Today was the first day of school, and last night was the first time I ever slept soundly the night before the first day of school. I can't believe how little anxiety I have about this school year. I'm still shocked by the amount of work that is to be done, but I feel completely capable of handling it. And it only took three years!!
Of course, I might have been able to sleep so well because Alan and I didn't get back from a little trip to the Poconos until after midnight last night. I think I need to get out into nature a bit more often. It was fantastic to spend some time around tons of trees and the lake and just be lazy. We spent our travel time discussing the questions from The Book of Questions and sharing music from our iPods (which made me feel a bit like I was in high school, but in a good way.)
Now it's back to the real world though. It's 11:30 and I need to be at work in seven hours, so blogging is probably not the thing I should be doing at this very moment. Until next time...
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Conquering Math
This summer I had to take a College Algebra course because it was an undergraduate deficiency I required before I could earn my Masters degree. After spending the past three years in Masters level Education courses with people my age and older, it was somewhat of a shock to the system to take a math class (my first in 12 years) with a bunch of 17 and 18 year olds. (Really, how many times can you have conversations with your fellow students that start with the dumbfounded question "You're a teacher, like a real teacher?")
Today I found out that I earned an A in the class. I'm teaching math almost exclusively this school year and have spent many hours in recent weeks creating elaborate lesson plans. This, though, is the big boost of confidence that I needed. I wish I felt more like a master of mathematics, but at least I feel one step closer.
The very best part, however, is that the professor I had for the course was one of the best teachers I have ever had. I learned just as much about teaching math as I did about math itself. And in less than a week, I'll be put to a whole new test. Hopefully it will be my students earning the As this time.
Today I found out that I earned an A in the class. I'm teaching math almost exclusively this school year and have spent many hours in recent weeks creating elaborate lesson plans. This, though, is the big boost of confidence that I needed. I wish I felt more like a master of mathematics, but at least I feel one step closer.
The very best part, however, is that the professor I had for the course was one of the best teachers I have ever had. I learned just as much about teaching math as I did about math itself. And in less than a week, I'll be put to a whole new test. Hopefully it will be my students earning the As this time.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Feeling Frosh
Today I came back to good ole Queens College to start a math class I have to take to fill an undergraduate deficiency. I couldn't remember where the class was being held, so I logged on to my school account to get the information. Because of this math class, Queens College has labeled me a "Beginning Freshman."
I automatically felt like I was regressing. And I didn't feel much better during the first twenty minutes of class when we reviewed concepts I teach to my middle school students. Suddenly, though, things changed. The last hour of class was a blur of graphing, finding intercepts, identifying functions, and finding domains. All of this came under the heading of REVIEW. I can only wonder what tomorrow will be like. Turns out, being a freshman isn't so easy after all.
I automatically felt like I was regressing. And I didn't feel much better during the first twenty minutes of class when we reviewed concepts I teach to my middle school students. Suddenly, though, things changed. The last hour of class was a blur of graphing, finding intercepts, identifying functions, and finding domains. All of this came under the heading of REVIEW. I can only wonder what tomorrow will be like. Turns out, being a freshman isn't so easy after all.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Another Day Deserving of Two Entries
As I said a few hours ago, tonight we had our final presentations for grad school. It was wonderful to see all the people I've had classes with for the past three years. We didn't share our research as much as we shared news about what's been going on in our classrooms and in our lives. The crowning moment of the night was when my roommate won an award for her research! I'm so proud of you!!
Life After Grad School
Yesterday my roommate and I were both pretty tired from the day, but decided to go ahead with a previously planned cleaning night. Once we got started, we didn't stop...for three hours. We washed clothes and swiffered and scrubbed and vacuumed to our hearts' content, the whole time asking each other if this is what we were capable of when we didn't have grad school to worry about on top of teaching every day.
Tonight is the poster presentation session for our college. There will be food and more posters detailing studies than I ever wanted to see. And at 8:00, we will be done. As in no more syllabi, no more meetings with professors, no more papers. Just looking at what we accomplished last night, I feel like we'll be much more productive citizens.
