This morning Braydon was having a particularly hard time being three. He was emotional, but on pretty good behavior considering. We stopped at the Starbucks near the college for a little morning pick me up and he made friends with a firefighter. The firefighter gave Braydon a Jr. Firefighter badge - dog tag style. This made Braydon so entirely happy that I thought the rest of his day would be pure bliss. He smiled and played with the badge the whole way to class. We saw one of his friends on the way in and he was even happier as he talked to me about what he and his friend would do today. When we got inside the preschool, I had him put his badge in my purse for "safe keeping" and signed him in, as he merrily skipped away to wash his hands and begin his day.
Before I even finished signing him into the computer, Braydon was running at me with all his force, crying hysterically. He told me that he hated school and never wanted to come back! I tried to ask him what happened but all he said was that he wasn't staying. Suddenly the director of the preschool was there, patting Braydon on the back and asking him if (insert boy's name here) pushed him. WHAT! I thought, but didn't say. Apparently some trouble maker at the school has been picking on Braydon. The director took Braydon and calmed him down, made the little brat apologize to my baby and then got him to paint with a few of his friends.
I could not believe the pain in his eyes, but he's over it and the woman from his school handled it so well. I just hope my attempts to be extra nice and let him stay up late today to watch a Halloween movie compensate for the bad day he had.
Showing posts with label back to school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label back to school. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Loans, Homework and Tests
I just found out I'll be able to get a student loan this year. Just in time too, because I am already almost out of my grant money. Life is expensive! It is no picnic not working. I still think I've made the best possible choice in quitting my job and going back to school, but this is a whole new life.
It's been so hard getting my assignments done on time with a three year old constantly either begging me to play, jumping on me or needing mommy for something. I really didn't expect anything different. And it's so hard to have to tell your precious child that you can't play with him because you have homework. He has no idea what that means except that mommy has something on the computer that is temporarily more important than what he wants at that very moment. I can't even imagine how that must feel. But so it goes, because homework must be done.
Tomorrow is my first college test. Other students in my classes said that was odd; they've all had tests already. It will be for my Art History class, and I think I'll do just fine. I do need to study though, but that won't happen until Bray goes to sleep. Which has been a whole other challenge lately!
Despite all the difficulties, school has been incredible. Braydon is happy in school and I love all my classes. I have had a few "I don't want to go to school today" comments from Bray, but lets face it... we ALL feel that way sometimes.
It's been so hard getting my assignments done on time with a three year old constantly either begging me to play, jumping on me or needing mommy for something. I really didn't expect anything different. And it's so hard to have to tell your precious child that you can't play with him because you have homework. He has no idea what that means except that mommy has something on the computer that is temporarily more important than what he wants at that very moment. I can't even imagine how that must feel. But so it goes, because homework must be done.
Tomorrow is my first college test. Other students in my classes said that was odd; they've all had tests already. It will be for my Art History class, and I think I'll do just fine. I do need to study though, but that won't happen until Bray goes to sleep. Which has been a whole other challenge lately!
Despite all the difficulties, school has been incredible. Braydon is happy in school and I love all my classes. I have had a few "I don't want to go to school today" comments from Bray, but lets face it... we ALL feel that way sometimes.
Monday, October 5, 2009
College Success for Everyone
In an earlier post I mentioned how completely useless I thought the college success course would be to me. I've been working since I was 13 years old, only ever had two jobs where I wasn't promoted (and actually received a raise at one of those two), and I feel that I've developed a good set of employable skills. I'm not going to school because I can't get a job. I am going to school to get a degree to back up my skills and to learn more about being a writer. I have loved many of my past jobs, but in the end none of them were what I wanted to "be when I grew up".
As it turns out..... there is a lot I need help with. I know this. I don't deny it. However, I had written the above mentioned class off as something that would only help with time management and note taking (both of which I think I'm good at). I've been to this class three times now and in all honesty the first two seemed to confirm my thoughts. In this last class though, we went over everything we would be doing over the next sessions and what we could hope to learn. I see now that this class will offer stress management techniques (which I need), tips on emotional intelligence (lets face it, even the most "responsible" among us could use this), assistance with career planning (if I didn't need this, I'd be a successful author by now) and an array of other seemingly helpful topics. I think for now, I'll open my mind to the possibility of learning something new in this class....
