Grad school has settled down for a while. Suddenly, the teachers that weren't showing us different stuff, started to show us more practical examples, pushed us to work hard on a couple of ideas, and everything got better.

One day this week, I opened my big mouth, but I do that from time to time and while I got scolded, I also got educated, so it was okay. I learned that this is a small and poor university and that just kind of made me sad, but also at home.

I don't know if that makes sense at all, but that's how I felt. I've been very spoiled at some of the places I've worked to have "infrastructure." This place doesn't have infrastructure, but it does have some really nice people and that made me feel better.

I still hate all the work, but I'm working more with kids and that makes everything worthwhile.


Also, my friendships in the department are strengthening. The PhD students all got together and in abstentia decided that I was going to get my PhD. I told them that my family would probably have something to say about that, well, and that I'd rather chew glass.

Truthfully, I wouldn't mind getting a PhD, but I think I'd like to have several years of teaching under my belt before that. I really like the kids. My reading practicum feels soooo good. I enjoy it so much and I'm thinking that if I like it that much that this is why I'm called to do this and the PhD matters to me a whole lot less, as a result.

There are a lot of kids out there who need good teachers and I want to be one of them.