Last night I went to my first class of the MAT program. I was so excited. It has been a long time waiting. I started this journey to become a classroom teacher was over 10 years ago.
My Tuesday evening class is called Socio-Political and Social Justice (EDU 501) from 6:30-9:15pm. We only have 7 meetings spread out this term on campus. But we will do a lot of classroom and homework online through the Moodle online classes.
Here is a summary of what this class is entails (written by Courtney Vanderstek, my professor of this class): An introduction to the current social, political and ethical issues surrounding public education. License candidates will become familiar with the challenges facing students, families and communities in helping all students meet performance expectations. This course will meet the Anti-Discrimination content requirement.
If you don't understand that short summary, here is a longer summary by Professor Vanderstek: This course is designed to give aspiring MAT candidates a realistic introduction into the life and work responsibilities of a teacher. In addition, through this course, candidates will begin the profession-long pursuit of the understanding of how teaching shapes the lives of children and families. Because of the profound influence teaching and learning plays in the development of each student, teachers must develop a framework for ethical decision-making that promotes positive conditions where social justice reaches all children and families. Development of a personal and professional social justice framework in the context of schooling is a a necessary foundational expectation leading to a successful career as a professional educator.
The required textbook for this course is The Children in Room E4 by Susan Eaton. This will be an interesting book to read. This book tells a story about a real classroom and its students and how the teacher educated them. There is more than that in what I tried to summarized in one sentence.
Before the class started, I recognized at least six people from orientation last week. Courtney (she wants us to call her that) used some techniques on us that real teacher uses in the classroom. For example, we stood in a circle outdoors saying our name and one interesting fact about ourselves as Courtney lead it all. At the end of this process, a few brave souls volunteered to repeat back to everyone's names. She had ice breaker games which gave us time to socialize with each other. When we know each other, we can start to care about each other and we will create a caring and learning environment. Tonight, there is 24 of us (a couple people couldn't make it tonight). There is one other lady in the group who speaks English as a second language like me. And there is a young woman who is deaf. I enjoy watching her interpreters signing with her even though I don't understand ASL. Actually, the only thing I know is the ABCs and maybe a couple signs.
Last night, we also formed our learning teams for group work and accountability. Many of my classmates are working adults with busy lives so occasionally some of us may not be able to make it to class, so our learning teams will help provide class notes and up-to-date information. My learning team is called A.L.T.S. In my team, there is Tara who I kind of know from WOU; there is Aaron who actually spent his youth in SE Portland; and there is Leslie who is a mother of older children. Two of us are elementary focus while the other two is secondary focus.
I am looking forward to getting to know my team mates as well as my other classmates.
This Thursday, I have my first field experience meeting with Lynne, my advisor and my elementary cohort. We will learn what is expected in the field experience and what we are to learn this term in our classroom placements. After that, I have my development class with Lynne at 6:30 pm.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
History of Marylhurst University
I know many people don't know about Marylhurst University. The campus is located 10 minutes south of Portland, Oregon on Highway 43, between Lake Oswego and West Linn. MU is the oldest Catholic University in Oregon.
Here is a general outline in MU history:
First, a group of Catholic nuns called The Sisters of the Holy Names came to the Northwest to serve the educational needs of the community in 1859.
In 1893, The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary started a liberal arts college for young ladies in downtown Portland, OR. The school was original called St. Mary's Academy and College. The Sisters realized young ladies didn't have much opportunity to have higher education so they believed it was an injustice.
(This is one of the events that have MU today to believe in social justice for all.)
In 1908, The Sisters brought 63 acres of land between Lake Oswego and West Linn to build a permanent college space for their young female students. In addition to have housing for the faculty, the nuns and the students so no one need to commute. Back then, cars weren't used as often as now and many people couldn't afford them. In this area of Oregon, there weren't really any paved roads like today.
Where did Marylhurst name comes from? The Sisters has Mary, the mother of Jesus as their patron. In 1913, they renamed the area by combining words, "Mary" (the Mather of Jesus), and "hurst" (woods). To make it more melodious, the "L" was added, thus, creating "Marylhurst."
