Time Well Spent!!

There are many things I have learned over the past few months that will greatly affect the way I teach my class, proceed in the field of early childhood and also live my personal life.  It is amazing how the classes and the individual that I have "met" on-line have changed me personally and professionally.  The colleagues in my core classes had such an impact on my way of thinking through discussion posts and feedback.  My instructors constructive criticism has been so valuable as I think about what I would like to do in the future.  Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my Masters Education and I actually get emotional when I think about not logging in and having papers to write, discussion posts to make or insightful postings to read from my friends at Walden.  I will miss this part of my life.  (I actually have 2 or 3 classes left but know this is how I will feel and actually it will take me that long to be able to let go of all of this).  Like many of you I am realistic about time and know that even though I would like to log on and blog, facebook or email, don't think time will allow it.  I am hoping to be wrong about that.  Anyway, thanks for everything and all it encompasses Walden University.  I have learned so much and enjoyed this experience immensely.

My long term goal is to get a job with health benefits.  I would also like that job to pay better then the one I have currently so I can support my 3 sons and myself.  OK, now that I got the selfish goals out of the way... I want to make a difference in as many children's lives as possible.  I think the best way to do that is to teach college.  A colleague, sorry can't remember who, posted once that she felt like she made more of an impact in the lives of children by effectively educating college students so they could go out in the field and make educate young children and build relationships with families.  I love that part of my job but she was right.  I want to teach college.  Ideally I would like to have a preschool lab within that college so I can continue to do what I love which is teach young children and get to know their families.  I would also like to write articles for the local newspapers to educate people about the importance of early childhood and activities to do with their children to enhance their development. 

As I write about 3 deeply felt learning's it is difficult to narrow it down to 3.  The ironic part is that the first thing that comes to mind is the class that I felt was a waste of time to begin with.  I live in a small Northern Michigan community and wondered what I could learn about a class on culture and diversity.  I learned so much about others and how it must feel to live in a society that is so different then their own.  I was moved by this class and began to really notice people around me and how different they were even in my small town.  I appreciate the things they have had to "give up" to be a part of the dominant culture.  I have also become much more accepting as a result.  I realize that we all come from different places and walked down different paths and that should be taken into consideration as we build relationships and keep open minds as we meet new people.

The second learning is that I have been living in a bubble.  Not only in terms of culture and diversity but all the possibilities out there for educators with a passion.  I don't think I am to the point of realizing that I can do so much more now that I am getting this additional education.  I look forward to joining and becoming more involved in the organizations that we researched along the way.  Keeping up on the field is so important.

The third thing was the class on communication.  Many people in my life, especially my mom, have commented that I have a difficult time communicating.  Being a supervisor or manager, I was very concerned about that so looked forward to taking the class and changing MY ways.  So I wrote about it and know from this class that I have a lot to work on and am getting better.  I will never ever forget what Dr. Ferrari said after a very emotional (actually therapeutic) paper I wrote about my communication problems.  She said "just because someone says you have communication problems doesn't mean that you do."  That was eye-opening to me.  I took the criticism and always felt it was my issue which is not always the case.  Most of my communication revolves around that comment swirling in my head.  Yes I still have work to do on the way I communicate but I shouldn't bear all of the burden when it is ineffective.  I will always remember that for personal and professional purposes.