Tonight is the poster presentation session for our college. There will be food and more posters detailing studies than I ever wanted to see. And at 8:00, we will be done. As in no more syllabi, no more meetings with professors, no more papers. Just looking at what we accomplished last night, I feel like we'll be much more productive citizens.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
A Few Thoughts
ONE - An old college friend and I just signed the lease for a new apartment in Brooklyn. Fortunately, he did all the apartment research (since my research time has been completely taken up with grad school subjects) and we found an amazing place at a great price that's very close to work and to some of my favorite spots in Manhattan.
Over the course of the past year, I have been feeling more and more settled here, but suddenly it's hitting me with suprising force. I am a resident here in a way that I have never been a resident before. New York's not just a pitstop for me, and I'm not dreaming of the next place I want to move to. Instead, I'm carefully choosing what neighborhood I want to live in because I want to stay for a very long time. It's a great feeling.
TWO - People have been coming by to view my apartment since the roommate and I will be moving in an absurdly short amount of time. The rent the new tenants will be paying is $300 more per month than what we pay now. New York is ridiculous...but I forgive it.
THREE - I love this French Hyundia commercial. I can't imagine that this would ever be played in the States, so this just shows what a long way we have to go to being a fully accepting society. (And I apologize...I would usually just put the video right on the blog, but I couldn't get it to work today for some reason.)
FOUR - I've spent the morning alternating between putting the finishing touches on my research study and catching up on TV. I've watched the final episode of Grey's Anatomy (somewhat disappointing), gone through my bibliography with a fine toothed comb (not a tangle anywhere), seen Sarah Jessica Parker's new inexpensive line of clothing on Oprah (jury still out on this one), gone overboard on my section detailing recommendations for future research (still trying to reign myself in), and now I'm preparing to watch House (as usual, I saved the best for last.) Now I've almost completed the paper and my saved list on the DVR...which means I'll have a few free hours with nothing scheduled. Is this what life will be like after grad school?
FIVE - Realizing that I am going to have free time soon, I have gone crazy with the book reserve option on the Queens Library website. All I can think is Murakami and Fitzgerald and Wodehouse, oh my!
SIX - I thought I was done, but I almost forgot the most important bit!! The Mets have beat the Yankees twice in two days. Now I can read and make a few trips to Shea. Oh, life is too, too good.
Over the course of the past year, I have been feeling more and more settled here, but suddenly it's hitting me with suprising force. I am a resident here in a way that I have never been a resident before. New York's not just a pitstop for me, and I'm not dreaming of the next place I want to move to. Instead, I'm carefully choosing what neighborhood I want to live in because I want to stay for a very long time. It's a great feeling.
TWO - People have been coming by to view my apartment since the roommate and I will be moving in an absurdly short amount of time. The rent the new tenants will be paying is $300 more per month than what we pay now. New York is ridiculous...but I forgive it.
THREE - I love this French Hyundia commercial. I can't imagine that this would ever be played in the States, so this just shows what a long way we have to go to being a fully accepting society. (And I apologize...I would usually just put the video right on the blog, but I couldn't get it to work today for some reason.)
FOUR - I've spent the morning alternating between putting the finishing touches on my research study and catching up on TV. I've watched the final episode of Grey's Anatomy (somewhat disappointing), gone through my bibliography with a fine toothed comb (not a tangle anywhere), seen Sarah Jessica Parker's new inexpensive line of clothing on Oprah (jury still out on this one), gone overboard on my section detailing recommendations for future research (still trying to reign myself in), and now I'm preparing to watch House (as usual, I saved the best for last.) Now I've almost completed the paper and my saved list on the DVR...which means I'll have a few free hours with nothing scheduled. Is this what life will be like after grad school?
FIVE - Realizing that I am going to have free time soon, I have gone crazy with the book reserve option on the Queens Library website. All I can think is Murakami and Fitzgerald and Wodehouse, oh my!
SIX - I thought I was done, but I almost forgot the most important bit!! The Mets have beat the Yankees twice in two days. Now I can read and make a few trips to Shea. Oh, life is too, too good.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Support from Surprising Sources
As the previous entry states, I've been up since way-too-early this morning. Grad school is slowly taking over my subconscious and making it impossible for me to enjoy a full night's sleep.