In 1929, one of the first original buildings was built called the Administration Building. This building was rededicated in 1988 in honor of B.P. John, pioneer furniture manufacturer of the area (John's Landing) and father of MU's first registrant in 1920, Imelda John Condon '34. On the third floor of the B.P. John Administration building is where many of my ed classes will be. My professors' offices is also up there as well as the ed department main office.
In front of this building, there is a fountain paid for through the donations of the men employed at the College back in 1933. Next to it, there is the Knight's Green (2006), in honor of NIKE's Phil and Penny Knight whose generosity made possible the Marylhurst Knights Opportunity Scholarship program. This space I heard is where many students like to rest, study or play outside games on warm, sunny days.
From the beginning, the college was for women only. The college's vision to serve more people came in 1974 when men enrolled here for higher education. In 1974, Marylhurst becomes a co-educational institution and the first liberal arts college in the United States to be designated as a college for lifelong learning.
In 1998, the college got renamed as Marylhurst University, Clackamas County's first
university. Marylhurst University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Marylhurst has received specialized accreditation and approvals from numerous organizations. The first accreditation happened in 1931.
Here is a link for more history details of MU: http://www.marylhurst.edu/aboutmarylhurst/history.php.
Here is a quick history on preparing students to become teachers:
The Sisters ran the Marylhurst Normal School, a separately incorporated institution for teacher certification, the Normal School was granted a charter by the state in 1911. A change in Oregon law allowed the Sisters to merge the program with Marylhurst College in 1950. When the college changed visions, they stopped offering the teacher training program.
Over 5 years ago, Tomas Ruhl and many other MU faculty wanted to go back to the university's early vision to prepare people to enter the teaching profession.
In 2007, the Masters of Arts in Teaching program was inaugurated and approved by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission of Oregon.
In 2008, the Masters of Education program was included into the ed department.
In previous blog entries, I have shared with you why I chose Marylhurst and why I chose the teaching profession as my career path. MU's grad ed programs is relatively new but it is strong. The ed department people did a lot of research in what makes a strong teacher training program and connected to what the university's mission is. Many of the values here is the same or similar in what I believe in the education field and teaching. You will get to know more as I write more blogs through my journey in grad school.
R.I.P. Thomas Ruhl who was the ed department chair as well as the founder of the graduate ed programs. Tom Ruhl was in charge of my group in discussing about the MAT/M.ED programs at one informational night last Fall ('10). I remembered how he gave my group an encouraging message to get into the teaching field. He told us to call him any time if we needed to know more or just have a friendly chat. After the session was over, I had some time talking with him. I sensed he was a caring, kind and compassionate person. I wished I did took the opportunity to call him and chat with him more. I knew he had experiences with elementary students. Even though I don't really know him, I did feel a tiny connection with him at that meeting. At that time, I thought I had plenty of time to call him up when I get into the program. His death was so sudden when he passed early July 7, 2011. (Ruhl's passing is almost a year after when my dear Gong Gong past away on July 16, 2010.) I was so busy applying to graduate school, dealing with financial aid and just life stuff. I am aware that many of his colleagues in the ed department is mourning of his death.
Here is the link to the press release from MU: http://www.marylhurst.edu/aboutmarylhurst/pressrelease20110707.php.
If anyone who wants to honor his life, here is a link: http://www.marylhurst.edu/calendar/20110924memorialbookdrive.php.
Here is a general outline in MU history:
First, a group of Catholic nuns called The Sisters of the Holy Names came to the Northwest to serve the educational needs of the community in 1859.
In 1893, The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary started a liberal arts college for young ladies in downtown Portland, OR. The school was original called St. Mary's Academy and College. The Sisters realized young ladies didn't have much opportunity to have higher education so they believed it was an injustice.
(This is one of the events that have MU today to believe in social justice for all.)
In 1908, The Sisters brought 63 acres of land between Lake Oswego and West Linn to build a permanent college space for their young female students. In addition to have housing for the faculty, the nuns and the students so no one need to commute. Back then, cars weren't used as often as now and many people couldn't afford them. In this area of Oregon, there weren't really any paved roads like today.
