Well, I haven't been reading a book a day. Well, some days I have. It was DEFINITELY a summer of reading. I could read at the pool during swim team practice, and I could read while I was laid up with my burns. I could read while the kids played. And I could read at night.
And courtesy of my Nook that I got for my birthday, I can bring lots of "books" on our weekend trips without having to load up a bag. I also love my Nook for when I'm waiting. At the dr. office. At school. At the pool. I still get most of my books at the thrift store and I still doing a lot of borrowing from the library.
Some of the fiction I read was: The Jane Austen Book Club, The Prodigal Summer, The House of Sand and Fog, Plain Truth, Transgression, The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing, and While I Was Gone.
On my Nook, so far, I've read: The Help, The Happiness Project, Half Broke Horses, and The Glass Castle.
Non-fiction, of course, was "Simple" reading: Gardening, Root Cellaring, Knitting, Edible Gardens, that sort of stuff. It is funny, I used to have to really dig for these type of books, and they were usually books that were published in the 1970s. This year, there are tons of books in the "New" section. Makes me wish I would have taken the time to get my book written a couple years ago when there was less competition. Oh well. Life happens, right?
And this year, I am even going to do Book Club with my friend Mary! Yes, Mary from my Another Ode to Mary Mary Commentary! The same friend that we talked about books at at Women Living Wisely about how I wanted to start reading more. The friend who said that she would be my "book friend!"
I'm so glad I finally started taking time to "read" again. I missed it!
Showing posts with label Literacy and Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Literacy and Education. Show all posts
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Monday, September 13, 2010
In the spirit of Back to School,
I'm doing a post about Lifelong learning. It is something that I think is really important, and I think it is really important that if you have children, that they see that even adults can still study and learn things.
(On the other hand, I more than borderline on being a professional student LOL and so my children have had the opportunity to experience me being a college student and their mother. ) But I'm talking about ways to build learning into your everyday life.
But again, in the spirit of School, I don't want to plagiarize, and I have to admit that this is not "my" list. I got the list of items from Simple Mom and the post called "8 Ways to Pursue a Lifetime of Learning." (although they actually have 9 on the list. )
==========================
1. Read.
When I was a kid/teenager, I was a voracious reader. Then I went to college. And only read textbooks. After college, I read nothing, well, unless the back of cereal boxes counts. And then I read some baby books when I was expecting #1. And I read some work related magazines over the years. And then I went back to school, more textbooks. And some Montessori books. But basically, from 18-40, I didn't read anything I didn't "have" to read.
And then I started reading some non-fiction books about things that I liked. And then last year, I started reading fiction again. And now? I've always got 3-4 books that I'm reading. Some short, some long, some non-fiction, some fiction. I sometimes read in bed, but I also often read at the kitchen table or on the downstairs couch. Where the kids can see me read. I love it when they get a book and snuggle next to me on the couch.
2. Read quality.
I put this on the list with some hesitation. Because my "standards" for reading something were so high (I was an English undergrad major and so I loved the classics, particularly things from the American Romantic period. Which was well over 100 years ago.), I didn't want to read any modern fiction because I was afraid it would be "bad" or "not worth my time" or whatever. Very snobby. I also know some people who felt forced to read the "classics" over the years, and now hated to read. So I guess I would say to not read JUST romance novels or women's magazines or authors that pump out a book a year or whatever. Read something wish substance sometimes, or something outside your usual interest level.
3. When you do watch TV, watch quality.
I like to say that I don't watch much TV, but it isn't entirely true. There are times when I'm bored and watch an evening of "House Hunters" or "What Not to Wear." But afterwards, I always feel a bit bad because I know that I could have done SOMETHING more productive with my time. But I what I do try and do is that if I'm going to watch something regularly, that I pick something that makes me think, or is a good example of good acting/writing/directing, etc.
I would like to make a goal for what the original post said under #3. Pick out a few shows - maybe 3 a week - to watch and turn the TV on for those, but then turn it off and do something else.
4. Surround yourself with other learners.
This point is really important to me. I love learning, but what really makes me excited is to listen to how other people interpret things or how other people perform a particular skill or whatever. And the more I do with putting together my book, the more I'm learning that it is really, really, really, helpful to have a mentor. Somebody who has been doing that thing for awhile and can answer those questions that all beginners have. Somebody who won't mock you when you are just starting out. Somebody to do learn from. Somebody who is just as excited about it as you. And somebody to just do it, whatever "it" is, with you.
5. Be around people different from you.
As important as it was in #4 to be around people that are interested in the same thing(s) you are, I think it is just as important to be around people that are different than you. I remember when I was in college (the first time LOL) and there was a 40ish year old woman in my freshman literature class, and we were partnered up together. I was much better at her with the mechanics of English and knowing facts about the authors, and that kind of thing, but she had had so much more life experience than I had and was able to bring those experience, and just a whole other tone to her writing. (I can appreciate that 40 year old woman SO much more now LOL)
I do, however, have to make an effort to do this sort of thing. I'm not someone who just "out of the blue" goes somewhere different. With being a mom, homeschooling my kids, and watching other children, I am honestly just at my home quite a bit. And often, when I'm out of the house, I am at church or church related activities. I'm friends with several women from church, and I love them, but most of them have very similar lives to mine.
So I'm trying to branch out more and do things outside my house and outside my usual circle. I may not agree or like what I hear other people do/say, but it always helps me learn more about myself and what I do like and believe in.
6. Keep up with the news.
I will admit it. I'm not very good about this one. We do not have a newspaper subscription. I don't read news magazines. I don't watch the news on TV. Often times, the only news I will see is when I log onto the computer and go to my Yahoo home page (which does, actually, also have my local news headlines listed.)
I want to do better with this. I mean, I don't want it to be something that I spend a lot of time reading, or getting bogged down in the negative, but to be able to learn and make connections, I think it is important to know what is going on, both locally and globally.
7. Make a list.
No problems with this here. I constantly got a list going of books I want to read, or check out from the library. But if you don't, get a little notebook and keep it where it will be easiest to jot things down that you want to read about/take a class about, etc.
