Week 2 Effective Programs and Practices

Well, here we are in our third class.
Each class format is so different from the previous one that it is like attending three different universities. When I went to college in undergrad I transferred in sophomore year. It was two different schools in two different states, but it was still college. everything was the same.
At Walden each course has a different format with different requirements, so no matter what you did in the previous class it is going to be different in the next.
It would be better if it was one prescribed format, but oh well.
I find myself particularly exhausted for this new class. Two jobs, family, and grad school. I do find time to sleep, but I hope I am getting a healthy amount of sleep.
This week we have been reading about family partnerships. I am glad we are focusing on families because that is probably my biggest hurdle. Our families can be downright mean spirited and selfish. I would love to find a way to get them to connect better to the program, rather than trying to figure out how to "fix what ain't broke".
I came in at 6 a.m. today and I have back to back meetings from 10-4:30. The first face I saw was a happy teacher enthusiastically going through portfolios and organizing documentation.
Around eight o'clock I visited one of the classrooms and was greeted by hugs, kisses, and smiles.
Today will be just fine!

Can you see this?

I'm looking at my blog on both a Dell and my Mac. Oh, no! It looks a little differently on the Dell than my Mac. I had no idea it would not be the same for those on PC's.
Some of the tabs are vertical rather than neatly lined horizontally. I'm unsure as to why this is so and I'm glad I found this out.
I don't think I can fix this, but now I will try to post on both computers and see how the design looks.
Sorry, if you are viewing on a PC and it looks strange.
I'm working on it.

Week 2 Blues

Well, I am really not liking this second class. I realize that not every class is going to meet my needs, but I was not expecting it to be the second class!
There is so much I could say, but won't publicly.
I continue to enjoy my classmates, however and believe the strength of our relationships is what will actually get us through this program. Those interactions are proving to be the most valuable.
I can't wait for week 8.

Second Class!

Well, I have just completed the first week of my second class at Walden. I have gone from having ten classes to get through to eight. At the end of the year I will only be seven away from my degree. Wow, this is really happening.
So far I have mixed feelings about this new class. I was a little frustrated this week because the discussion board did not have any posts until Thursday. I must have been spoiled by my Foundations class because many people posted on Tuesday and early Wednesday. I was afraid no one was going to post at all.
Then, we were supposed to upload our links to our blogs on Saturday. I shut my computer off around 7 p.m. Saturday and no one had posted anything. I was disappointed because I wanted to get my comments in and complete my assignment.
I guess everyone is extremely busy in this group so I will have to be a little more patient in future weeks.
I am also not "loving" the textbooks. I do like the Berger text, but something feels off with the Smidt text. Perhaps it is the font or too many words on the page looking jumbled or it feels old. I don't know. I just know I didn't like the first chapter.
I liked the video from PBS very much. I didn't realize it was as long as it was and I had to set aside a chunk of my night to watch it, but it was interesting.
Because I don't work with infants I had not thought much about babies. It is very interesting to start this course from the beginning of life. It's like being pregnant again. Only now I'm studying for different reasons.
I have found one blog that has gotten me fired up. Christina Persons is living and working in a natural environment and that is something I am extremely interested in.
All in all, I look forward to this next step on my journey.

Week 8!

My reflection and thank you note are on the Exhale page.

Week 7! Wow!!

I cannot believe we are at the end of week 7.
I am glad to have classes in these "chunks" of time.  I feel like I can see the end without stressing about all of the bumps along the way.
This has been an interesting endeavor.  Online learning so far has been good for me.
Yes, I would have preferred to have not taken my first vacation in two years and have all of this studying to do at the same time.  It wasn't much of a vacation at all because every day I had to take a block of time and focus on ECE.  I also made the dreadful mistake of staying in constant communication with my job.  Big mistake.
As I begin to reflect on my study habits and my approach to online learning, I have already made a few changes changes:

• Turn the mail off and keep it off.  Checking for email while working is a terrible distraction.
• Stay out of any room with a t.v. (no need for explanation)
• Use my home office.  Hello. That's what it's there for.  Nice desk, nice chair, quiet environment. (Ok, it is a little cold and I will have to work on that)
• STOP GETTING DISTRACTED BY SURFING THE WEB.
• I have to stop checking the discussion board while I'm supposed to be writing my application. It's another distraction.

