This was a very difficult entry for me. I can think of lots of times that I have been proud of Trent or our kids. Each time I thought of a proud moment, it wasn't my moment. It was someone else's moment and I was proud of them. So, it has required some time. Finally, I thought of something that was truly my moment. It was my accomplishment. But, it took so much support from people helping me, so it probably isn't really mine.
When I finished college, I jumped right into the role of being a mom. I loved that. It was hard. It was rewarding. It was fun. I enjoyed it very much. I felt accomplished in knowing that I was helping little people grow and learn. But, I missed learning myself. I loved school. I appreciated the requirement, to maintain my teaching certification, that forced me to earn six college credits every five years. I looked forward to those classes. I began thinking about earning a Master's degree.
For many years I looked into different options. They were all so expensive and time consuming. I didn't see a feasible option to go back to school. Fast forward many years, and many advances in higher education. Also, my role as a mom had changed. The demands of mom at home were definitely not the same as they had been. I reached a point in my career that I wasn't going to get a pay raise again without having a higher degree. The summer of 2018 seemed like the time to really take a seriously look at the possibility.
My dear friend and colleague, Stephanie, mentioned that she was beginning her Master's program. She had three small children, taught school, and was still doing this. I didn't have an excuse. Well, money was an issue. I contacted the school and was amazed at the support I received from Western Governor's University. The whole program was online. They found scholarships and grants that were available to me. Our school district was also willing to help a bit. Also, family was very helpful in this area. With WGU, time is money. The faster the classes are completed, the less money it costs. I determined that I could have the whole program, thirty credits, completed in two semesters. The average student completes it in eighteen months. In order to meet my financial goals, and be able to use my current students for research, I gave myself nine months.
I began September 2018. I set goals. I worked every spare moment I had. I would work until 11:00 p.m. I got up at 5:30 a.m. to study before work. Saturdays I worked almost all afternoon and into the evening. My sweet Trent did ALL the work at the house. He cooked, cleaned, and laundered in order for me to have the time to do it. Family encouraged. Stephanie and I pushed and helped each other with assignments and ideas. We encouraged each other when things got difficult. I had to push through thoughts of being dumb when I didn't understand concepts. I had to be humble enought to ask for help from the resources provided by the university - and there were MANY. I had to think differently than I had before.
I'm proud to say that I met that nine month goal. I accomplished a VERY difficult thing. I loved learning. I loved having to work hard. I especially enjoyed the weekly goal setting and achieving that my advisor helped with. She was amazing. I really am proud of this accomplishment. But, I couldn't have done it without my support system. They are just as much a part of the Master's of Mathematics Education K-6 as I am. I will forever be grateful for them.
When I finished college, I jumped right into the role of being a mom. I loved that. It was hard. It was rewarding. It was fun. I enjoyed it very much. I felt accomplished in knowing that I was helping little people grow and learn. But, I missed learning myself. I loved school. I appreciated the requirement, to maintain my teaching certification, that forced me to earn six college credits every five years. I looked forward to those classes. I began thinking about earning a Master's degree.
For many years I looked into different options. They were all so expensive and time consuming. I didn't see a feasible option to go back to school. Fast forward many years, and many advances in higher education. Also, my role as a mom had changed. The demands of mom at home were definitely not the same as they had been. I reached a point in my career that I wasn't going to get a pay raise again without having a higher degree. The summer of 2018 seemed like the time to really take a seriously look at the possibility.
My dear friend and colleague, Stephanie, mentioned that she was beginning her Master's program. She had three small children, taught school, and was still doing this. I didn't have an excuse. Well, money was an issue. I contacted the school and was amazed at the support I received from Western Governor's University. The whole program was online. They found scholarships and grants that were available to me. Our school district was also willing to help a bit. Also, family was very helpful in this area. With WGU, time is money. The faster the classes are completed, the less money it costs. I determined that I could have the whole program, thirty credits, completed in two semesters. The average student completes it in eighteen months. In order to meet my financial goals, and be able to use my current students for research, I gave myself nine months.
I began September 2018. I set goals. I worked every spare moment I had. I would work until 11:00 p.m. I got up at 5:30 a.m. to study before work. Saturdays I worked almost all afternoon and into the evening. My sweet Trent did ALL the work at the house. He cooked, cleaned, and laundered in order for me to have the time to do it. Family encouraged. Stephanie and I pushed and helped each other with assignments and ideas. We encouraged each other when things got difficult. I had to push through thoughts of being dumb when I didn't understand concepts. I had to be humble enought to ask for help from the resources provided by the university - and there were MANY. I had to think differently than I had before.
I'm proud to say that I met that nine month goal. I accomplished a VERY difficult thing. I loved learning. I loved having to work hard. I especially enjoyed the weekly goal setting and achieving that my advisor helped with. She was amazing. I really am proud of this accomplishment. But, I couldn't have done it without my support system. They are just as much a part of the Master's of Mathematics Education K-6 as I am. I will forever be grateful for them.
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