8. Say "I don't know" to your kids.
As my kids get older, I say this more and more to them. They've gotten over the shock, mostly, LOL, that I don't know everything. And it has turned into loads of fun together trying to find the answer. And my kids get off on tangents, just like their mom does, and we've discovered some really great things together this way.
9. Just do something.
The original post recommends to just try something new every day. And at first, I thought, a new thing EVERY DAY? But it doesn't have to be something major. It can be something that takes 5 minutes to research. Or something small as part of a longer journey - like learning how to thread a needle on the way to learning how to sew a dress.
------------------------
I think if you do even one or two of these things on the list, you'll be well on your way to showing your family that you value learning. And at the end of the day, week, year, life, I think that you'll be a better person for it too.
(On the other hand, I more than borderline on being a professional student LOL and so my children have had the opportunity to experience me being a college student and their mother. ) But I'm talking about ways to build learning into your everyday life.
But again, in the spirit of School, I don't want to plagiarize, and I have to admit that this is not "my" list. I got the list of items from Simple Mom and the post called "8 Ways to Pursue a Lifetime of Learning." (although they actually have 9 on the list. )
==========================
1. Read.
When I was a kid/teenager, I was a voracious reader. Then I went to college. And only read textbooks. After college, I read nothing, well, unless the back of cereal boxes counts. And then I read some baby books when I was expecting #1. And I read some work related magazines over the years. And then I went back to school, more textbooks. And some Montessori books. But basically, from 18-40, I didn't read anything I didn't "have" to read.
And then I started reading some non-fiction books about things that I liked. And then last year, I started reading fiction again. And now? I've always got 3-4 books that I'm reading. Some short, some long, some non-fiction, some fiction. I sometimes read in bed, but I also often read at the kitchen table or on the downstairs couch. Where the kids can see me read. I love it when they get a book and snuggle next to me on the couch.
2. Read quality.
I put this on the list with some hesitation. Because my "standards" for reading something were so high (I was an English undergrad major and so I loved the classics, particularly things from the American Romantic period. Which was well over 100 years ago.), I didn't want to read any modern fiction because I was afraid it would be "bad" or "not worth my time" or whatever. Very snobby. I also know some people who felt forced to read the "classics" over the years, and now hated to read. So I guess I would say to not read JUST romance novels or women's magazines or authors that pump out a book a year or whatever. Read something wish substance sometimes, or something outside your usual interest level.
3. When you do watch TV, watch quality.
I like to say that I don't watch much TV, but it isn't entirely true. There are times when I'm bored and watch an evening of "House Hunters" or "What Not to Wear." But afterwards, I always feel a bit bad because I know that I could have done SOMETHING more productive with my time. But I what I do try and do is that if I'm going to watch something regularly, that I pick something that makes me think, or is a good example of good acting/writing/directing, etc.
I would like to make a goal for what the original post said under #3. Pick out a few shows - maybe 3 a week - to watch and turn the TV on for those, but then turn it off and do something else.
4. Surround yourself with other learners.
This point is really important to me. I love learning, but what really makes me excited is to listen to how other people interpret things or how other people perform a particular skill or whatever. And the more I do with putting together my book, the more I'm learning that it is really, really, really, helpful to have a mentor. Somebody who has been doing that thing for awhile and can answer those questions that all beginners have. Somebody who won't mock you when you are just starting out. Somebody to do learn from. Somebody who is just as excited about it as you. And somebody to just do it, whatever "it" is, with you.
5. Be around people different from you.
As important as it was in #4 to be around people that are interested in the same thing(s) you are, I think it is just as important to be around people that are different than you. I remember when I was in college (the first time LOL) and there was a 40ish year old woman in my freshman literature class, and we were partnered up together. I was much better at her with the mechanics of English and knowing facts about the authors, and that kind of thing, but she had had so much more life experience than I had and was able to bring those experience, and just a whole other tone to her writing. (I can appreciate that 40 year old woman SO much more now LOL)
I do, however, have to make an effort to do this sort of thing. I'm not someone who just "out of the blue" goes somewhere different. With being a mom, homeschooling my kids, and watching other children, I am honestly just at my home quite a bit. And often, when I'm out of the house, I am at church or church related activities. I'm friends with several women from church, and I love them, but most of them have very similar lives to mine.
So I'm trying to branch out more and do things outside my house and outside my usual circle. I may not agree or like what I hear other people do/say, but it always helps me learn more about myself and what I do like and believe in.
6. Keep up with the news.
I will admit it. I'm not very good about this one. We do not have a newspaper subscription. I don't read news magazines. I don't watch the news on TV. Often times, the only news I will see is when I log onto the computer and go to my Yahoo home page (which does, actually, also have my local news headlines listed.)
I want to do better with this. I mean, I don't want it to be something that I spend a lot of time reading, or getting bogged down in the negative, but to be able to learn and make connections, I think it is important to know what is going on, both locally and globally.
7. Make a list.
No problems with this here. I constantly got a list going of books I want to read, or check out from the library. But if you don't, get a little notebook and keep it where it will be easiest to jot things down that you want to read about/take a class about, etc.
8. Say "I don't know" to your kids.
As my kids get older, I say this more and more to them. They've gotten over the shock, mostly, LOL, that I don't know everything. And it has turned into loads of fun together trying to find the answer. And my kids get off on tangents, just like their mom does, and we've discovered some really great things together this way.
9. Just do something.
The original post recommends to just try something new every day. And at first, I thought, a new thing EVERY DAY? But it doesn't have to be something major. It can be something that takes 5 minutes to research. Or something small as part of a longer journey - like learning how to thread a needle on the way to learning how to sew a dress.
------------------------
I think if you do even one or two of these things on the list, you'll be well on your way to showing your family that you value learning. And at the end of the day, week, year, life, I think that you'll be a better person for it too.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Sometimes it is hard to let go and sometimes it's not
I'm getting ready to give my MIL a bunch of stuff for a garage sale. I've been pretty brutal this time. I'm trying to get rid of anything that we aren't using or that I don't love. And I'm even pretty brutal on the "love" stuff. I'm not overly sentimental. Which is good when you are trying to cut down on the amount of stuff you have.