I do have to laugh at myself.  I am now in "writer's mode" which means that at work they are now stuck with me writing out elaborate reports and requiring them to write with more substance as well.  I do need to work on shorter emails, though. (LOL).

Week Seven!

Well, we've made it to week seven!!! This has been a very good first start to graduate school.  Even though there is very little interaction with a teacher/instructor/professor, I feel as if I have learned quite a bit.  I also feel that because of all the reading there has been much more opportunity for introspection.  I have a good foundation to start with and I can't wait to see what the end result of this journey will be.  What changes will I have made?
I am still mentally trying to get used to having to work on papers and readings every day, I would much rather have one paper due a month, however, it has been a good opportunity to write and think about the work that I do and why I do it.

The end of week 4.  As much as I miss my free time today I had to admit that I am actually enjoying my studies.  I'm learning some new and interesting things and I do enjoy learning new and interesting things.  So, even though I missed out on the family picnic today, I was discovering something interesting.
Work has been ridiculous. As an educator I cannot even believe what is going on.  Two teachers were terminated because they forgot a three year old at the swimming pool.  This was their third time losing a child.  The parents of the child are upset that the teachers were fired.  They feel the actions of the teachers are not serious enough to lose their job.  They contacted the teachers and offered to pay their bills for the next six months.  The other parents in the room agree with them.
I'm confused. Is it not our responsibility to protect children and keep them safe????
It has been an absolute nightmare.  The parents have started a letter writing campaign, they don't trust the integrity of management (Really??), they have made my life miserable.
I truly hate going to work now.  We just want to get on with the business of caring for the children. The teachers didn't even have remorse for leaving the child. They didn't care.
As I read through our materials for this course I am so thankful to have the opportunity to continue learning and growing and reading about the passion of professionals who do care.
I need to start looking for a new job.

Well, I found a way to share some personal things with my class.  It was not an easy task, but remembering the way people who have been in and out of my life and had an influence on me stirred up good memories.
It was good talking about my father who had a way of always making me feel special.
Taking this online class has proven to be a bit more difficult than I counted on.  The work itself is fine, but my time is so limited.
I liked the idea of being able to "go to class" at my convenience-day, night, wee hours of the early morning.  Unfortunately, that's when I go to class--day, night, wee hours of the morning.
We have a lot going on at work and I have had to work at the center from 6:30-6:30.  When I get home I drop.  I would love to have the weekends to just veg out and watch mindless tv and nap as I try to recuperate from a hectic work week.  Instead, I am on my Mac from 10:00 Saturday morning until almost 11:00 Saturday night.  Then I drop again. Then I'm up by six on Sunday morning and back at it until Sunday late evening.  My down time is around 7:00 Sunday.  It's almost bed time and then it all starts over on Monday.
This is what wanting something and be willing to sacrifice for it is all about.

I'm nearing the end of my third week of my course.  This week has been a little difficult for me.  I am an extremely private person.  I don't like sharing details of my personal life and I am completely against uploading pictures of myself or my family onto the internet.  I don't like talking about myself or my family.  I feel those things are personal and private.
This week's assignment is asking for some very personal information and I have had to work that out and dig deep.
I am offering small pieces of myself, but it is definitely me stepping out of my safety zone.

Basic Needs

I'm starting to see the dark side of my neighbors.  We're all getting a bit cranky.  We are on day 7 of being without power.  Two nights ago the power trucks managed to find their way to the town house development ONE block up from our homes, turn on their power, and disappear.  Couldn't they drive down the street and take care of us?
My neighbors are in their 70s and 80s.  Two of the families left days ago to stay in a hotel.  We see them each morning as they come to gather newspapers, set out trash, etc.  They want to come home.
I'm home, but it doesn't feel like home.
All of this reminds me of the children in our care.  They have basic needs that must be met in order for them to be successful.
I ask myself and my staff to reflect: are we meeting the basic needs of the children before we place such high expectations on them to succeed?

