The Conclusion of ENGL 3043

When registering for this course, I was unsure of what to expect.  Of course it is a degree requirement, but I was eager to see what it contained. 

From the beginning, I know time management was a crucial aspect of online courses.  Once it was explained that it was a self-paced course, this became especially true. 

The tool exploration was my favorite part of this course.  The four programs I learned to use will be very useful in my classroom.  Becoming more familiar with Google Tools will also be very beneficial in my course work, as well as professional work.

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The Twitter and Prezi assignments gave me a new perspective on social media.  These programs are truly more useful in the professional context than they are when used for leisure.

I’m looking forward to completing this course and utilizing all of the tools that I have acquired during it.

Dress Code

Some of the most recent debates, regarding women’s rights, have been high school dress code.  As I reflect on my time in high school (only 3 years ago), I can recall many dress code debates.  Most were only amongst my peers, but occasionally someone would refuse to correct whichever rule they were violating.

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            The dress code at my high school was relatively standard: dresses/shorts/skirts must reach 2 inches above the knee, sleeves must be at least 3 inches in width, etc. 

            Discrepancies were rarely seen during the winter months.  Summer, the season of sundresses and shorts, is when the conflict began. Young women often felt as though the dress code was designed towards the restriction of their wardrobe.  Aside from prohibiting inappropriate paraphernalia, boys rarely had issues with the dress code.

            Personally, I didn’t have a problem with the dress code.  I really believe that more schools should consider uniforms.  That single commonality among students can alleviate a great deal of social issues.  I have always seen the dress code as a rare standard that keeps students aware of the privilege of education.

Check out some of the latest discussions.

Friday Night Lights

The Friday Night Lights have become a staple in Texas culture.  Weekly football games filled with parents, fans, athletes, high school bands, cheerleaders, and drill teams!

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In retrospect, drill team was an irreplaceable aspect of my high school experience.  Looking forward to performing every Friday night provided me the motivation to push myself academically.  Daily rehearsals required time management, extracurricular participation, and demanded a certain level of social maturity.

As a future educator, I often consider completing my dance certification and becoming a dance/drill team director.  Although those positions rarely become available, I couldn’t resist the opportunity.

In reality I have to consider the facts.  Compared to those who have continued their dance training into their collegiate years, do I have the credentials?

Regardless, I will forever be thankful for the opportunities that high school drill team provided me; friendships, experiences, skills, and so much more.

Click here for a brief glance at the history of drill teams across the nation.

Profile: Human Resources Director

Throughout my exploration in the world of education, the discovery of positions beyond the classroom is truly motivational.  A background in education and teaching can lead to various careers in administration, higher education, politics, and even corporate careers. 

One of my favorite people to discuss my career beyond the classroom with my mom! My mother, Gail, is the Director of Staffing for a large school district in north Texas.

She began her career as speech-language therapist after graduating from Texas Christian University. She went on to receive her Master’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, in Educational Administration.  She’s completed the Texas Superintendent Certificate requirements and hopes to hold that position in the future.

 After working as a speech and language therapist, Gail has utilized her background in education in a variety of ways.   She has worked as an Employee Relations Specialist for Verizon Communications and was the Director of Personnel at Southlake Carroll ISD.  Here, she made history as the first African American administrator in that district.

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I’m so proud of my mother and will always admire her continued successes.  I look forward to carrying on her educational legacy.

 Click here to discover careers beyond the classroom.

Student Planning

The start of a new semester comes with a variety of emotions. Aside from being one semester closer to graduation, I always look forward to purchasing and organizing my school supplies for the new semesters. 

Creating a colorful and exciting study environment for myself has become apart of my necessities in terms of study motivation. 

I begin by assigning each course a color.  Each course is given either a matching notebook and folder, or a matching notebook and binder.  The covers of each notebook are decorated according to that courses content.

A planner has become an essential in my daily life.  A planner can alleviate a great deal of stress and can give you a clear view of the tasks at hand.  In my planner, I write down all due dates, study topics, and homework assignments.  These are then highlighted in color according to the course!

I love decorating my planner with stickers, gel pens, and motivational quotes. The Organized Student  is a great resource in student organization.  Many of her templates I have found to be very useful.

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The decorating aspect of organization may understandably not for many.  Every student should find a structural method that keeps then organized and motivated!