(One Semester Down, Three Semesters to Go... Three Classes Down, Twelve Classes to Go)
After reading more books than I can count, writing countless papers, and completing my first pilot study/research project I have officially concluded my first semester of doctoral studies. All in all, as far as workload is concerned, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I expected it to be.
I really liked one of my classes and learned a lot of valuable information overall! I am also glad to be finished with the introductory course and look forward to taking more classes focused on topics I am interested in. And, as the winter break comes to a close, I am looking forward to my interterm course that starts January 3 and the following spring semester.
As Chris has already mentioned we have also had time to go on some short adventures. We traveled to Galt to visit my mom’s step-sister’s brother’s family (that’s the family connection he couldn’t explain earlier) for Thanksgiving. We also went to San Francisco and many of the beaches along the coastline.
Over the break I have been reading diligently for my coming January course and enjoying time with Chris and Mo. We spent a day at Knotts Berry Farm, watched all four Shrek movies, went shopping with our Christmas gift cards, played the Wii for hours, enjoyed receiving countless Christmas cards from friends and family, and enjoyed a Christmas Eve service at church (they even rented a snow blower so there would be snow).
For those that have been asking about our church involvement we visited the youth service a few weeks ago and offered to help out. I couldn’t help feeling out of place and as though we were not really needed. Furthermore, those of you that know me well know how organized and plan-oriented I am . . . It did not seem fully organized, which drove me crazy! Furthermore, the more I thought about the youth service the more I had a huge issue with it from a theological standpoint. I just cannot support the idea of separating the youth from the greater body of the church . . . I am currently wrestling with whether or not I can help out with something I feel is not right. I realize ministry to large groups is drastically different than ministry with small groups but I just don’t think separate worship services is a part of that difference. I’m still praying about it and we’ll see where God leads us.
As for ministries and small groups for our age group we have been talking with some of the church staff. We noticed in the bulletin last week that a new ministry called “Connect” is starting up after the first of the year. We are looking forward to trying it out and connecting with some people our age. Overall, however, connecting in general has been much more difficult than we anticipated. We really miss our friends back east, but are more and more grateful for them everyday! We hope you’ll treasure the friends you have and take every opportunity possible to spend quality time with them!
--Megan
Friday, December 31, 2010
Christmas Break
Christmas break is about to wrap up. The two weeks off have been very nice, and much needed. It is great to have a couple of weeks to relax and recharge. This Christmas was different for us than any Christmas we have had. This was the first Christmas where it was just Megan and I, and no other family. Mailing Christmas presents and receiving packages that you can't open for a week is just strange to me.
Skype has been a wonderful thing, and at Christmas time, it was a true blessing. It was great to at least be able to "be together" over Skype with our families back on the east coast. We gave Megan's family a webcam so that we could finally skype with them, which we did a couple of days before Christmas. We then skyped on Christmas day with my family. Megan and I were both showered with a lot of great gifts.
We have been able to spend a lot of time together over the break. We went to Knott's Berry Farm, a theme park like Carowinds for those on the east coast, and had a great time there. We bought a season pass for the upcoming year, so I'm sure we will return several times this next year. The last couple days of the break will be spent watching college football, and preparing for the upcoming year. For me, that means preparing to teach AP Macroeconomics for the first time starting in a few weeks, and for Megan, that means preparing for her Interim class that starts on January 3rd.
While it may not have been a traditional Christmas, God certainly has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams.
Skype has been a wonderful thing, and at Christmas time, it was a true blessing. It was great to at least be able to "be together" over Skype with our families back on the east coast. We gave Megan's family a webcam so that we could finally skype with them, which we did a couple of days before Christmas. We then skyped on Christmas day with my family. Megan and I were both showered with a lot of great gifts.
We have been able to spend a lot of time together over the break. We went to Knott's Berry Farm, a theme park like Carowinds for those on the east coast, and had a great time there. We bought a season pass for the upcoming year, so I'm sure we will return several times this next year. The last couple days of the break will be spent watching college football, and preparing for the upcoming year. For me, that means preparing to teach AP Macroeconomics for the first time starting in a few weeks, and for Megan, that means preparing for her Interim class that starts on January 3rd.
While it may not have been a traditional Christmas, God certainly has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams.
Teacher Certification
I was very fortunate that I was able to find the teaching job that I did, and my South Carolina certificate pretty much transferred over. One thing that I needed to acquire was a certification for English Language learners. There are a couple of different routes that I could take to gain this certification. One, I can go the university route, which could cost $10,000+, or I could take three standardized tests that would cost me around $300. Obviously, I tried option two first. I took the three tests in early December, and will find out how I did on them January 14th.
