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By Frank Palatnick.
The third and fourth element
January 19th, 2014
By Frank Palatnick.
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Third Element
In chemistry the third element is ‘ Lithium ‘. It was found in 1817 by a Swedish chemist. Lithium can be found in most organic compound as well as trace amounts in human beings. It was known to have been created from the ‘ Big Bang ‘. Lithium is produced in younger stars and in its natural state it’s found as a clear and transparent material.
In the education arena, the third element is ‘ Listening to the student kinisthetically ‘. In every day conversation we generally hear sounds from the voices of other people. I will discuss the hearing challenged further on in this discussion. We hear sounds through a sense organ called the ear. The sound travels from the ear through the Eustachian tube to the brain where it is registered as sound. But is hearing voices enough in the educational arena ? Since students are our youngest stars ( shades of lithium being produced in our youngest stars ) we must not only register the voice from them like the satellites in space listening for sounds, we must do much more than that. We must ‘ listen ‘ to what they are telling us. Look at to what extent man has researched, investigated and reached out into space to find out more about the stars. SETI ( Search for Extraterrestial Intelligence ) has been for the past forty years, looking to possibly communicate with possible life on stars and planets in space.
We have, due to our deep space probes and telescopes like Hubbel, discovered a possible million habitibal planets capable of having intelligent life on them. But we are remiss of not seeking out the ‘ voice ‘ of our students. If we used one thousandth the fervor of ‘ listening ‘ to our young stars ( our children/students ) that we use for researching for intelligent life, than we will have begun to understand ourselves on a deeper level so as to possibly improve ourselves. Lithium, as I previously mentioned, is a clear and transparent element. Our young stars, our students/children, are just as clear and transparent. We must be able to ‘ listen ‘ to the possible ideas and suggestions to improve our biosphere.
And we must listen kinisthetically. For those children that are hearing challenged, we must listen also kinisthetically. That means listening with all our hearts and our selves. Reggio Emilia in Italy is beginning to listen. By being clear and translucent our students are allowing us to ‘ see ‘ our world through their eyes just like lithium is used for optics. Hearing is a passive action. Listening is an extremely proactive action. The world has almost forgot how to ‘ listen ‘ properly. Between the problems we have in various parts of the world as well as those in our own hemisphere, our students are crying to be listened to.
The Fourth Element.
In 1828 Fredrich Wohler, a German scientist, discovered the fourth element called ‘ Beryllium ‘. It can be found in gemstones like aquamarine and emerald. Because of its low density and atomic mass beryllium is relatively transparent to X-rays and other forms of ionizing radiation. Therefore it is the most common window material for X-ray equipment. Aquamarine belongs to the family called ‘ precious gems ‘. The other three are diamonds, sapphires and rubies. It’s color is like a blue green or sea blue. Aquamarine specimens known as ‘ six rayed with asterism effect ‘ is exceptionally rare and extremely valuable. They have a glass like luster. The emerald is the most precious stone in the ‘ beryl group ‘. It is a brilliant green. The Incas and the Aztecs regarded emeralds as holy gemstones. The Hindus considered emeralds as having tremendous healing properties and giving the promise of good luck to all. It also enhances well being.
In the educational arena, the fourth element is called ‘ BEst practice to enable and empower the student to shine ‘. In order for the student to shine, the facilitator must use the best modality of empowering and enabling that uses all possible tools. Our students have the power to heal/cure the problems of the world. They have the capability to bring the biosphere we live in to better health. Our students are the most precious asset we have. We must help them to be inspired to create new ways and means to make positive changes in both the world and beyond. It is not enough to just use textbooks and structured curriculum. All that does is foster structured responses in their life. We must use the best form of all the tools available to stimulate investigation and discovery. A student’s ideas and thoughts are considered holy concepts just like the Hindus considered an emerald to be holy. And just like beryllium having low density and specific mass to be relatively transparent to X-rays and therefore the most common window material for X-rays, then students are transparent for them to be used as windows into their minds so that their ideas and suggestions can be seen easily. The fourth element, best practice, is not as suggested to be used for only elementary and secondary education. It is to be used on a tertiary and post graduate level also. Malcolm Knowles suggests that adult students have vast amounts of knowledge to impart to the world. Using best practice to help bring that knowledge to the world will be helping the world a little better through their own professions.
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The fifth and six elements
January 8th, 2014
Boron is the fifth element in the periodic table.
It was discovered by Sir Henry Davy, an English chemist and two French chemists in 1808. Boron is used for glass and ceramics. It is also used for controlling nuclear reactors. It also is found to maintain the integrity of cell walls in living organisms.
The fifth element in the table of educational elements is ‘ belief in the student ‘. Just like boron maintaining the integrity of cell walls of organisms, belief in the student’s capabilities maintains the integrity of the ‘ dialogue ‘ needed to enable and empower that student/traveler. In order for the traveler to be inspired to create new ideas, the facilitator/guide as well as the community of stakeholders must believe in the traveler.