As it turns out..... there is a lot I need help with. I know this. I don't deny it. However, I had written the above mentioned class off as something that would only help with time management and note taking (both of which I think I'm good at). I've been to this class three times now and in all honesty the first two seemed to confirm my thoughts. In this last class though, we went over everything we would be doing over the next sessions and what we could hope to learn. I see now that this class will offer stress management techniques (which I need), tips on emotional intelligence (lets face it, even the most "responsible" among us could use this), assistance with career planning (if I didn't need this, I'd be a successful author by now) and an array of other seemingly helpful topics. I think for now, I'll open my mind to the possibility of learning something new in this class....
Friday, August 28, 2009
End of the Week, Beginning of English and Fear
This morning as I rushed to get ready for my first English 101 class, Braydon announced that he was not going to school today. Shocked, I stopped and picked him, then asked why. "I'm scared to leave you and I will cry at school today!" What? My fearless student has started to miss me when I'm not around. Touched and startled by the sudden change of heart I simply reminded him of the fun he's had and how nice the teachers and other children are. He was unconvinced, but got ready anyway. A million thoughts raced through my head. That teacher who sounds a little less than compassionate - was she too stern with him? The boy that accidentally kicked Bray when he was in front of his swing - was he actually a bully? The girl who had to hold his hand on the snow cone trip - Bray thought they were friends, but was she mean to him?
I had to shake it off. I know it is just the protective side of mommy that wants to analyze each little incident and make sure no one is any way hurting my child. The teacher are great and Bray said he likes all the kids. But I can't help but think of all the horror that could be. I guess this is the separation anxiety that every child goes through. He just happened to start and the end of the week, rather than the beginning of the first day.
As it turns out, there was no reason to rush this morning. I pulled into the parking lot, checked my schedule to see where the Eng101 class room is, and realized that I had been looking at the wrong class when I saw "Friday at 10:00am". Maybe if there was air conditioning in my car, it wouldn't have been a huge deal, but class isn't actually until 12:20. I was looking at something that doesn't start until September. Braydon was relieved not to have to go to school just then. Hopefully he gets over his fear before it's time to really leave. He will be at school in just enough time to play outside, take a nap and eat a snack. Nap time. Damn it.
I had to shake it off. I know it is just the protective side of mommy that wants to analyze each little incident and make sure no one is any way hurting my child. The teacher are great and Bray said he likes all the kids. But I can't help but think of all the horror that could be. I guess this is the separation anxiety that every child goes through. He just happened to start and the end of the week, rather than the beginning of the first day.
As it turns out, there was no reason to rush this morning. I pulled into the parking lot, checked my schedule to see where the Eng101 class room is, and realized that I had been looking at the wrong class when I saw "Friday at 10:00am". Maybe if there was air conditioning in my car, it wouldn't have been a huge deal, but class isn't actually until 12:20. I was looking at something that doesn't start until September. Braydon was relieved not to have to go to school just then. Hopefully he gets over his fear before it's time to really leave. He will be at school in just enough time to play outside, take a nap and eat a snack. Nap time. Damn it.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Beauty, A Kick in the Face and An Exposed Personality
After nearly a week in school, Bray and I are trying to settle into the new routines. As I mentioned in the post about our first day, we both love school so far. To date, I've had Elements of Intercultural Communication, Intro to Art History and Mythology. All extremely interesting classes which seem as though they will not only educate me on the subject matter, but help me better understand myself and my own outlook on the world. This of course, is exactly what I am hoping to do. As a writer, it is my goal during my college career to open my mind to the infinite possibilities of the universe and obtain knowledge of the world around me. This will make me a better writer, a better person and hopefully, a better mother.
The communications class so far, has been about getting to know our classmates and has made us aware of the judgement we use in making first impressions. Homework has consisted of reading the first two chapters, and after reviewing chapter 1 in class yesterday, it is clear that I went too far in my note taking. Four pages of notes and written answers to the chapter's review exercise proved to be overkill when all that was required in class Wednesday was to share one or two sentences of what we could remember. When I read the second chapter (due Monday), I'll take in down a notch or two. After 7 years of lacking structured education, it is hard to know what is expected.
