Hakuna Matata

It means no worries. Its an interesting concept, and one that I don't believe that we as humans are capable of grasping. We are always worrying about something, sometimes it's important, sometimes it's trivial. We worry about things we are unsure of. If this check will bounce, if I will pass this test, if I can make it another day. We are always worrying about something. Many times, it is about something that is out of our control. There is no point in worrying over something we have no control over.

The Mad Dash

It's the end of the semester and now comes the mad dash. For teachers, this means grading many late assignments. For students, this means cramming in as many as you can into the last couple hours. In both cases, stress levels go through the roof. Maybe the key is keeping up with the assignments given, or the assignments being handed in (as the situation calls for). Either way, the mad dash is quickly reaching its peak. With finals it will end for students and within a week, the last assignments will be handed in by the teachers. The mad dash will be over, and at least one source of stress will be taken away.

Educators

Educators don't need to be of a certain age to be effective; however, they do need to be of a respectable maturity level. As I have risen through the education system, I've noticed that the teachers that took their jobs as educators more seriously achieved better results. This isn't to say that a teacher can't occasionally have fun or act as though they are friends with their students; I merely state that this cannot be a common occurrence. An educator's career is not based around having fun with the students, the main focus of the educational system is to give the students the information that they will need to succeed in life. This is made harder when students view their teacher as more of a peer than a leader. A teacher needs to have control of their class. If the teacher isn't viewed as the leader, there is a higher probability that the students will dictate which direction that the allotted class time flows.

Being Conservative in a Room Full of Liberals

Conservatives by nature are conservative people. We form our opinions and we carry on with life. Liberals are more ostentatious. They form their opinions and make sure that the rest of the world knows it. Liberals claim to be open minded and nonjudgmental, but do they really hold true to that image? When they discover that someone has a differing opinion, they feel compelled to share their own. There is nothing wrong with this compulsion, but there is a line between sharing one's opinions and trying to persuade and even force one's own opinions down another's throat. This is a line that is crossed often in our predominantly liberal class. The conservative few listen to the points made, consider them and decide whether or not they agree. They form their opinions and might share them, but they won't force you to listen to their points repeatedly.

A Young Mother

Being a young mother is harder than most people are aware of, especially if the young woman involved has ambition and a means to pursue those ambitions. Her most valuable resource is time. I am that young woman. I have a little boy, he is my motivation to get up in the mornings. I work 25-33 hours a week in order to provide the things he needs (diapers, milk, clothes, etc.). I am away from home 35 hours a week because I am seeking a higher education so that I may provide a better life for him in the future. There is a total of 168 hours in a week. In an ideal situation I would spend about 56 of those hours sleeping. 56+35+25=116. 168-116=52. I have 52 hours per week to spend with my son, when it's my weekend to take care of him. And less when it isn't. This time also includes daily life (showers, eating, getting dressed, running errands, and other such things). This means that I get less than 50 hours worth of quality time with my rapidly developing son. On nights when I don't work and have nothing scheduled too early the following morning I get to sleep with him at night. On those nights, while he is asleep I stay up in order to work on something for school, or maybe get a half hour or so or "me" time. Most of the time that I actually spend on myself is at night when I should be sleeping. My time is short and my son is now smart enough to be aware of it. He understands that when Mommy puts on her work issued shirt, she is getting ready to leave, what he doesn't know is when he will see her again. I have gone almost an entire week without seeing him between his weekends with his father, Mommy going to work, and Mommy going to school. He never knows how long it will be until we see each other again. Yesterday was the day I learned what true heart break was. As I was getting ready to leave for work he left the careful watch of his YaYa to find that Mommy was preparing to leave him again. He cried for me to hold him and I obliged; I felt his desperation as he clung to me like his life depended on it. The time came for me to pack him up and take him to his fathers home. I saw the sadness in his eyes that told me he knew what was next. After I had arrived and given him to his father, I turned to the door to make my exit. I heard him start to cry in the next room, a heaviness was set upon on my heart. The next sound to reach me was the pitter-patter that belongs only to a running toddler. He grabbed my leg and held on tight, when his father finally pulled him off he was bawling and my heart was in shambles. This memory will be one that haunts me forever.

Grammar Schmammar

I enjoyed getting the opportunity to teach the class. Those of us that are interested in becoming educators ourselves got a chance to experience what it would be like to stand in front of a group of students and teach a specific topic to them. While I can't speak for everyone in that category, I can let it be know that I truly found the experience reassuring. It has reinforced my decision to be an educator. It has also shown me that I need to carefully consider which age group I will be catering to. The older the group, the more likely they will challenge the authority of the teacher. This isn't an issue if the teacher commands the proper respect. Teachers that have a softer nature and are looking to be friends with their students should be a teacher to a much younger age group, around 4-6 years old. Another option is that they can be friends secondly and a teacher first and foremost. The distinction needs to be clear, in class it is a teacher-student relationship, outside of class is when they can be chummy.