Education

An Addendum

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 3 Comments

Okay, so I have to admit my hubby has a point.  Private school is expensive.  Even with financial aid that we will probably get this year, it will be expensive.  I do have to add that daycare will also be expensive.  I then have to admit that the possibility of getting financial aid for Noah’s second year of school is slim since I will in theory be working fulltime pushing us up higher on the income scale and probably completely out of the financial market.  So, while we could afford his first year I don’t know about the second and I certainly don’t know how we would afford it when Zo is ready to start school.

Hubby pointed out to me that we can’t just think about this first year–we have to think about each year and to consider how we are going to send all of our children to school.  We plan to have four children (we are going to attempt IVF in the fall and then plan to adopt depending on outcome of IVF).  Even if we get financial aid because of the number of children we have can we really afford to send 4 kids to my dream school for the kids at just over $11,000 a year each.  Am I willing to sacrifice vacations and other things to send my kids to this school.  None of these were things I thought about.  I just wanted my kids to have the best education they could.  I need to change my way of thinking.  Maybe I need to give my kids the best education that I can afford.

Hubby thinks we can supplement their education at home and of course we will to some extent, but life will be busy and we won’t have the opportunity to do that as much as I would like.  I know that wanting the best for my kids–in terms of education and other things–is a normal parental desire.  I just don’t know how to reconcile that I maybe can’t give theme the absolute best or at least my impression of what is absolutely best.  I am so conflicted.  I have to accpet that not sending them to this school isn’t a failure on my part.  I can’t go back and think–“If I didn’t spend money on this or that, etc we wouldn’t have other financial obligations preventing us from sending them to this school.”  But I do think about that and I feel bad that I didn’t prepare myself for the cost of private school. 

So, those of you out there in my area–I’m looking for an awesome full day preschool.  Any ideas?

Private or Public, That is The Question

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 11 Comments

school that is…

“The early years are transcendentally the most important and if this nation wishes ultimately to achieve excellence, we will give greater priority and attention to the early years and start affirming elementary teachers instead of college professors as the centerpiece of learning.”–Ernst L. Boyer 

As I go back and forth, I am reminded of the above.  Private school is expensive and no all private schools are created equal.  I cringe at the idea of spending more on a year of pre-school than I paid for my entire undergraduate degree.  But I also balk at the idea of not giving my kids the best education available to them.  The foundation of the rest of their educational life is early childhood and elementary education.  It is so important to early on get kids interested in learning and to give them excellent opportunities for learning.  Am I saying that there aren’t good public schools and awesome teachers at these public schools?  No, I’m not.  There is a different feel and atmosphere at public schools than there is at the private schools we are looking at. 

We are beginning to tour schools and fill out applications–hard to believe–and it’s an unnerving task to be evaluated for pre-school when all I have to do is sign him up at our local school–which I wouldn’t consider doing for any reason–it’s not a good district and has many many issues.  I want my kids to go to a school where the kids are put first–where the children are the main focus and where the goal is to educate the whole child and offer many different types of learning opportunities. 

Where do your kids go?  Why?

One Size–Many Problems

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 1 Comment

So here I am back in academic/teacher mode.  I am not teaching this semester but I am studenting this semester and every semester for the next 5-6 years as I complete (or attempt to complete) my PhD.  I am taking a secondary curriculum course–where we will examine curriculums and learn what makes a good one.  I am excited about this as it will really help me in the future–one of my post PhD goals/dream jobs in as an English curriculum coordinator for a district.  We’ll see. 

Anyway to the whole reason for this post–other than a brain purge.  We watched this great video the really quite succintly express and exposes the problems inherent with our one size fits all educational system. 

Click her to Watch it…

What animal are you?

Where Are All The Real People?

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

As most of you know, I have decided to go back to work in the fall (assuming a district will hire me).  What I want to know is–when we start having computer programs interview potential candidates?  I have had 4 interviews that consisted of sitting in front of a computer and answering 50 or so multiple choice questions, that are scientifically proven to show my teaching philosophy and ability as well as the probability that I will survive in the teaching profession.  A multiple choice survey can show all of that.  There is no opportunity in these instances to qualify any answer–and let me tell you there are some that should be qualified as the choices that they give you are not that great–in my opinion. 

I just want to talk to a real person.  I don’t do well on tests and I am such a geek that I want to get a better “score” each time so I second guess my answers and change them from test to test–did I mention that 3 times I had to take the same test for 3 different districts (and I received 3 different sets of ratings).  It is irritating to me that we have passed off the job of screening applicants for teaching jobs to a computer.  Maybe I am bitter, because I don’t like these types of tests and don’t feel they really represent my ability, intellect and love for teaching. 

I know I shouldn’t worry about this and I know I should be at peace with this whole–“If I get a job great, and if I don’t that’s okay too.”  But I am not, as I think it says something about me personally.  I have been in education long enough to know that there are teachers out there who shouldn’t be teaching, but are because they know how to play this whole interview/screening game.  I am not that kind of person.  I have been lucky enough to get hired at my teaching jobs because I got to meet face to face with those who were doing the hiring.  If I can get the interview–I seal the deal.  But if all I ever get to do is answer mulitiple choice questions about what I may or may not do in a hypothetical situation…I fear a job is not in my future. 

**Still no news on our embassy/travel dates–I am hoping hear tomorrow**

The Long Long Winding Road or Day 26

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

I can’t wait for this whole posting every day thing to be done.  It is taxing.  It amazes me how little I have to say when I sit down with the pressure to write everyday.  Bare with me these last few days…

I had my first meeting with my doctoral advisers.  WOW is all I can say.  I have a long road a head of me.  I have a lot of classes to take as I have come to my doctorate in education via a MA in English.  So I have more work than others.  I am very excited to get started but am weary as I look down the line to see all that it entails.  I am hoping I am up to the task as hubby is so very supportive and wants nothing but success for me. 

I struggle with how to juggle this new far more demanding course of study, work and more children.  I have decided not to go back to work full-time at least not right away–I will teach part-time for one more year after this and then re-evaluate.  I am one of those people who wants to do it all and I don’t often think about the logistics and the hard and fast realities that are involved.  I am trying very hard to do that with this endeavor.  My future earning potential is far more important to my family than it is presently.  I will enjoy not having the pressures of a full-time job while having the benefits of getting out of the house and working. 

I am able to carry over about 21 hours from my MA and maybe a few more.  That means I only need 69 more hours or 23 classes.  The road is certainly long.  Thanks for keeping me company.