Real Academics Blog

Dear Real Academics, One of the best series I've watched recently is The Chosen .  I love everything about it, including the fact that it is different in the way it's crowd funded, streamed through The Chosen app, and created in a way that is relatable and incredibly high-quality. I also love how Jesus, one of the main characters, tells his students to "Get used to different."  Are you used to different, Real Academics?  I thought I was "used to different" as an academic by default. If I am honest, though, so much of what I and others around me did was really all the "same": Same problems - why do they never get solved? And, do we even want them to solve the problems (Think: If we did, then what would be a purpose for "further research")? Same arguments. Same analysis. I felt like a hamster spinning in a wheel. And what was "new" were really just "new" labels for old ideas. Novelty, I learned much too slowly, was fro...

Dear Real Academics, Warning: This is a little longer than usual, but stick with me...I promise, it will be worth it. My Past and Present Views on Failure Tiberio, my now husband, can tell you that when he first met me in graduate school, he was amazed that I made a statement one day to the effect of, "I'd rather die than fail a class". Allow me to defend myself a bit. I am culturally Mexican, and I can sound inadvertently dramatic with words. The sentiments in Spanish, needless to say, do not always translate so well into English.  But, case in point, Tiberio tells me he took my statement quite literally and was amazed that someone would hold a viewpoint like that about failure. I am thankful he did not take offense, and he understands me better now. Fast forward 10 years, and I have calmed down a bit. I like to think I'm still a go-getter, but I am much more comfortable with failure than I used to me.  The reason for being more comfortable with failure is not just a...

Dear Real Academics, I've been reading and thinking a lot about value lately, and I just had to ask, "What is your value?" And, I don't mean, "What do you value?" But, "What is your value?" But first, allow me to clarify and contextualize the question. As a Christian, I believe in what the Bible teaches about every person having intrinsic value, with no one having more or less intrinsic value than another person. I realize this may run counter-cultural in some places, but this is what I believe in terms of human life and worth. This, however, is not the kind of value I'm talking about.  Here, I'm talking about value related to your skills. I have no doubt those of you reading this post have many valuable skills. Some of you are professional writers and editors. Some of you are scholars and teachers. Some of you are business professionals and artists. Some of you are all of the above or some combination or other. You get the idea.  So, let m...

Dear Real Academics, Introduction Some of you may have heard of "academic coaches". If you search for this term online, you'll likely get websites with services to coach high school students or college students through their coursework or exams. To me, this is more like "tutoring".  And...to muddle things more....coaching is not the same as "consulting" or "mentoring" or "therapy."  So what is coaching and who uses this type of service and how does this look in higher education?  First, what is coaching? Coaching is a relationship-based model in which the coach helps clients solve problems for themselves by using tools such as (1) transformative conversations, (2) goal setting, and (3) accountability.  When appropriate, a coach may provide expert insights, advice, and resources.  Ultimately, though, clients are the ones "driving the bus" (i.e., in charge of and responsible for their decisions). If you've ever been to a...