I did it!!!

I did it!!!!! I finished my crazy summer school schedule of 12 hours of graduate classes!!!! AND the best part is I maintained my goal of making an A in every class!!!! YEA ME! I loved all of my classes except one. (But that had a lot to do with the professor) That just further confirms that I know that counseling IS what I want to do! YEA! I love the DBU cohort program. It is great to have the same 10 friends in all of my classes. It was a summer of getting to know them better. So far in the course of a year we have celebrated a wedding, an engagement, and two pregnancies! This next year will be crazy busy getting 300 hours of counseling in addition to teaching and going to class two nights a week. BUT I can see the end in sight! Graduation in MAY! Prepare yourselves for a great big fun party!!!

Let summer begin!!!!

I officially have completed 12 hours of summer school!!!!!!! This was one super long, super intense summer. I loved 3 out of my 4 classes and know that I really do want to be a counselor so that I can further minister to my students and their families. YEA!
Now I am looking forward to a day at the pool with friends to celebrate that I survived!!!!

Does Effort Count?

WARNING: MAJOR VENT SESSION!!!!
The
Ok.... I knew when I signed up to go back to school that it would be hard. I am a TERRIBLE test taker. I always have been, always will be. As a kid, I would study super duper hard, and then go to school, freeze and forget everything I had learned. I have always used this example when conferencing with parents who work so hard with their little one, and then the kiddo doesn't perform well at school. I know that by having difficulty with tests has made me a better teacher because I can relate to the child who puts forth so much effort and then fails.
That is what has happened to me 2 weeks in a row. In my theories class we are expected to read about 5-6 chapters each week and then take an online quiz (open book). WELL THEY STINK!!!! Last week, I read every word on the page. I took my time. I re-read and created mental pictures after each sub-topic. It didn't work. I got a 50% on my first quiz. So much for that study method. We had to complete a second quiz last week, and I thought I would try and outsmart the system by logging in, printing the quiz, logging out, taking the quiz un-timed, as I read the chapter, and then logging back in to "officially" complete the quiz. THAT didn't work either. It won't let you log off, so I had to panic, grab my books and start the quiz without having read. I got a 60%. This was better, but still not acceptable.
This week, I read every word in both books. Went back to re-read and take notes in the margins. I then went back and skimmed the chapters and my notes a third time. I was actually excited to take the quiz so I could show that I was putting forth the effort and making progress. WRONG!!!!!!! I spent 3 nights and one full day (18+ hours) reading and putting effort into my learning. I thought I really understood Behavior Therapy, and all the components If you would have asked me to explain it, I would have been great. BUT NOOOOOOO. I had to take another stinkin' quiz and I received another 50% to add to my failing collection. I am so frustrated because several of the answers I feel I could validate with support from my texts. AHHH!!!!
I now that this frustration is going to soften my heart and attitudes with my future students. My heart aches for the little kiddos who put forth so much effort and their progress is not showing. I would like to invite my professor to come to BISD and learn about all of the WOW, Continuous Improvement and Marzano's 9 that we are doing with our students. How come, I can be taught in the manner that I am expected and should teach my students?!?!

Grad. school

I started a new class this week. The class has a many of the same people from my first class, so it should be fun. This professor seems to really know her stuff. Next week, I am teaching an hour long presentation over ch. 4 for the class. YIKES!!!!! This happens to fall on the same day as my morning tutoring group, my appraisal at work, and my afternoon team planning day. I believe in cramming as many important events as I can into one day. ( I hope you can hear my sarcasm!) I am def. going to need some Starbucks on that day, and the day after.
I think the presentation will be easy as long as I really know my stuff. She said, that she wants the counselor answers, not the text book answers. Hmmm.... better start reading and studying now.
My job this week ( I have been putting this off since August) is to sign up for the GRE. I am soooo super scared of this test! I am a TERRIBLE test taker! I knew that I would have to take it after 6 hours but I was kind of hoping they would forget that I needed it.