So I'm now *finished* with the Master's...

...but I don't really feel much different. Sure, I feel quite accomplished for having the GPA that I do, and I've been around the school long enough to know the ins & outs of being a teaching assistant and graduate student. However, I don't feel 'done' yet. I guess that it's because I have an Ed.D I'd like to start in the fall. Since I have to take education classes in the fall in order to be a high school teacher, I'd like for them to count towards a degree. I've also wanted a doctorate since I knew what one was (although the subject has changed several times). So in that sense I'm not 'done', especially since I'm applying to the School of Education at the same school I've just graduated from. I'm not getting an 'administration & supervision' degree, though - my concentration will be in curriculum planning.

I've since (the end of march) started working as a tutor for an in-home tuoring company as well as done a few small private tutoring sessions in various subjects. Other than the nice hourly wage, it's helped me to realize that I like teaching math, too. As part of my Ed.D. I could imagine taking enough math classes to get an endorsement in math, in addition to the chemistry & biology. A lot of my students have trouble in both Algebra I and Physical Science, so I've spent some time lately helping with algebra-ish topics. I think I could also get the endorsement for earth & space science by taking the Praxis II after I'm finished with my other 'summer' job that I fell into - writing an astrobiology (some call it exobiology) curriculum for a particular client who is going to post it on their website as 'open source' curriculum planning materials. The next two weeks in particular I'm going to spend a nice chunk of time working on that. I've been given a field-testing ground by working with the SEMAA program here in Nashville and then I'll be 'presenting' and 'teaching' the curriculum to other teachers at this seminar this summer. I'm also going to be working as an instructor at this one too. Talk about a setup right out of a Master's degree. One of my professors was wanting to help with the astrobiology and happened to remember that I a) had the time b)knew biology and chemistry well and c)wanted to eventually do curriculum planning in science/math - so he introduced me to the right people.

On to other non-teaching topics...

Natha's been reading even more lately - now he's just to where he has to work on fluency in reading and needs lots and lots of practice. Last night he read an entire book to me (40+ pages) that I used to read to him as a kid. He even held the book himself while he was reading, spelled out the words he wanted help with, and only let me see the book when it was time for him to 'show me the page' when he was done reading it. I bought him a couple more books today that are certain 'reader levels' that promote reading fluency and look like cooler 'older kid books' and are *way* more interesting than the sight word books that he started on. Don't get me wrong, he needed to start with those to get the confidence to read bigger books (he though reading was this thing that older people did and he wouldn't ever get to do - he even asked me who was going to read him a story when he went away to college). Now, though, he can handle a bit more. I'll still get him to work with the sight word books this summer along with other books - I'm going to test out the curriculum planning with him, I think. That will keep us busy when there's not as much going on (which means during the month of July, right now).

I'm going to transition back to being healthier both mentally and pnd physically now that I've got some more time - so it's back to yoga, journaling, and being more emotive in general. Ed's become a bit tired of having a stoic for a wife, and I feel like I'm going to explode (or porriibly implode) from keeping everything - positive and negative - inside my head. I've learned to take out the 'things to do' lists so that I can calm down more before sleeping... so I just need to apply the same effort to get the emotions out both on paper and in person so that I can calm down a bit more and not always seem distant or distracted. Sure, it was sort of a necessity for a while there since there wasn't time to do anything alternate. Now, however, there's no good reason for it. I'll probably get my journal out tonight and probably start writing in tomorrow after I go to yoga. I think a good reflective practice of journaling about life, yoga, and teaching will help all three. :)

Ed's no longer in the basement, so I'm going to go hang out with him for a bit before going to bed... We went to the Gerst Haus tonight with Uncle Bob and Scott and just about ate our weight in sausage. I also had a beer that I like (which is amazing since I don't ever drink beer). Turns out when you're not drinking cheap, crappy American beer (like the stuff you keep around in college) it's pretty darn good. I'll have to find out the name of it - I think it's either German or Belgian. I also like the idea that you can put lemon into a beer and that's ok!