Wading through

I am literally "wading through" my week as I wipe layers of sweat off of my everything.  My household temperature is registering 101 degrees and there is no sign of a power crew to turn our power back on.
Nevertheless, forward I trudge.  I went to the office today to use the internet, A/C, and printer.  I took time to read through all of the documents in doc sharing and all of the discussions of the students in my group.
What's great about grad school is that you are there because you really want to be.  We all seem to have this zealousness about us that will carry us through this program as we strive to become exemplary scholars.
I look forward to sharing in discussions and learning what others gain from the materials and resources.
I will spend most of today studying and reading and completing assignments, so that I may enjoy at least one day this week sleeping.
I am off from work until Monday.  Hopefully, I won't spend every waking moment studying, reading posts, sweating, and looking for power crews!
Oh yeah, I can't believe I'm a GRAD student. Say it again, I'm a GRAD student.
Feels good.

Well, here we are in week 2.
The pity party is over and I am feeling the weight of the world roll off of my shoulders and onto the ground.
I was talking to a staff member this morning and I mentioned how overwhelmed and stressed I was trying to complete my homework.  One of the boys overheard (he's 3) and he laughed.  I asked him what's funny and he said, "Miss Michelle, you're silly.  Teachers don't go to school, you already know everything!"
It was such a silly thought to him.  But, then I thought about that.  What if we could get to a point where we knew everything? My, what a sad world that would be, to never have anything more to learn.
"To teach is to learn twice."-Joseph Joubert

Well, I'm still up working.
It's a new month.
I have everything done that needed to be done.  I think.
Reflecting back on my week:  Surviving this past week is nothing short of a miracle.
I had to put together an entire preschool graduation--alone.  That means I had to edit through pictures of 23 children and put together a slideshow for each. I put together memory books for each child.  I designed pillows with each of the children, then bagged them in special bags that took two weeks to find.  I wrote individual poems for each child.  I bought all of the food, decorations, created the programs and certificates, taught them songs to sing, decorated the two rooms, organized, coordinated, dressed half of them, then I hosted the whole program and I forgot to write a speech, the list is endless.
I then had to try and complete my assignments for this class. That would start around 1:00 a.m. I would become so frustrated with myself as I tried to submit them.  I can read.  Yet, I struggled with submissions.  I would end up going to bed at three in the morning or not at all.  I have to be at work by 6:30 a.m.
There were other work related stresses-two of my co-teachers will be fired next week.  I cry every time I think about it.
I had three parent-teacher conferences.
Now, I have absolutely no power.  There was a huge storm.  We had power throughout the entire storm.  We had power in the morning.  Then I went to the store.  I bought ice-cream.  I got home and the power was off.
Panic set in.  I had all of today set for studying.  I wanted to be completely relaxed and unhurried when i read through the posts and when I wrote my blog.  Instead I couldn't. No power.
I went to the school and to my office.  We had power, but the phone lines were down.  That means no broadband. i drove all the way back home with tears.  i just wanted to do my assignments.
My husband got the generator working and I was happy until I realized I couldn't submit my assignments properly.  My link wouldn't turn blue.
But, I'm not blue.  I'll get through this like I always do.
Keeping my head up.

Rejoice or scream!

I have started a new blog today.  I am back in school ready to conquer new challenges and meet new people.
This first week has been extremely difficult.
In a classroom I'm confident, ready, and able to contribute to meaningful discussions, but online learning has presented so many challenges that I'm struggling daily.  How do I post? How do I submit? What discussion post should I respond to.
I've found the whole experience difficult and a bit discouraging.  I know that within the next few weeks I will become better at this, but for now it is unsettling to feel so helpless.