Any negative aura or non belief will create a numb, non motivated individual that will be a loss to the world. In the movie ‘ Lean On Me ‘ as well as similar movies, we see an excellent example of belief. Belief must also include ‘ Belief In Oneself ‘ .
That can be instilled by believing in them. Being inspired to improve him or herself as well as society must come from both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation can include statements like ” Yes, you can ” or ” I believe you can do that ” or ” I have faith on you ” or any number of similar statements. It can also be created by, if good enough, submitting work for contests.
Believing in the student can also be intrinsically established by allowing him or her to see all the possibilities of his/her understandings. The student/traveler should be able to continue on his or her journey of investigation and discovery with the belief that he or she will have a positive impact on society.
In Mendeleev’s table Carbon is the sixth element.
In 1789 A.L. Lavoisier, a French chemist, discovered carbon. Carbon is the fourth most abundant chemical element in the universe by mass after hydrogen, helium and oxygen. Carbon is abundant in the Sun, stars, comets and in the atmospheres of most planets. Carbon, under extreme pressure, become diamonds. Carbon has various uses. It is used in dating fossils. It is used in nanotechnology. It is used in pencils as graphite. Carbon is essential to all known living systems. Without it, life as we know it could not exist.
In the facilitative element table, the sixth element is ‘ Creativity of the traveler ‘ . Our travelers, just like carbon, are diamonds in the rough. Through extreme guiding empathy, motivation and nurturing travelers can shine like diamonds. And just like carbon being needed for life, travelers are needed for our lives to be better.
Just like pencils, travelers can leave a positive indelible mark on humanity. Just like the carbon dating process, travelers can leave that mark through time. Just like the innumerable ways that carbon nanotubes can be used in medicine, agriculture , transportation, conductive plastics, structural composite materials, flat panel displays, gas storage and nano surgery, travelers can create innumerable ways, ideas and methods to improve the world.
Creativity is found in the part of the brain called the left frontal lobe. Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging as well as other neural diagnosing and imaging techniques, scientists have found that the left frontal lobe is the part of the brain that shows great activity when individuals, including travelers, are given a problem to work on.
If we, as facilitators, can assist or stimulate that area through nurturing empathy, compassion and humanism, then the traveler will shine stronger then a diamond. In 2013, the National Institute of Health embarked on a project to map every neuron and axion in the human brain called the BRAIN Initiative. In this context BRAIN stands for ‘ Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies ‘ . To show the impact of the traveler, there are numerous travelers working on this project.
In conclusion, we, as stakeholders, must stimulate the traveler to create.
The Helping Element 2
December 24th, 2013
By Frank Palatnick.
The next element in Mendeleev’s table of elements is ‘ Helium ‘. Helium is the second most abundant element. It is believed to have been formed during the ‘ Big Bang ‘. Large amounts of new helium are being created by nuclear fusion of hydrogen in stars. Helium is named for the Greek god of the sun, Helios.
In the facilitative arena, that element is called ‘ helping the student arrive at the ‘ Aha ‘ moment ‘. In other words to arrive at the ‘ Big Bang ‘ moment. What is the ‘ helping ‘ element. The helping element is comprised of various components or particles and sub particles. In nature, elements are made up of protons, neutrons and electrons.
In the facilitative arena, elements are comprised of empathy, proactive ness, and nurturing. In order for the student to arrive at the Big Bang ( nature ) or Aha ( facilitative ) moment, all particles must be present. To help the student successfully, the facilitator must understand the student. In other words, get to know how the student understands the world and how the student uses that understanding. The facilitator must be pro active.
The facilitator must actively want to help. It must be more than a need. It must be a ‘ want ‘. A ‘ need ‘ is a required neutral action. A ‘ want ‘ is an emotional positive action. The facilitator must also understand concepts on the same level as the student. To help the student arrive at the ‘ Aha ‘ moment the facilitator must bring it out from the student. In other words, the student must be guided on the right path with the right tools to stimulate his or her creative part of the brain.
If given the right tools and the instruction on how to use those tools there will be many ‘ Aha ‘ moments. The ‘ helping ‘ element must be used by not only the facilitator but all stakeholders. Parents, who are the travelers first guides, must use the helping element from the time that the traveler starts his or her journey.
They must help the traveler with the location of all the tools needed to start the journey. For example, the parents must see that the traveler has a stimulating and loving environment. Relatives and friends must help by assisting the parents as much as they can on that journey by, when possible, relating with the traveler in a motivating way.
The school and community must continue, also when possible, to motivate and guide the traveler with the right tools. The travelers journey through his or her career must also help by working together. The helping element must not be allowed to decay.
The next element will be ‘ Lithium ‘.
The Palatnick Table of Educational Elements
December 22nd, 2013
By Frank Palatnick.
In 1863 Gregor Mendeleev created and established the ‘ Table of Elements ‘ . The table of elements is based on the fundamental parts of nature. Matter, whether gas, liquid or solid is made of basic entities that eventually will be broken down even further. These elements found in nature are understood to be extremely important in how we use and/or abuse our universe.