Art History is awesome. We've learned a few basics, watched a clip of a Flash Mob (look it up... it's amazing!), and caught a glimpse into the meaning of art. I always just say that art is everything and everything is art; something I am sure I picked up from my father, who is an incredible artist . Although I still believe it to be true and that the word "art" has infinite definitions, I like the way our instructor defined the subject. He said, "Art is expression that is experienced". While a little more narrow that my personal definition, I can agree. Our first assignment is to find something that we consider beautiful or art, not necessarily a typical art piece, and describe in one page. Simple enough right? Considering that I am stunned, daily, by the mass amount of beauty that surrounds us, I am having a hard time pin pointing what to write about. I look up; I see white whimsical clusters containing the purest nectar of life, waiting until they are too full to keep hold of the drops intended to sustain life. I look down as the sun light bounces off thousands of tiny rock particles, reminding me how fragile even the hardest parts of our souls are. Ahead in the distance the ocean water genitally rolls to shore, colliding with glistening sand, bringing with it peace and unity, reminding me of the depths of uncertainty. Of course, I could describe a piece of blown glass, the incredible Aurora Boreas, the shocking 3D sidewalk art of Julian Beever or Kurt Wenner, the cliff homes of Santorini, The Louvre.... the list goes on and on and on, and I'm not sure where to stop, or begin.
In Mythology, we will obviously learn of Gods and Goddesses, Heroes and epic tragedies; however these first two classes (and I expect more to come) have revolved around us, the students. We have taken a personality quiz, which revealed me to be an idealist, and had to write a mad-lib style mythical identity. Mine read "I am Tara, protector of Earth. I come from the depths of the ocean and travel to the infinite abyss." I'm sure I could have dug deeper and come up with something better, as did a fair amount of the students in the class, but this is what spit out of me in the 3 minutes we had to work with. The words lingered in my mind that entire Tuesday. "I am Tara, the undefined mother of an untainted soul. I come from the grips of Dionysus and travel the path of the un-named Goddess within."
Braydon has absolutely loved school and everything about it. Monday he was devastated when it was time to go and just HAD TO show me everything about the class and the playground before he could even think about going home. Tuesday I could hear him crying in my heart, and when I walked through the preschool door, he was sobbing on a chair with an ice pack to his cheek. Apparently Braydon was standing in front of the swings, not realizing that he was supposed to move, and another little boy came down from his flight, accidentally kicking my baby in the face! After kisses and comfort, we had to talk about forgiveness. I didn't need to cover clearing the runway because the teacher finished that lesson up as I arrived that afternoon. Wednesday all the kids took a campus walk and got snow cones. Braydon hasn't stopped talking about the beautiful little girl whose hand he held on the walk, but whose name he can not remember. Today seemed to be an uneventful day, with only an hour and a half in class, but he was happy when I picked him up. Bedtime on the other hand, has been a miniature tragedy in itself. Nap time is really screwing up my child's perfect bed time routine. Today I picked him right before this dreaded hour and a half of sleep filled misery and have high hopes for a smooth night. Tomorrow will be my first day in English class and Bray will be in his class a little earlier than normal, so he will get to experience a few new things as well. What, exactly, we shall hear about early afternoon (before nap time) when I come to bring my son home for our first "weekend".
The communications class so far, has been about getting to know our classmates and has made us aware of the judgement we use in making first impressions. Homework has consisted of reading the first two chapters, and after reviewing chapter 1 in class yesterday, it is clear that I went too far in my note taking. Four pages of notes and written answers to the chapter's review exercise proved to be overkill when all that was required in class Wednesday was to share one or two sentences of what we could remember. When I read the second chapter (due Monday), I'll take in down a notch or two. After 7 years of lacking structured education, it is hard to know what is expected.