I've never been one who held on to baby stuff - clothes or otherwise. I kept the kids coming home outfits and their baby blessing outfits and that's it. I don't usually keep more than about one size ahead of clothes, and I get rid of clothes they have outgrown as soon as they are done with it. I got rid of the crib when we were done, the high chair, the pack n play (it would have nice with doing daycare if I had kept the high chair and pack n play, but I didn't know at the time, and I picked them up for free, so no real loss). As my kids outgrow toys, unless it is a classic toy like blocks or wooden trains, cloth doll, etc., we give the toy away for someone else to love.
I go through the kids' school papers at the end of the year, and try and just pick one or two things from each month so you can see a progression, but I do NOT keep every scrap of paper.
I only have one tub of things that I've kept of things from babyhood until I got married.
I really try and do the one thing in/one thing out when we get gifts each year.
So I shouldn't have that much stuff, right? Well, like I said, I'm really trying to be brutal now. And I'm looking in every room, every closet, and every bookcase.
Which brings me to my problem area.
Not the books, although I suppose I probably have too many books too, but I'm getting rid of all the books that are not classics or that I'm currently not reading.
But I've got an almost full 5 shelf bookcase of books and binders from when I did my masters degree and some books from when I was working in technical writing. I've got project management books, I've got training books, I've got style guides. I've got 12 binders that contain my notes from courses. I've got my portfolio.
And I can't seem to get rid of it. I doubt that I'd even refer to the things in the binders. So I should get rid of them. The books are all at least 6 years old. I'm sure that the they are outdated. I should get rid of them. Some of the style guides are more like 10 years old. At least. I can't even remember the last time I used them, even when I was working as a technical writer. I should get rid of them.
But I can't. For some reason, to me, it means that I'll never be a trainer again. I'll never be a project manager again. I'll never be a technical writer again. And even though it isn't rational, to me, it means that I'm just throwing my masters degree away. It means that all my education was a waste. Like I said, it isn't rational. I know it isn't rational. But it is how I feel.
I was going to get rid of it anyway. I don't use it. I wouldn't say I love it. It is taking up space.
But I'm not going to. Not yet. I'm just not ready to let it go. I still haven't figured out where all that knowledge, all those skills fit in my future. When I figure that out, then I'll let it go.
Friday, May 14, 2010
So I've got a masters degree in Technology and you're doing what?
In my previous post, I talked about all my journeys in education, and how I got a degree in English, started a masters degree in English, but ended up with a degree in Technology. I enjoyed working as a technical writer and as a computer trainer. I did. I got my masters degree in Technology (with an emphasis on Training and Development and Project Management) because I thought it would help me get another job in Training, if I chose to leave the University some day.
I started my graduate degree when Jelly Bean was just a little baby. By the time she turned 1, I just felt like I was missing my kids' childhood (Flower was 3.) They were spending all day at a daycare center, and then 2 or 3 nights a week, Mr. Simple was watching them while I was at class. So I asked my boss if I could go to part-time. He said, Sure. I don't want to lose you. We'll give someone else the supervisory duties and you can go back to just teaching a couple classes. It was great. I spent the mornings with the kids, dropped the kids off at friends house in the afternoon and the kids napped while I went to work for a few hours. Did I say it was great? It was. It was close to perfect.
And then nine months after the perfect job set up, it was over. The university laid off tons of part-time people due to state educational budget cuts. My boss said it wasn't personal. (Sure felt personal to me.) He'd do his best to get me back in at the university. Soon.
I was laid off in 2003. And except for a short stint of working part-time evenings in 2006-2007, I haven't worked outside of the home since I was laid off. A couple of times over the years, I've really tried to get a full-time job in training/project management. I applied to all the large companies in the area. I registered with a couple of technical contract companies in the area. I sent out tons of resumes. I put my profile up on Monster, HotJobs, etc. Over the years, I've had 3 interviews. And since I was laid off, I've never been offered a job in my field.
But of course, I wasn't Not Working either. Since 2003, I've been teaching preschool. It started out as a fluke, and then turned into something that I love. In 2008, I started doing daycare too, and now I earn a fair amount from the daycare. Since 2008 until just now, I have had more daycare children than I have had preschool only children. In 2004, I had another child. In 2008, I started homeschooling. I had wanted to for a couple years before that. I am busy. And I've been able to teach all my children in preschool here at my home. I've been able to homeschool my children the past two years. I've been able to really be with my children. I can say that I haven't missed their childhood. And while it has been hard (really hard sometimes) financially over the years, I would say that I still was grateful that I was able to be home with my children these past 7 years. And of course, I was able to finish that masters degree too.
But lately, the huge amount of money that I owe on my student loan is haunting me. (It is currently in deferment, but it can't stay there forever.) It keeps me up at night. Part of why the amount is so large is because I had recently lost my job and we couldn't live off just Mr. Simple's salary. We should have planned for the possibility, but we didn't. Part of the reason that the amount is so large is because when I started the program, the university was paying my tuition, but when I lost my job, obviously, they weren't paying it anymore. We should have planned for the possibility, but we didn't.
As of this fall, two out of the three of my children plan on returning to public school, at least for a year. As of this fall, I will only have one homeschooler (Jelly Bean), one preschooler, one toddler, and one infant. It makes me feel that now that things are changing at home, that maybe it is time for me to change too. Maybe it is time for me to try harder to get a full-time job outside of my home. Maybe I should try harder to get a job in a field that I have a degree in. Maybe it is time for me to get another part-time evening job.
Mr. Simple and I have spent the last 3 years paying a fairly big chunk of $$ on getting out of other debt. In one more year, the only debt we will have is the mortgage on the house. In one more year, we could put that money towards my student loan. It would take longer than 4 years to pay off the student loan debt. Not to mention, something just feels wrong about paying on a degree (did I mention it was a lot of money?) when I am not working in the field? When at least right now, I don't want to go back to work full-time in that field? When most of that money that would be paid by Mr. Simple? I mean, obviously it has to be paid. I'm not saying that I shouldn't pay for the debt back.
