My goal for #WriteDaily30 is to clear out a list of ideas that I've been holding onto while I completed a graduate school course. If it doesn't end up here on the blog, I will tweet out some ideas using the hash tag.
The course? Technology. 120 hours of course work later, I've emerged with:
- hair that needs to be highlighted.
- a weird desire to cook. I've only been checking out cookbooks from the library recently.
- a reflection on what I'm learning about myself.
1. I Love School.
- I loved looking at assignments, and seeing how they can improve my practice in my classroom. (Really.) This class has allowed me to try out some new applications and Kidblog for my students. I'm not sure I would have completely pursued these things without a framework to do so.
2. ...But I don't love Busy Work/Meaningless Work.
- If I couldn't make a connection to my classroom--I dubbed it meaningless. Pretentious, I know. But I'm working with little lives everyday. That is my priority. Not the history of how the internet works. As an educator, I became keenly aware of what I'm asking my kids to do in my classroom everyday. If it's not meaningful-it's out!
3. My Husband is Awesome.
- In that way where the work that needs to get done for our family just does. Not once this semester has there been talk of who is doing what around the house. (I call is score keeping.) In our family, it's been reaffirmed that if you need support or are reaching for a goal and need time, that is what you are going to get and no one is keeping score.
- I know, I could design my work hours/load essentially. But I love to connect with people, and that's harder in an online situation sometimes. I love Face time. (Not that app on your phone, the kind where you actually sit across from someone's face. I emailed, skyped, and shared Google docs. But I'm not sure how much connecting took place.
- With a full-time job, a family to hang out with and love, and other daily "things", sometimes I felt like all I was doing was sitting in front of my laptop and missing the good stuff. I considered dropping out of the course I was taking, and more than once considered just leaving graduate school all together. The concept of being "enough" really resonated with me this semester. When I think back on how we managed this together, I'm pretty proud of how I came through.
- Oh my stars. There will be cheese balls and fruit snacks for everyone to last for 3 days.
- The ones by my side who are taking these courses with me, and the ones who are just being forced to listen to the work, and still come over, I'm forever thankful for their friendship.
If you are in graduate school right now, keep it up! If I can do it, anyone can!
Joy!
Kendra
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