Fall term begins next week.  I find myself, like many, saying something like, “Summer went by so quickly!”  My summer was consumed by my preliminary exams and work on a manuscript.  I also had the opportunity to work with some neat kids while a colleague was on vacation.   There is so much joy in clinical work.  Of course, there is also so much paperwork.  Nevertheless, opportunities to practice are a positive reminder for me.

golden haired Spiderman with lightsaber on pink castle, in Legos, created by a neat kid
golden haired Spiderman with lightsaber on pink castle, in Legos, created by a neat kid

I begin this semester as a doctoral candidate, ready to tackle a dissertation project and consider what lies ahead. I am excited to approach my work in academia with the same imagination that I find when I work with clients.   The result of my work may not be a golden haired Spiderman on a pink castle with a light saber, but in the end, the work of teaching and scholarship is about preparing future clinicians and special educators and contributing to our knowledge of best practices.   If curiosity can drive careful, systematic inquiry, who knows what we may imagine along the way?