We felt like it was the right thing for me to finish my degree. It still feels like it was the right thing. Maybe one day, I'll understand why, but maybe, I'll never know why. But I really wish that I could have finished without having to go into debt to do it.
And what I really wish is that I could have it all. I wish I could find some job - designing curriculum or doing occasional training sessions - where most of my work was able to be done at home, and that I could do that work in evenings and weekends. It would give me enough money to pay off the loan in 5-7 years and be able to also contribute to our family. But that I would still have time to be able to homeschool my children, and that I could also have 2-3 preschool only children to teach, not for money, but because I love it.
But I usually don't get "it all." I know that the job scenario I described above is not realistic. I'm going to have to figure out a solution. I keep thinking about it. I've thought of some possibilities besides just going back to work full-time in my field or just staying home and using part of Mr. Simple's paycheck to pay it off. I've made some pro/con lists. But I haven't figured out the solution yet. Yet. I'm still working on it though.
I started my graduate degree when Jelly Bean was just a little baby. By the time she turned 1, I just felt like I was missing my kids' childhood (Flower was 3.) They were spending all day at a daycare center, and then 2 or 3 nights a week, Mr. Simple was watching them while I was at class. So I asked my boss if I could go to part-time. He said, Sure. I don't want to lose you. We'll give someone else the supervisory duties and you can go back to just teaching a couple classes. It was great. I spent the mornings with the kids, dropped the kids off at friends house in the afternoon and the kids napped while I went to work for a few hours. Did I say it was great? It was. It was close to perfect.
And then nine months after the perfect job set up, it was over. The university laid off tons of part-time people due to state educational budget cuts. My boss said it wasn't personal. (Sure felt personal to me.) He'd do his best to get me back in at the university. Soon.
I was laid off in 2003. And except for a short stint of working part-time evenings in 2006-2007, I haven't worked outside of the home since I was laid off. A couple of times over the years, I've really tried to get a full-time job in training/project management. I applied to all the large companies in the area. I registered with a couple of technical contract companies in the area. I sent out tons of resumes. I put my profile up on Monster, HotJobs, etc. Over the years, I've had 3 interviews. And since I was laid off, I've never been offered a job in my field.
But of course, I wasn't Not Working either. Since 2003, I've been teaching preschool. It started out as a fluke, and then turned into something that I love. In 2008, I started doing daycare too, and now I earn a fair amount from the daycare. Since 2008 until just now, I have had more daycare children than I have had preschool only children. In 2004, I had another child. In 2008, I started homeschooling. I had wanted to for a couple years before that. I am busy. And I've been able to teach all my children in preschool here at my home. I've been able to homeschool my children the past two years. I've been able to really be with my children. I can say that I haven't missed their childhood. And while it has been hard (really hard sometimes) financially over the years, I would say that I still was grateful that I was able to be home with my children these past 7 years. And of course, I was able to finish that masters degree too.
But lately, the huge amount of money that I owe on my student loan is haunting me. (It is currently in deferment, but it can't stay there forever.) It keeps me up at night. Part of why the amount is so large is because I had recently lost my job and we couldn't live off just Mr. Simple's salary. We should have planned for the possibility, but we didn't. Part of the reason that the amount is so large is because when I started the program, the university was paying my tuition, but when I lost my job, obviously, they weren't paying it anymore. We should have planned for the possibility, but we didn't.
As of this fall, two out of the three of my children plan on returning to public school, at least for a year. As of this fall, I will only have one homeschooler (Jelly Bean), one preschooler, one toddler, and one infant. It makes me feel that now that things are changing at home, that maybe it is time for me to change too. Maybe it is time for me to try harder to get a full-time job outside of my home. Maybe I should try harder to get a job in a field that I have a degree in. Maybe it is time for me to get another part-time evening job.
Mr. Simple and I have spent the last 3 years paying a fairly big chunk of $$ on getting out of other debt. In one more year, the only debt we will have is the mortgage on the house. In one more year, we could put that money towards my student loan. It would take longer than 4 years to pay off the student loan debt. Not to mention, something just feels wrong about paying on a degree (did I mention it was a lot of money?) when I am not working in the field? When at least right now, I don't want to go back to work full-time in that field? When most of that money that would be paid by Mr. Simple? I mean, obviously it has to be paid. I'm not saying that I shouldn't pay for the debt back.
We felt like it was the right thing for me to finish my degree. It still feels like it was the right thing. Maybe one day, I'll understand why, but maybe, I'll never know why. But I really wish that I could have finished without having to go into debt to do it.
And what I really wish is that I could have it all. I wish I could find some job - designing curriculum or doing occasional training sessions - where most of my work was able to be done at home, and that I could do that work in evenings and weekends. It would give me enough money to pay off the loan in 5-7 years and be able to also contribute to our family. But that I would still have time to be able to homeschool my children, and that I could also have 2-3 preschool only children to teach, not for money, but because I love it.
But I usually don't get "it all." I know that the job scenario I described above is not realistic. I'm going to have to figure out a solution. I keep thinking about it. I've thought of some possibilities besides just going back to work full-time in my field or just staying home and using part of Mr. Simple's paycheck to pay it off. I've made some pro/con lists. But I haven't figured out the solution yet. Yet. I'm still working on it though.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Pomp and Circumstance and all that
Once upon a time, there was a girl who . . . well, never mind, it is Me.
My daughter was asking me the other day if I was excited when I graduated (We live in a college town and graduation was this past weekend.) I said "Well, from high school, when I got my bachelors degree, or when I got my masters degree?"
Because I can't give one answer that would fit each graduation.
Was I excited for my high school graduation? Well, I guess. Mostly, it was more like Finally! I had taken extra classes for many years, and I had received good grades over the years, and so by the time I got I got to my senior year, I was only taking two classes, and I needed neither of them to graduate (I was taking AP English, and Aerobic Dance - hey, it was the 80s, OK?) I had strongly considered going on to college after my junior year. My boyfriend was a year ahead of me, so I could go join him at the same time. I didn't need to take any classes. It made sense to me. But everyone else was against it. My parents didn't think I was ready (I was one of the youngest in my class as it was. And I'm sure the boyfriend thing had something to do with their apprehension.) Other adults said "Oh, you can't miss your senior year! The prom, the parties, all the last things of high school." My friends wanted me to stay. So I stayed.
