Life as a mother, wife and doctoral student is anything but mundane... This week: 1 hard drive crash, 1 rejected proposal, 2 new research discoveries and a cross country move confirmed.
-The hard drive crash took all my data, all my papers and all my family photos. On the bright side, in many ways I get a fresh start at life. My lesson to you all is this: when they say back it up, LISTEN!
-The rejected proposal was for my continuum project. I've submitted elsewhere, so it's not too disappointing, but does make me wonder about how relavant my project is. Is it something that is important to me only. Am I chasing fireflies? The continuum and the educational segregation of individuals with disabilities has been a driving force of momentum throughout my career. It is what has led me to pursue and stick with doctoral work, even when the times get almost too difficult to bear. But, I now am led to wonder, "is it pertinent in today's high stakes accountability context?". And if not, what is my response? Do I abandon the work because others don't see it as important and critical as I, or do I continue the work and hope in time new knowledge will push the edges of what is accepted and what is rejected.
-On that same topic, considering the fact that I am this far into it, I've found two new research tool discoveries that should help propel me forward. At least I'm hoping.
(1) Legal Research: How to find and understand the law (Elias, 2009). I'm hoping this text will provide useful as I continue to develop efficient and systematic legal research skills.
(2) Studying Education and Social Policy (Heck, 2004). This is a research method text that outlines policy research from conception to execution.
-And last but not least, the cross country move... it is as it sounds, my husband has been offered and accepted a job across the country. He goes next week, we (the girls and I) go next year. I'm too close now to stop my studies. With one year left of coursework the plan is for me to finish up with courses and then re-unite the family next summer. This means that I'll be doing my dissertation from afar. Time to prep a new research site- and I had such a great one hear. C'est la vie. It will be good practice for my post-doctoral life.
So there you have it. The balance I spoke of a few months back challenged but maintained in just one week. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to only focus on one dimension of life (i.e. just motherhood, just doctoral work, just ....), but that's just not me.
Happy Fourth of July!
If balance were stationary, you wouldn't spend so much time striving to reach it. So this is how life goes...a constant back and forth. The good news is that there should be a fantastic week in your future!
ReplyDeleteWhat did the proposal reviewers say? You have to spend a fair bit of time reading their reviews before spending too much time critiquing your work. Maybe it's the way you're framing your work...I really think that your studies can have an impact on RtI...another eductional buzz word.
And I hear you on the hard drive crash. That happened to me this week too...fortunately, I did have everything backed up. I can't imagine how you were feeling when you realized what happened.
Talk about a roller coaster week! Courage.
ReplyDelete