In the education arena, from pre-kindergarten to post graduate professional studies including legal, judicial and medical, is made up of elements as well. The major difference between natures elements and facilitative elements is that facilitative elements are uniquely individualistic. They enable and empower individuals.
Natures elements are basically universal and do not empower or enable. Students of all ages and at all levels must be empowered and enabled to be not only stakeholders but extreme changemakers. There are currently one hundred and fourteen natural elements. Since we are dealing with the educational arena in this article we will have just as many, if not more, elements. Since we learn something new about ourselves everyday, then we will add new elements as we discover more about ourselves.
We will call them facilitative elements since it is a more modern approach to methodology. No matter what mode or manner that empowerment or enablement is routed, the facilitator must couch that empowerment and enablement in the most successful way. In the educational arena, success can be defined as having the goal or aim of creating ideas and practices that will improve, in a positive way, not only our biosphere we live on, but due to our deep exploration of space, the universe as well.
This article, as well as future articles in this series, will attempt to inform our readers of, not only of the existence of these facilitative elements, but how to use each and every one to its highest level. In this particular article, I will mention the first element which, in my opinion, is the most powerful and productive.
In natures elements the first one mentioned in the table is ‘ Hydrogen ‘. It is the most abundant element. It is found in every living organism as well as most non living organisms. It is found in the sun. Three fourths of the sun is made up of it. The suns light and heat are caused by the process of hydrogen found at its core changing into helium.
It makes the sun shine. The result of the light and heat from the sun helps us to feel comfortable as well as helps us to see. And when the sun shines everything on the earth flourishes. Hydrogen has other important functions and advantages. However, the most important of these is that it gives life. In the educative arena the most important facilitative element is ‘ Heart ‘.
In order to give life to knew ideas and purposes one must use the heart. The most important facilitative element must be used to its fullest. If we bombard the most important element with negative thoughts and actions, the ‘ heart of the student ‘ will break down into smaller particles that will be unusable. Based on the principle that ‘ the whole is greater the sum of all of its parts ‘ , we must keep the heart and mind of the student together so that he/she will be able to ‘ see ‘ the possibilities available to help the world as well as possibly the universe.
The next element I will describe will be ‘ oxygen ‘
What Is Wrong With Our Judicial Training!
October 27th, 2013
By Frank Palatnick.
According to 2012 statistics found on court databases, both here and abroad, there are numerous countries that have judges with both ethical and criminal charges/violations that are either squashed at the primary complaint point or are given minimum punishment. Question. Why are there so many judicial professionals with just as many violations ? If our so called ‘ judicial training academies ‘ are doing their job , including teaching ethics and similar frameworks, then why is there 1) so many violations and 2) the need for complaint offices ? There is an extreme disconnect between what judges have been taught and actual practice.
The International Organization on Judicial Training, located in Israel, will have its conference in Washington D.C. On the second day of the conference there are speeches and breakout sessions that address the issue of ethics. Also, according to the ‘ iojt ‘ there are numerous principles and standards by which an academy must live up to. In their introduction and forward of these standards it specifically states that ” To do their work well, courts everywhere in the world need (1) judges with the highest ethical standards, extensive legal knowledge, and complex and unique skills in leadership, decision making and administration and (2) highly ethical and competent staff “. In the Preamble of that same document it states that judicial branch education has eight goals. The second of these is ‘ To help judicial branch personnel adhere to the highest standards of personal and official conduct. Number eight says that judicial branch education has the goal of ‘ enhancing public trust and confidence ‘.In Principle III of that document it states that new judges should, in their orientation, be given both a copy of ‘ The Code of Judicial Conduct ‘ as well as training in such matters. The orientation should also include being assigned a mentor judge who should assist the incombant advice and suggestions on ” ……….ethical issues ……..”. It also states that continuing judicial branch education should include such topics as “…..ethics…..”and that specific issues should include judicial comportment and demeanor.
However the intensity, depth and continuity of said ethical training, judges have not learned from that framework. Is it that once they become judges they attain a ‘ holier than thou ‘ mindset ? Is it the fact that once they take these courses, both mandatory and optional ( conferences are for networking ? ) judges tend to ‘ forget ‘ their learning ? Or is it just that these courses do not have enough of a ‘ catch ‘ legally binding them to that knowledge and accountability ?
Myself and various other national and international judges are currently in the midst of creating a judicial academy to be located in Canada. It will set a precedent in many ways. In order to graduate from our academy, just like teacher training and medical training, one has to apprentice with another judge for one year.
In my twenty some odd years involved with education, higher education and legal activies, including being a past member of the American Bar Association and the Nassau County ( NY ) Bar Association I have noticed more and more legal professionals including judges skirt the edge of violating many ethical canons and tenets. Due to these activities, I have initiated a philosophical and educational posture of altering in a positive way the mindsets of both teachers, teacher trainers and professionals to understand and put into effect the framework of ‘ professionalism, understanding and forward thinking. Yes…… I am aware it’s a tough task. But one must start somewhere.