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[archaist]

You know, I'm supposed to be working on a 5-page autobiography of myself for my application to the after degree program in education. And yet, I just sat here and watched "Forrest Gump" on television. It's kind of a tough act to follow. How do I talk about myself for 5 pages? This is frustrating

Comments

[kubilai9]

good luck with it. i dropped out of education to get my 4 year ba ... :)

[archaist]

Any reason in particular? I am a bit worried education won't be my cup of tea, but I'm thinking with the humble half of my brain...

[kubilai9]

education seemed to make a lot of sense for me. i like school. i like working with people. i like learning and academics. i like kids. ... ergo, teaching.

however, what i failed to consider was that teaching is planning lessons and giving lessons and marking assignments, all of which i hated. it involves winging it 7 times a day, 5 days a week, teaching material that was never quite ready to go and never quite organized, which some people thrive in, but which gave me endless stress. i was working from 7 am to 10 pm without time for anything else, and i hated my life. i don't care if kids don't want to learn ... i just want them to have a good time and hang out and talk about books and whatever.

also, the vast majority of my peers in education were fairly anti-academic. they were nice people, good friends, great teachers, but not interested in learning for learning's sake. so, i decided it wasn't for me and packed it in.

(this is the summary version anyways. i'll gladly answer any specific questions or give advice or whatever)

[archaist]

That actually sets my heart at ease. Those are all things I like doing/have done before/was expecting to begin with.

And life's still an adventure

[conrad_zaar]

Good luck with the application.

What inspired this career move? Are you trying to reconnect with your lost youth by reimmersing yourself in high school culture? Or do you hope to inspire young people with a passion for literature? Or do you just want to hit on 17-year-old chicks? ;)

Re: And life's still an adventure

[archaist]

If we're being totally honest, the career move is just a temporary involvement. I plan on completing an MA and a PhD once I'm back on my feet, have more experience inside and outside of the great books of civilization, and have a bit more snow on the roof. For the time being, I want to be a money-making machine by at least two years from now, and I think teaching will afford me an opportunity to accomplish goal #2 as you describe it.

As long as we're being totally honest...

[conrad_zaar]

...I feel I should mention this

Re: As long as we're being totally honest...

[archaist]

Well, I appreciate the warning. However, I know that education is something that differs between provinces, and I know a few people in the education program at the school I'm applying to who think it's good (and whose standards are close to mine).

However it works out, once I'm in a classroom teaching people, that's when I hope to get my dose of happy. Studying is always kind of taxing, for one reason or other.

[anatomiste]

You should post more. (In fact, livejournal can be great practice for talking about oneself endlessly!)

Good luck with your career thingies. I am vaguely thinking about taking some time between my BA and further education to teach high school, but who knows...at least I've got another year to decide these things.

[archaist]

Time is a luxury. I recommend you start thinking about these things before deadlines sneak up on you. I have until Wednesday to net 2 letters of reference! Imagine how that quest is going to go!