Finishing college at ??? MY age?

We've been talking about my upcoming graduation in my VOTD co op... so I thought I'd bring it over here so we don't make the co op thread even more long than it already is, and maybe some others can share their experiences of going back to college at ____ .

I'm 38 years old, and will graduate May 14, magna cum laude, with a BA in Education and a BS in History. My licensure is Integrated Social Studies/AYA (adolescents young adults) or what was formerly known as Secondary Education. I can teach any of the Social Sciences or Humanities to grades 7-12. I've wanted to be a teacher my entire life... and finally, I'm able to do what I've always wanted to do.

In Ohio, we are required to complete our Masters degree within 10 years of beginning teaching. I am taking this summer off, and starting my Masters next summer.

As I have mentioned before, I can't stop crying. I have to do anything that relates to my graduation, and I cry like a baby. One reason is because I'm happy that I've done it.... another reason is because I have wanted it for sooooooo long, and never thought I'd ever have the one thing I wanted more than anything else. And, I think too, when I worked before, folks knew I had a degree, but a lot of times they just assumed I had a BA or a BS because of the job that I had.... it almost felt like I was being deceitful when I talked about college experiences or anything else related to college or degrees, because all I had was an AA, and not a BA or BS... now I have both! :-)(or will have in a few weeks)


I had to take some paperwork up to my local school this morning, they are going to let me substitute until I graduate, not something they normally do except in unusual situations, but I've volunteered in the school, with our levy campaigns, my children's classes, etc. So, they know me and know what I've went through to become a teacher. Our Superintendent's Secretary has always been so helpful to me when I needed information or had to do interviews for something at school, and of course like most Secretaries, she runs the place, just doesn't get the credit for it. :-) She told me she was proud of me, and my accomplishment at my age with my responsibilities... and gave me a lapel pin "Class of 2005" with a little cap and diploma... of course, I cried.... but I told her I really don't feel like this is an "accomplishment" I feel like that I'm FINALLY able to do what I am supposed to be doing with my life... I just wish I could stop crying! :-)

I know there are a few of us here who are in college... so I thought maybe we can share our successes with everyone else... who knows, maybe we'll inspire someone else to follow their dreams too!!

Melissa, I've long since finished college, with a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education, and I just want to congratulate you on doing such a great job!! I know that teaching is such a demanding job, and getting that degree is very time consuming with all the little details that just seem to pop up out of nowhere. And to graduate Magna cum laude, wow - it just blows me away. Good job, woman!

Good job, Melissa! Proud of you : )

Congratulations, Melissa!!

I will say that the VERY best teacher that my son ever had was a wonderful lady that hadn't finished High School....she not went back and finished HS, but at about your age she got her degree to teach...and she was wonderful. I think she later was named Teacher of the Year for our area. I wish all children could have a teacher like Mrs. Slipkovich ( I think that is the correct spelling).

I know you will be a great teacher also.

You go girl!!

Jo

Carmen, you have no idea how much I admire you too, so coming from you, that is a huge compliment! I know that Early Childhood and Secondary people always say they couldn't do the other... but I really couldn't handle early childhood... sooooooo much responsibility and so many that your heart would just break over... I wanted to adopt some of my high schoolers... if I had the little guys, I'd want to adopt them all!

Darius, thank you so much-- it means so much to have so many of you in my DG "family" that I think so highly of to be happy for me!

Jo, I keep hearing from people I know who are administrators... some of my family included that some of the best teachers they've ever hired have been "non-traditional" people like me... all through school my professors have told me that I will have that "edge" over some of the younger people... I hope so!! I guess it's one time when it's good to be uh... "more mature" LOL I guess I'll know if I'm able to find a job! My area of concentration seems to be the preferred area of concentration for coaches (besides health and PE) so if a school needs a new coach, they're going to get the job before me. :-( But, here, K-3 is the most saturated area... so I'm hoping!

It was so hard to leave the kids that I student taught with... I grew so attached to them... my co operating teacher said it was like that every year.... you miss them so much, but then another group comes in, and you get to know them and love them as much as the group before.

Melissa- congrads!!! Wow, I'm so happy for you!! I went thru college in 3.5 yrs and got a job immediately and taught for 33 years (3rd gr) I absolutely loved it~~ I knew all my life that I wanted to teach and it is such a fulfulling and demanding job. But, you do make a difference in so many lives. I still have former students keep in contact- I am invited to their HS graduations, weddings, baby showers etc. I now go to an exercise class and two of my former students are my exercise partners - they are still as delightful now as when they were 8 yrs old.

Teaching is one profession that you just gotta love to do it!! It is heartbreaking sometimes (actually many times), but getting those sweet notes from kids or even their parents make it all worthwhile.

Good luck subbing (now that is hard work!!) and especially in landing a full time job!!

