I’m in my mid 30’s. I’ve got two kids. I’m a sahm. It’s great, I’ve got lots of leeway for being a flake and making mistakes, and generally thinking slowly. School was torture. I dropped out of community college (finally) in my 2nd year. Community college is such a depressing place. I worked for 11 years, quit when my oldest was 3 y.o. Life is bad enough for working moms who aren’t bipolar and ld.
But I’m finally to the point where I want to go back to school, and it’s for my own sake, not because Mom and Dad expected it of me. And I’d like to contribute to our income. Dh works very hard and I want him to to be able to retire without worrying too much. And I don’t want to have just any “job”. I want to contribute to society and, well, not do something boring!
So I think I want to be a LD teacher or councelor. I work in dd’s 3ed grade class now and again, and it just kills me to see the occasional kid who is struggling so much to learn. And there’s no one to intervene. The teacher simply does not have the time or know how and that’s not her fault. So I want to intervene on behalf of kids like that.
BUT- I * am * so * scared * to go back to school. The local state university has an excellent special ed teacher program, but you first need to get your BA or BS in something, regular teaching I think. But that’s just it. The university special ed dept web site doesn’t specify if the degree needs to be in teaching or not. I know, I can just ask. BUT MY WHOLE LIFE, this is what is has been like. I just don’t pick up on these little bits of information that the rest of the population automatically knows. Somehow, you’re supposed to know what the procedure is or what this phrase means. And my habit, when presented with this situation, is to nod my head like I understand what’s going on, because I’m embarassed because I should have known it already or, I’ll just figure it out later.
It has been wonderful not being employed. I’ve put this time to good use, figuring out what my major hurdles are (ld and bipolar). I usually only have to contend with my husband, who is very forgiving of my foibles. But my youngest is going into Kindergarten next year. I’ll have time to take a couple of undergrad classes. And eventually I’ll be at the point where I should commit to the University classes.
Does anyone have a similar experience: being out of the loop for a long time then getting back into it? What’s it like?
And it took me 45 minutes to compose this stupid post!! :x
Re: Sooo...anyone 30 y.o.> go back to school?
But be willing to think “out of the box” when it comes to being productive and contributing. While you’re figuring out the logistics of education, are there organizations that train tutors or mentors? That kind of experience can be really handy in helping you figure out your niche.
Re: Sooo...anyone 30 y.o.> go back to school?
Here’s waht you do. Education is really a joke so it doesn’t matter if yoou are really qualified but it is a good gig and you get plenty of time off. Work for a year as a teacher’s aid by then you’ll will know everything you need to know to teach.
Step 2 do a Google search and find a diploma mill and buy yourself a diploma.
DOn’t waste time in college especially with LD. The bipolar disorder is a plus if you are a teacher. You will fit right in.
Actually buy yourself a PhD and act really quirky they will hire you in a heartbeat.
Re: Sooo...anyone 30 y.o.> go back to school?
LOL — that’s what you did, right? Or maybe you’ve made your fortune selling ‘em.
There are folks who manage to get through “education” without learning anything (and far more who don’t really understand what it is to learn, and flunk out in frustration because the rituals that got them through high school don’t work any more) — but it is possible to learn in most institutes of more or less higher education :)
Re: Sooo...anyone 30 y.o.> go back to school?
The place I went back to as an adult for my second and third degrees was an old-fashioned liberal arts college where you build your own degree.
The place is justly famous for its football team and yes, a lot of guys major in football, although they are definitely required to take real academic classes too. I tutored one football player through calculus and one through pre-cal.
It is also famous for having a pub on campus, as well as four more in town, the one on campus being a converted gym that holds 1000 people out of a student population of 2000 … the drinking age here is 18 and you have to do junior college before university, so this is legal. A fair number of students do try to drink their way through university.
But behind the football and the party reputation, the school works on the plan that their job is to grow the students up. They let you go out and have fun and they don’t try to watch over your shoulder every second; then when you realize that you aren’t making any academic progress, they let you have a chance to work on it.
I went back as an adult and was able to plan the courses I wanted to take, decided to double major in math and languages and my advisor said “Well, that’s an unusual combination; let’s see how it works out.” She also mentioned that math people usually do very well in first-year Greek because they already know and use the alphabet, although I was never able to fit it into my schedule.