I feel fairly confident that I will pass at least one of the three sections, which is all I need to do this year. I didn't study for the test like I needed to, but I did review a little, and I didn't think two of the sections were all that difficult. Section two is the one I feel the least confident in, simply because I feel like what the website would be on the test, wasn't. I felt like most of the questions had multiple right answers and was trying to get you to pick the correct teaching style. The problem is, there is no correct teaching style. What works for one teacher may not work for another.
The thing that I think is plaguing education the most for both teachers and for students, are standardize tests. If I pass these three tests, (which I hope I did) I will have no more knowledge of how to best help English language learners, but I will have the necessary paperwork. I think we lose so many potential quality teachers because of the certification hoops that you have to jump through. None of these prove how good of a teacher you are. None of these "test" how you interact with your students, and yet, these are how teachers are continually judged. Same with students. These high stakes tests can often dictate their futures, without really allowing them to prove what they know.
Hopefully, in January, I will find out that I successfully cleared another hoop, and then I can focus on truly meaningful professional development that would actually make me a better teacher.
I feel fairly confident that I will pass at least one of the three sections, which is all I need to do this year. I didn't study for the test like I needed to, but I did review a little, and I didn't think two of the sections were all that difficult. Section two is the one I feel the least confident in, simply because I feel like what the website would be on the test, wasn't. I felt like most of the questions had multiple right answers and was trying to get you to pick the correct teaching style. The problem is, there is no correct teaching style. What works for one teacher may not work for another.
The thing that I think is plaguing education the most for both teachers and for students, are standardize tests. If I pass these three tests, (which I hope I did) I will have no more knowledge of how to best help English language learners, but I will have the necessary paperwork. I think we lose so many potential quality teachers because of the certification hoops that you have to jump through. None of these prove how good of a teacher you are. None of these "test" how you interact with your students, and yet, these are how teachers are continually judged. Same with students. These high stakes tests can often dictate their futures, without really allowing them to prove what they know.
Hopefully, in January, I will find out that I successfully cleared another hoop, and then I can focus on truly meaningful professional development that would actually make me a better teacher.
Thanksgiving
Over the Thanksgiving break, Megan and I originally were trying to figure out what we were going to do. For the past few years, we had always hosted our families' thanksgiving dinner at the parsonage. Throw in the traditions that we had with the youth, I think I can say we were both not looking forward to a Thanksgiving without a big meal and spending time with family.
When we first moved out here, Megan mentioned that she had some "family" that lived out in California, but more central/northern California. When they found out that we were not going back east for Thanksgiving, they invited us up to spend Thanksgiving with their family. Now, even after hearing it explained several times, I'm still not exactly sure how Megan is related to the Bell's... but we will just go with the fact that they are somehow related.
We decided to make a trip out of it, instead of just going up for Thanksgiving dinner. The Bell's live in Galt, CA, which is like an hour and a half from San Francisco. On the way up, we were going to stop at Sequoia and King's Canyon National Park. This is where the huge redwood trees are, and there is a connecting road that makes it a three hour drive. We headed off, and as we approached the park, we found out that the connecting road was closed due to snow. We also didn't have any tire chains, so we couldn't even go into Sequoia at all. The trip was not getting off to a good start.
Thanksgiving at the Bell's was great. The food was great, the fellowship was great. There is nothing like a holiday get-together spending time with new people and enjoying each other's company. Megan got a chance to catch up with some of her "family" that she hadn't seen in almost ten years. I'm glad we had the chance to go, and who knows, if we can't go back east next year, maybe we'll get the opportunity to head back up there.
After we left the Bell's, we headed to San Francisco for three days. San Francisco is a very cool city. We tried to cram as much in that short time as we could. Friday we got up early and rode the trolley down to the Fisherman's Wharf. We walked around there and went to Ghiardelli Square. We then took a bay cruise and rode around Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge. One of the most memorable parts of the day was at lunch. We ate at one of the seafood stands at Fisherman's Wharf. Megan must have been waiving her shrimp around a little too much, because a sea gull came down and stole a shrimp right out of her hand! Very funny for me to watch, probably a little scary for her... when SEA GULLS ATTACK!
Saturday was a rainy day, so we tried to do things that were more indoors. In the morning, we headed out to the Golden Gate State Park and went to the California Academy of Sciences and the DeYoung Museum. We then drove around the park for a little bit, and then the sun came out surprisingly. We then decided to drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and "beach hop". There are some stunningly beautiful beaches all up and down the San Francisco area. Once we returned to the hotel, we decided to walk through Chinatown and headed to eat at a GREAT restaurant, the Franciscan down at Fisherman's Wharf. It is a little pricey, but the food was amazing.
Sunday morning, we got up and headed out for our trip to tour Alcatraz. Alcatraz was an interesting tour, partly because of its place in American lore. There is just something about Alcatraz that forces everyone to think of something. Once we got back to San Francisco, we headed back home. What should have been about a six hour drive, turned into a nine hour drive. However, it was a great trip, and we can cross off one of the places that we wanted to go while we are on the west coast! Hopefully, we'll be able to cross a few more off in the upcoming year.
