Revisiting the questions in order to set the course
Here we go. I’ve arrived in the northeast after a long and growth-inducing drive across the continent.
In the time that I’ve been here, settling in amongst old friends and looking for things to fill my days before I really get going, I’ve been able to engage with the academic journey ahead. Not the visa. Not finding the apartment. Not finding the funding. My coursework. My research.
I am doing my best to take a really calculated and intentional stance with regards to this. No more of what we colloquially referred to as “dogs, cats and leashes” in our undergrad. ’Dogs cats and leashes’, of course, referred to the myriad of courses about race, class and gender of which i couldn’t possibly get enough. And while I left Brown with a really deep understanding of those constructs, I’ve got a big looming life-goal in front of me – and there are BIG things I need to know, skills I need to develop, in order to get there.
This exercise in revisiting essential questions and doing a basic “gap analysis” of my current content knowledge and skill set is somewhat in-genuine, as i’ve been pawing through the course catalog for a few days already. I know I’ve got subconscious leanings towards courses or instructors already.
And then there’s the issue of tuesday.
oh tuesday.
There is some type of evil conspiracy to schedule five or six relevant and interesting courses directly on top of one another on tuesdays. It seems that I’ll not only be in class from dawn til dusk, but also that I’d be well advised to get some of that harry potter business up in this piece.
Okay:
Here’s what I still need to know:
I need to know how to manage/start/lead a business or a non-profit. This makes me want to poke my eyes out a bit. I’m already more than a little intimidated by the courses in the MBA program – and the whole business school itself, but I expect this to be my ‘outside my comfort zone’ bit.
I need to know how to conduct qualitative research. period.
I need to know more about designing a school’s integrated, experiential and highly non-traditional curriculum.
I need to know about writing a charter.
I need to know about working with diverse groups of learners.
One question I have, though, is whether i need to know about all of these things in the context of schools (as in big public buildings with walls and offices and subject-specific classes). Do I need to take a class on school reform because I want to work in a reformed school? Do I need to know about the controversies around charter schools if I want to work in them?
I’m off to seek this advice from an old friend and mentor, but if anyone reading this wants to comment, I’m open to your thoughts.
Check this out: Its the Harvard Ed school course catalogue
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/academics/catalogue/courses/all_courses_by_num.shtml
I’m out.
m