Where did Marylhurst name comes from? The Sisters has Mary, the mother of Jesus as their patron. In 1913, they renamed the area by combining words, "Mary" (the Mather of Jesus), and "hurst" (woods). To make it more melodious, the "L" was added, thus, creating "Marylhurst."
In 1929, one of the first original buildings was built called the Administration Building. This building was rededicated in 1988 in honor of B.P. John, pioneer furniture manufacturer of the area (John's Landing) and father of MU's first registrant in 1920, Imelda John Condon '34. On the third floor of the B.P. John Administration building is where many of my ed classes will be. My professors' offices is also up there as well as the ed department main office.
In front of this building, there is a fountain paid for through the donations of the men employed at the College back in 1933. Next to it, there is the Knight's Green (2006), in honor of NIKE's Phil and Penny Knight whose generosity made possible the Marylhurst Knights Opportunity Scholarship program. This space I heard is where many students like to rest, study or play outside games on warm, sunny days.
From the beginning, the college was for women only. The college's vision to serve more people came in 1974 when men enrolled here for higher education. In 1974, Marylhurst becomes a co-educational institution and the first liberal arts college in the United States to be designated as a college for lifelong learning.
In 1998, the college got renamed as Marylhurst University, Clackamas County's first
university. Marylhurst University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Marylhurst has received specialized accreditation and approvals from numerous organizations. The first accreditation happened in 1931.
Here is a link for more history details of MU: http://www.marylhurst.edu/aboutmarylhurst/history.php.
Here is a quick history on preparing students to become teachers:
The Sisters ran the Marylhurst Normal School, a separately incorporated institution for teacher certification, the Normal School was granted a charter by the state in 1911. A change in Oregon law allowed the Sisters to merge the program with Marylhurst College in 1950. When the college changed visions, they stopped offering the teacher training program.
Over 5 years ago, Tomas Ruhl and many other MU faculty wanted to go back to the university's early vision to prepare people to enter the teaching profession.
In 2007, the Masters of Arts in Teaching program was inaugurated and approved by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission of Oregon.
In 2008, the Masters of Education program was included into the ed department.
In previous blog entries, I have shared with you why I chose Marylhurst and why I chose the teaching profession as my career path. MU's grad ed programs is relatively new but it is strong. The ed department people did a lot of research in what makes a strong teacher training program and connected to what the university's mission is. Many of the values here is the same or similar in what I believe in the education field and teaching. You will get to know more as I write more blogs through my journey in grad school.
R.I.P. Thomas Ruhl who was the ed department chair as well as the founder of the graduate ed programs. Tom Ruhl was in charge of my group in discussing about the MAT/M.ED programs at one informational night last Fall ('10). I remembered how he gave my group an encouraging message to get into the teaching field. He told us to call him any time if we needed to know more or just have a friendly chat. After the session was over, I had some time talking with him. I sensed he was a caring, kind and compassionate person. I wished I did took the opportunity to call him and chat with him more. I knew he had experiences with elementary students. Even though I don't really know him, I did feel a tiny connection with him at that meeting. At that time, I thought I had plenty of time to call him up when I get into the program. His death was so sudden when he passed early July 7, 2011. (Ruhl's passing is almost a year after when my dear Gong Gong past away on July 16, 2010.) I was so busy applying to graduate school, dealing with financial aid and just life stuff. I am aware that many of his colleagues in the ed department is mourning of his death.
Here is the link to the press release from MU: http://www.marylhurst.edu/aboutmarylhurst/pressrelease20110707.php.
If anyone who wants to honor his life, here is a link: http://www.marylhurst.edu/calendar/20110924memorialbookdrive.php.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Cohort V Orientation
Last night, the MAT faculty gave us a orientation to welcome us, give us a tour of the campus (very important places that we need as grad students), getting to know my fellow cohort mates and get free dinner at the end of the night. (Dinner was Mediterranean food which was very yummy. I love the salad with some kind of dressing and the pita bread with hummus.) In my previous blog, I mentioned that the orientation started at 4:30 pm. I found out that there are 25 people in my cohort. By the way, cohort is a term used for a group of people learning and training in a program from start to finish. I know some medical professions use the cohort model too in training people into the medical field.
