Because of Master's Admitted Student Preview Day, I am being reminded rather frequently that this blog has a "following" of sorts. A little intimidating, but I shall try to continue walking the fine line between entertaining, honest, and informational. And trying to blog more!
This week has been like most others: busy busy busy. It is easy to lose perspective when you are surrounded by the same people and under the same weird hanging lights of GSE and the library. However, I have some news to share...
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Yep, I spoke with a woman yesterday in the Monitor and Evaluation area of Fundacion Omar Dengo in San Jose, Costa Rica. I shouldn't call it an interview, because it seems that all of the IEDPers expect some formal interview and instead the potential-internship boss starts asking about dates so...it's more like a conversation to figure out if you're a right fit for each other. Yes, this was in Spanish so...I was a bit nervous.
The funny thing is, I took like 15 of these selfies with my small lablet (laptop-tablet) because I do not have a smart phone and my camera broke recently. BUT I wanted to capture the moment (and the makeup!). I assumed it would be a video skype call so I put in my contacts, put on makeup, fixed my hair...I even cleaned my room!! And what happens? Her video wasn't working. Ohhhh well....because I'M GOING TO COSTA RICA THIS SUMMER. I'll be helping with monitoring and evaluation of their ICT programs in classrooms. Observations, interviews, focus-groups, analysis, recommendations...oh my oh my!
In addition to the extra spring in my step from my news yesterday, today was Master's Preview Day. 7:30am, I was in GSE carting materials over to Claudia Cohen Hall and then we had a panel. Talking about the wonderfulness of GSE and IEDP reminds me how grateful I am that I am here and also reminds me how LUCKY I am to be here.
A student asked about challenges we faced when we first started at Penn. Definitely prepare your eyes!! They will not be the same after grad school because of all the reading and the time you will spend staring at computers! Besides that, making sure that you make (and take) the time for self-care is essential. I am on campus usually from 9am (the latest) until 7pm or so during the week, and usually spend the entire weekend in the library (it opens at 10am so I get to 'sleep in' a little). However, when I leave campus, I see it as my personal time to catch up with friends, what some t.v. shows, call family and friends, do laundry, etc. I don't try to fool myself into working; if I can't focus, then I will do something else and not feel guilty about it. Everyone works differently, but I think it's a challenge many of us face---taking the time you need for yourself, and not apologizing or feeling guilty about it.
Also, a student said that she was very nervous about starting at GSE. Grad school is intimidating, but once you start, you realize it is like riding a bike! You find your niche and get into a groove. Plus, everyone is nervous also! GSE is such a wonderful community. I have yet to encounter GSE students that are not kind, friendly, and real. Yes, you will be pushed beyond your comfort zone, but that is the point! It is a new adventure and it wouldn't be an adventure if it wasn't a bit daunting. I was reading about teacher reform for my curriculum class and there was a quotation that made me reflect on my time at GSE: "Renewal is not simply a recollection of the past but the creation of a third space of possibilities" (Carson, 2009, p. 157). In a way, doing an advanced degree is a kind of a renewal of self and you leave with more possibilities.
On that note...I have a curriculum to fix, an assignment to start, and a policy brief to polish!
Reference: (I know, I am an APA-formating dork. I have accepted it.)
Carson, T.R. (2009). Internationalizing Curriculum: Globalization and the Worldliness of Curriculum Studies. Curriculum Inquiry, 39(1): 145-158.
This week has been like most others: busy busy busy. It is easy to lose perspective when you are surrounded by the same people and under the same weird hanging lights of GSE and the library. However, I have some news to share...
The funny thing is, I took like 15 of these selfies with my small lablet (laptop-tablet) because I do not have a smart phone and my camera broke recently. BUT I wanted to capture the moment (and the makeup!). I assumed it would be a video skype call so I put in my contacts, put on makeup, fixed my hair...I even cleaned my room!! And what happens? Her video wasn't working. Ohhhh well....because I'M GOING TO COSTA RICA THIS SUMMER. I'll be helping with monitoring and evaluation of their ICT programs in classrooms. Observations, interviews, focus-groups, analysis, recommendations...oh my oh my!
In addition to the extra spring in my step from my news yesterday, today was Master's Preview Day. 7:30am, I was in GSE carting materials over to Claudia Cohen Hall and then we had a panel. Talking about the wonderfulness of GSE and IEDP reminds me how grateful I am that I am here and also reminds me how LUCKY I am to be here.
A student asked about challenges we faced when we first started at Penn. Definitely prepare your eyes!! They will not be the same after grad school because of all the reading and the time you will spend staring at computers! Besides that, making sure that you make (and take) the time for self-care is essential. I am on campus usually from 9am (the latest) until 7pm or so during the week, and usually spend the entire weekend in the library (it opens at 10am so I get to 'sleep in' a little). However, when I leave campus, I see it as my personal time to catch up with friends, what some t.v. shows, call family and friends, do laundry, etc. I don't try to fool myself into working; if I can't focus, then I will do something else and not feel guilty about it. Everyone works differently, but I think it's a challenge many of us face---taking the time you need for yourself, and not apologizing or feeling guilty about it.
Also, a student said that she was very nervous about starting at GSE. Grad school is intimidating, but once you start, you realize it is like riding a bike! You find your niche and get into a groove. Plus, everyone is nervous also! GSE is such a wonderful community. I have yet to encounter GSE students that are not kind, friendly, and real. Yes, you will be pushed beyond your comfort zone, but that is the point! It is a new adventure and it wouldn't be an adventure if it wasn't a bit daunting. I was reading about teacher reform for my curriculum class and there was a quotation that made me reflect on my time at GSE: "Renewal is not simply a recollection of the past but the creation of a third space of possibilities" (Carson, 2009, p. 157). In a way, doing an advanced degree is a kind of a renewal of self and you leave with more possibilities.
On that note...I have a curriculum to fix, an assignment to start, and a policy brief to polish!
Reference: (I know, I am an APA-formating dork. I have accepted it.)
Carson, T.R. (2009). Internationalizing Curriculum: Globalization and the Worldliness of Curriculum Studies. Curriculum Inquiry, 39(1): 145-158.
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