Friday, April 02, 2010
A Real Look at My Future
I have been toying with the idea of going back to school to become a Speech Therapist and today I took the first step to find out how to do it.
I met with a professor at University of Cincinnati about the Master's Program for Speech-Language Pathology. I knew going in that I would have some prerequisite courses to take before I could start the Master's Program, but I didn't imagine that it would be 11 courses!
That will make things tricky because I have agreed to another year as an AmeriCorps member and that means more than 40 hours each week with some days not ending until after 5:30pm. I was informed today that there are no evening classes for this program, but some are offered online. Long story short, it may take 2 years for me to complete the prerequisite courses before I could start the Master's Program.
There's a million other things to think about, like how would I pay for it, when would I start, would I take them online or on campus, etc.
This line of thought is still in the very beginning stages, but I am thinking about it.
I met with a professor at University of Cincinnati about the Master's Program for Speech-Language Pathology. I knew going in that I would have some prerequisite courses to take before I could start the Master's Program, but I didn't imagine that it would be 11 courses!
That will make things tricky because I have agreed to another year as an AmeriCorps member and that means more than 40 hours each week with some days not ending until after 5:30pm. I was informed today that there are no evening classes for this program, but some are offered online. Long story short, it may take 2 years for me to complete the prerequisite courses before I could start the Master's Program.
There's a million other things to think about, like how would I pay for it, when would I start, would I take them online or on campus, etc.
This line of thought is still in the very beginning stages, but I am thinking about it.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Great Book
I just finished reading this book, and I must say I have learned quite a few things from it. The Love & Logic method seems so logical, but as teachers (and probably also as parents) we don't tend to think of these methods on our own.
I've already started to try to use them at school and I've found that they work. It's remembering when and how to use them that are the hard parts that will take much practice.
I've already started to try to use them at school and I've found that they work. It's remembering when and how to use them that are the hard parts that will take much practice.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Best Tuesday Yet!
Always be aware of the wealth of resources you have around you -- and use them when you can!
I was stuck, and HATING Tuesdays. Those are the days I stay after school with 14 girls in grades 3-5 for an hour and make sure they get their homework finished. At the end of the hour some high school girls come and spend an hour with them, as part of the Big Sisters program. (It's from Big Brothers Big Sisters, but we only utilize the Sister part.)
This ritual started in October, after I had been at the school only 1 month, with no formal training on how to handle a group of 9-11 year olds. (Keep in mind, I work with only K and 1st grade all day, everyday.) The hour would consist of super-chatty girls that talked back to me, didn't get their homework done, and found lots of ways to waste time. There was no respect or real discipline to be had, since there was a lack of structure.
I was frustrated and I knew it didn't have to be that way. Luckily, I was able to vent my frustrations over dinner with a gentleman named Mike, another Notre Dame-AmeriCorps member from Dayton, Ohio. His specialty was working with kids in the same age range as those in my Big Sisters program and he gave me a lot of insight and a new perspective on a couple of things that had happened to me over the past few months.
When I got back to Cincinnati, I stayed a little later in the teacher's lounge to talk to the higher grade teachers and ask their advice. They gave me a couple ideas I could try and this Tuesday I went in armed and ready. I had my list of rules for the hour, new seating chart and all. Before we even went to the cafeteria I told them 'this is how it's going to be'. If the rules were broken, they would lose 5 minutes with their Big Sister because, after all, participating in the program is a privilege, not a right, and they should not be rewarded for disrespecting an adult for one full hour.
It must have gotten through to them because that was the quietest (and easiest) Tuesday for me yet this year. They sat in their assigned seats, did their homework, were respectful to me and each other, and hey, it even seemed to change their demeanor for the second hour with their Big Sisters. They were quieter, calmer, and seemed to have valuable conversations with their Big Sisters instead of being loud and somewhat out of control.
It was a great challenge for me to put down my foot like that and demand results from the students, but it really felt good to not have to argue and have a power struggle for an hour. It's really a win-win: They can be more focused on their homework so they have less (or none) to do at home later, and I can go home feeling more relaxed and less on-edge.
I was stuck, and HATING Tuesdays. Those are the days I stay after school with 14 girls in grades 3-5 for an hour and make sure they get their homework finished. At the end of the hour some high school girls come and spend an hour with them, as part of the Big Sisters program. (It's from Big Brothers Big Sisters, but we only utilize the Sister part.)
This ritual started in October, after I had been at the school only 1 month, with no formal training on how to handle a group of 9-11 year olds. (Keep in mind, I work with only K and 1st grade all day, everyday.) The hour would consist of super-chatty girls that talked back to me, didn't get their homework done, and found lots of ways to waste time. There was no respect or real discipline to be had, since there was a lack of structure.