Here is a little story of that wonderful teacher mentioned above.

My son was in a small school....2 grade levels in his room...3rd and 4th...the principal of this school was famous for being a "dictator" and the th=eachers usually let him override them in situations.

At the first of the school year they were in the process of adding on to the existing school...so lots of earth moving and big equipment was just out side her window.

The principal came into the room and said "Don't let your kids be looking out the window". HAH! Try to stop 3rd and 4th graders from looking at this kind of exciting things!

She told all the children to come over to the window...where they spent the next 15 minutes looking and discussing the exciting things happening outside their classroom!! Then they went back to their desks and did their work!!

Jo

Congratulations Melissa! It's never too late for anyone to pursue their educational goals. You are definitely a shining example for all of us. :o)

Congrats Melissa I know how hard you worked to do this. You have every right to be proud. Cry all you want..... Heck I would be jumping up and down and yelling off the roof tops. You did good !!!!

Thanks Carol and Peggy, I appreciate it very much!

I'd still love to hear from some others amongst us who are in school too. Jim mentioned his fantastic GPA at age 65!!! Wowsers!

Wow How did I get over here on this thread. I enrolled last quarter and I have always wanted to work in the accounting field. As a manager of a number of grocery stores I had to know how to do the accounting just in case the bookkeeper wasn't there. I just loved sticking my nose in those books. It is really hard adjusting to school however. I did start once before in 1991 and went for several quarters. It seems with the computers now everything, at least on a college level, is computerized including taking test. I like that as soon as you take a test you know your grade. I am enrolled in Accounting and this quarter I am taking Accounting 1 and a Word program. Last quarter I tool a Microsoft Office class that inclluded Word, Access, PowerPoint and Excel. I really like the class except for Access which I really struggled with.
I really admire anyone that has a family to take care of and still take time to go to school. I just wish I had decided to do this at an earlier age.

Good luck Melissa.

wow Jim, you guys are more advanced than we are here in Ohio.. they only computerized test I've taken was my praxis I... the rest have all been the standard paper/pencil tests.... last semester during finals week I thought my arm was gonna fall off... every final had huge essays on them... I'd have loved to have been able to have typed all that out! LOL

I admire you so much for doing what you want to do!!!

Hey Cuz Jim....you make me plum proud! Jo

Melissa........Just stumbled into the parking lot as I had not been here for a while.....Imagine me finding your wonderful news....Congrats young lady to go back and finish college, but the best part is to graduate magna cum laude. How proud your family must be.....

Hugs

Deann

Melissa, congratulations on your upcoming graduation. I know a little bit about that sense of satisfaction you are feeling. I graduated when I was 42 with a BS in Social Science and double majors in Psychology and Philosophy.

Amazing what you can do when you make up your mind to it.
P.S. My grades were not as good as yours but I GRADUATED!!!!

Melissa,

Congratulations on a wonderful job and for doing what your heart has led you to do. Graduating Magna Cum Laude is wonderful and you have every right to cry your heart out over everything for a while. What a relief it must be for you along with the desire to get on with your career. You are to be admired as you juggled a family too as you went to school? I would say that is magnificent!!!!

Hugs,
Lani

Am extremely happy for you - your students are lucky to have you for a teacher. Congratulations and thank you for inspiring those of us who are still struggling.

Oh, wow, Melissa! It's time! I sure admire your dedication.

Thank you all so much, deann, yes, my husband and children are very proud of me-- my husband who's a real "tough guy" says he hopes that he can keep from crying at my graduation. :-)

se_eds, graduating is all that counts! When I started I wanted to be able to graduate summa cum laude but, when my mom was so sick last year I missed a lot of class, and because of the missed classes I had to take C's in two of my classes....that killed any chance of summa-- they were college required classes that had nothing to do with my majors or minors... Piano and Theatre! My second summer in school, same thing, we went on vacation, and I missed the first 3 classes in SPEECH... only one day was excused, and a letter drop for any additional days...

Lani, relief is a perfect word... I'm relieved, but also really nervous... worried I won't be able to find a job! I had wanted to loose about 100 pounds before graduation... LOL I don't think THAT is gonna happen...

Bluespiral.. thank you I'm living proof... it's never too late and believe me, if you could see where I was 15 years ago.... if someone would have told me then what my life would be like now, I would have never ever believed them....

Thank you Kimberley :-) I agree, it is most certainly time!! Just wish I could visit with ya'll next weekend... ah well, next time maybe...

