Defense Against the Dark Arts

Today I had the opportunity to meet a person who has literally changed the scope of education for millions of people.  When we were loaded into the car, headed to lunch she asked if a fellow doctoral student and I were willing to accept some advice.  Clearly we were open to it.

In the Harry Potter series there is a course called Defense Against the Dark Arts.  This course is designed to prepare wizard students against sudden death, and dangerous situations.  As doctoral students prepare for oral prelims and dissertation defenses there is similar advice that crosses our paths for consideration.  By no means do I think any faculty would ever intentionally be difficult, but being prepared is worth consideration.

The advice that was shared with me today related to defenses, mostly dissertation defenses, but there is value across the board.

1. No one, not even your advisor knows your research like you do.  So you have that in your corner.  Just be prepared, and know that you have done the best you can up to your defense.
2. By the time you defend you're prepared to defend a dissertation there is little chance that faculty will fail you.  They have invested too much energy and time in you to let you fall so late in the process.  Also, there have been many other chances to catch your falls along the way.  This means ideally few surprises should remain.  If you are prepared to accept feedback, and have done your prep work all should be well.
3. Sometimes there will be simple questions just to show that the members have read your dissertation carefully.  This is a natural thing.  Just take the feedback in stride. 
4. If a faculty member has a suggestion that you had not considered but is if value, a response of "that is room for future research" may suffice.  
5. Select your committee carefully.  Dynamics between faculty members can make a defense more challenging.  If two faculty members have disagreement with each other that could make a defense more difficult than necessary and that could have little to do with any of your work.  If your topic requires faculty with a past you might not have choice.  But consider avoiding a conflict filled committee if possible.  Talking to an advisor could begin to clear this up some.

I will not defend for over two years, but I am grateful for all of the food for thought that I get along the way.  Our lunch date today was insightful and I am grateful for the thoughtful feedback.

Remember that what lies ahead might be a challenge but it is worth every minute.

Wisdom of the Phoenix

The phoenix, a mythological bird has had many fictional revivals of late.  Most notably in the Harry Potter book series.  For those who are not familiar, the phoenix is a mythical bird that in the end of its life bursts into flames until it is only ash and then hatches anew, young and refreshed.  This bird resonates with me in its power to rebuild itself.  I feel like as humans we do this in a less literal sense all the time.  Growing, and evolving, each time renewed as a different version of ourselves.  I like to think that this regeneration is one of the more enjoyable pursuits in life.  This fact is probably why I love graduate school, and running as much as I do.  There is so much learning and growing involved in both.

Graduate school has many cycles of regeneration.  Each breaking down ways of thinking, and perspective to build new.  This process is sometimes short, and other times long.  I would argue that this rebuilding is the one of the most challenging adjustments to graduate work, and one of the most important emotional preparations for success.  The sooner each of us can prepare to embrace the regenerative properties of graduate study the more quickly we can succeed.  The truth of the matter is, there is a great deal of rich feedback available in graduate work and the most successful students find ways to learn from that feedback more quickly and deeply.

I admit this adjustment has been a process for me.  The key from my processing thus far is grappling with the fact that feedback is not personal.  This sounds simple, but piled on with the other emotional adjustments involved in graduate work it becomes more complicated.  Faculty have the courage (sometimes more gracefully than others) to give us feedback to challenge our thinking and encourage our growth.  Even harsh feedback is sent from a place of investment in our growth.  As I write this I find it a hard concept to fully accept, but I do believe it to be true.  This post is a personal accountability to that line of thinking.

One thing that I know is a certainty from my research in teaching pedagogy and learning is that feedback and reflection are keys to learning.  Having the courage to foster feedback (even if it is rough) is critical to the learning that graduate study requires and should promote.  In time with feedback we can be remade into something better and fresh much like a refreshed phoenix.

Remember that what lies ahead might be a challenge but it is worth every minute.

The Best Offense

In sports there is a cliche that goes, "the best offense is a good defense."  In athletic context this is intended to describe the patience and lack of flash needed to win consistently in sports if a team pays attention to detail and has discipline.  Today I saw a different type of defense, a doctoral dissertation defense.  This defense required a completely different type of offense.

I would contend that successful doctoral study always involves keeping the end in mind.  This means that preparation for successful dissertation writing and defense should be a part of planning throughout graduate study.  This "offensive" proactive approach will contribute therein likely contribute to a good dissertation defense.  To me, having just seen my first defense there are some offensive strategies I plan to consider.  I am sure over time these will evolve and grow.

1. Get to know the faculty and how they respond to dissertations.  Each faculty member reviews and critiques dissertations differently.  Understanding which of their assets and approaches compliment and improve your work is important.  Attending dissertation defenses is a way to watch dynamics a unfold to better inform committee decisions.
2. With knowledge of consideration number one, I am going to make and effort to see all of the faculty in my department participate in a defense.  This will help me up my total knowledge of how they participate within a committee and how they might best positively challenge and push my work.

I am grateful that I took the opportunity to see a defense at this stage of my study.  I find myself more focused and aware of what the end goal is.  A focus that can only help my continued progress.

Remember that what lies ahead might be a challenge but it is worth every minute.