012 Publication of the award winning series: The Refractive Thinker: Volume VII: Social Responsilibility. Details may be found here at http://www.lentzleadership.com

Good morning colleagues,

Today I want to begin where I left off yesterday, regarding what did you do with what you learned today?  I am currently working on my next writing piece for the award winning series: The Refractive Thinker.  Our next volume is Volume VII: Social Responsibility.  The topic I am pondering is with regard to the nature of the doctoral scholar.  What is their responsibiliy regarding what they have learned through their doctoral research?  Remember the adage “To whom much is given, much is expected”  Luke.  Knowledge is power and I contend–responsibility.

As scholars, there is an expectation, from our students, from our institutions, and perhaps society in general.  What do we do with what we have found?  How does society advance or move forward through the power of our pen and our research?  Again, we has, what do we do with what we have learned?

I welcome your thoughts as I believe in the power of one to change the world.

With respect,

Cheryl

Good morning refractive thinkers.

Today I spent some time with one of my favorite authors, Peter Senge, and his book, The Dance of Change.  I was impressed by the simplicity of many of the suggestions offered (and I’m only finishing the first 100 or so pages.  The question that kept emerging, was, what are you doing with what you are learning? 

So this is what has prompted my blog today—a question.  What have you learned today?  I have learned the need for down time, or what John Maxwell refers to as his thinking chair.  I finished up my students and responsibilities early today and spent time investing in ‘thinking time,’—more specifically refractive thinking time.  I looked to what I am doing with what I am learning.

Let’s be sure you spend some time today doing the same.  Again I ask, what you have done with what you have learned today?

Happy thinking!

With respect,

Cheryl

The Consumer Learner

PENSIERO PRESS TO PUBLISH LANDMARK BOOK

ON CHANGING ADULT EDUCATION ARENA

January 6, 2012, Las Vegas, NV—Anyone who has entered a college classroom in the last five years has recognized a clear transformation in the context of higher education. A dynamic revolution in practice and delivery is underway, and the implications of multi-faceted change are ripe for analysis.

Administrators are increasingly charged with revenue production and institutional leadership. Faculty are experimenting with new andragogical models and advances in interactive technology. Students are embracing new modalities, as they strive to make curriculum immediately transferrable into industry. The Consumer Learner: Emergence and Expectations of a Customer Service Mentality in Post-Secondary Education examines the new reality and emerging patterns shaping the experiences of these three diverse, yet interconnected, constituencies.

This book provides a distinctive approach to the transformation of the higher education culture within the United States.  Authors Dr. Gillian Silver and Dr. Cheryl Lentz, noted content experts, professors and curriculum/program developers, explain the contents will initiate an intensive dialogue about the implications and impacts on administrative structure, faculty practice, and learner outcomes. 

Three population segments within the educational spectrum—each with their own compelling vantage point—are considered:

• Administrators who strive to create a cost recovery model for  private and public education systems that are undergoing a complex transition in product creation, delivery and experience
• Full and part-time faculty who are struggling to bring pertinent content to learners displaced by the economy who are eager for self-development, and often times, impatient with the perceived complexities of the educational system
• Students who want immediately transferable content that enhances employment opportunity and stability, and the self-confidence benefits of tackling an ambitious goal of degree completion.

“Drawing on the common mission of preparing adults for success, the content acknowledges there is a level of bias and incongruency present in all three frames. Essentially, no one element of the educational triad can independently address the opportunities without consideration of the other partners’ perspectives,” says Dr. Silver.  Dr. Lentz continues, explaining “This is a frank, encompassing work which has the capacity to ignite a national dialogue. We think the review will give voice to the significance of this evolving environment. The voices of experience leading this change will emerge.”

The Consumer Learner: Emergence and Expectations of a Customer Service Mentality in Post-Secondary Education will be issued by Pensiero Press, a division of  The Lentz Leadership Institute. Retail: $24.95

Follow the authors on the web:

Website:  http://www.consumerlearner.com

Blog: http:www.consumerlearner.com/wordpress/

Pensiero Press is an imprint of The Lentz Leadership Institute with the purpose of advancing topics important to post secondary education.  The organization’s books are available in hard cover, paperback, as well as Kindle, Sony e-Reader, Nook, and in various e-Reader formats.  Follow Pensiero Press at http://www.lentzleadership.com to stay on the cutting edge of ground breaking discoveries in the field of education.

 Full Press Release found here. The Consumer Learner press release

Listen to this video regarding tips for effective exam studying.  Do share with us your thoughts.
Enjoy!

With respect,

Cheryl

Listen to this video regarding the secret to dissertation success.  Do share with us your thoughts.
Enjoy!

With respect,

Cheryl