Literacy, Literacy and More Literacy

Well Wednesday is the day to defend. I worked on my power point today and practiced 3 times.  I am nervous, but I honestly think I have done as much as I can.  I want to relax for a few days and then start my summer course.  I just finished my last Spring course work.  What a great feeling.  This program is a process, but you have to be motivated internally or you will not succeed.  I constantly have to push myself to work and revise. Wish me luck for Wednesday.  All I can is my best and that I know I can do.

Well, I begin classes again on Wednesday, 2008.  I am half way through the program, but the end of this journey is very far.  I need to get back to work and get focused.  It was nice to have a little break for a few weeks just to relax and sleep.  Now I need to refocus and get my act together in writing for my dissertation.  I hope my next class is not too demanding due to the fact that I have balance writing my dissertation with my classes.

Yes, I am a slacker and have not put anything on this site for a long time.  Well, I am full swing into my practicum and dissertation and yes I am having fun.  I love research, but at least I am motivated again to work on my project.  It is diffficult to find time and designate time for writing with all of my children’s activities, but I think I will finish on time if I remain focused.  The classes for the program are much more reasonable this year so this is a big help.  I am really not comfortable with this blog posting thing, but it can act as journal.  Well this weekend I plan to complete my practicum.  One hoop down and one more big one to go.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Well, I have now reviewed 29 books, journals or articles and I am finding that I have a storage problem.  I have papers and items everywhere.  I need to buy something to keep all of my things.  I hate clutter, but I am the cause of the clutter in my house.  If my husband did this, I would be upset, but now it is me and it is a different story.  I guess I need to be more patient with everyone in my house.  I am leaving for vacation for 5 days of RR.  It has been awhile since I was relaxed so I am looking forward to doing nothing.  This will be fun.  All I have to do is keep my kids from fighting in the car.  Maybe they will sleep. 

Well this weekend was a mess.  My family was in the hospital and all I did was worry.  I feel like I am already behind, but I will keep plugging away.  This PHD process is very different than anything that I have ever experienced prior in my educational endeavors.  Researching is so much work and all I do is read.  I am getting to be a much faster reader.

Well, today I went to work and have looked at my PSSA scores.  We have improved by 10% or more in math and reading with the IEP population.  This is very significant in the results.  Now I just have to keep researching to make sure that we can keep improving for the future.  This needs to begin in the elementary buildings as well.  Work is difficult right now because my building schedule is not working in the computer program so I am really looking at everything to make it work.  Right now I have too much on my plate, but that is not going to change anytime soon.  Next week my two children will not be home so I will have some time for myself to get work and schooling projects done.

Well, today I went to Robert Morris and researched literacy for 4 hours.  It wasn’t fun, but I got so much information.  I have been reading many books to help me in my quest for solving the literacy problem for students, parents, teachers, and administrators.  All this reading has enhanced my interest in the literacy problems in my school as well as schools across the nation.  I hope I can find some answers without losing my mind.  This is so much work, but it is exciting.  I found out today that my building that I work in made AYP for the year.  Last year we were in warning so it such a relief.  My building has so much more work to do, but at least we made progress.  One problem down, many more to go. 

Well this is my first blog so I hope I am doing this correctly.  I am working on my practicum at Robert Morris and need to be sure that I am not behind in my progress for the program.  This is really challlenging for me and I need to keep progressing.  Today I am researching Literacy for my job and for my educational purposes.  I hope to find an answer as to why students as they progress in their education that thier literacy declines.  This is my quest to help students for the future to ensure that we are striving as educators to help the next generation.