Reflection - Valerie Louis

In my post last week I wrote about graduation.  And now I find myself in a place of not-knowing.  I have no idea what is next.  Some days I stress and other days I go with the flow.  Today I looked at this not-knowing time as the time in action research that is exciting, engaging, and yes...unnerving.  In action research, not knowing often means I am on the right track.  The messiness and the chaos means I am in partnership - letting the process unfold - usually into something far better than I could imagine (Brydon-Miller, Greenwood & Maguire, 2003).  So I have been taking this in-between time as a time to reflect and clarify goals for myself.  So for now, I guess my life is my action research project.  Reason spoke of AR as a spiritual practice - something I deeply resonate with.  In this time of reflection, I hope to gain insight into what is important to me as a researcher, educator, student, and citizen.  I have plans of making lists - dreams for the immediate future and for the long term.  I have recognized that I want to travel back to my roots of feminist theory and methodology and explore further the connections to AR.  I want to develop my use of AR in the classroom.  I also want to explore in more detail what it means for me to be an interdisciplinary researcher and thinker in a job market that seems so discipline specific.

I see this time of reflection also filled with much action - including reading and writing. One of the lists I plan to make is a reading list.  I would love to hear from you the readings (from all disciplines, fiction, non-fiction, poetry) that influenced your understanding and journey with action research.  I would also be interested in hearing how AR guides your life - in the community, the classroom, and at home.