Art History is awesome. We've learned a few basics, watched a clip of a Flash Mob (look it up... it's amazing!), and caught a glimpse into the meaning of art. I always just say that art is everything and everything is art; something I am sure I picked up from my father, who is an incredible artist . Although I still believe it to be true and that the word "art" has infinite definitions, I like the way our instructor defined the subject. He said, "Art is expression that is experienced". While a little more narrow that my personal definition, I can agree. Our first assignment is to find something that we consider beautiful or art, not necessarily a typical art piece, and describe in one page. Simple enough right? Considering that I am stunned, daily, by the mass amount of beauty that surrounds us, I am having a hard time pin pointing what to write about. I look up; I see white whimsical clusters containing the purest nectar of life, waiting until they are too full to keep hold of the drops intended to sustain life. I look down as the sun light bounces off thousands of tiny rock particles, reminding me how fragile even the hardest parts of our souls are. Ahead in the distance the ocean water genitally rolls to shore, colliding with glistening sand, bringing with it peace and unity, reminding me of the depths of uncertainty. Of course, I could describe a piece of blown glass, the incredible Aurora Boreas, the shocking 3D sidewalk art of Julian Beever or Kurt Wenner, the cliff homes of Santorini, The Louvre.... the list goes on and on and on, and I'm not sure where to stop, or begin.
In Mythology, we will obviously learn of Gods and Goddesses, Heroes and epic tragedies; however these first two classes (and I expect more to come) have revolved around us, the students. We have taken a personality quiz, which revealed me to be an idealist, and had to write a mad-lib style mythical identity. Mine read "I am Tara, protector of Earth. I come from the depths of the ocean and travel to the infinite abyss." I'm sure I could have dug deeper and come up with something better, as did a fair amount of the students in the class, but this is what spit out of me in the 3 minutes we had to work with. The words lingered in my mind that entire Tuesday. "I am Tara, the undefined mother of an untainted soul. I come from the grips of Dionysus and travel the path of the un-named Goddess within."
Braydon has absolutely loved school and everything about it. Monday he was devastated when it was time to go and just HAD TO show me everything about the class and the playground before he could even think about going home. Tuesday I could hear him crying in my heart, and when I walked through the preschool door, he was sobbing on a chair with an ice pack to his cheek. Apparently Braydon was standing in front of the swings, not realizing that he was supposed to move, and another little boy came down from his flight, accidentally kicking my baby in the face! After kisses and comfort, we had to talk about forgiveness. I didn't need to cover clearing the runway because the teacher finished that lesson up as I arrived that afternoon. Wednesday all the kids took a campus walk and got snow cones. Braydon hasn't stopped talking about the beautiful little girl whose hand he held on the walk, but whose name he can not remember. Today seemed to be an uneventful day, with only an hour and a half in class, but he was happy when I picked him up. Bedtime on the other hand, has been a miniature tragedy in itself. Nap time is really screwing up my child's perfect bed time routine. Today I picked him right before this dreaded hour and a half of sleep filled misery and have high hopes for a smooth night. Tomorrow will be my first day in English class and Bray will be in his class a little earlier than normal, so he will get to experience a few new things as well. What, exactly, we shall hear about early afternoon (before nap time) when I come to bring my son home for our first "weekend".
Sunday, August 23, 2009
A Week of Preperation
In the last week, I have been non-stop in my quest to prepare for the big day. With a to-do list still staring at me from my bulletin board, it still feels like school is a million days away, when in actuality, tomorrow marks the start of our educational leap.
Saturday, August 15th: The iStartSmart orientation is a new requirement for first year community college students in Maricopa County. The program is designed to prepare new students for school and equip them with organizational methods needed to stay on track in order to graduate. You start out with an online orientation, which I finished weeks ago. The next step is the in person orientation with a group of new students, a director and a few campus ambassadors. At this meeting, we learned about tutoring, academic advisement, clubs/organizations, etc. Nothing I didn't already read about online, still it was nice to meet some people I'd be attending school with. Starting in September I will be attending the third and final step of this program, in the form of a required college success course. The class is five weeks, once a week and one credit. The course description makes me angry. I am 25 years old and have a lot of real work experience. I believe I've mentioned this before, but I got my first job at 13 and have taken care of myself for a long time. In the twelve years I've been employed, I've worked in several different industries, gathering new lessons and talents along the way and leaving each job with a higher knowledge and self expectation than when I started. I see going to school as another new experience and will face it with the same openness that I have stared each new chapter in my life with. However, this required class will cover things I have already acquired, such as time management, organization skills and note taking tips. While I am infuriated by the apparent waste of time and money, I am hopeful that I will leave that room at the end of the five weeks with at least one bit of new information. With a graduation rate of only 14%, the school certainly needs to take some steps in helping students reach their goals.
