Look, this is going to have to come out sooner or later so I’ll state it bluntly. In a few weeks I will begin a doctorate program in Urban Schooling. Yes, I will STILL be teaching at Manual.

Okay now that we’re all on the same page
I’m starting a new blog category as introduced with this post’s tag. Allow me to explain. I’m not really interested in journaling specifically about my graduate school experience or the minutiae of dealing with two full-time schedules (I recognize that I already do a lot of whining on this here blog). Instead, what I plan to write about in the Border Crossing series is to discuss the experiences between the two places I’ll be traversing. Ask most teachers and there is a recognized disconnect between “research” and “practice.” (Yes, I realize a certain department at a certain school I’ll be taking classes from tries to bridge this. No, I’m not ready to write about that … yet.)

There is no common middle ground and people talk about and at each other passionately. But do teachers really listen to the ivory tower? Do professors really examine what really happens in schools? Does this knowledge really get shared in some kind of equitable way? Really? (Aside from exceptions here or there, my gut feeling is that these are obvious and obviously rhetorical questions.)

Goal
Border Crossing is to document, question, and ask for open ended thought from you about the differences and mixed/missed connections as I move from leading students to undertaking my own studies and back again (and back again) [repeat]. It is a personal inquiry into a journey looking at education from two different perspectives. It may not be a comfortable ride all the time.

“- And Neckwus begat Fleckwus,the King of Spit. And Fleckwus spoke out of his chinkle-chankle.

– What?

– I’m sure that was the word. I’ve never forgotten it. ‘Chinkle-chankle.’”