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In many of the this week's required readings (for my doctoral program), I saw the word typology printed often. Several texts contained the word, and the use of typology irked me.  

The word typology sounds like typography to me. Typography is a passion of mine, and the similarities between the words leads me to think of the archaic Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced standard for all college level work. It is a boring, default font and clearly demonstrates a lack of aesthetics.  

And, then there is the bothersome requirement of two spaces after a punctuation mark. Jennifer Gonzalez, author of Cult of Pedagogy, does a beautiful job of explaining why the two spaces are no longer necessary. She sums up my feelings about this issue far more eloquently and politely than I might be able to do.  

ty·pol·o·gy [/tīˈpäləjē/], noun : a classification according to general type, especially in archaeology, psychology, or the social sciences. 

This diagram sums up my week. But according to Strike, I possess a "special character." At least I have that going for me, which is nice. 

The ignorance of the person just beginning the study of a subject has a special character. It is not just that the novice is ignorant of the facts and theories of the subject matter; the student is also ignorant of the principles that govern thought about the subject matter. He does not know what the problems of the field are, he does not know what approaches to take to solve a field's problems, and he does not know how to identify a reasonable solution to the problem.

⁠—from Chap 3 of Liberty and Learning by Kenneth Strike

Summer reading: several books on ethics, books on writing, & one dark crime novel by Norwegian novelist Jo Nesbø (for fun!).  

Not pictured: two more ebooks on researching and writing a doctoral thesis, along with one spiral-bound APA Publication Manual, 6th edition. 

#alwayslearning #nevernottired

Did I mention this is only the first half of the summer reading list‽ Here is a partial list of books I will be reading in the 2^nd half of the summer:

• The Craft of Research
• They Say / I Say
• Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning
• The Literature Review: 6 Steps to Success

Bonus! 

• The Power of Habit
• Insight
• The Power Paradox  
• Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It 
• Black Box Thinking

But, wait...there's more! 

I'm sure there will be countless PDF articles, several ebooks, and videos with transcripts! I'll update this post once the syllabi for the next two classes become available later this month: Transformational Learning & Scholarly Writing/Style

I enjoyed a short, 3-day trip to Laguna Beach this past weekend. The week prior, I hustled as hard as I could to "get ahead" of my assignments in the doctoral program. And, I realized that I may never get to a place where I have successfully worked ahead of the agenda, and course outline. At least, I may not know the joys of feeling like I deserve to relax for the next 2.5 years. 

This is not necessarily a bad thing. I knew going into the doctorate program that I would be giving up a lot. A lot of time. Time that I would otherwise spend with family, traveling, or enjoying other pursuits. I have learned quite a bit in these past seven weeks, about myself and about others, and I look forward to learning more. Trust that it is not a lost point that my coursework is only beginning. 

The knowledge gained is almost enough ease the sting of time lost, the ache of academic rigor, the twinge of lonlieness, the stab of anxiousness, the pang of frustration, the spasm of sleeplessness, the cramp of existential flashes...

Sorry. I got lost there for a moment. Here are some pictures from my Laguna Beach this past weekend, where I worked to complete a 3-4 page paper and complete approximately 200 pages or reading.  

Is feedback the breakfast of champions? I've been thinking a lot about feedback lately: feedback I've received on work in my doctorate program, feedback from students and teachers I've worked with this past school year, feedback from my presentation at Spring CUE in March. There's a lot of feedback happening in my world these last few weeks.  

Feedback can certainly help one grow. It can also be detrimental if you let it. Maybe that is why I've given it so much time in my mind lately...I can't stop thinking about ways I can improve in those areas where I missed the mark. Thankfully, that has not been frequent and I'm not trending downwards. And, those positive comments boost my spirits. However, there are a few times when the ratings or the comment stings a bit. 

Questions I ask myself about feedback that is less than stellar: 

• Where did I miss the mark? 
• When did the wheels come off? 
• How many other people felt the same way? 
• How many decided to skip the feedback or give a biased rating? 
• Why was I unable to meet the needs or requirements?
• What can I do better next time? 

 #alwayslearning