When we first moved out here, Megan mentioned that she had some "family" that lived out in California, but more central/northern California. When they found out that we were not going back east for Thanksgiving, they invited us up to spend Thanksgiving with their family. Now, even after hearing it explained several times, I'm still not exactly sure how Megan is related to the Bell's... but we will just go with the fact that they are somehow related.
Thanksgiving at the Bell's was great. The food was great, the fellowship was great. There is nothing like a holiday get-together spending time with new people and enjoying each other's company. Megan got a chance to catch up with some of her "family" that she hadn't seen in almost ten years. I'm glad we had the chance to go, and who knows, if we can't go back east next year, maybe we'll get the opportunity to head back up there.
After we left the Bell's, we headed to San Francisco for three days. San Francisco is a very cool city. We tried to cram as much in that short time as we could. Friday we got up early and rode the trolley down to the Fisherman's Wharf. We walked around there and went to Ghiardelli Square. We then took a bay cruise and rode around Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge. One of the most memorable parts of the day was at lunch. We ate at one of the seafood stands at Fisherman's Wharf. Megan must have been waiving her shrimp around a little too much, because a sea gull came down and stole a shrimp right out of her hand! Very funny for me to watch, probably a little scary for her... when SEA GULLS ATTACK!
 |
| Not Megan...just a representation of the "attack". |
We then decided we would walk around the city and see some of the other sights. Word of warning for those who might want to do that... San Francisco is EXTREMELY hilly. We walked forever trying to find a street up to Coit Tower, only to find out when we got up there that it was closed for maintenance. We then walked over to Lombard Street. ("the crookedest street in the world"). We then hopped on a trolley and headed back to the hotel. We decided to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and head over to Sausilito. A very cool little town right on the other side of the bay. Great views of San Francisco at night.
Saturday was a rainy day, so we tried to do things that were more indoors. In the morning, we headed out to the Golden Gate State Park and went to the California Academy of Sciences and the DeYoung Museum. We then drove around the park for a little bit, and then the sun came out surprisingly. We then decided to drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and "beach hop". There are some stunningly beautiful beaches all up and down the San Francisco area. Once we returned to the hotel, we decided to walk through Chinatown and headed to eat at a GREAT restaurant, the Franciscan down at Fisherman's Wharf. It is a little pricey, but the food was amazing.
Huntington Dog Beach
One of the advantages of living in Southern California is the weather. Even into November, we were still averaging mid 70s and still relatively no rain. We heard a lot of the beaches around here were dog friendly, and since Mo had never been to the ocean, we figured this was an experience that we had to try.
From my perspective, I wanted to see how Mo would act, not only around a lot of other dogs, but with the waves. I thought it would be a fairly humorous experience at the least, and was willing to tag along. The beaches in general are only about 30-45 minutes away, so it's not too bad of a drive.
After some time on the beach, we walked along the beach for about an hour and watched the sunset. It was a great trip, and one hopefully we will make again in the near future. Maybe this time we will let Mo off the leash.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
My Parents Came to Visit (in October)
One of the things that I realize as we have been out here is the spontaneity of being able to visit friends and family. Skype has helped as we have been able to video chat from time to time with some friends and our families, but as I was reading back over some of our previous posts, I realized one of the things I never talked about was the visitors we have had out here, my parents!
My parents came out in mid-October (shows you how far behind I am) and I think at that point, they came out on the only weekend that it rained. I hated that the weather wasn't great, but we still were able to go drive around and show them the area somewhat. We took them to Biola, and showed them around campus, and drove out to Riverside to show them Poly and my classroom. We also drove up the Pacific Coast Highway up through Malibu. We were planning to possibly go to the Griffith Observatory as well, but the fog was simply too thick that day.
It was a short couple of days, but I am so appreciative of them coming to visit. It was nice to see a familiar face. Hopefully, if we aren't able to head back east, we'll have a few more visitors this summer! We've got a (comfortable) pull out sofa, and an air mattress, so plenty of room for visitors!
My parents came out in mid-October (shows you how far behind I am) and I think at that point, they came out on the only weekend that it rained. I hated that the weather wasn't great, but we still were able to go drive around and show them the area somewhat. We took them to Biola, and showed them around campus, and drove out to Riverside to show them Poly and my classroom. We also drove up the Pacific Coast Highway up through Malibu. We were planning to possibly go to the Griffith Observatory as well, but the fog was simply too thick that day.
It was a short couple of days, but I am so appreciative of them coming to visit. It was nice to see a familiar face. Hopefully, if we aren't able to head back east, we'll have a few more visitors this summer! We've got a (comfortable) pull out sofa, and an air mattress, so plenty of room for visitors!
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