I had fun getting to know some people in my cohort. I wasn't able to know everyone just yet. I gotten to know a bit more about three ladies from my table I was at. Shout out to Brenda! She actually was searching students' thoughts on the MAT program at MU and surprisely googled my blog. I believe she is getting endorsed with Early Childhood/Elementary too. There was a lot of info being fed to us so I can't remember everything including the conversations with people.
Another person at my table is someone I actually had met before. I met Tara at Western Oregon University (WOU for short) where we got our BAs. What a small world! She got hers in history. We probably had a few LACC (general) classes together. Maybe a pre-education function since she was interested in teaching high school. I found out now that at that time, she didn't feel like she was ready to teach since she was only a few years older than the oldest high schooler. I am so excited to start this program with her and get to know her better too. We will have a couple classes together.
The MAT program at MU is awesome. We all received a free MU graduate studies messenger bags filled with info we need to know and a free book by Rafe Esquith. I received his Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire book which I actually read from my local library several months ago. I love how he writes about his experiences and I learn from them. But it's nice to get my own copy as a resource book. He has another book out already which I need to check it out from my local library. It is called There are No Shortcuts. Here is his official website: http://www.hobartshakespeareans.org/. Wow, he actually wrote another book called Lightening Their Fires. Wow, two books I need to check out and read.
Here is a background info on Rafe Esquith: He is a well-known Californian teacher in the education world. He taught 5th grade over 20 years at a low-income school. He inspired his students to think outside of the box and believe that they are worth something. Many of his former students are immigrants or children of immigrants. FYI, I am a child of immigrants so I can connect to what his students was feeling and experience a bit. Mr. Esquith actually was a guest speaker at Marylhurst University. Too bad I missed that. Anyways, many of his former students went off to college and probably made this world a better place in their own rights. I hope I can be a type of teacher who inspires her students to continue to learn and grow for life as well as creating future leaders or community people to make this world a better place.
If you spent time talking to me in person or electronically, you can probably can tell how excited I am to start this journey up again. It has been over 10 years ago when I dreamed of becoming a teacher. In my undergrad years, I had some bumps along the way. After graduation from WOU, I gain some real life experiences working with children at my current job as an after school teacher/leader in the after school care program.
My first class is next Tuesday evening, September 27th. The class is on Socio-Political/Social Justice Issues which meets on Tuesday evenings this term. I will learn a lot of stuff. MAT believes in social justice issues since MU was created by nuns who came to Oregon in the mid-1800s to serve the needy people. They realized that education is needed to help them in life so they started a school which came out of the St. Mary's Academy. They move on to create a college so they found land in today's Marylhurst which is south of Lake Oswego and only 15 minutes away from SW Portland.
I had fun getting to know some people in my cohort. I wasn't able to know everyone just yet. I gotten to know a bit more about three ladies from my table I was at. Shout out to Brenda! She actually was searching students' thoughts on the MAT program at MU and surprisely googled my blog. I believe she is getting endorsed with Early Childhood/Elementary too. There was a lot of info being fed to us so I can't remember everything including the conversations with people.
Another person at my table is someone I actually had met before. I met Tara at Western Oregon University (WOU for short) where we got our BAs. What a small world! She got hers in history. We probably had a few LACC (general) classes together. Maybe a pre-education function since she was interested in teaching high school. I found out now that at that time, she didn't feel like she was ready to teach since she was only a few years older than the oldest high schooler. I am so excited to start this program with her and get to know her better too. We will have a couple classes together.
The MAT program at MU is awesome. We all received a free MU graduate studies messenger bags filled with info we need to know and a free book by Rafe Esquith. I received his Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire book which I actually read from my local library several months ago. I love how he writes about his experiences and I learn from them. But it's nice to get my own copy as a resource book. He has another book out already which I need to check it out from my local library. It is called There are No Shortcuts. Here is his official website: http://www.hobartshakespeareans.org/. Wow, he actually wrote another book called Lightening Their Fires. Wow, two books I need to check out and read.
