Curriculum analysis – the vicious cycle...

In order to complete an analysis, I had to develop a process that could be adapted to each subject matter curriculum guide I was going to explore.  This graphic represents this practice.  During my exploration of the curriculum guides, I used colour coding (one colour for each Minority language pedagogy / identity construction) to track the representation of the five of six components of Minority language pedagogy / identity construction.

The elephant named Lit Review – one bite at a time.

My site supervisor suggested that I prepare a literature review as part of my internship.  In all honesty, the literature review was something that intimidated me so much that I was almost avoiding its existence in my life.  This is definitely not a healthy attitude for a budding researcher.  I had read many, and I was, more often than not, amazed at the researchers’ abilities to summarize many, many, many texts into a credible AND interesting academic text.  How in the world would I be able to do this?  Where do I start?  There is so much to read, and so much research to sift through.  When something overwhelming is presented before us in this house, my husband comes back to this joke...and pardon the animal reference (I love animals!)...

Husband:  How do you eat an elephant?

Me:  I don’t know.  How does one eat an elephant?

Husband:  One bite at a time.

So, in this spirit, my literature view was my elephant, and I just had to decide where I would take the first bite.  Capella University provides an excellent guide to composing a literature review, so I used it as a guide on my voyage (a blueprint to my elephant).  With this guide in hand, and many articles to read, I began the process....one bite at a time.

Now my literature review is complete – well, a 33 page first draft – and I am not even full....I still have lots of room. 

When jumping into the deep end, make sure you have stylish support!

 Track 2 Colloquium in Arlington, VA – could I have been any more excited?!?!?!  Course work prepped, bags packed and I was heading off on a jet plane (with the Chantal Kreviazuk song playing in my head!).  Sad to leave my boys, but excited to complete another milestone...and to see Washington, DC.

I can only compare Track 2 to jumping in the cold, deep end of the pool that is really big and that I have never swam in before.  I know how to swim – well enough to keep myself going for awhile – but I am not an endurance swimmer.  And, I don’t like cold water, but I know that once I get in the pool, I will get over it.  I felt much the same upon arriving at the Track 2 Colloquium – I had some research skills, but not to keep me afloat in an authentic, solo research study.  I was a little scared and intimidated – and like cold water – I don’t like those emotions.  But, if I wanted to finish Track 2 and gain the skills I need to finish this journey, I had to jump in with both feet using what skills I had to keep afloat.

However, I was not limited to using my skills to learn (or to swim...keeping with the metaphor).  I did have some fabulous life jackets – my tablemates in School of Education – Track 2 – helping me stay afloat!  And what fabulously stylish life jackets you were!!  When one of us needed clarification, another came to the rescue with an example, explanation, or a question for the profs.  And, when we needed to laugh to break the tension, we did!  What a positive learning experience.  I felt like we were all helping one another stay afloat – learning together, and not leaving anyone behind. 

Thank you ladies for making my Track 2 Colloquium a memorable experience, and for being the best gang of “problem” kids I know...haha!

Change....I'm learning to let it be for awhile.... 

« The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn – and change. »
-    Carl Rogers

This quote seemed appropriate for this doctoral journey.
 

If there is one thing I have done over the past eighteen months, I have learned.  And, I have learned more about how I learn.  Learning strategies that are useful and appropriate for me are part of my doctoral toolbox.
 

Change, on the other hand, is moving at such a rapid rate that I can barely get a handle on one new event before another one arrives.  Some events are happening so quickly that I am simply sorting them into piles hoping to address them sooner than later.  I am afraid that I am going to turn around one of these days, and my “inbox” of changes will be overflowing, and I will have to sift through them.  I am not so much learning how to change as opposed to learning how to recognize and acknowledge change and how to classify it in one of the “files” of my life. 
 

If I had a loonie for every change that I have made in the past eighteen months, I would be well on my way to paying my next semester’s courses.  However, these loonies would be in neat, separate piles according to the part of my life in which the change took place.
 

Is this how I am learning how to change?  Instead of analyzing change, I am letting it happen, I'm letting it be.  As opposed to overanalyzing the options and scrutinizing the details, I am looking at the change, acknowledging its presence, and moving on.  Is this what this Type A person needed to go through to be more comfortable with change?  I think so.  I have to let it be.

Thanks John, Paul, Ringo, & George.

Mommy's Sticker Calendar

The second half of my internship – ED 8551 – is beginning, and with it there are also professional and personal responsibilities and events that are part of my schedule.  So, as to better organize myself, I created another concept map.  This map lets me have a global, more complete vision of what will be taking place over the next ten weeks.  Some of these activities and events are ongoing such as gardening, birthday parties, swimming lessons, and renovations.  Other activities are linked to completing my Capella internship, Track 2 Colloquium, and Spring course.

One of my colleagues took a look at my concept map – she is a concept map fan like me – and she asked over how many years was this plan taking place.  Laughingly, I answered, “Over the next ten weeks.”  She was a bit taken back, but I explained that it is the specificity of my map that makes it a bit overwhelming.    She also asked me how I was tracking my activities; more specifically she asked me what was doing with this “declarative knowledge”.   She suggested that I use a sticker system....now, where did I hear that before?

So, I went home and taped my concept map up on the wall by my desk.  I asked my son if I could borrow some of his stickers for my concept map.  Being the generous little fellow he can be, he passed them over, and I started developing my tracking system.  All activities that have to be done have a gold star, and all activities that has began have a silver star.  Once an activity is completed, I place a big, I’M done, red sticker.  I never thought putting stickers on my concept map would be so fun; now I understand why my son enjoys it so much with his calendar and goals!  I think that we might do our stars together.