Thread Drift

[Crankin]

Emily, in my first 2 years, I switched from Special Ed, to Social Work, to Psych (briefly), and back to Special Ed. I couldn't handle the math (statistics) for psych, although, curiously, I took stats when I had my brief period as a doctoral student. By then, we actually did the calculations on a computer, which in 1980, was very ahead of its time. So, you can see, I actually, in my second career, ended up doing what I really wanted to do. I briefly thought of law school, before I decided on education, but I was afraid of majoring in a liberal arts major, and I knew I wouldn't get into law school with a degree in education. I got my master's in special ed right away, at night, while I was working. Right when I got that degree, ASU was starting a PhD program in Special Ed. I had already quit my job and was waiting to hear from U of Arizona about getting in there (I don't think I would have). Then, my parents moved from AZ to San Diego, and I met DH. I deferred my admission to the PhD program at ASU a year, went back to work, got married. I started the next summer, and by December I was fried. Plus, I got obsessed with having a baby. It was really an obsession. Very unlike me. But, it would have been stupid to have 3 degrees from the same school. I went back to work, had 2 kids, and all was good. I was taking classes to get my CAGS (EdS) degree in Ed Admin around the time my youngest graduated HS. It's an easier version of a doctorate for educators. Then, right when I finished all of the classwork, and had to do the internship, I had no idea how I would get that done and work at the same time. Just like before, I became suddenly obsessed with not doing this, because it just didn't feel right. The nature of school administrators had changed, I was already making good money as a teacher, so when DS 2 dropped out of U of A, I decided that I would just go do something else in a couple of years. Basically, it took me 30+ years, but I don't regret my first career at all. I loved teaching.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, in my first 2 years, I switched from Special Ed, to Social Work, to Psych (briefly), and back to Special Ed. I couldn't handle the math (statistics) for psych, although, curiously, I took stats when I had my brief period as a doctoral student. By then, we actually did the calculations on a computer, which in 1980, was very ahead of its time.

That's interesting to me because -- in my first year of clinical psych graduate school (1983-84), we also did most of our stats work on computers using SAS. I had never liked math all that much, but I absolutely loved it. That was when I became obsessed with computers and decided to leave the program after that year and change to studying computer science. I ended up going to a different university (NCSU instead of UNC), since they had a post-baccalaureate program in computer programming that you could do in the evenings. So I took a job as a technical writer and did coursework for two years in the evenings, after which I was able to get my first programming job.

It's kinda fascinating how careers can evolve with exposure to different things.

I briefly thought of law school, before I decided on education, but I was afraid of majoring in a liberal arts major, and I knew I wouldn't get into law school with a degree in education.

Interestingly, a younger friend of ours recently got into law school with a degree in English, so you never know! But she hated law school and left the program after one semester. Now she is looking towards a PhD in English.

Plus, I got obsessed with having a baby. It was really an obsession. Very unlike me.

Boy, that is something else we have in common. I went through this very same thing. Total obsession. Although in our case, it ended very differently. We were never able to have a child despite multiple interventions (after trying for a year the natural way, of course!) I did finally get pregnant using IVF/ICSI but miscarried. I was devastated. By this time, we'd been trying for 7-8 years and were just burnt out, getting older all the time, and decided we couldn't continue on. We never wanted to go through the whole adoption roller coaster either. So this is why we were able to retire early -- the silver lining in this cloud. If I hadn't miscarried, I would have an 18-year old right now, which boggles my mind!

[Crankin]

Actually, an English major is quite recommended for law school, as it teaches you to think and analyze. I had an English minor (12 credits as an undergrad and then 6 more post masters). That's kinda how I wormed my way around the state regs and got certified as a middle school English teacher. That wouldn't happen today! Plus, I did my national boards for prof. teaching standards certification in English. Of all of the things I've done, including both of my masters and my one year in the PhD program, that was the hardest and most stressful thing! I had to do a portfolio, which included videotaping myself teaching (ugh). I remember, in the middle of one, of course, I got paged on the intercom; "Mrs. M, can you send so and so to the office?" The kids laughed, but I did not stop the tape. And, I had to take a test that was the hardest fricking test I've taken, including my master's comps.
I agree with the silver cloud thing. We've done a lot of things because we didn't have to pay for DS #2's college education. Although I barely could accept him enlisting, he is very well situated now. And, at a very selective liberal arts college, on a full scholarship, in addition to his military benefits. Between his prior service, being in the reserves for 4 years, and being an Army officer when he graduates, he will be able to retire when he is 40... only 9 years away. I don't know if he will ever use his economics/math degree, but I suspect he will become a math teacher, which is what he has been destined for. His ability to teach was evident when he was a toddler! He has the gene.

[wnyrider]

I visit this site often, but I am not usually logged in unless I want to post a comment-- like now. My computer empties the cookies frequently for security reasons on my end, so I would have to log in a lot. It is just easier to lurk. I'll try to post more in the future. Just like someone else noted in a thread last week, that unless someone is "familiar" here, they are more likely to get ignored.

[Crankin]

I am always logged in. On the other hand, I don't frequent any other forums, so this whole thing is a bit unsettling to me. I do know a couple of people who stopped posting because they didn't like the tone of others, so they quit. I think that's short sighted. One of the negatives of being in my profession, is that people's "stuff," often screams to me through their writing. More here, than on Facebook. Sometimes I am thinking, "Go get some help," or "It must be nice to be so perfect," but those are just my thoughts. I am not going to get upset over other's writing. I really value the opinions here.

[lph]

I know we talk about how dead this forum is, and the lack of new members, but right now, there are six active members logged in. I remember when there were always at least 3 rows of members online at any time. I see the regulars come by and fail to post because there is little going on, but how can there be anything going on when almost no one bothers? It's getting depressing to come by.

Just ranting.

Isn't that just the nature of online forums? People come and go, discussions flare up and die down. Forums are kind of like an ongoing party where people come and go, see if their friends are there, and wander in and out of conversations as they like. Except that you can't actually see if they're there or not. At least not without checking the visitor list.

People have been complaining from time to time, especially in autumn, that the forum is slow, or that they miss "the good old days" ever since I joined ten years or so back. At some point momentum builds up and there's a new group of regulars.

Why is "quitting" short-sighted, Crankin? If I didn't feel welcome here I'd just wander off and do something else too.

[Crankin]

I don't think, in any way, the people who quit didn't feel welcome. In fact, I know they didn't. Both sent me PMs telling me they quit because of the personal opinions of one or another specific people. The only time I remember someone saying she didn't feel welcome, was someone who said it was because she was a conservative Republican.... and she put it right out there and left.