Saturday, August 15th: The iStartSmart orientation is a new requirement for first year community college students in Maricopa County. The program is designed to prepare new students for school and equip them with organizational methods needed to stay on track in order to graduate. You start out with an online orientation, which I finished weeks ago. The next step is the in person orientation with a group of new students, a director and a few campus ambassadors. At this meeting, we learned about tutoring, academic advisement, clubs/organizations, etc. Nothing I didn't already read about online, still it was nice to meet some people I'd be attending school with. Starting in September I will be attending the third and final step of this program, in the form of a required college success course. The class is five weeks, once a week and one credit. The course description makes me angry. I am 25 years old and have a lot of real work experience. I believe I've mentioned this before, but I got my first job at 13 and have taken care of myself for a long time. In the twelve years I've been employed, I've worked in several different industries, gathering new lessons and talents along the way and leaving each job with a higher knowledge and self expectation than when I started. I see going to school as another new experience and will face it with the same openness that I have stared each new chapter in my life with. However, this required class will cover things I have already acquired, such as time management, organization skills and note taking tips. While I am infuriated by the apparent waste of time and money, I am hopeful that I will leave that room at the end of the five weeks with at least one bit of new information. With a graduation rate of only 14%, the school certainly needs to take some steps in helping students reach their goals.
Sunday I cleaned and re-organizing my apartment (specifically mine and my son's rooms). I'm overwhelmed and this, in addition to making lists, helps me stay focused on what I am working towards.
Monday the 17th, marked my third attempt to get Bray officially enrolled in preschool. The woman I'd been speaking to had given me a whole list of wrong information and was the cause of my having to come down to the school two too many times to do something that should have been done long ago. This time, I called ahead of time to make sure that the director of the preschool was there. I was told by the "other woman" that I couldn't pay the registration fee and receive the forms unless she was present. I was told this in person, when I came to the school to do it, under the advisement of said woman. When I called, the director, a very nice and professional woman, informed me that I do not pay her. Instead I go to the business center and make the payment; something I could have done the last time I was there. Angry and overwhelmed I came in that afternoon and got everything taken care of. I decided to just let it go. What was done, was done and no amount of complaining would change that. Although, I did very nicely let the director know that I was given wrong information on several occasions and that I think perhaps the woman I spoke to was unsure of what needed to be said to the parents. I felt bad, but I had to say something in order to allow myslef to just get over the frustration. It worked.
Tuesday I filled out forms and spent some good quality time playing with my son. There will be so little of it starting tomorrow.
Wednesday I had a parents orientation for the preschool at 2pm. I was told not to bring my son unless absolutely necessary, so I arranged for my sister to watch him for a bit. She lives in an apartment complex in the heart of the ASU area in Tempe. This was the day, apparently, that all the out-of-state freshmen were arriving with there parents and suitcases, and all the on campus residents were moving into their dorms. If you have ever lived or been in a college town on a day like this, you know that the streets and sidewalks are flooded with people. It took me 15 whole minutes to drive one mile. I was glad I was going to a community college near my home and not here. Anywhere, but here. I finally dropped my son off at 5 minutes to 2pm. I was 20 minutes away from where I needed to be. After I made my way out of the sea of college students and just accepted the fact that I was going to be late, I started wondering how vastly different my life would be if I'd gone to a university right out of high school instead of waiting so long. For a brief moment I thought I'd be better off now, but I'd never have met Braydon's father - that I am certain of. Which means I wouldn't be Braydon's mother and no amount of success would be worth that. Changing one step on your life's path can alter the future in a huge way. I couldn't give this thought of "what if" another second of my precious time.
Thursday I got my books! Friday I took my sister to get her books. All weekend I've been cleaning and preparing for what tomorrow morning will bring. I am nervous, excited, scared and happy all at the same time, and I'm loving every second of it.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Nervousness
Welcome, dear nervous feeling. I was wondering when you'd creep up.
