I'm doing my best to blog regularly, really I am. I want to, but by then end of my busy day, I'm just so tired. All of my days seem so long (though not in a really BAD way). I just do a lot of things every day.
On Monday, I didn't feel well (probably from breathing in all that acetone while trying to remove my nail polish) so I slept in instead of running. I got up around 8, did some homework, and went to my noon class (Advanced Behavioral Modification--from here on out to be referred to as B-Mod).
I really like B-Mod. We're learning about functional behavior analysis, which is just want it sounds like. When you've identified a problem behavior, you should then figure out what purpose that behavior serves for the child. When does it occur? Do they usually get out of class if they do it? Once you've determined the function that the behavior serves, you can (very strategically) phase out that unwanted behavior and replace it with something more appropriate. Sounds great, but that's literally all I know about it so far. How do I know what function that behavior serves? Observation and data-recording. And as for dealing with the behavior...obviously we've not learned that much. Ha. But I think it's fascinating, and it seems like a very logical way to go about it. My only problem with this class (and my Tuesday afternoon class) is that it's a three-hour course...and I have a hard time paying attention for that long.
Also, class was interrupted when one of the other doctoral students had to leave because of a family member being in the hospital. It was really sad to hear, and we all had a hard time focusing after that. This is one thing I miss about being a child...as a child, I rarely worried that anything would happen to my parents or other family members. Now that I'm grown up, I know that bad things can happen and that no one lives forever. It's just not something I'm sure I'd be able to deal with during my second week of graduate school.
Today was pretty laid-back. I did run this morning (yay me) and then started reading the stuff for next week. I really want to get next week's homework done ASAP because I have a long weekend and I'm visiting family in Ohio...thus, I do not want to be writing papers this weekend. So, I started the reading this morning before class. I had stats at 11, which I'm starting to get annoyed by. I like the professor, really I do. But he does talk a lot, and this stuff is SO basic that we do not need all the examples. Normally I love examples! But we're talking about qualitative reasoning, and none of this stuff is new. It's so hard to focus. I literally take notes (even though I have the slides) just so that I pay attention. Ugh.
My afternoon class went well. Again, a three hour course. Not my favorite. But we do have at least one break in the class where we can get up and stretch, which I appreciate. This class (Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues in School Psychology--which I cannot think of a good nickname for...LEP? I'm going to call it Issues, probably) is very discussion-based, which I have mixed-feelings about. I love hearing what everyone else has to say, and getting a new perspective...I just hate speaking up in class. Our professor is very good about not making you feel dumb--no matter what you say, he's very encouraging, which I very much appreciate. One of my other professors made me feel stupid on the first day of class, and although it was said in a joking way and I laughed it off...it made me not want to speak up. Ugh.
The second half of my three hour class focused on Headstart, since we'll all have a placement in Headstart in addition to our school placements. I'm really excited for this--3-5 year olds that we get to play with. Sounds like it will help me relax (though also stress me out, since I have to connect it with what I am learning).
For Headstart (and the school psych program), we had to get criminal background checks. In an effort to get this done before school started, I made a special trip in July to do this...and the department never received my information. Ha. Must be a joke, right? I'm not paying $54 AGAIN. This is one of those areas where I wish the department was more helpful...I know I'm an adult, but come on. How am I supposed to fix this?! Naturally I was a little frustrated by this, but all was made well later by taking a trip to Cold Stone. Cake batter ice cream makes everything better...and I'm trying to remember that I can't let the little things upset me. This isn't that big of a deal, and maybe once I talk to the right people, they'll find my background check. One can only hope, right?
I am really enjoying graduate school, but it's making me miss Ripon. I like the faculty here, I really do...but no one is as helpful as Ripon. I realize ISU is much, much bigger, but I'd appreciate some help (and maybe a little sympathy) once in a while. I've had to deal with far too many issues already (like a broken computer system holding our stipends hostage...still). Can't things just work the way they are supposed to? None of my stresses are actually about school...it's just about tedious things that aren't working. And I can't do anything about it...which is probably the worst part. Such is life, though. I probably just need to let go of those things and focus on the things I CAN do.
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