I'm feeling pretty good. Of course I always feel pretty good at this time of year. Usually that feeling is connected to a reason, like the kids and grandkids will all be home, or I'm going on a special date with my hubby, or it is just about time for a break from school. But right now, this feeling doesn't stem from any of the normal things that you would think. This feeling comes from having finished my LAST college class. The last final, the last paper, the last discussion posting. Now all I have left is the student teaching and a practicum next semester. Yeah, I know, those will involved papers and probably some kind of testing process, and I will still have to create the dreaded TWS (teacher work sample) but for all practical purposes I am done with "regular" classes. It has been a long time since Fall 2005 when I started this whole process with the plan to obtain my Associates in Paraprofessional Education (which I did, graduating in Spring 2009).
While I was working toward that I was also taking as many classes toward a Bachelor of Science in Sociology degree as I could handle, since the grant paid for the Para classes as well as anything else I wanted to take along the way. I graduated with my bachelors this past spring 2010 and thought I was finished. Then I found out about a program called Project Second through BHSU where someone with a related field bachelors degree could do an intensive one-year program taking summer classes and fall classes and student teach in the spring and obtain their teaching license.
Although I got started late in the program and only took one summer class, I had already taken four of the required classes while getting my para degree. This semester however, was intense. I had 6 3-credit classes, one of which doing the actual work was waived because of my 10 years experience at Newell High School. That still meant 15 credits, two classes of which were really time-consuming and difficult. Several other classes were pretty easy but all required a lot of reading. I averaged about 16 hours a week just reading and another 4 or so working on papers, posting to discussions, or studying for tests. It was brutal. But as of Tuesday night, I submitted my last paper, took my only two finals and closed the d2L program. I will check it a couple more times for responses to postings possibly or checking my grades but actual work is done. Yes, it's a very Merry Christmas!
