Friday, August 22, 2008

Update to previous post...or "ARGGHH!"

No one has even read the post I wrote earlier today, and I already have to amend it. I have been doing a little bit more research and now it looks like I may have to rethink Liberty. Basically, if I want to get certified in GA as a school counselor, I need to go to school in GA at a "recommended" school (pretty much UGA or GA State). These programs are designed for people like me who have never been teachers, but want to counsel in a school. The LU classes, on the other hand, assume that I already have the teaching experience meaning some of the program requirements are WAY above my head. Going to UGA or GSU means taking GRE's, writing application essays, being interviewed by the MEd faculty, etc. just to START classes. So I won't be doing that anytime soon. It also means taking a traditional schedule, not fitting in classes online whenever I can as previously planned, doing many hours of supervision in a school AFTER I finish classes, but BEFORE I can get certified (how can anyone's budget handle that?), and basically not working in a school anytime soon. The other option would be to get an MA in teaching and work in a school as a teacher while I work on my MEd. Or getting my MA in counseling, getting my professional counseling license (600 hours of supervision there), and then taking exams to get school certified. In case you're not following, let me put it simply: I can become a school counselor, it can be done, but I will have to commit to going to school for a long, long time. It's not going to be easy. And it may be a bigger commitment than I'm willing to make.

Hello, Square One.

Happenings...

We've been moved into the new house for a month now. It's starting to look a little more like home, though my decorating skills are seriously lacking. We could use a few pictures on the walls and such. But we'll get there. After we hit the lotto. Adjusting to the new home was a little tougher than expected. I didn't realize how sad I'd be to leave our apartment (our first place together - sniff) and it took a while for the house to feel completely comfortable. I don't think we're quite there yet. But it's feeling more like home every day, and we've adjusted to sleeping there. That took a little while. I think we'll both be happy once we finish the last of the painting! Two more rooms to go...

I think everyone has heard this news, but in case you missed it - I'm going back to school this fall! Jamie and I have been discussing it for a while, and I've finally decided to go for it. So next month I start online classes with Liberty University to earn my Master's of Education in School Counseling. As my mom pointed out, I'll be starting at the same time as Rebecca and finished way before her! Hopefully I'll be done my December 2009, spring of 2010 by the latest. My hope is to become a counselor in a middle school once I'm finished, though I'd be perfectly content with a position in an elementary or high school at first. I'm excited and nervous - more for the job hunt part than the school part. I'm eager to start doing a job I care about and feel invested in. Most of the school work will be reading, online testing/quizzing and discussion boards. I'm sure I'll be spending a lot on books, but a class based almost completely on reading is right up my ally :) My first class - foundations of education something or other - starts September 15th. Jamie's really looking forward to becoming the cook and housekeeper for a year or so while I devote my attention to school work!

Sorry...no pictures this time!