I was frustrated and I knew it didn't have to be that way. Luckily, I was able to vent my frustrations over dinner with a gentleman named Mike, another Notre Dame-AmeriCorps member from Dayton, Ohio. His specialty was working with kids in the same age range as those in my Big Sisters program and he gave me a lot of insight and a new perspective on a couple of things that had happened to me over the past few months.
When I got back to Cincinnati, I stayed a little later in the teacher's lounge to talk to the higher grade teachers and ask their advice. They gave me a couple ideas I could try and this Tuesday I went in armed and ready. I had my list of rules for the hour, new seating chart and all. Before we even went to the cafeteria I told them 'this is how it's going to be'. If the rules were broken, they would lose 5 minutes with their Big Sister because, after all, participating in the program is a privilege, not a right, and they should not be rewarded for disrespecting an adult for one full hour.
It must have gotten through to them because that was the quietest (and easiest) Tuesday for me yet this year. They sat in their assigned seats, did their homework, were respectful to me and each other, and hey, it even seemed to change their demeanor for the second hour with their Big Sisters. They were quieter, calmer, and seemed to have valuable conversations with their Big Sisters instead of being loud and somewhat out of control.
It was a great challenge for me to put down my foot like that and demand results from the students, but it really felt good to not have to argue and have a power struggle for an hour. It's really a win-win: They can be more focused on their homework so they have less (or none) to do at home later, and I can go home feeling more relaxed and less on-edge.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
NDA Conference Thoughts
Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 9:12am
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. -Gandhi
That was one of the many quotes from our AmeriCorps conference yesterday that stuck with me. We listened to a couple Notre Dame Sisters and a Congressman from Maryland, Elijah Cummings. His speech was about his journey from special ed in elementary school to law school and then becoming a Congressman. It was very inspiring and he had quite a few words of advice for educators like us at Notre Dame AmeriCorps. He really had a lot of positive energy and his delivery was much like that of a preacher - which even got a few responses from the audience.
Some of the thoughts he left me with were the following:
"Never mistake a comma for a period." Even if you get what you've dreamed about, there could still be more to life. More to achieve, more to learn, more to teach, etc.
This other thing he said seemed to me to be so true: We have a culture of mediocrity. When something is tough in college, we just stay away from it and do something easier. What we should do is strive for excellence instead and tackle any challenges that come our way.
"Plan for success"
"Know yourself and be true to yourself."
A lot of people think that it takes a group to make a change or start something. But it only takes one person + commitment and dedication.
Now that you've read Elijah's words: "Store THAT in your DNA!"
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. -Gandhi
That was one of the many quotes from our AmeriCorps conference yesterday that stuck with me. We listened to a couple Notre Dame Sisters and a Congressman from Maryland, Elijah Cummings. His speech was about his journey from special ed in elementary school to law school and then becoming a Congressman. It was very inspiring and he had quite a few words of advice for educators like us at Notre Dame AmeriCorps. He really had a lot of positive energy and his delivery was much like that of a preacher - which even got a few responses from the audience.
Some of the thoughts he left me with were the following:
"Never mistake a comma for a period." Even if you get what you've dreamed about, there could still be more to life. More to achieve, more to learn, more to teach, etc.
This other thing he said seemed to me to be so true: We have a culture of mediocrity. When something is tough in college, we just stay away from it and do something easier. What we should do is strive for excellence instead and tackle any challenges that come our way.
"Plan for success"
"Know yourself and be true to yourself."
A lot of people think that it takes a group to make a change or start something. But it only takes one person + commitment and dedication.
Now that you've read Elijah's words: "Store THAT in your DNA!"
Notre Dame-AmeriCorps National Conference
Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 12:18am
Today was such an emotionally charged day. I've been in a bit of a rut lately, trying to figure out what to do next in life, not sure what I else I can get from and give to my service site, etc. And today I learned a bit about other people's service experiences and I was blown away. It was as if some of them were talking directly to me and knew what I was thinking, even though they were talking to all 300+ of us. Some of the things I heard made me think about a second year with AmeriCorps in a different way: as an opportunity to do better and so much more the second time around. I'll have to post a few of the thoughts I was left with after our keynote speakers left the podium... But now I must get some rest.
Today was such an emotionally charged day. I've been in a bit of a rut lately, trying to figure out what to do next in life, not sure what I else I can get from and give to my service site, etc. And today I learned a bit about other people's service experiences and I was blown away. It was as if some of them were talking directly to me and knew what I was thinking, even though they were talking to all 300+ of us. Some of the things I heard made me think about a second year with AmeriCorps in a different way: as an opportunity to do better and so much more the second time around. I'll have to post a few of the thoughts I was left with after our keynote speakers left the podium... But now I must get some rest.
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