By the time I got to school this morning I was feeling ready for a long nap. Instead, I decided to start a small poetry project with my students. In the poems, they were supposed to complete statements such as "I feel," "I fear," "I wish," and "I want to see." They brainstormed independently for about five minutes, then shared their ideas.
Two students had written "I want to see Ms. Armstrong graduate." This surprised me because I have only mentioned the fact that I'm graduating one time several weeks ago. I asked them what made them think of that. Several members of the class started talking about how I have been working on my classwork during lunch and right before and after school. My loudest student's voice rose above the others: "We always see you, Ms. Armstrong."
It's true. The kids are always watching. Often you're teaching without realizing it. And today, they gave me just enough kick with their well-wishing that the next few days of work seem like a piece of cake.
By the time I got to school this morning I was feeling ready for a long nap. Instead, I decided to start a small poetry project with my students. In the poems, they were supposed to complete statements such as "I feel," "I fear," "I wish," and "I want to see." They brainstormed independently for about five minutes, then shared their ideas.
Two students had written "I want to see Ms. Armstrong graduate." This surprised me because I have only mentioned the fact that I'm graduating one time several weeks ago. I asked them what made them think of that. Several members of the class started talking about how I have been working on my classwork during lunch and right before and after school. My loudest student's voice rose above the others: "We always see you, Ms. Armstrong."
It's true. The kids are always watching. Often you're teaching without realizing it. And today, they gave me just enough kick with their well-wishing that the next few days of work seem like a piece of cake.
Final Project
It is 4:15 in the morning. I have been up for about 45 minutes working on my final project for graduate school: the daunting paper about my research study. I did not set my alarm clock for this.
For me, any anxiety I have is bound to hit in the 3 o'clock hour when everyone around me is fast asleep. I wake up and have to act immediately. Even though the paper is close to finished and not due for another week, it's still waking me up in the wee hours of the morning.
Grad school needs to end. Now.
For me, any anxiety I have is bound to hit in the 3 o'clock hour when everyone around me is fast asleep. I wake up and have to act immediately. Even though the paper is close to finished and not due for another week, it's still waking me up in the wee hours of the morning.
Grad school needs to end. Now.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Deep Breaths
Today I have been unbelievably capable of diving headfirst into huge panic. This week is filled with so many report cards due, papers, projects, meetings, and exams that if I try to think of all of it at one time I can actually feel the terror. I am imagining myself buried underneath scantron grading forms, Excel spreadsheets, memos for meetings, and test prep questions...all under the watchful eyes of the people doing the Quality Review of my school from Wednesday to Friday. I wonder, if upon seeing me drowning in this paper tsunami if they would reach out a hand to help me, or just take notes then offer suggestions for improvement to my principal later...
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
A Light at the End of the Tunnel
Today I had a meeting with my Advanced Research class. We shared our current research and projected data. Unlike past meetings for this class, I didn't leave stressed out about the sheer amount of work ahead of me. Instead, I feel like there really isn't that much left. It all seems so suddenly manageable.
In about three weeks I am taking two exams to complete my teacher certification. About ten minutes ago I signed up for the College Algebra CLEP test to take care of an undergraduate defecit, which is the last obstacle between me and my graduate degree. (Well, except for that pesky little research paper.)
I've been in school for nearly three full years with my fellow Teaching Fellows, and I have witnessed that the program has pushed us into extreme highs and extreme lows. With the end in sight, I'm feeling a bit even-keel, which is slightly unfamiliar, but oh-so good.
In about three weeks I am taking two exams to complete my teacher certification. About ten minutes ago I signed up for the College Algebra CLEP test to take care of an undergraduate defecit, which is the last obstacle between me and my graduate degree. (Well, except for that pesky little research paper.)
I've been in school for nearly three full years with my fellow Teaching Fellows, and I have witnessed that the program has pushed us into extreme highs and extreme lows. With the end in sight, I'm feeling a bit even-keel, which is slightly unfamiliar, but oh-so good.
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