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Analytic and Personal Essay

It is true what people say about the steep learning curve that comes with entering into a

Ph.D. program. However, I do not hink that the curve becomes any less steep as the program

progresses. I think that those in academia just accept it as the norm. As I looked back at my

original goal statement, I realized my interest on how special education impacts Latino student

achievement continues to be a driving force behind my pursuit of a Ph.D.

Academic Goals

Academically, I want to improve in areas of schooling where I did not previously excel.

One of these areas is using academic language when speaking to colleagues. It still feels very

much like a foreign language to me. Some of the steps I am taking to improve are (a) slowing

down when I talk, (b) considering my audience and the message I am looking to get across, and

(c) listening and reflecting on how and when professors and other students use academic

language during my interactions with them. Writing is another area I want to improve upon. I

believe I am a good writer and I am improving daily. However, I sometimes lack the patience to

review what I have written. I want to improve on my usage of active voice and APA style. With

the support of my advisor and other faculty members, I am a third author in two book chapters

coming out soon, and in a journal article that was just accepted. Before I graduate my goal is to

have at least two articles as first author.

Research Goals

In regard to my areas of research interest, as I stated earlier, I am interested on how special

education impacts school outcomes for Latino students across the United States. In order to do

this, I am trying to follow the advice I received from Alfredo Artiles, Dean of Graduate College

at Arizona State University, during a breakfast meeting Dr, Mason invited me to attend. Dr.
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Artiles noted that I had to get outside of special education in order to understand the whole

picture. He mentioned that I should learn about sociology and anthropology. To that end, I

enrolled in an educational anthropology class this semester. Between the readings and

presentations in this class, and a previous course on the topic at the University of North Carolina

-Chapel Hill, I have come to realize the importance of social and cultural context when trying to

understand educational outcomes for minorities. The two classes have given me a different

perspective on how to approach my future work. I now understand some of the deeper issues the

educational system has in terms of equity, accessibility, and power.

Some of the literature that has been most influential in my program, so far, are on the

topics of Critical Race Theory (Ladson-Billings, 1998), Latino Critical Theory (Solórzano &

Yosso, 2002), and Disability Critical Theory (Annamma, Connor, & Ferri, 2013). These theories

informed my understanding on how systemic ways of oppression are still enacted every day, and

that race should be a big part of the conversation within special education. I also realized that I

enjoy qualitative research more than quantitative research. The research questions, or puzzles,

that qualitative research asks interest me more than the research questions for quantitative

research.

New research methods. I look forward to learning more about participatory action

research (PAR). Through my WAYS OF KNOWING (EDUC 800) final project, I discovered how

much it meant to me that the researcher and participants have equal stake in PAR. According to

Bradbury-Huang, (2010) PAR sits as another independent paradigm, where the participant and

the researcher work together so that research is not done “to” the participant but “with” the

participant. When I was young, my friends would go on mission trips to small towns in Mexico

during spring break, and when they came back their pitch to get me involved was “It was
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amazing! These people will go out of their way to please you, sometimes they don’t eat so you

can have a feast!” It always seemed wrong to me that the people they went to “help” would

sacrifice even more to make my friends comfortable. The concept PAR explores of doing

research “with” someone, instead of “to” someone, reminds me of those mission trips, and offers

a solution to an issue that has always bothered me, even when I did not know exactly why. I

cannot wait to explore this area of research more in depth. From my understanding, doing PAR

enables the participant to be co-researcher and co-author of the story being created. It accepts

different forms of knowledge as valid; and when done right it can empower the all participants.

Professionals goals

College teaching. One of the main professional goals in my admission essay was to

become a teacher of teachers. I have been very fortunate to have an advisor who has invited me

to be an assistant teacher in several of her classes. Thanks to these enriching teaching

experiences, I can honestly say I very much look forward to the day when I can be in front of a

classroom on my own. Teaching is an important part of what I want to do, and it makes me

happy to think I am closer to achieving this goal. I would like to teach both within the

department of special education and in the education department as a whole. Topics related to

disproportionality in special education, classroom management, and disability should not

contained to special educators alone. It is information that can benefit all teachers.

Finally, I also know that I want to be a part of the world of academia. There are so many

things about it that excite me. Teaching students about topics I am passionate about, doing

research and finding out new truths, and engaging in stimulating conversations with peers, are

just three of the reasons why I want to continue on this path.

“Se vale soñar”. Hopefully I will be able to get a job in an institution where I can balance
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teaching students and doing research that challenges me to think outside the box every day.

I cannot believe all the things that I have learned since the beginning of this journey two

years ago. I am aware that there is still much more to learn, and I do not know where my next

steps will take me. What I do know is that I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences I

have had so far. These opportunities and experiences will become part of my toolbox as I move

along in my program, and they are a strong foundation for anything to come.
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References

Annamma, S. A., Connor, D., & Ferri, B. (2013). Dis/ability critical race studies (DisCrit):

theorizing at the intersections of race and dis/ability. Race Ethnicity and Education, 16,

1–31. doi:13613324.2012.730511

Bradbury-Huang, H. (2010). What is good action research?: Why the resurgent interest? Action

Research, 8, 93–109. doi:1476750310362435

Ladson-Billings, G. (1998). Just what is critical race theory and what’s it doing in a nice field

like education? International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 11, 7–24.

doi:095183998236863

Solórzano, D. G., & Yosso, T. J. (2002). Critical race methodology: Counter-storytelling as an

analytical framework for education research. Qualitative Inquiry, 8, 23–44.