Bad Night Turned Okay

So I was having a crappy night. My brother used most of my gas (again), and I had to go to work in the evening for only three hours (when I have to drive 20 miles to get there and 20 more to get home). I was not happy, even after listening to my "happy" playlist loud for about ten minutes after hearing the news on NPR, which I like a lot.

But AHA! One man asked if we still carried disposable cameras, which sadly we do not. The push for digital has destroyed that medium so well in so many places, even though plenty of people can still benefit, like kids going on a field trip where the parents either don't have or don't want them to use a digital camera. At first I just thought it was odd, but then later, another lady asked for a flashlight, bug repellant, and....a disposable camera. For her daughter who was going to a science camp for three days. I asked my regular customer as I was helping her choose a flashlight what grade her child was in, and it turns out she was in sixth. Then it it hit me. The sixth graders of the Etiwanda School District still go on that three-day trip me and my friends went on back in 1998, the fabled trip that we had heard about for so long and that cost the parents of those lucky enough to afford it $150.

Awesome.

I remember the cabins (same gender, of course). I remember the amazing dining hall where my tablemates drank shakes 'til we all got headaches. I remember the night hike and eating mints, which sparked in the dark as we all learned how to work together while we walked with our hands on each others' shoulders and our eyes closed. I remember the time we all made creatures and had to come up with their biology and habitat. I remember Dana Point and dissecting squids to find out which sex they were.

I remember taking showers and sharing with the nearby cabin. I remember having to hide the fact that I still wet the bed, even with medicine. I remember the lie my dad told me to tell anyone who asked about my medicine (some sinus problem). I remember feeling bad that I almost admitted to some girls that I washed my hair every day (a trait passed on to me by my dad, something I later questioned whether or not contributed to my questioned OCD personality).

But mostly I just remember how much fun it all was, even fifteen years later. So I hope all of the kids leaving early tomorrow enjoy the heck out of themselves. I came home with a sunburn and so many memories and so much knowledge. I wish more kids could have a a similar experience. It really started me on my way to liking science. If trips like this can inspire more kids to find their passion, that would be great. Life is too great to not experience and enjoy, even that young.

Life Things

Just a little blurb.

You know your life is boring when finally getting to try out the new dandruff shampoo you got on clearance from the grocery store you work at is the bright spot of your day off.

And it smells so nice.

Personal History Statement

There are many reasons why a person may wish to obtain a graduate degree. These can range from economic reasons to purely personal ones. For me, my desire to earn a graduate degree stems from several places such as familial, economic, social, and personal, and it will also allow me to teach in underrepresented areas where quality educators are especially needed.

The first reason for my pursuit of an advanced degree is that I will be the first person in my family to attain such a distinction. While my mother has an Associate Degree and my father and grandparents had some college, no one has come as far as a graduate degree. I would like to reach that goal for myself and to make them proud. Also, having an advanced degree is integral to financial security in these times. My family always struggled to pay the bills, even with my mother's education. A graduate degree of course does not guarantee anything, but it is still very important. Aside from these reasons, it has also always been my ultimate goal along with obtaining a teaching credential. Those two go hand in hand as having an M Ed will provide better job security as a teacher in these especially tough times.

Having a graduate degree will also make me a better, more prepared, and more informed educator. Part of the reason I was at Chaffey College for so long was my love of learning, and this translated over to UCR. Then in an upper division education class, I got to learn from and interact with a graduate student. The same is true for a few of my other classes, and this showed me how much more there was to learn. Graduate studies will only build on my current knowledge base, which will feed my love of learning and also make me a better teacher and even person.

With such a degree, I plan on serving communities that are high-needs. When I first began Chaffey College, I was fresh out of high school and ready to tackle the path to becoming a teacher. My idea of being a teacher was based solely on what I had experienced in what I call my bubble. I had great teachers, went to good schools, and had supportive family and friends. However, as my time at Chaffey progressed and when I set foot onto UCR's campus, this changed in me. I saw how not everyone had my opportunities and realized that I was very fortunate. This changed view has made me want to teach in those communities that are under-served and underrepresented. It is important to have good teachers in all areas, but it is especially important to have them in high needs places, particularly in math and my specialty of science.

As stated above, my reasons for obtaining a graduate degree include financial security, personal and familial pride, and the want to further improve myself so I can be the teacher I need to be. With this degree, I will take my skills and knowledge and use them to work in the places quality teachers are needed most so I can help as many students as I can not just with school but with anything else they need.

(My Real) Statement of Purpose

I am pursuing a Masters in Education and a single subject teaching credential, which will allow me to teach in the public school system. Specifically I want to obtain an M. Ed. with a general education teaching emphasis and become authorized to teach foundational science courses as well as my specialty of biology. My career objectives are tied to much of what I learned and experienced at UCR as I would like to teach in underserved communities. Those children and parents need as many voices fighting for them as well as quality teachers who will work hard to educate their students. I also understand that there are many problems in our public education system, and I want to work with fellow educators, administrators, parents, and community members to solve these complicated and ongoing challenges. Not only do I plan on being a teacher but also a leader and a voice for my students.

Over the course of my academic studies, I have been recognized for my hard work and committment in many ways. Over my five years at Chaffey College, I was placed on the Dean's Honors List in several semesters. I graduated with Honors from Chaffey College and High Honors from UCR. Also at UCR I was on the Dean's Honors List in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in every term I completed from Winter 2010 through Spring 2011. Although there was no list for Summer Session in 2010, I received a 4.0 in 12 quarter units. For the academic year of 2010-11, I was placed on the Chancellor's Honors List. In December 2010, Golden Key International Honour Society indcuted me as a member. In June 2011, I received the same honor from Phi Beta Kappa by the Iota of the University of California at Riverside. I was also selected to be a Community College Intern for the Copernicus Project at UCR in 2008.

Although I have never been formally employed by an education or tutoring service, I have had experience in my personal life. As a student, I have led study groups with fellow classmates, which allowed me to learn how to help others understand material and be successful. I have also tutored friends and colleagues in subjects ranging from GED preparation to economics to biology. Again, this has been good practice for growing and refining my communication and teaching skills that will further be improved upon in the Graduate School of Education's program. Finally, I was able to give a guest lecture to a ninth grade science class as the final part of my education course at Chaffey College. For this, I incoportated level-appropriate material and information from my own research in populations biology to introduce them to biomes, the next unit of their class. Although this was done in a lower-division course, the standards for that class rivaled my experience in crafting a lesson plan in my upper division education course at UCR.

Comment Win XI

The Marine who wrote this editorial is obviously insecure about himself and uses this as a flimsy reason to argue why women, who have been serving in combat already without the recognition, should not serve in combat. And I love this response. Made me LOL.