I finished my "urban" experience yesterday, and I tell ya, it was a positively FANTASTIC experience!! The kids were adorable, so polite, so kind, both they and the staff went out of their way to make me feel welcome! I spent most of yesterday answering questions for them about what it was like in the "country" now, mind you... it took me 40 minutes to get to this school... probably about 35 miles or so... and I might as well have come from a different planet as far as these kids were concerned... they couldn't believe that I drove ALL THAT way to come down and spend time at their school....
They were full of questions about what a "country" school is like... one of them asked where our Parks were... another kid piped up and said they LIVE in parks! They don't have them like we do... they were amazed when I told them one morning one of my students was looking out the window and yelled out that there was 50 deer in the field.... They look out the window and see stacks and other buildings... :-( I could go on... and I have... but, it was an absolutely wonderful experience... and one that I wish EVERY teacher could do, and every student... country teachers go to the city.. city teachers to the country same with students. As I told them, they might be in different places... and on the outside it might seem like they'd have totally different lives... but they have a whole lot more in common than they might think... One belief I confirmed... kids are kids are kids especially sophomores in American History Classes!!!

My kids when I was doing student teaching just HATED having their pictures taken... these kids loved it!!! This group of boys (the school has classes separated by gender) actually ASKED for a group shot!

Just thought I would bring this back up and post my latest grades. A full load is 12 hours and I took 17 last quarter. Am I proud or what. 66 years and still learning. Here's the record they just posted on their web site. I already knew I had all A's but it sure was exciting to see it posted

Credit Summary Attempted Earned GPA Hours Quality Points GPA
Current Term: 17.000 17.000 17.000 68.00 4.00

This is my first all A's quarter.

Jim, that's wonderful! Wow! Howie and I are so proud of you!!

Woohoo Jim!! Congrats to you.

I have decided I am going back to school in the spring. I was going part time until the my husbands kids moved in with us a couple years back. Could not do work, go to school, and handle 4 kids (and his 3 who were raisin' heck). They have moved back to mom's, so I am back to one kid (who's a angel, if I do say so myself) and I have no excuse now.

Thanks

sweezel that was a good laugh. It is as hard as I thought it would be. I just wonder why it took me all these years to take it serious.

Is the laugh about my kids comment? Well, maybe my daughter is not truly an angel :-), but she sure seems like it in comparison to kids that despise you because your not their mom. Of course, I make that comment, but I still love and miss them being around more, because there were good times.

Anyway, well, you just need to have that drive to do it. I had gotten discouraged and had given up on getting a degree, but just decided a few weeks ago that it's silly not to go for it. I don't know if I will actually finish before my daughter goes off to college (she's 11 now, so I do have plenty of time). But, I am young and I can take my time.

I bet your wife (Bobby right?) and kids are mighty proud.

Congrats to you Jim!! I'm so proud of you!

sweezel it just hit me as being funny. The fact that you got rid of three made me think back to why I didn't go to school earlier. I was working trying to raise those 3 boys of mine. I am sure yours is an angel. Sure didn't mean it that way. I can understand why you had to quit before with 4 kids to take care of. Good luck and you can do it. I made a mistake in my earlier posting. I should have posted it isn't as hard as I thought it would be.

Thanks for the comments and yes she is proud and the 3 boys are also.
Thanks Melissa. How you doing?

:) No, no, I was not offended. No mistake. I just was double checking. Kids definitely take over your life. It's hard to think of doing things for yourself when you have them to take care of. I do have a good sense of humor though, and probably laugh at more than I should myself to lighten myself up.

Congradulations you've done real good there I'm fifty thinking about going back for registered nurse Altough I find it scary I did it at 39 for L.P.N . Honey you just cry till you get it all out your system. It didn't hit me till I got the envelope from the board I got hysterical What made it weird I was at work And hubby called and I told him he had no right to open my mail!! Can You imagine. It hit me all at once all that work and what if I failed I hung up and the nurse I was working with told me to call back and ask size of it and I did and he was hurt because of what I said I was CRAZY I Said I'm sorry and he told me I told nurse who at that point said you did pass well My hubby didn't open yet well finally I ask him to open and read well I did it I cryed for days There was no reasoning But I passed the boards All that stress . Congadulation and enjoy your years of teaching you earned it big time!!!!!.......Sharon

Melissa.congratulation. Your post remined me of going to my grandmothers graduation at the age of 8 she was 53 at the time and was, magna cum laude she had goten two teaching certifacits before this both from Ionia county normal the first one was three months time after graduating h.s. then back for a nine month class 4 or 5 years later as i said congradulation i remember how hard she worked on school after she she had taught all day and then went to class at night and every summer` She graduated from Western Michigan U

Melissa, Your awesome babe. Jim your an inspiration and your incredible for getting all A's and taking care of Bobbie too.
I'm proud of you both. It is such an accomplishment.

