Week 16: Reflection

This may be the last reflection you do in your career as a student.

Thinking back about the semester, what have you learned?

• Thinking back about the whole doctoral program, do you feel ready to do your dissertation?

I am on the right track not feeling ready just yet, but soon. First starting this program the dissertation seemed like this big thing that I couldn't really get a grasp on. Like it was something separate than what I was doing at my work. Something bigger and somewhat fantastic but now I understand it is something I am would do in my positions as a librarian. It not something separate or extra but part of the work I want to complete to do my job better. Everything that I am working on had to do with the work I was doing already, just trying to do it better by finding the research to back me up. It is so weird that it took me such a long time to realize that like graduate school and work were different when really everything you are doing can already find a place in the work you are doing. I guess because a PhD works more and developing the skills I need to provide a bigger impact on the ability to do the job I already have before the other degree were sort of preparing me for a position I might have or something I might do. 

• What will you do with your career when you are done?

This doctoral program definitely has some great minds teaching classes and that is a gift and a bit intimidatingly. I struggle with imposter syndrome constantly but I know that accomplishing this will make me better at what I do. It really already has made me think about things and how I can make them better for my little school and my teachers and then share that information in an even bigger arena and I know that I am doing good by them because I can feel it and they appreciate it and I know it's because I am doing my job well and putting their needs first. Which honestly the teacher is sometimes the last to know about technology or get a word in at the district level which boggles my mind because weren't we all in the classroom at one point don't we all remember the struggle. I think being a librarian keeps me one foot in the door since I collaborate with teachers and give my own instruction when students come in. 

• What is your plan?

When I was working for my master to become a librarian I was interested in the job not just because of my love of young adult literature but because of the role it was taking in instructional technology. I thought I had a lot of ideas to share and I was eager to share and learn from others. I did get scared when I was taking my classes and noticing that some districts were deciding that their librarian was a something that was dispensable give the positions to an aide or just getting rid of the positions all together or having on librarian for the district. I was wondering if there would be a job out there for me when I finished and one of my professors told me that you make yourself necessary and I bust my butt to to that everyday.  There is so much information our their that can be organized to make it easier for our teachers to take advantage of the resources and because a lot of the resources are the same ones available to many of the districts in our location this can be a big project that can assist a lit of teachers. So that is my plan to continue to assist my teachers and others like them to have a the information at their disposable when they are ready an willing to use them. I think working with Region One Library Services is the big plan so that we can have access to a greater number of educators.