These past five months have been filled with paperwork, tests, meetings and school supply shopping. I've kept busy and gone through the motions of everyday life. Now, with just two weeks left and only a few more formalities, I am starting to get that certain feeling in my stomach and heaviness in my heart that tells me a major life change is about to take place. I suppose you call this feeling "nervous". I am not worried about how things will go, or scared that I will fail; however when a change takes place, no matter how prepared I am or how much I welcome the difference in life, I can't help but feel anxious and a bit nervous.
Some changes do bring fear and a uncertainty to my mind. Will I fail? Will this be a mistake? However, starting school and sending Braydon to preschool doesn't feel that way to me. It most certainly isn't a mistake, and I know that I will do everything I can to succeed in my classes, yet still the nervousness is ever present. I was getting ready to go to the school today to complete the preschool registration process for Braydon when the nervousness started to sink in. I couldn't eat breakfast this morning (still haven't) and my heart started to beat harder as I got Braydon dressed. I haven't been able to focus on anything 100% and as I was driving to the school, the palms of my hands got sweaty. It's official, I'm nervous.
The feeling is mostly for Braydon. My first, and only child is about to begin school. This is the first year of many to come, where my baby will be sent off to a classroom and will learn the wonders of education. I will no longer be the only major "teacher" in his life. Sure, he's been cared for by babysitters and our family and friends have had some influence in what he has been taught these first three years, but I have been the main educator in his life. I taught him, among other things, how to walk and talk, how to eat with a fork and use the potty, to share his toys and sing his alphabet. As early as my pregnancy, I have considered the fact that other people will teach my child, and I have viewed it as a positive thing. Obviously he will go to school and learn from a teacher, but there are so many things that I can not teach him that I want him to learn: how to musical instruments, how to surf, to fish, to play sports, etc. I have always known that in order to be a well rounded person, he would need to have a wide array of teachers through out his life. However, now that the dawn is upon us, I am feeling nervous and judgemental.
I have spoken to two different women from the preschool so far. One of the woman is seems confident, clear spoken and professional. The other appears to be the exact opposite. I realize that sending Braydon to the on-campus preschool (or Early Childhood Education Center) means that he will be supervised and taught by students in who are enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program, as well as the director/teachers of those classes. I am OK with that, but for some reason when I was on the phone with this girl, who spoke in a very small voice and stuttered when she answered my questions, I found myself questioning if this was the right choice. I pride myself on not being a judgemental person, but there I was, judging her. I realize that Braydon will encounter all types of people during his life, and I think that is a beautiful thing, but because I have gone through a selection of child care providers, all of whom ending up being a big mistake, I now find myself feeling nervous about who will be caring for my child. There are plenty of other reasons I should be nervous about sending him to school, and starting school myself, but this is what brought it on. For now, I will be keeping an open mind and reminding myself that we are all different, and this quiet, stuttering woman on the phone may be nervous as well.
These past five months have been filled with paperwork, tests, meetings and school supply shopping. I've kept busy and gone through the motions of everyday life. Now, with just two weeks left and only a few more formalities, I am starting to get that certain feeling in my stomach and heaviness in my heart that tells me a major life change is about to take place. I suppose you call this feeling "nervous". I am not worried about how things will go, or scared that I will fail; however when a change takes place, no matter how prepared I am or how much I welcome the difference in life, I can't help but feel anxious and a bit nervous.
Some changes do bring fear and a uncertainty to my mind. Will I fail? Will this be a mistake? However, starting school and sending Braydon to preschool doesn't feel that way to me. It most certainly isn't a mistake, and I know that I will do everything I can to succeed in my classes, yet still the nervousness is ever present. I was getting ready to go to the school today to complete the preschool registration process for Braydon when the nervousness started to sink in. I couldn't eat breakfast this morning (still haven't) and my heart started to beat harder as I got Braydon dressed. I haven't been able to focus on anything 100% and as I was driving to the school, the palms of my hands got sweaty. It's official, I'm nervous.