Bad decision.
I was miserable. All my friends had boyfriends and spent all of their time with them. My boyfriend wasn't there, so I didn't go to parties or prom. My AP English teacher left for a sabbatical 2 months into school and we were left with a substitute who did nothing but sit at the front of the room and read to himself. He expected us to read too, but gave us no instruction on how to prepare for the AP test, etc. My aunt was pregnant with her sixth child and needed help, so I went and helped her for two whole months from December to February. It wasn't like I was going to be missing much in my AP class, or Aerobics, for that matter.
So by the time that May came around, I couldn't wait to just be done. I remember the ceremony being very hot. It was inside at local sports auditorium. There was 650 people in my graduating class. So hot and long.
So I went off to college. I had decided to major in Microbiology. I expected that I would graduate in 4 years, and then probably go on for a masters in Microbiology. And then Life just started happening. My boyfriend had died 3 weeks into my freshman year and that had put my life into a tailspin. I suddenly just didn't have the motivation for school like I always had. And I just didn't really see myself as a microbiologist anymore. I changed my major to English Education. But then I changed schools. And then I came back to my original school. And changed my major to Spanish. Then Communications. And then I just dropped out of school altogether. I worked as a Police Records Clerk and then a 911 dispatcher. And then finally, I decided to go back to school. I had learned about Technical Writing from a friend that I knew while I was working at the Police Department and thought that I would enjoy doing that type of work. So I decided to major in English with a focus on Technical Writing. So I changed schools one last time. After being back in school for two years, I graduated. I was thrilled. I had done it. I had started to believe, back when I was at the police department, that I would never get a college degree. But here I was, 9 years after graduating from high school and lots of experiences under the bridge, graduating from college. (My parents were pretty darned thrilled too. LOL)
So then I went and worked as a technical writer for a year up in Chicago. I enjoyed it, but I was just working as a contract worker and my job would be up in August. I tried applying other places, but my heart just wasn't in it. I decided to apply to graduate schools and get a graduate degree in Technical Communications. I applied to three schools and got into all three. But the only school where I would receive an assistantship and other financial aid was at my alma mater. It was my third choice - I had wanted to experience some place different, and I thought the other two schools had stronger programs. But I didn't have much cash, and so I went with the school that was giving me the most money.
Bad decision.
I was probably two weeks in when I knew that I had made the wrong decision. The program just wasn't what I wanted. I was miserable. And I was stressed out from all the work that I was doing in a program that I didn't like, on top of teaching two sections of Freshman English. And then I met Mr. Simple. Which helped me not be so miserable, but it didn't help me enjoy the program any more. So after a year, I dropped out. Mr. Simple, on the other hand, and all of the friends that I met in the English department, all graduated a year later.
A few months after I dropped out, I was offered a position back at the company that I had worked for before graduate school, but this time, it was a permanent position. I said yes and off we went. (Mr. Simple and I had gotten married over the summer.) I worked there for a couple years and then I worked at another company as a technical writer for another couple years. Then my alma mater called me back again, but this time, it was for a job. They wanted me to come and work as a computer software trainer. So we came back (by this time, I was pregnant with Flower.) I worked there for 5 years.
When I had been there for about 2 years, it started to really bother me that I had never finished my masters degree. So I started taking classes. My focus changed a couple times - at first I was going to get a 2nd bachelors in computer science. Then I was going to get an elementary education certificate. But then, I finally decided that what I really wanted to do was get a masters degree. So I started taking classes for a masters degree in Technology with an emphasis on Training and Development and Project Management. It was great. The school paid for most of my tuition. Mr. Simple would watch the girls (I'd had Jelly Bean by this time) at night so I could take a couple classes. This went on for about a year. And then I got laid off from my job due to state budget cuts.
I still had a couple years of taking classes part-time to finish my degree. What should I do? I really wanted to finish. So we decided to have me finish. We would take out student loans. I would teach preschool to bring in a little money. After another year of going to school, I got pregnant with Super. What should I do? Should I stop? We decided to it was best for me to finish. Super was born at the end of September. I took two weeks off that semester, and then went back to classes. And when Super was 9 months old, Jelly Bean 4, and Flower 6, I graduated.
I was thrilled. I had done it. Despite all the time, job/job loss, births, I had done it. I certainly couldn't have done it without Mr. Simple. He did child care for three years so I could do it. But it was a LOT of money. Money that we mostly didn't have. Money that we had to get through student loans. Money that we used sometimes to help us get through because I was no longer working full-time. But I had done it. I had always wanted to finish a masters degree and now, finally, 21 years after I graduated from high school, I did it. As I walked across the stage, I heard Jelly Bean scream "Yea, Mommy!" and it made me cry.
And so when I see people in graduation caps and gowns, it makes me think. Think of that high school day when I couldn't wait to leave, and that first degree when it was just me and my parents that were proud of me, and that 2nd degree when I had my parents, and all the other Simples there, cheering me on . . . .
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Tuesday: Literacy and Education - Books, Books, Books!
That is our topic for Women Living Wisely (a women's group that I belong to. We get together on the 3rd Friday of every month and discuss/do a project, etc. related to one of the six areas of provident living.
I'm really psyched about this meeting. We are doing a book swap, and then we are all supposed to bring a book to discuss with the group. The catch is that you are supposed a book that changed your life. I'm still thinking on this one. So many books, and so many different times of my life, that it is hard to narrow it down to one life-altering book. The last thing we are doing is making little handmade journals/mini-books.
But I'd love to hear from any of my readers that don't plan on going to Women Living Wisely - What is the book that you read that changed your life??? And Why? Or How??
===================
Post Script - By the way, I've felt much happier the last few days since I shared my little vent. Something to be said for letting it out, I guess!
I'm really psyched about this meeting. We are doing a book swap, and then we are all supposed to bring a book to discuss with the group. The catch is that you are supposed a book that changed your life. I'm still thinking on this one. So many books, and so many different times of my life, that it is hard to narrow it down to one life-altering book. The last thing we are doing is making little handmade journals/mini-books.