Here is a background info on Rafe Esquith: He is a well-known Californian teacher in the education world. He taught 5th grade over 20 years at a low-income school. He inspired his students to think outside of the box and believe that they are worth something. Many of his former students are immigrants or children of immigrants. FYI, I am a child of immigrants so I can connect to what his students was feeling and experience a bit. Mr. Esquith actually was a guest speaker at Marylhurst University. Too bad I missed that. Anyways, many of his former students went off to college and probably made this world a better place in their own rights. I hope I can be a type of teacher who inspires her students to continue to learn and grow for life as well as creating future leaders or community people to make this world a better place.
If you spent time talking to me in person or electronically, you can probably can tell how excited I am to start this journey up again. It has been over 10 years ago when I dreamed of becoming a teacher. In my undergrad years, I had some bumps along the way. After graduation from WOU, I gain some real life experiences working with children at my current job as an after school teacher/leader in the after school care program.
My first class is next Tuesday evening, September 27th. The class is on Socio-Political/Social Justice Issues which meets on Tuesday evenings this term. I will learn a lot of stuff. MAT believes in social justice issues since MU was created by nuns who came to Oregon in the mid-1800s to serve the needy people. They realized that education is needed to help them in life so they started a school which came out of the St. Mary's Academy. They move on to create a college so they found land in today's Marylhurst which is south of Lake Oswego and only 15 minutes away from SW Portland.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Details of When I Start the Program
The program starts on Sept. 22nd with Orientation from 4:30-7:30 pm. They plan to provide activites to orient me to campus and introduce me to several important places--for example--a tour of the library and technology options for students. We find out the name of the school and cooperating teachers for our field experiences. (We learn more about the field experience procedures at our first Field Experience Seminar on Thurs. Sept 29th.) We finish the evening off with a free dinner to my cohort and me.
My first class will start on Tues. Sept. 27th. I will have classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings with a few Saturday classes. Here are the Fall courses I'm taking this term:
1. Socio-Political and Social Justice Issues. This sounds like a good class. MU is very big on social justice since it's part of the school's motto/personal statement.
2. Child Development and Learning Theory. I took this class before at Western. But it has been years ago. This will help me refresh myself. Maybe there will be new learning theories I didn't know about since last time.
3. Elementary Wellness and Nutrition. Now this class I haven't taken in the ed program at WOU.
4. Culture and Diversity Considerations. This sounds like a fun class to take. The professor will help us re-examine the cultural aspects of schools as well as our own cultural backgrounds.
5. Field Experience I: Professional Identity, only meets 3 times. This course will help us discover our professional identity in the classrooms. Plus I think we start our classroom experience sometime in October. It will be 3 hours a week.
Basically I am going to be a full-time student while working part-time this school year.
I am so looking forward to this new "old" adventure. This time I will succeed. I have a few real life experiences. The MAT staff at MU seem to be so supportive. A friend told me how close-knit the staff and students are. So far I heard that my cohort, we are called Cohort V, has about 20 people currently. Maybe a few more on the way. Someone there told me that they are still interviewing.
My first class will start on Tues. Sept. 27th. I will have classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings with a few Saturday classes. Here are the Fall courses I'm taking this term:
1. Socio-Political and Social Justice Issues. This sounds like a good class. MU is very big on social justice since it's part of the school's motto/personal statement.
2. Child Development and Learning Theory. I took this class before at Western. But it has been years ago. This will help me refresh myself. Maybe there will be new learning theories I didn't know about since last time.
3. Elementary Wellness and Nutrition. Now this class I haven't taken in the ed program at WOU.
4. Culture and Diversity Considerations. This sounds like a fun class to take. The professor will help us re-examine the cultural aspects of schools as well as our own cultural backgrounds.
5. Field Experience I: Professional Identity, only meets 3 times. This course will help us discover our professional identity in the classrooms. Plus I think we start our classroom experience sometime in October. It will be 3 hours a week.
Basically I am going to be a full-time student while working part-time this school year.
I am so looking forward to this new "old" adventure. This time I will succeed. I have a few real life experiences. The MAT staff at MU seem to be so supportive. A friend told me how close-knit the staff and students are. So far I heard that my cohort, we are called Cohort V, has about 20 people currently. Maybe a few more on the way. Someone there told me that they are still interviewing.
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