Shifting Gears to Research
July 9, 2025 – One Step at a Time
I know that it’s not quite the weekend to contribute to my weekly blog, but I am also in a place of choosing not to maintain two blogs (for now) and moving returning to the idea of blogging inspired thoughts and feelings. So, here we are. I realize that it is in the middle of the spring/summer term and there has been plenty of time to “get some writing done.” Admittedly, I like a little pressure too, and I’m feeling it right now, but in a good way. I have my contract renewed for 3 more years and endured a bit of coaching from the dean. I found the conversation very helpful, but also I feel that I am still learning about who I am and what I want to achieve. I think I’m getting there.
Slowly but surely, I’m getting things “off my plate” and I feel committed that July is the month where lots will get done, even though I am realizing that everything takes a bit more time than expected. I am ok with that, especially when I have some time. It’s hard to accept that idea when everything is super busy and I am 100% focussed on teaching. I can’t say that I was not working on research this term. I have been. My colleague and I co-applied for an internal grant, I presented 4-times at Congress, and I have done quite a bit of work for the Climate Education for Teacher Education research project in terms of workshops, interviews, reflections, meetings, focus groups, and editing/contributing to manuscripts. I should not underestimate or overlook some of the things I am doing this teaching-free term. I’m learning lots.
I am also doing a few projects for the program, so that will take some of my time too. Because I am not a tenure-track or tenured faculty member, research is not really expected from me. That was a learning that was just recently confirmed, so because I am engaged in research as an 80-20 faculty member, I am exceeding expectations. I had no idea. I thought that I had to do what everyone else is doing, but they are 40-40-20. Intuitively I knew that and felt that, but to get some clarity on that was so wonderful and liberating. I am so grateful that whatever I am doing this spring/summer term is because I want to do it and knowing that feels great.
There are other projects I am working on and one of them was making revisions to another manuscript that I have been working on with colleagues for a couple of years. I have hopes of sending the revisions and a chart of all that we have changed and accomplished to the editor some time today. I am very excited about doing that, hence the blog post, I suppose. We worked very hard on that manuscript and because my headspace is in a different place from where I was a couple of years ago, I had the confidence and sense of self-efficacy to edit the manuscript in a way that made sense to me. Again, liberating and exhilarating. I am really enjoying the process and a colleague and I have co-edited the piece such that I feel very satisfied in sending it back to the editor. We established so much clarity in this document such that I believe it is publishable. I am so grateful to the peer review, the feedback, and the editor. This whole writing process is about LEARNING, humility, and growth.
I have submitted a conference application for a small group of us to speak at a local conference and finished writing a chapter proposal for another small group to hopefully pursue in the fall. I hope we get accepted for both. Finally, I have been with with another small group and we are currently working on the revisions of an ethics application. I need to take my time on this one and I am the Principal Investigator. If the chapter proposal goes well, I will the Principal Investigator on another project. Moreover, I have a book review to do, I have 2 conference proceedings to write, I have one program evaluation I would like to do, and I feel very lucky to do what I do. I have a healthy amount of work to address and it’s everything I am interested in.
I look forward to next steps. I am fascinated by the whole of idea of my joy being on the other side of fear. The fear was fierce, but with each step, I am realizing that I am able to do it, I want to do it, and I have fun do it. Research and the Scholarship of Teaching is 100% aligned to who I am as an educator and researcher. There are other manuscripts that need completion, revision, and re-invigoration… but I am excited about that too. I feel good sitting here in my writing spot (and I have another one) in my home and feeling optimistic of what’s next to come. Publications is not the goal, but rather, it’s a natural outcome from doing what I LOVE to do. How lucky am I?