What are you studying anyway?

I took it for granted that people are just in my head and know all that I'm talking about.  So here it is that I've mentioned school, but not really told you what I'm doing.  So today (not at all due to lack of topic!) I'll share what and why I'm doing what I'm doing.

This is my 3rd attempt at school.

Right out of highschool, went straight to college for 2.5 yrs then quit because school and 3 jobs didn't play nicely together. (I moved out a year after I graduated, bills suck people!)

Then got married and went back to school.  I finished the last little bit of my assoc. and was student teaching away from my Elementary Ed. degree when we found out we were having Seth.  I emailed my professors and they told me it wasn't impossible, but would be very difficult to complete this part of my education while pregnant, then having a newborn.  So I took a break because due to complications getting pregnant, added stress was no bueno.

Glad I did because I ended up on bedrest the last 6 months of my pregnancy...but that's not what this post is about.

So during my break, Seth got bigger and another little stinker-Mr Aaron-was added to the mix.

So here it is my 5 yr break is over and I'm at it again.  I checked into where I stood in my degree after so much time and had 5 classes with student teaching to finish.  Now my problem was student teaching-what was I going to do with the boys?!  I couldn't put them in daycare, not if I wasn't making the money to pay for it.  Plus I REALLY didn't want to do that!  Hmmm, what to do?!

*quick flashback to how I chose my current degree*

I had worked in a PPCD classroom in one of the school districts.  This classroom was for children with physical and mental disabilities.  I left when we decided to have kids because it was not a safe environment for a pregnant person, especially at my height.  I am 5ft, and most of these kids heads was stomach level.  Some were autistic and had meltdowns, while others had bi-polar, anger management issues and during a meltdown it was a serious ordeal, so I just didn't want to chance it. (special ed and science were subjects I was becoming certified in)

I worked as a substitute teacher...which I really enjoyed.  Highly reccomend for anyone interested in teaching.  I gained more experience here that really helped prepare me for my own classroom!

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Then I took an opening at our local juvenile alternative shelter, NTYC.  I was a case worker that worked with AT RISK children and their families in the STAR Program.  We were responsible for the suicide hotline (isn't it horrible that there even needs to be such a thing)  We tried to intervene and resolve conflict before Child Protective Services were involved and the removal of the child was necessary.  If the child was removed they often stayed in our shelter, which was the back portion of where I worked.  It housed foster children, CPS removals and was the runaway safehouse.  In my classroom, we often had families that needed intervention, and most times it was NTYC that offered their services.  Now I got to see the other side of what happened.  I.FELL.IN.LOVE. with this job!!!!  To be able to try and help resolve family issues and be successful was a great feeling, but if had already gone to far being there to try and help the child make sense of things was something I felt privileged to be a part of.  I could write a million posts on this subject and what some of these poor children go though, but I'll refrain!

But back to my degree.  As you can see, it really got in my heart and is something I am EXTREMELY passionate about.  So as of yesterday and spending hours on the phone with my advisors, I am only 3 semesters away from graduating with my double major in Sociology and Psychology!!!  This will take me into social work, which i'm nervously excited about.  Whether it is through CASA or CPS, investigating their foster families I'm not sure on that direction as of yet.  Still lots of time and prayer left for that answer.

 

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 Part of me is very sad I did not complete my education degree.  I have wanted to be a teacher as long as I can remember.  But part of me is glad I'm not, with the way education is going. (all the political mumbo jumbo is what I mean by that)   I learned so much being a substitute and in all the different school districts.  When I became the regular for our middle school, I felt right at home.  I especially loved it when I got 6th grade science(where I hoped to teach).

It takes a unique person to be a middle school teacher, but it was right up my alley!!!!  I loved me some 6th and 7th graders.  8th graders....ehhhh not so much lol.   My folder of lesson plans may never see the light of day :(  But as sad as I am about that, in my heart I know that working in the social field is where my heart truly belongs.  Besides, I'm the Children's Church leader at our church so I can get my classroom fix there!

So that is what I am studying, how I got to this point and what I hope to do.   Fall semester I actually will be taking classes on campus...eeek!  I've been an online student recently.  I'm sooo nervous.

But ass hard as it's been and will be going back with kids, I don't think I would change it if I could.  My boys are seeing me work hard and it's been  Team Family working together to make it possible.  My boys (John, Seth and Aaron) being there to see me graduate will be one of my top 5 greatest accomplishments!

 

Now, enough about me.  I'd love to read about each of you and what you do.  Or what you have always dreamed of doing, even if you are not doing it...yet!