Update

So I am about halfway done with my Master's degree at Hunter College in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education grades K-12, with a dual certification in regular education grades 1-6.  I have 25 credits under my belt and another 33 to go!  I am taking three summer classes, so that will knock out another 8 credits.  It's been a stressful and chock full semester, but I made it through.  I even got a job as a teaching assistant this summer at the school for the Deaf that I have been volunteering at all year.  Hooray!  Things are looking up.  Going for my teaching assistant certification, and then my teacher's certification.  I hope to graduate by May or August of 2012.  Not that I want to rush through my Master's, but I am eager to get into the classroom and teach, already. Two more finals to go this semester, and I will be done May 23rd.  No rest for the weary--it will be a busy summer.  Looking forward to it!

Signed,
The Energizer Bunny

P.S. GO YANKEES!

Esperanza Rising

I am required to do a children's literature review that involves three author studies for my Developmental Reading class.  Originally, I picked Maya Angelou for the author of the two novels I must include, but her writing seemed a little above-level in terms of difficulty of text as well as content for K-6 readers.  So I instead picked Pam Muñoz Ryan, who wrote Esperanza Rising and Becoming Naomi León.  I'm currently reading Esperanza Rising, which begins in Mexico in 1924 right before the Great Depression, and right before the harvest of the grapes from Esperanza's family vineyard that always coincides with her birthday.  Her father is tragically killed by a group of bandits on the eve of her 13th birthday.  But more tradgedy follows for Esperanza and her family; her power-hungry uncle sets fire to their ranch home and vineyards when her mother refuses to marry him, and left with nothing, they must flee to America.  One quote resonated with me so far:

       Abuelita squeezed Esperanza's hand.  "Do not be afraid to start over.  When I was your age, I left Spain with my mother, father, and sisters.  A Mexican official had offered my father a job here in Mexico.  So we came.  We had to take several ships and the journey lasted months.  When we arrived, nothing was as promised.  There were many hard times.  But life was also exciting.  And we had each other.  Esperanza, do you remember the story of the phoenix, the lovely young bird that is reborn from its own ashes?"
       Esperanza nodded.  Abuelita had read it to her many times from a book of myths.
       "We are like the phoenix," said Abuelita.  "Rising again, with a new life ahead of us."

Playing the Waiting Game

I have not been blessed with a large supply of patience -- not even a small reserve of it. So you can imagine my difficulty in waiting to hear back from graduate schools about my acceptance into or rejection from their programs for Fall of 2010. I applied to Hunter College, Queens College, Teacher's College at Columbia University, Gallaudet University, and Boston University. I got my acceptance from Boston University, which is good and bad. At least I know I have one program that wants me if all else fails. But I really do not want to go back to Boston. I want to stay in New York!

I get antsy at my job (for many other reasons as well) and find it challenging to concentrate on the task at hand. Things would be easier if I just knew what my choices were so I could make a decision. It would be nice to have some peace of mind about where I'll be this fall. It's as if there is a big obstacle in my way to getting to where I want to be. But really the obstacle is merely time, because the letters will come in the mail in due course. I just have to sit on my hands and stop being so impatient about the future.

At least I have my new puppy, Maggie to keep me occupied, at the expense of my social life. But I don't mind--I am trying to save some money anyway!