Same song, second verse...

So I've now finished the first week of the second quarter of the MIT program at UW. And may I say, it's just like the first quarter. No, I don't have the same multicultural class that gave me so much greif last quarter, but the same issues and frustrations exist.

I started the quarter w/ my assessment class which is taught by a Chineese American lady. She's really nice, but has a very thick accent and it's very difficult to understand what she's saying at times. Not only that, but (I think because of cultural differences) I don't always understand what she means, even if I can understand what she says. But the part that was the most frustrating is the thing that's bothered me about the program from last quarter: excessive post-modernism. It's insane. There is no good or bad, right or wrong, and yet they deffinatly have a perspective, they just can't say it because they have to remain grey. They don't believe in answering questions, but instead ask what the class thinks. While there can difinalty be some value to this, it really gets to me. I'm paying money to go to their school and learn from people who are supposed to be experts, not to listen to others who know as much about teaching as I do tell me what they think. I want to be taught, I want to be instructed, I want to understand.

Thankfully, the bright spot this quarter is my adolescent development class. The proff is great, not only because she has a great personality, but also because she is much less into the post-modernism and more willing to give us (students) what we're looking for: practical teaching strategies. For one of the first times since I started the program in September I actually took notes on something I can use in my classroom; she actually gave a "how to" that I can really use! You have no idea how great that made me feel. It felt like a breath of fresh air; finally something I can acutally use without having to figure it all out on my own by trial an error.

Ok, now that I've vented, I need to take these frustrations and get past them. This quarter I really don't want to let it all get the best of me. I'm in this program to learn how to teach, and by golly I'm going to learn how to be the best teacher I can be, regardless of how I'm taught. I just need help getting past my frustrations and learning to perservere thru them. So if you're looking for something to pray for, that would be great if you could add it to your list. I often don't feel like I'm representing Him all that well since I'm frustrated not infrequently. And of course that frustrates me. : )

One thing I have to look forward to is in 3 weeks I'll be back at Skyview JH to beging the begining of my student teaching. That'll be where I actually get to start doing some of this, and while I'm a bit apprehensive and scared, overall I'm looking forward to it. And of course, prayer would be appreciated on that front as well.

Alright, that's it for now. If I'm good I'll update again next week sometime. We'll see how my free time and motivation go.

Oh, and btw: I got a tutoring job. Actually, it's a cool story. Once again God provided in a way I never would have expected. But it's a good thing and I'm looking forward to it.

K, that's it for now.