Often I am asked why I am in pursuit of a PhD in Psychology. I suppose it does look very strange since my background is the Arts and I have expertise in Music and Theater. However, the driving factor is that I have always wanted a terminal degree; it was always in my plan, even when I was a little girl. As my life shifted and changed, however, it became apparent for me to step outside of music, education and theater and encapsulate my knowledge into something educationally meaningful and in a degree that could include all of my interests-- thus Educational Psychology with an emphasis in the Arts.
The Arts seem to embody the best of our humanity. They document and express our creativity, and through their process help everyone lead happier and more fulfilled lives. The place of music, art, dance and theater in our education has been so diminished over the years that most people do not recognize the power they have to make our world a better place. Yet within the Arts rests the potential to help our educational woes because the Arts develop cognitive abilities and promote emotional well-being.
With a PhD, coupled with my expertise in music, theater and education, I will have a powerful voice to advocate for the Arts. With a PhD, I will be speaking with authority from a scientifically supported understanding as well as from my heart.
This morning I work on coursework for Advanced Inferential Statistics ... not the picture you have of a person who composes music and/or writes plays ... or even a teacher in a classroom ... Yet, this is a necessary tool for my future research and I return to my classroom with a vengeance!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