My father was a high school drop out and my mother was barely literate. She had Polio as a young child in Spain, had deformed feet, and could barely walk and her mother tried to protect her from other children and she wasn't educated in the process. When I finally worked my way though to get my BS at the age of 28, I was so disappointed that I was getting a 3.49 GPA, that I didn't even go to the graduation ceremony. I was 1/10 of a point away from wearing that special distinction on my robe, and I was so upset... but looking back now I am very proud of myself. I did it. I had legal guardianship of my high school aged sister and I was doing the best I could to get by. That sister not only finished her college education right away, but she is getting her masters in education, had a full scholarship for both years and she has been teaching elementary education for three years. When my youngest son goes to pre-K, I plan on going back to school and becoming an attorney. I'm only 35... :)

There are so many stories behind all the accomplishments in life....


Susan

Jim, here's a coneflower you gave me. Thanks for bringing butterfly's into my life. Love you. Your the best :) Edited to say, it's in front of the bee balm you gave me too.. which is right by the lambs ear you gave me and down a ways from the cannas and ginger you gave me.. Your gifts are appreciated and all over my garden :)




This message was edited Sep 24, 2005 7:30 PM

Write me another poem Susan. LOL I love you to sweetie. Thanks for the picture. It sure didn't take long for you to get the camera warmed up and going. That is a beautiful picture. Just glad I added a memory or two to someones life. Makes me feel good to know it.

Congratulations Melissa!!! Proud of anyone & everyone that can go back and make it. It's icing on the cake if they get great grades too!

I too went back to school later in life. Waited about 9 yrs to start jr college, where I earned 3 assoc and 1 C/C. When grad w/ 1st AA, was preg w/older DD.

Life got in the way. At 45, I went back to work on my B/S in Hum Res. My GPA was 3.813; only class I missed was when my younger dau was in hospital for 3 days! Even had to take intro to chemistry and another humanities in order to graduate...

Couldn't grad anything cum laude - since went on accelerated prg at nights, it wasn't exactly an option. But, with a sense of pride, I knew that I had better grades than most of those youngsters graduating!!!

Best memories for 2003: my older dau grad from HS, younger grad from Kindergarten and I grad with BS; also, having them there at my graduation was soooo cool! Hardest part: working FT, attending school FT, + holding down a PT job, all while being a single mother!

I thought I could manage law school too... but it was too much. If I didn't have to work full time, I know I would have gotten enough sleep and prob A's too. However, >100 hpw split between studying, school and work just wasn't enough! Neither was 5-6 hrs sleep a night, IF I was lucky! Reached a pt where realized I needed to devote at least 25 more hpw, but couldn't. There are only so many hrs in a week and I needed to work to spt family, so withdrew in March this yr.

Now, started HR Block Inc Tax School, planning to do taxes in spring to make extra $ for bills and house. Good thing I consolidated my stu loans, % rate and payments dropped considerably.

Originally, I planned to return for my MBA this fall, but I needed more of a break and will make it next fall instead. In Jan, I'll be 50, ummmm I mean 20 - no, older DD is almost 20, uhhh I'll be 30!!! LOL

Brains are just like your muscles. If you don't use them, you lose 'em! Congrats to those who went back and achieved their goals!!! I admire each and every one of you!!! ~ Suzi :)
========================================

Congratulations se_eds!!!
Congratulations to you, too, Jim!

I started college at age 39 ( 5 younguns at home ), got my Bachelors in Psychology at age 43 and Masters in guidance counseling at age 46. Then started my 2nd career - been at it ever since. People my age (57) are retiring, but I'm not even thinking about it yet - I feel like I just got started ....

I love it - it's all good. Seeds, you will be a great teacher - in education and in mental health (and I'm sure in other areas I don't know about), age is a plus!

Age hasn't been a plus for me so far, unfortunately. Everyone told me the same thing, oh, they'll snap you up because of your life experience, hire you before they do a 22 year old..... not been the case. They've hired the 22 year olds. :-(

Melissa please don't give up. I have a BS in history but I make money fixing cars. I did best in European medieval but I have fun at work telling the truth about WW1 and 2. I am amazed at what they don't know. Hitler killed a bunch of jews. Battle of the bulge? Peloponesian wars? Even Picketts charge? I guess history is just a hobby for me now. Pre-Cambrian Frank.

Or is that Pre-Camry Frank? ;)

Frank, are you familiar with the Car Talk guys? One of them has a degree in history. Here's their website: http://cartalk.com/menus/show.html

I usually listen to Tom and Ray on the way to the dump on Sundays. Maine Public Broadcasting Network. I'm getting a Camry? Soon? Leaving for the great north woods 'til the 9th. You can just leave the Toyota is my driveway. Don't drive like my brother.

Jim (GaRedClay) just put his wife Bobbie in the hospital. She has had MS and she is not doing well. Please send Jim some Love and support.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/548778/

Susan

And don't drive like my brother.