One of my tutoring students had started in the junior college taking business classes to get a better job, took a basic computer use course, decided he was good at computers and went to the university, decided he was really good at computers and changed over to a serious major including math, and applied to grad school. He was working his way through school as a rock musician. The last time I talked to him he was in his sixth year of a three-year program, but the grad school acceptance was pending.
Find yourself a good place and some good people, and university is what you decide to make of it. If you want a trash degree you can get one, but if you want to do something worthwhile you can.
Re: Sooo...anyone 30 y.o.> go back to school?
Thanks for encouraging words, all!
Guest, if you’ll note, besides wanting to get a degree of some sort (maybe that makes me shallow), my impluse here is to help other people. So that some little kid doesn’t have to grow up feeling like he’s bad, stupid or lazy. And therefore maybe not develop a protective cynical attitude…
Re: Sooo...anyone 30 y.o.> go back to school?
[quote=”Sue”]LOL — that’s what you did, right? Or maybe you’ve made your fortune selling ‘em.
There are folks who manage to get through “education” without learning anything (and far more who don’t really understand what it is to learn, and flunk out in frustration because the rituals that got them through high school don’t work any more) — but it is possible to learn in most institutes of more or less higher education :)[/quote]
I recently recieved my doctorate in divinity and it only cost me 145 dollars. It also comes with transcripts and an official sounding service that will vouche for me via the telephone. This is a great scam.
I met a guy who got his doctorate in education from a diploma mill and he is a school superintendant. People think this guy is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The coolest thing is that he graduated from a 2 year school with a AAS in psychology. He has written many papers most of which are plagurized. The cool thing is he has all these stuffed shirt phonies thinking he’s the man.
I am currently looking for a flock to fleece. Praise JEEEEEESUS :lol:
I am currently working on my priest act. I can do the mass in my sleep. I can perform all the the sacrements. I have even done confessions. It really cool. I have a tax stamp so I never have to pay sales tax again and I am always getting free meals in restaurants. At the track when I am wearing my colar total strangers who are in the know give me great tips and sometimes part of their winnings if I bless them.
I won’t let LD stop me. I’m gonna be the best damn priest money can buy. What will seal the deal is if I can talk my girlfriend in becoming a nun. I bet she’ll be the only nun wearing a thong under her habit.
You people need to think out side the box and bend the rules a bit. You won’t get in trouble you see because I’m a priest and I can grant you all absolution.
So first you get down on your knees
And fiddle with your rosaries
Bow your heads with great respect
And genuflect genuflect
Make a cross on your abdomen
When in Rome do like a roman
Ave Maria
Gee it’s good to see ya doin the Vatican rag.
Get in line in that processional
Step into that small confessional
There the guy who’s got religion will
Tell you if your sin’s original
If it is try playing it safer
Drink the wine and chew the wafer
2 4 6 8
Time to transubstantiate
Re: Sooo...anyone 30 y.o.> go back to school?
guest, you’re a real freak-a-zoid, but are also at the same time fairly funny…I might have to think about buying a degree certificate so I can get a decent job!
Re: Sooo...anyone 30 y.o.> go back to school?
[quote=”cameron34”]guest, you’re a real freak-a-zoid, but are also at the same time fairly funny…I might have to think about buying a degree certificate so I can get a decent job![/quote]
Do it dude. It is worth it! I am trying to find a fitness trainer credential. That would be a great job. Imagine working all day around hot looking rich older women ridiculing fat women and getting paid to do it. WOW! :D
I am 30 years old and at uni.
I hope to be a teacher I am a teacher assistant now at a primary school with year 0 to 4 the first four years. I have learnt more than when I was at school. I think it is because I am teaching others and pick up the skills needed I still have problems reading especially a uni level. I purchase some software to help but well what a waste of money
Well, I went back to university full-time at age 37, as a single mother of a five-year-old, supporting her on student aid, some of which I still owe back. I went back to finish the math degree that got really badly sidetracked my first time through. Before the full-time I tried a couple of years of correspondence and got back into it gradually. On the other hand, no I wasn’t bipolar and LD.
As far as knowing all those things out of thin air — no, most of us really don’t. I just go to department offices and ask the secretary, or read the catalogue, or look up on line. The department secretary is best, the fount of all administrative knowledge.
Elementary ed courses are often not very challenging; many of us here are pretty disgusted at how little they teach and how much we had to work out later. On the other hand, that does make them a place to start getting back into studies.
Good luck with the studies.