The feeling is mostly for Braydon. My first, and only child is about to begin school. This is the first year of many to come, where my baby will be sent off to a classroom and will learn the wonders of education. I will no longer be the only major "teacher" in his life. Sure, he's been cared for by babysitters and our family and friends have had some influence in what he has been taught these first three years, but I have been the main educator in his life. I taught him, among other things, how to walk and talk, how to eat with a fork and use the potty, to share his toys and sing his alphabet. As early as my pregnancy, I have considered the fact that other people will teach my child, and I have viewed it as a positive thing. Obviously he will go to school and learn from a teacher, but there are so many things that I can not teach him that I want him to learn: how to musical instruments, how to surf, to fish, to play sports, etc. I have always known that in order to be a well rounded person, he would need to have a wide array of teachers through out his life. However, now that the dawn is upon us, I am feeling nervous and judgemental.
I have spoken to two different women from the preschool so far. One of the woman is seems confident, clear spoken and professional. The other appears to be the exact opposite. I realize that sending Braydon to the on-campus preschool (or Early Childhood Education Center) means that he will be supervised and taught by students in who are enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program, as well as the director/teachers of those classes. I am OK with that, but for some reason when I was on the phone with this girl, who spoke in a very small voice and stuttered when she answered my questions, I found myself questioning if this was the right choice. I pride myself on not being a judgemental person, but there I was, judging her. I realize that Braydon will encounter all types of people during his life, and I think that is a beautiful thing, but because I have gone through a selection of child care providers, all of whom ending up being a big mistake, I now find myself feeling nervous about who will be caring for my child. There are plenty of other reasons I should be nervous about sending him to school, and starting school myself, but this is what brought it on. For now, I will be keeping an open mind and reminding myself that we are all different, and this quiet, stuttering woman on the phone may be nervous as well.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Financial Aid Awarded
Today I received my financial aid award letter. When I opened the letter and glanced at the estimated cost vs. the aid offered, I nearly lost my mind! I immediately called my sister, who has been attending college for the past few years, without taking the time to read the full document. She assured me that I couldn’t possibly need $17,164 to attend a community college and had me review it again. I noticed that they laid out a budget for room and board, transportation and personal items. “THANK GOD!” I said, as I started to calm down to my normal self. Always read a document in it’s entirety before you come to a conclusion. Classes cost $71/credit and books, if I buy them used should only be about $50 each. I’ll need to factor in the cost of preschool, which is astonishingly low. The school is close and I doubt I’ll need $2,574 for transportation, as the letter indicated. Since room and board and personal expenses are already covered by other means, $2,675 per semester should do it. I’m not sure why, but I expected I’d need a lot more. Hopefully there aren’t some hidden costs of school that I am unaware of. Do I see a laptop in my near future?
School Supply Lists
In an effort to save potential readers the overwhelming despair I felt standing in the school supply isle, lost in a sea of soccer moms, below is a list of some necessities for going back to school that I have gathered. You'll find a general list for college and pre-school. I’d love to get a list for elementary and high school, but in all honestly I don’t have time for that, what with a three year old tugging on my shirt at this very moment!
From late July to early August, stores everywhere have great deals on everything related to back to school you can imagine. You can also purchase items at the campus bookstore; however the cost will typically be higher. You may also choose to shop online, if you’re not up for the crowds during this season of deals. Office supply stores such as Staples, Office Max and Office Depot have great deals this time of year, with websites that are easy to navigate. Hope this helps!
College
Notebooks - I suggest one for each class
Folders - for hand outs & print outs
Binder
Printer paper
Pens and/or pencils
Lead refills or pencil sharpener
Highlighters
Stapler and staples – for multiple page assignments
Paperclips
Tape (not sure when I’ll actually need this for class, but I will certainly let you all know when I come across a situation.)
Calculator – certain classes may require a specific type of calculator (i.e. graphing). Check with your professor if you are unsure.
Reference books such as a dictionary & thesaurus –
Day planner/Organizer
Backpack - this is a personal choice. I know people who carry their books to class, running out to their car to swap their English material for their math. You may choose a standard backpack, a messenger bag, or (for the ladies) a purse. Personally, I will be bringing a purse I purchased from Barnes and Nobel that fits my books and notebooks perfectly.
Computer or laptop – some schools require students to have a computer, while others provide a computer lab; however if possible, it is best to own one for doing research and typing assignments. You will also need a printer and a way to connect to the internet. As a suggestion, flash drives and/or CDs are great for transferring files or keeping back-up. If you are a parent going to college, I’d suggest you invest in a lap top if possible. This way you can utilize time out with your child, say at the park, to work on your class assignments.
