ZingerLearns @ZingerLearns@social.cleverlibre.org

#phdlife #phdchat
Going to make a few posts over the next couple of days about #PHD programs and being a grad student, especially as it relates to the unwritten curriculum of becoming and being a PhD student. My experience is primarily in the US and in the social sciences, but I have worked with some STEM PhD students as well.
If you have questions or thoughts please share them.

I will start with one that I often discuss and argue about with many, especially now during application season. I will argue that for the majority of students, it makes more sense to experience the world after graduating from college at least for a couple of years before entering a PhD program. I know many successful grad students who have not done this, but here are a couple of thoughts:
1) to what extent do you really know what you are interested in studying just out of college? Working in the field, or engaging in pre-phd for a couple of years can provide valuable experience that a) makes you a better PhD prospect, and b) helps you firm up your PhD journey before a 5-7 year commitment
2) some students are not ready at 22 or 23 for the mental transition from college life to PhD life (I certainly was not). I have seen a couple of main issues here. First the college grade and course focuses mindset doesn't match PhD program expectations. Second, the general stress and lifestyle of PhD students is so different.

More to come

@mjausson @edutooters I think it goes a little deeper and it's about criminalizing children of Color and those with disabilities. I don't see this happening in white suburban schools. Those families have the resources to shut this down quick.

@jhavok @edutooters this is an important part of the big picture. There are over 40,000 "safety" officers in schools last I checked. They have never stopped a school shooting, but they do a lot of criminalizing of children, and if we didn't use the money for them, we could use it for teachers, aids, social workers, advocates, community outreach, etc ..

@AlliFlowers @edutooters I am glad that you were able to manage with what you had, but it sounds like there were not adequate resources. I appreciate the picture for perspective, and it reminds me of some settings I have seen.

@AlliFlowers @edutooters and there were people and resources to support the severe ED cases for example?

@AlliFlowers @edutooters is alternative the same as specific for disabilities or the school that the "bad kids go to?

@AlliFlowers @edutooters I think it would depend on the disability and setting. If someone is severely ED and poses a danger to other students there are alternatives to gen ed that are not being criminalized. I have worked with schools that specifically support these students.

@AlliFlowers @edutooters you think arresting them and sending them to juvi is the answer then?
I am not advocating for anarchy, but criminalizing disability is problematic, maybe we disagree on this point.