Recently, I was at a networking event and someone asked me what I do for a job. When I said ‘I am a researcher’ they replied, ‘I feel sorry for you’, going on to share how they thought this must be the most boring job in the world. To be honest, I was a bit taken aback by this comment, as I have never found research boring. Hard work maybe, but never boring. Being a researcher means I have the space to follow my curiosity, to think broadly about life and learning, and to ask what if questions — and all in my workplace. How can this be boring?

As a researcher, I am constantly challenged, as I am exposed to new ideas and perspectives, which has caused me to see things differently on many occasions. As a result, I find that I am always learning, which, for me, is an exciting outcome of my job. These positive experiences with research have not just happened, however. They have evolved as I have developed a disposition towards research, one that I believe is different from the characteristics typically valued in educators.

I have a teaching background, and so I have learnt to think on my feet and make decisions in a moment. As a teacher, I looked for ideas I could implement straight away in the classroom, and my planning often became a bit of a snatch and grab process. I liken this to being a magpie — seeking out useful ideas and resources from a range of sources, and using these to build a programme that is varied, on trend, and best practice. Teachers are expert at this, but as a researcher I found this approach the antithesis of inclusive, innovative research, and I had to change.

The process of research requires a slowing down and letting go of being the knower. My own experience has taught me to be friends with questions and uncertainty, and to be patient as I wait and see what happens. I am not alone in this; I have observed those I mentor in research go through the same process of unlearning old patterns to become a more curious and intrepid explorer. Cultivating a disposition for research in my own work has involved learning and relearning how to question and listen more.

Learning to question more