But I'd love to hear from any of my readers that don't plan on going to Women Living Wisely - What is the book that you read that changed your life??? And Why? Or How??
===================
Post Script - By the way, I've felt much happier the last few days since I shared my little vent. Something to be said for letting it out, I guess!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Tuesday: Education and Employment - Book Clubs?
A bunch of my friends are part of a local book club, and I see signs at the library for different book clubs, but alas, my schedule just doesn't really lend itself to going to an actual meeting. Which is really too bad, because I enjoy coming together with a bunch of people and talking about a book, and seeing how people view it differently, and it really helps me make connections to things in my life/different subjects that I'd never have thought of just reading it by myself.
But as I said, alas . . .
But I do have a plan to do a lot of reading this summer (from my plan to follow the Well-Trained Mind's curriculum for 9th graders during the summer.) But I want to have a book or two for "fun." I am going to find a couple, and share my summer book list with my readers, and I'll review them when I'm done. Then any of my readers could comment back, and it would almost be like a book club.
I will let you know in advance though - I am a fiction snob. Sort of. I read a lot of children/young adult fiction when I was younger. When I went to college, I was an English major, and read/studied/analyzed "the classics" and I especially enjoyed the writing of the American Romantics - Natathaniel Hawthorne, James Fenimore Cooper, Mark Twain, etc. After that, I couldn't really get "into" contemporary fiction. I'd pick one, and the writing would be so awful, or often, at best, just average. And I was also SO overwhelmed with the volume of fiction. There was just so MUCH fiction and I didn't know enough about any of the authors, and I hate to spend the time reading a 400 page book, only to be mad at the end because I felt like I wasted my time. So I have read very, very, very little fiction in the last 20 years. I read mostly non-fiction because it is a little more "what you see is what you get." And I can pick things that are in line with my interests and my my real life. But I plan on getting one fiction and one non-fiction at a time. And hopefully, I'll find myself a little surprised at the fiction I find.
(I'll also post my WTM reading list soon, and anybody is welcome to read/comment about those too, which I would love it if you did, but it is classical literature, and not the typical easy breezy summer reading books.)
We are also reading The Penderwicks as a family in the evenings (although we probably will need to move this to the mornings, evenings are too crazy), and I picked up The Willowboughs on CD at the library today for listening in the car. I'll review those too when we finish.
But as I said, alas . . .
But I do have a plan to do a lot of reading this summer (from my plan to follow the Well-Trained Mind's curriculum for 9th graders during the summer.) But I want to have a book or two for "fun." I am going to find a couple, and share my summer book list with my readers, and I'll review them when I'm done. Then any of my readers could comment back, and it would almost be like a book club.
I will let you know in advance though - I am a fiction snob. Sort of. I read a lot of children/young adult fiction when I was younger. When I went to college, I was an English major, and read/studied/analyzed "the classics" and I especially enjoyed the writing of the American Romantics - Natathaniel Hawthorne, James Fenimore Cooper, Mark Twain, etc. After that, I couldn't really get "into" contemporary fiction. I'd pick one, and the writing would be so awful, or often, at best, just average. And I was also SO overwhelmed with the volume of fiction. There was just so MUCH fiction and I didn't know enough about any of the authors, and I hate to spend the time reading a 400 page book, only to be mad at the end because I felt like I wasted my time. So I have read very, very, very little fiction in the last 20 years. I read mostly non-fiction because it is a little more "what you see is what you get." And I can pick things that are in line with my interests and my my real life. But I plan on getting one fiction and one non-fiction at a time. And hopefully, I'll find myself a little surprised at the fiction I find.
(I'll also post my WTM reading list soon, and anybody is welcome to read/comment about those too, which I would love it if you did, but it is classical literature, and not the typical easy breezy summer reading books.)
We are also reading The Penderwicks as a family in the evenings (although we probably will need to move this to the mornings, evenings are too crazy), and I picked up The Willowboughs on CD at the library today for listening in the car. I'll review those too when we finish.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday - Employment and Education
I know times are tough, and there are people out there who don't have jobs and need them. And I don't mean for this post to come off as "just follow these simple tips and you'll get a job." But I think that these ideas can be helpful to people in a general sort of way. Oh, and big (((HUGS))) and crossed fingers to everyone who is job-hunting.
Anyway, these tips come from "Earning Your Daily Bread" on the Provident Living website.
------------
1. Identify your goal.
Explore career options. Create goals that appeal to your interests and that are based on your talents, skills, and accomplishments. Recognized that your ideal goal may take several steps to obtain.
2. Develop your skills.
Obtain the education and experience necessary to reach your goal. Use your education and experience to develop and refine your skills so that you can find the job that meets your needs.
3. Pursue the plan.
Involve everyone you know, including employers, organizations, and others who may have information or contacts to help you. Continue to develop new skills and talents to improve your employability.
4. Family Efforts.
Teach family members to value education, to work, and to develop skills and talents. Parents should begin teaching children at a young age the value of work by providing them with work opportunities.
Be an example of self-reliance. Help others with their goals of employment. When speaking of goals, be supportive, encourage planning, and assist as much as possible while encouraging self-reliance.
In all of your employment endeavors, give honest work for the pay and benefits that you receive. You will find great joy and satisfaction as you "earn your daily bread." (Genesis 3:19)
Anyway, these tips come from "Earning Your Daily Bread" on the Provident Living website.
------------
1. Identify your goal.
Explore career options. Create goals that appeal to your interests and that are based on your talents, skills, and accomplishments. Recognized that your ideal goal may take several steps to obtain.
2. Develop your skills.
Obtain the education and experience necessary to reach your goal. Use your education and experience to develop and refine your skills so that you can find the job that meets your needs.
3. Pursue the plan.
Involve everyone you know, including employers, organizations, and others who may have information or contacts to help you. Continue to develop new skills and talents to improve your employability.
4. Family Efforts.
Teach family members to value education, to work, and to develop skills and talents. Parents should begin teaching children at a young age the value of work by providing them with work opportunities.
Be an example of self-reliance. Help others with their goals of employment. When speaking of goals, be supportive, encourage planning, and assist as much as possible while encouraging self-reliance.
