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Ocotillo Retreat 97
Casa Grande, AZ
May 21-22, 1997
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ocotillo central 		ocotillo retreat 1997
A Journey Worth Taking
A Great Story About Teaching & Learning
by Manny Griego
  1. PLAY RAUL'S SONG coming soon!real audio

  2. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS
    1. Hey, what's going on here?
    2. That's great music, but why are we playing it at a Teaching, Learning, and Technology conference?
      1. Well, it's not music just to fill time
      2. That music is a RESULT of a teaching and learning experience
      3. It represents a GREAT story that I would like to share with you

  3. THIS IS A NON-FICTIONAL (TRUE) STORY ABOUT A TEACHING AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT LED TO THE SONG YOU JUST HEARD
    1. We have worked on our college technology plans for a day-and-a-half, and our work is now listed on sheets taped on all four walls of this ballroom. You can see the complexities of employing technology in the classrooms. However, we must remind ourselves that technology plays a support role in teaching and learning. Its purpose is to support the teaching and learning process.

      It is the classroom environment that is of prime importance. As teachers, we must create and maintain a classroom environment that is conducive for learning. The song you just heard is an excellent example of what can result from an environment that is conducive for teaching and learning.

    2. This story is about RAUL MONREAL, a colleague of ours at Paradise Valley Community College. Raul is one who employs basic human principles as the foundation for teaching and learning in his classroom. He is the kind of teacher that every college needs in its classroom. Some of his basic principles include:
      1. Being as good a role model as he can possibly be
      2. Practicing what he preaches (or, as he puts it: "Talking the talk, then walking the walk")
      3. Ensuring never to extinguish his students' dreams
      4. Encouraging students to pursue their dreams; caring that they achieve their dream, caring about what they learn and applying what they learn
      5. Employing every student's learning style into every classroom activity
      6. Employing appropriate technologies and other resources in teaching and learning
      7. Removing fear from the learning environment (even doing it with poetry)
  4. THE TEACHING AND LEARNING STORY ABOUT PARADISE COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S RAUL MONREAL

    1. The story started in a 1994 EDU 250 MCCCD Certification Program course in which Raul was teaching teachers.

    2. He assigned a class project that required each student to complete a project that would fulfill a life-long dream, or would keep a life-long dream alive; a project that would not gather dust; and one that could be completed by the end of the semester.

      Raul takes great care to create an environment that eliminates fear so that creativity will take hold. To break down the stumbling block of fear so that students could accomplish their dream, Raul employed POETRYÑone of his many talents. He recited his own poem to his class:

      "Everybody fears fear; fear fears itself; if you confront fear, fear will disappear and success will appear"
    3. A few of his students, knowing he is a poet, challenged Raul to undertake a project as well. His students specified Raul's project:
      1. He would add music to one or more of his poems
      2. He would have at least one song recorded so that it could be heard on the radio
    4. Raul, accepted their challenge because he felt it was fair to do what he was asking his students to do.
    5. Raul was a poet but not a song writer. By accepting their challenge, the students stimulated what was within Raul to emerge.
    6. THE PROJECT
      1. In his own living room, Raul recorded a "blue light special " cassette that contained several of his songs
      2. Next, he had to select a record company. Raul considered record companies in New York, London, and Los Angeles. He selected BMI Records in Los Angeles because of its proximity. BMI is one of the world's largest international recording companies.
      3. He purchased a $58.00 round trip Southwest Airline ticket and headed for Los Angeles. His children told him that he was "crazy." I do not know what his wife told him.

        Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Raul rented an automobile and went directly to BMI Records.

        Unannounced, uninvited, and without an appointment, he approached the receptionist and asked to see the BMI Chief Operating Officer. The scene must have gone something like this (NOTE: I do not know the CEO's name.):

        RAUL: "Good afternoon, I am Raul Monreal and would like to see the CEO."

        RECEPTIONIST: Good afternoon Mr. Monreal, do you have an appointment with our CEO?

        RAUL: "No, I do not. I only need three minutes and 20 seconds to play my song for him."

        RECEPTIONIST: (Thinking to herself: Good Grief another one; we ~nust see 50 people like this guy every day. ") She said to Raul, "I'm sorry Mr. Monreal, but Mr. CEO cannot see you."

        RAUL: Repeated, "I only need three minutes and 20 seconds of his time."

        RECEPTIONIST: (Again, thinking to herself: "I guess I had better call security.") She said to Raul, "Mr. Monreal, our CEO cannot see you; you must leave or I will have to call security."

        About that point in the conversation, Mr. CEO emerged from his off'ce with a paper in hand. Without acknowledging Raul, Mr. CEO hands the paper to the receptionist and began to give her instructions. Raul interrupts:

        RAUL: "Good afternoon Mr. CEO, I am Raul Monreal and would like to have you listen to my songs."

        Mr. CEO: (Thinking to himself: "Good Grief, another one; we must see 50 people like this guy evety day.") Said to Raul: "I'm sorry Mr. MONreel, but I cannot see you."

        RAUL: (Thinking to himself: I've got to use some psychology on this guy. I know... I will empower him!) Raul said: "Mr. CEO you have my future in your hands. You can make me or break me. In the time we have spend talking you could have given me three minutes and twenty seconds to listen to my music."

        Mr. CEO: (Thinking to himself "This guy must be trying to use some sort of psychology on me. He thinks he is empowering me.") Said to Raul: "Very well, Mr. MONreel, come into my offce for three minutes and twenty seconds."

      4. Raul Monreal went into the CEO's offce but the meeting lasted more like THREE HOURS AND TWENTY MINUTES.
        1. Mr. CEO listened to Raul's songs
        2. He liked them
        3. They negotiated and a contract was signed for one song
        4. Raul retained major ownership so that his name would appear on any recording medium
        5. Mr. CEO wanted to buy the other songs, but Raul would sell only one
        6. Mr. CEO now knows how to pronounce Raul's last name

      5. Several weeks later, Raul showed the newly produced demo CD to his class. Although he had never given his students any reason to doubt him, they did not believe the name that appeared on the CD, Raul S. Monreal, was that of Raul. It was because of the middle initial. Raul had to show his driver's license to convince his students.

        That was then... This is now... In the past three years, under the BMI label, 25 of Raul's songs have been recorded by the world's leading Spanish language recording artists. His songs are played throughout the world.

        Approximately two weeks ago on Thursday, May 8, THIS TIME INVITED BY OFFICIALS OF THE LATIN MUSIC INDUSTRY, Raul attended its annual Premio Lo Nuestro Awards for 1997 in Miami, Florida. These awards are equivalent to the Grammy Awards.

        Raul could not lose because several of his songs were on three different albums that had been nominated for "Album of the Year." A group by the name of "Los Tigres del Norte" won the award. One of his songs is on the album. Raul is now recognized internationally as one of the Latin music industry's leading new songwriter/composer. This industry has a huge international market.

      6. It all started in his EDU 250 classroom employing his basic human principles to create a teaching and learning environment so that his students could go for their dreams. Raul Monreal is a public relations coup for both Paradise Valley Community College and the Maricopa Community College District.

        He is living his dream, and we should be proud and happy for him.