Work Space – if you already have a home office or a desk, then you’ve got this covered. If not, then it would be great to set up an area where you can work on assignments and keep items such as a stapler, hole punch, trash can, post-its, back-up notebooks, etc. If this isn’t in your budget, put all your supplies in a box or container of some sort and store it near the table where you can pull out what you need when you need it.
Pre-School
Because each preschool varies in their policies and preschool age children do not need too many items, you will need to check with the head of your child’s preschool to find out what you should bring, and what they prefer you do not send your child to school with. You may also want to stock up on some at home supplies to help your child practice what he/she has learned during the day. Here is a list of some items you may need to pick up, whether you use them for class or “homework”.
Backpack
Labels or tags – in preschool, as well as day cares, children need to label all of their belongings
Folder – for paper hand outs
Pencil pouch or box
Pencils and erasers
Crayons
Preschool safe scissors
Lunch box – you may also want to pick up a sandwich container, a snack bowl with a lid and a water bottle. Yes, these add to the cost, but when the year is over, you will have spent more on zip lock bags and individually wrapped snacks and drinks (in addition to the amount of waste)
A change of clothes – most preschools require that your child is potty trained; however kids this age can still have accidents and you don’t want your child to be left without something clean to change into if this happens. (On that note, be on the look out for an upcoming blog about getting your pre-school child ready for using the potty in class!)
A box of tissues or baby wipes
A special personal item such as a photo or stuffed animal – check with the teacher to make sure this is allowed
If I find that either of us need something not on this list, I'll you all know! Happy shopping!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
School Supply Shopping
Standing in the school supply isle at Walmart, young children running around me, teenagers arguing with their parents about what type of pencils to buy, and college kids only slightly younger than me with carts full of dorm room items, I stared blankly at the wide verity of writing tools; my son draped over my upper body fast asleep and seeming to weight 100 lbs. I headed out to the store shortly after lunch with an energetic boy in tow thinking I'd run in and pick up a couple notebooks, a box of pens and some folders for paper handouts. My son, who outgrew naps six months ago, passed out in the cart and now that I was in front of the array of products and watching all these people purchase their education, my heart sank. I thought about going home to let him sleep, but this might be the only chance I got to school shop without a 3 year old begging for toys or new books. Overwhelmed and on the verge of a headache, I stayed and tried to determine the most necessary supplies.
I filled a corner of the cart with one 5 subject notebook, a box of pens, a small package of mechanical pencils, a few highlighters and 4 folders for handouts. “This ought to do it,” I thought and headed to the grocery side of the store to pick up a few more items. All in one shopping at Walmart – 7 years ago I despised Walmart for their corporate-ness. Now almost 25 years old with a child and quite a few years of real work experience, I love Walmart. My sleeping son was now awake and back in the cart after I shamefully bribed him in with a pack of pez I had in my purse for a few weeks.
When I returned home I decided to take a look online to see if there were any sites that discussed college school supplies and see if I missed anything. This is something I should have done before I set out on my shopping trip. I am usually overly prepared when I go shopping, but I had the urge to just get this done with so I left the house with a vague idea of what I thought I needed. As I sorted through the various blogs and Yahoo! answers, the overwhelming feeling of being in way over my head grew to new heights. I missed a lot of things on these people’s list. At first thinking the majority of these items weren’t really necessary, I read on… and on. When I realized that I hadn’t even considered the fact that I needed a stapler to bind my assignments together, I wrote out a list and resolved to go back to the store when my sister could watch her nephew.
Three days and roughly $60 later, I feel completely assured that I have everything I will need; perhaps even a few luxury items. I have set up an office area in my room and plan on buying a lap top as soon as funds allow it. I am more organized on a personal level than I have been in a long time. I rarely buy anything for myself, and never do so without also picking something up for my child. During the second shopping trip I put together a little “school” package for Braydon. Pre-school age children don’t need a whole lot and I have yet to discuss specifics with the child care director, but I figured if he didn’t need these items at school, he could use them to do his “homework”. Check out my next blog for a list of back-to-school items for college students, pre-school children and more!
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