Residency Journal - Day 5

1. Identify personal insights, moments of critical questioning, and comments or ideas from today’s workshop that have impacted you.

At this point in time, I continue thinking about ways to apply the things I have learned and not become stagnant or continue on in the program without applying the skills and knowledge I have gained in this residency. Talking about the dissertation today actually got me really excited about the prospects for the future. I am becoming more and more undecided about my current job, and I hope that time will tell regarding moving here to Phoenix and continuing on in another capacity. Our presentation went better than expected, but feedback included simple items of content and reflective praxis that we should have included. I guarantee the model was not sufficient, and we should have applied each facet to the model. Also, there was a question regarding our ethics issue and possibilities why leadership would not work with telecommunications.
In talking with Dr. Deb, I believe I am ready to move forward, but I have to apply these issues to the class and everyone exists with information imbedded in them. Given enough time, this information will surface.
She also mentioned that every unresolved issue I have in my life will come up during my residency. That is a very scary thought. I can see the baby, moving, finances, family member issues, and work all having some impact within the next year or so.

2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?

I need to have my own bag of creativity that enables me to think outside the box, get creative with my solutions, and develop my creative thinking abilities. In regards to reading, synthesis, and overall analysis, I really need to take the position of asking questions and determining why something may or may not be the case. I can do that with work, school, and home life. I want to play with my daughter more, and allow myself to get creative with her. I also want to read two articles a week that may apply to my dissertation and catalog everything I have into a spreadsheet like what Dr. Deb mentioned in class.
I believe I can move forward with my dissertation idea, as long as I spend the time to properly research the topic, and develop a process, or method of solving the problem. I do not need to develop an actual solution. I also need to apply the same carefree attitude I used here at residency in the workplace. If they do not like my ideas, that is one thing. I need to be able to lead, yet also have difficult conversations and reason with them regarding our situatedness and make them get creative with me. I know if I put it back on them, they will produce more than if I keep it on myself.

3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?

I am going to explore some documentation on critical thinking, actually read the articles that have been assigned, and relate to others who are having difficulty thinking critically. I also need to find out about relational nets. ;-) I feel that in order to provide effective communication, I cannot assume I know where someone else is coming from. I have to ask when I have questions relative to a situation or problem.