In all of your employment endeavors, give honest work for the pay and benefits that you receive. You will find great joy and satisfaction as you "earn your daily bread." (Genesis 3:19)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tuesday - Education & Employment.
OK, some of my readers may know that I have a bachelors degree in English and a masters degree in Training. And that I'm using neither degree right now. LOL
I am currently working inside of my home as a preschool & homeschool teacher/daycare provider. I've been teaching preschool for awhile, but I've only been doing daycare for a little over a year.
Recently, Mr. Simple went to a conference in Galena, IL. Mr. Simple works at the local Fire Department as a Fire Inspector/Public Safety Officer and the conference was about, uh, something about fire stuff. He went to some classes, but he also was able to sightsee and do some golfing. I said something about how I wish I could get away for a conference sometime.
And then I thought about it, well, why not? So I'm starting to look now for a conference. It might be a homeschool conference, or a preschool teacher conference, a daycare conference, or work at home conference. Or the Hearts At Home conference. I'm planning ahead so that I have the money for it, and so I'll be able to get the time off. The one held in Hawaii is the frontrunner so far LOL.
So look at your work and interests and think about going to a conference to increase your education, and help with your employment, either current or future.
I am currently working inside of my home as a preschool & homeschool teacher/daycare provider. I've been teaching preschool for awhile, but I've only been doing daycare for a little over a year.
Recently, Mr. Simple went to a conference in Galena, IL. Mr. Simple works at the local Fire Department as a Fire Inspector/Public Safety Officer and the conference was about, uh, something about fire stuff. He went to some classes, but he also was able to sightsee and do some golfing. I said something about how I wish I could get away for a conference sometime.
And then I thought about it, well, why not? So I'm starting to look now for a conference. It might be a homeschool conference, or a preschool teacher conference, a daycare conference, or work at home conference. Or the Hearts At Home conference. I'm planning ahead so that I have the money for it, and so I'll be able to get the time off. The one held in Hawaii is the frontrunner so far LOL.
So look at your work and interests and think about going to a conference to increase your education, and help with your employment, either current or future.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tuesday - Education
OK, so most of my readers either a) have already finished a degree and have already been there/done that b) are busy taking care of munchkins and don't have the time/resources to go to college. I am a & b.
So should I just skip Education Tuesdays? Well, of course not.
A quote from the Provident Living site says " When we have knowledge and wisdom, we are better able to discern truth from error and make good choices. Education and literacy are also keys to personal growth, preparation for suitable employment, building strong families, service to [others], and making a meaningful contribution to the society in which we live."
In Proverbs 4:7 it says "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding."
So look to those things that are around you - your children, your family, and educate yourself about families. Or educate yourself about things that are interesting to you - gardening, the Civil War, car maintenance, whatever. Or learn about things that could translate into a career - computer programming, accounting, writing. And there are so many ways to do it. Find books at the library, find a workshop, take a community education course, meet with other people with similar interests, or maybe take a class at a community college or university.
I've already talked about my current goal for this area which is to follow the 9th grade curriculum outlined in the "Well-Trained Mind." In addition to this, I am taking an on-line course on Montessori education for preschoolers, and I attend our monthly Women Living Wisely meetings to learn more about Provident Living. We also have a book club through our church, but the meeting time conflicts with my teaching preschool, but it is something that I think would be interesting to get involved in someday.
So should I just skip Education Tuesdays? Well, of course not.
A quote from the Provident Living site says " When we have knowledge and wisdom, we are better able to discern truth from error and make good choices. Education and literacy are also keys to personal growth, preparation for suitable employment, building strong families, service to [others], and making a meaningful contribution to the society in which we live."
In Proverbs 4:7 it says "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding."
So look to those things that are around you - your children, your family, and educate yourself about families. Or educate yourself about things that are interesting to you - gardening, the Civil War, car maintenance, whatever. Or learn about things that could translate into a career - computer programming, accounting, writing. And there are so many ways to do it. Find books at the library, find a workshop, take a community education course, meet with other people with similar interests, or maybe take a class at a community college or university.
I've already talked about my current goal for this area which is to follow the 9th grade curriculum outlined in the "Well-Trained Mind." In addition to this, I am taking an on-line course on Montessori education for preschoolers, and I attend our monthly Women Living Wisely meetings to learn more about Provident Living. We also have a book club through our church, but the meeting time conflicts with my teaching preschool, but it is something that I think would be interesting to get involved in someday.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
I used to think I was smart
And in some people's eyes I was. The problem was/is that I wasn't smart, I was just really good at memorization.
I went to public school, and enjoyed school for most of my elementary school years. But for much of my elementary schools, I went to an elementary school that was well, very 70s. I went there from 2nd to 5th grade, and everything was very individualized, and project-based. During 4th and 5th grade, we had a project during half of the year, and all of our schoolwork was related to the project. In 5th grade, we picked an occupation, and then did schoolwork related to it. I picked an archeologist (seriously? Can you seriously see me as an archeologist?) and so I to create tools, a budget, detailed reports about what I was looking for, what an archelogist does, etc. It was a really great way to use academic skills in a real life way.
But then in 6th grade, we moved across town, and I finished elementary school at a "typical" school, and went to a "typical" junior and senior high. The high school I went to was supposed to be the best in town, and 98% of the students went on to college. I did three years of Math, 4 years of Science (including a semester of Microbiology), 4 years of Spanish, 4 years of Engish (including a year of AP English). I graduated with a 3.8 GPA. I did well on the ACT. I was offered scholarships at two different schools (and yet for some reason, picked a school that wasn't offering me a scholarship. What was I thinking?) On paper, and on tests, it looked like I was smart.
Even through most of my undergraduate classes, I did well. I was an English major, and so I read more of the English "classics" than other people. But my senior year was tough for me because all of a sudden, I was supposed to have an opinion on something. I was supposed to have read other things, from other areas, and make connections. I was supposed to be able to know how to argue my point. I still did well, but I was starting to realize that I wasn't as smart as I thought I was.
