A New Chapter
Well, the glow from graduation is beginning to fade, and I am realizing that I actually have a Bachelors degree. I have had a couple of weeks off now, and I think I'm ready to dive back in and get to work. A lot of things have happened in regards to school all at once today. My head is still spinning, but it's kind of a good feeling.
For starters, I had an interview at the school I may potentially be placed at for student teaching today. I left the interview excited and renewed about both why I was becoming a teacher and about the age group I want to teach. Not long after leaving the interview, I received an email from them indicating that I should have a placement there by the end of the day tomorrow. Part of the reason it's so exciting is that I will have the opportunity to be an employee of the district as a substitute teacher while I'm doing my student teaching and practicum. This means I can make some money and do my Masters at the same time! It really is a blessing. Also, the way the school teaches students is interesting and fresh, and I am excited to try my hand at it...and to be a part of their teaching team. The school seems genuinely invested in my personal success as a teacher as well as getting another warm body out of the deal. I like that a lot. The staff at the school also say that we (student teachers...there are 4 of us total) would be treated as certificated teachers and would be afforded the same privileges and subject to the same rules as any other member of the faculty.
I interviewed with a few of my classmates, so I went into Orientation tonight knowing a few people already. That was nice. Orientation wasn't a total waste of time, so I'm glad I went. I knew everything they talked about during the first half, but the second half was really informative, and I learned what my class schedule will look like for the summer, and for most of the school year next year. The best thing is that I don't have to write a thesis!! They've changed the curriculum over the last year, and while the last cohort had to write a 100 page thesis, mine doesn't. Instead, we will have more of a capstone class similar to that of the undergrads. I'm so happy about that!
The last piece of good news is that I've been given a fellowship, which is kind of a cross between a scholarship and an internship for the duration of my time at PLU. It's doing research or programmatic stuff for the School of Education while I'm a student. So, I will be able to contribute monetarily, at least a bit, while I'm finishing school. But only a certain number of students are awarded fellowships, so it's kind of neat that I got one!
I've been assigned some homework already, so I need to do a bunch of reading over the weekend, but class begins on Monday, and I think I'm ready. I'm so excited for what is to come this year. It's going to be really hard, but I'm up to the challenge.
For starters, I had an interview at the school I may potentially be placed at for student teaching today. I left the interview excited and renewed about both why I was becoming a teacher and about the age group I want to teach. Not long after leaving the interview, I received an email from them indicating that I should have a placement there by the end of the day tomorrow. Part of the reason it's so exciting is that I will have the opportunity to be an employee of the district as a substitute teacher while I'm doing my student teaching and practicum. This means I can make some money and do my Masters at the same time! It really is a blessing. Also, the way the school teaches students is interesting and fresh, and I am excited to try my hand at it...and to be a part of their teaching team. The school seems genuinely invested in my personal success as a teacher as well as getting another warm body out of the deal. I like that a lot. The staff at the school also say that we (student teachers...there are 4 of us total) would be treated as certificated teachers and would be afforded the same privileges and subject to the same rules as any other member of the faculty.
I interviewed with a few of my classmates, so I went into Orientation tonight knowing a few people already. That was nice. Orientation wasn't a total waste of time, so I'm glad I went. I knew everything they talked about during the first half, but the second half was really informative, and I learned what my class schedule will look like for the summer, and for most of the school year next year. The best thing is that I don't have to write a thesis!! They've changed the curriculum over the last year, and while the last cohort had to write a 100 page thesis, mine doesn't. Instead, we will have more of a capstone class similar to that of the undergrads. I'm so happy about that!
The last piece of good news is that I've been given a fellowship, which is kind of a cross between a scholarship and an internship for the duration of my time at PLU. It's doing research or programmatic stuff for the School of Education while I'm a student. So, I will be able to contribute monetarily, at least a bit, while I'm finishing school. But only a certain number of students are awarded fellowships, so it's kind of neat that I got one!
I've been assigned some homework already, so I need to do a bunch of reading over the weekend, but class begins on Monday, and I think I'm ready. I'm so excited for what is to come this year. It's going to be really hard, but I'm up to the challenge.