As an educator conducting research for my Master's program, I find the most frustrating part of doing the work is finding the motivation to do the work.
It's not as though I don't find the work or the research interesting. Obviously I do, or I would not have chosen the topic I choose. So I have to ask myself, what is my problem? Is it my fundamental procrastinator nature? Is it that housework suddenly becomes far more interesting when it competes with homework?
The truth is, I think the biggest dilemma is that I sometimes feel like I might be missing out on something....I have to say better, but that is the possibility. I could be spending time with my family, my friends, or even my colleagues.
The worst part is, I don't mind doing my assignments for my program all that much. The assignments force me to acquire new skills and assess myself as a teacher. Not bad, right? I enjoy gaining new skills and working with my classmates, and connecting with them and my professors in different parts of the nation. I also have to admit, I think the fact that assignments have grades attached is more an incentive than it should be for me, a graduate level student. I'm being honest here, though, so I have to admit, an A motivates me. Like I wrote in my first week one blog post, I use it as a tool to motivate my students as well.
So, if my problem is that I feel I'm having to miss out on fun experiences, I have to reason it out. I have to be honest in saying I find reporting part the research portion of my program the least interesting of the program. It may be a confidence issue as well, I sometimes think, "who's going to care about this research of mine in a few years." I also have trouble finding relevant research that aligned with my own research, and am having a bit of trouble revising my literature review as of.
While there is no real solution to the problem of lack of interest in this part of my program, I know I will complete it to the best of my ability. I know from speaking with classmates that I am not the only one who feels this way. I also know I enjoy a lot of the pieces and parts of this program, and since there is no clear project to report on this week, maybe my next blog can be an ode the things I LOVE about this program.
Vent session over and out.
Therese,
ReplyDeleteI thought I was somewhat alone in this area! I am glad to see that someone has a similar struggle. For me, it seems that I have so many other things that take up my time. I am a wife, mother, educator and student. By the time I get around to getting my coursework done I am completely drained. I had so much fun completing my AR, but it spiraled out of control and became bigger than I ever thought it would. The writing up part of the AR is horrendous to be because it is so much. At this point though, there is nothing to it but to do it! WE WILL SURVIVE!
Therese,
ReplyDeleteFinally some honesty! I commend you for being one of the first people I have come across to be brave enough to come forward and say what many of us probably lack the confidence to say. We have come so far and research will not always have positive outcomes, there has to be a balance. The true triumph is that we can recognize the "bump" in the road and have the ability to move on.