And then a couple years later, I went back to do a graduate degree in English. And I didn't do well. I remember always feeling like I was drowning and I felt like I was having a constant panic attack. Graduate school used very little in the way of memorization, and focused heavily on critical thinking and original thought. I quit after a year. Years later, I did finish a graduate degree, but this time it was in Technology with an emphasis on Training and Development and Project Management. I had been working as a Trainer for 3 years before I started the program, and the focus on the program was more on practical skills than theories, so I was able to do well in the program. But deep down, I knew that just because I got a master's degree, it didn't mean I was smart.
Almost everything that I learned from sixth grade on I was unable to recall because I had just memorized it. And the older I got, and the more people I met, I realized that I hadn't read SO many things that I should have - I never read Plat0, or John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. I've never read The Declaration of Independence, Rousseau, or Karl Marx. And not only did I not read any of these classics, I didn't read Newsweek, the New York Times, or even the local paper. Well, I read the paper, but I mostly glanced at the front page, the Life section, and the classified. And that was only every two weeks or so.
I never learned grammar well, I never learned logic or rhetoric. Not that it would have mattered because I just didn't know enough about past or current events to be able debate about it, much less point out people's flaws in their arguments.
I never learned how to question things. Even in my favorite high school subject, Science, I just memorized the facts instead of ever asking "Why?"
I also didn't use my Spanish or play the piano much after high school and much of those skills are lost as well.
So I've decided that it is time to learn. Really learn this time. So I'm going back to school this summer. I'm not taking classes at the university or the community college. I'm not taking a workshop. But what I am doing is looking at the Classical Curriculum (I'll specifically be looking at the curriculum outlined in The Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer) for 9th graders and I'm going to be studying those things - yes, even the Math! I'll be working on Vocabulary, Writing Exposition, Rhetoric, Grammar, books from the Ancients (5000 BC to 400 AD), Algebra, Latin, Drawing, and Piano. And then maybe next year, I'll do the 10th grade curriculum, and hopefully continue until I complete the 12th grade curriculum.
And then maybe, just maybe, I'll be smart. But I'm not doing this so that I can look/feel/be smart. I honestly just want to really learn these things. I do REALLY enjoy learning. I always said that my dream job would be to be a researcher and just work 40 hours a week in the library, learning about this thing and then that thing. I discovered way back in 5th grade that my dream job is NOT to be an archeologist. LOL
I went to public school, and enjoyed school for most of my elementary school years. But for much of my elementary schools, I went to an elementary school that was well, very 70s. I went there from 2nd to 5th grade, and everything was very individualized, and project-based. During 4th and 5th grade, we had a project during half of the year, and all of our schoolwork was related to the project. In 5th grade, we picked an occupation, and then did schoolwork related to it. I picked an archeologist (seriously? Can you seriously see me as an archeologist?) and so I to create tools, a budget, detailed reports about what I was looking for, what an archelogist does, etc. It was a really great way to use academic skills in a real life way.
But then in 6th grade, we moved across town, and I finished elementary school at a "typical" school, and went to a "typical" junior and senior high. The high school I went to was supposed to be the best in town, and 98% of the students went on to college. I did three years of Math, 4 years of Science (including a semester of Microbiology), 4 years of Spanish, 4 years of Engish (including a year of AP English). I graduated with a 3.8 GPA. I did well on the ACT. I was offered scholarships at two different schools (and yet for some reason, picked a school that wasn't offering me a scholarship. What was I thinking?) On paper, and on tests, it looked like I was smart.
Even through most of my undergraduate classes, I did well. I was an English major, and so I read more of the English "classics" than other people. But my senior year was tough for me because all of a sudden, I was supposed to have an opinion on something. I was supposed to have read other things, from other areas, and make connections. I was supposed to be able to know how to argue my point. I still did well, but I was starting to realize that I wasn't as smart as I thought I was.
And then a couple years later, I went back to do a graduate degree in English. And I didn't do well. I remember always feeling like I was drowning and I felt like I was having a constant panic attack. Graduate school used very little in the way of memorization, and focused heavily on critical thinking and original thought. I quit after a year. Years later, I did finish a graduate degree, but this time it was in Technology with an emphasis on Training and Development and Project Management. I had been working as a Trainer for 3 years before I started the program, and the focus on the program was more on practical skills than theories, so I was able to do well in the program. But deep down, I knew that just because I got a master's degree, it didn't mean I was smart.
Almost everything that I learned from sixth grade on I was unable to recall because I had just memorized it. And the older I got, and the more people I met, I realized that I hadn't read SO many things that I should have - I never read Plat0, or John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. I've never read The Declaration of Independence, Rousseau, or Karl Marx. And not only did I not read any of these classics, I didn't read Newsweek, the New York Times, or even the local paper. Well, I read the paper, but I mostly glanced at the front page, the Life section, and the classified. And that was only every two weeks or so.
I never learned grammar well, I never learned logic or rhetoric. Not that it would have mattered because I just didn't know enough about past or current events to be able debate about it, much less point out people's flaws in their arguments.
I never learned how to question things. Even in my favorite high school subject, Science, I just memorized the facts instead of ever asking "Why?"
I also didn't use my Spanish or play the piano much after high school and much of those skills are lost as well.
So I've decided that it is time to learn. Really learn this time. So I'm going back to school this summer. I'm not taking classes at the university or the community college. I'm not taking a workshop. But what I am doing is looking at the Classical Curriculum (I'll specifically be looking at the curriculum outlined in The Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer) for 9th graders and I'm going to be studying those things - yes, even the Math! I'll be working on Vocabulary, Writing Exposition, Rhetoric, Grammar, books from the Ancients (5000 BC to 400 AD), Algebra, Latin, Drawing, and Piano. And then maybe next year, I'll do the 10th grade curriculum, and hopefully continue until I complete the 12th grade curriculum.
And then maybe, just maybe, I'll be smart. But I'm not doing this so that I can look/feel/be smart. I honestly just want to really learn these things. I do REALLY enjoy learning. I always said that my dream job would be to be a researcher and just work 40 hours a week in the library, learning about this thing and then that thing. I discovered way back in 5th grade that my dream job is NOT to be an archeologist. LOL
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