ArtSpirit7

The Irony of Education

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The Heart Has Its Reasons... a Quote by Blaise Pascal

Quote from Blaise Pascal, Art by Mary Gow

Learning is about A-D-D-I-E or P-I-E.

But is it really?

Those are two common instructional design models I learned in the instructional technology specialization I studied for my master’s degree in education.

A-D-D-I-E stands for Analysis-Design-Development-Implement-Evaluate. P-I-E stands for Plan-Implement-Evaluate.

There’s hundreds and hundreds of learning models developed to guide the teaching process. They involve various combinations of analysis of the needs of the learner, delivery of the information, and some method to measure or survey what was learned.

And an effective lesson plan addresses the auditory, kinesthetic or visual learner.

How do you learn?

After studying a zillion learning theories and paying for years of formal education I find that I learn many things from stories. And storytelling is a skill that wasn’t in the curriculum.

Which reminds me of a counselor I know that uses heroic metaphorical stories to show her clients new solutions. Brilliant!

Is there a School of Storytelling?

Ok, a few hours later I’m adding this…the school of storytelling is film school.

You might like:
–Two Building Blocks of Storytelling
–4 Simple Tools for Storytelling
–7 Elements to Include in Digital Storytelling

What Can Playing a New Sport Teach You?

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Alan Francis has won the Horseshoe Championship 15 times. He is the best horseshoe pitcher ever!

I tossed horseshoes for the first time not long ago and found out about Francis when I was looking for more info about horseshoe pitching.

“Beginners only hit ringers only one to three percent of the time,” said Francis in a television news story in the YouTube video above.

This made my first ringer on my first day of horseshoe pitching all the more special! Though, as you can see from the photo, I wasn’t tossing in an “official” pit. It was a casual set-up in the park.

Have you tried a new sport and felt intimidated? A new set of rules, new equipment. Like a new canvas and fresh brushes for the non-artist.

What’s involved in hitting the stake to achieve that metal to metal “clang!”? The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association spells out how it is done.

From that fun day pitching horseshoes for the first time, I reflected on the sweet underlying message. Enjoy the flow. The new. Watch someone who knows how to do it right (aka a role model). Focus. Visualize success and expect it!

First Ringer by Mary Gow

“First Ringer,” from Day One of Horseshoe Throwing


The World Champion in Horseshoe Pitching in 2010 won $4,000. Another lesson! Something you love that you’ve been doing since the age of 7 and you are the best in the world at may not pay the bills. But don’t let prize money stop you from trying a new sport. You just might pitch a ringer!

You might also like:
–7 Ways to Make Your Presentations Sparkle
–3 Memorable Quotes from Steve Jobs
–3 Discoveries About Intuitive Painting

3 Examples of Fingerpainting without Paint

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Set to Fly by Mary Gow

“Set to Fly,” created using Harmonious, by Mary Gow

Festive Feathers by Mary Gow

“Festive Feathers,” created using Harmonious, by Mary Gow

"Smile," by Mary Gow

“Smile,” using Harmonious app, by Mary Gow


You can make art wherever you are with a drawing application called Harmonious, created by the Angry Robot Zombie Factory.

Even if you are on a desktop, you can create drawings on your computer by going to the Harmonious Sketchpad!

Here’s a few drawings I created. For more examples check out the Harmonious gallery of creations.

Enjoy the 11 different line types and unlimited color choices. I like the undo that goes back at least 7 steps.

I hope you’ll give Harmonious a try if you haven’t already found it.

Do you have a favorite drawing app you’d like to tell us about?

You might also like:
–Gow-O-Gram No. 2
–For the Love of Letterpress
–My Angel (Photopolymer) Print

14 Tips from Wayne Freedman on Storytelling (continued)

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Before continuing on with the 14 tips I gathered from Wayne Freedman’s presentation on storytelling, I thought you might enjoy this video of him produced by Warren Mayer. In under 60 seconds hear what Freedman’s advice is to journalism students.

Below is the continuation of the previous post sharing tips I garnered from Freedman’s keynote at the day-long workshop, the “National Academy of Television and Academy Sciences (“NATAS”) Storytelling Workshop.” It was put together by video journalist and photographer Jeremy Carroll and held at the American Broadcasting Company-owned station, KGO-TV, in San Francisco.

5) Let the interviewee find his comfort zone in the interview. This could be by finding a comfortable place to sit. Move the subject around the room, like by the wall, by a window, etc.

6) Find a reason to make people want to talk.

7) Use keywords. When Freedman’s on-camera he said he doesn’t have his script written out, he uses keywords.

8) Throw in visual appeal. Change focal length and mix up your shots with long, medium, close, super close, super long. Shoot in different places. Add more people to the shot.

9) The news story should be able to stand on its own – have a beginning, middle and end. Introduce people by their name (since interest in a person brings interest in the story). Set the scene … “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Add a surprise reveal.

10) Use a Thesaurus! If you get writer’s block use a thesaurus to help you. A thesaurus can also help you identify themes and ways to open or close your story.

11) Bring your own wisdom to your work. Listen to things you say to yourself and put those observations into your story! Come up with simple truths. That add universal appeal to your story. “One small step for man, one giant leap for Mankind,” is an example.

12) Situate yourself for success. “Luck is only good when you’re ready for it and prepared to take care of it when it happens,” said Freedman. He tells the story of when he covered baseball player Cal Ripken, Jr. He didn’t get an interview in advance with Ripken but found a spot next to stand next to Rifken’s wife. When he came to be with his wife, Freedman was able to ask him a few questions. He got the story.

13) People usually have the ability to remember three facts. Three. There’s more to a story than the 5 W’s (where, what, when, why, who).

14) The final tip is a flip from what we’re used to hearing. “You’re only as good as your worst story,” said Freedman. “It’s about time, distance, and people management.”

You can find Freedman’s book at Amazon.

More helpful storytelling tips from other video journalists continued after lunch. Stay tuned and I’ll share those notes in the future.

You might also enjoy:
–5 Tips for Producing Digital Multimedia
–3 Memorable Quotes from Steve Jobs
–3 Reasons to Write Your Own Obituary