This doctoral program is finally fun!

Hi everyone,

I have the perfect life!!! I just got off the phone - having done great work helping the sales staff at our university envision the doctoral program of which I am Chair - work that I love because it is a place where I can use my passion to help things grow - and now.... Well now I am seated in a great home, a stones distance from the marina in a world that is NOT the crazy university setting where I work... So today I am celebrating that my new position as Associate Chair of the up and coming Doctoral program in K12 education at Jones International University is finally warming up and getting fun AND that at the end of the day I still live in Ireland.

Our Ed.D in K12 education got off to a slow start, partially because of the slowness of some internal decisions and JIU and partially because I had a writing project that was tying up my plate. What has made it fun these last few weeks has been:

1. Organizing the faculty who will be writing classes and how that will proceed (God I love to organize - isn't that sick??).
2. Working with new technology (see my earlier post on the future).
3. Planning how to incorporate participatory action research into.....the mentoring program for sure, my life guaranteed and the rest of our students lives if possible.
4. Working closely with both my boss and the other chair (of the business department). I haven't had such a workable situation since my days at CASASTART with Larry and Sharon. Funny - they are on my mind for other reasons these days - but that will have to be another post.
5. Finally - letting my passion for the future of education invect others to the good of what we do.

The weather here also makes it a joy to end the day and still be in Ireland. Not only is it sunny more than rainey, but the days are now blessedly long. I can work long hours and still have tons of daylight to play. Life is really really good.

I hope it is equally good with all of you - and I look forward to hearing your stories as well.
Alana

PS: For anyone interested the book is up on Amazon - the final proofs went off to Sage today. Search on: Participatory Action Research or E. Alana James and it should pop up!