It was an eventful weekend as my new little granddaughter was born. Yes, the sewing machine came out and I was sewing up a storm to make her a new little dress. My son has two boys so it was such a nice surprise to be blessed with a girl. They are all blessings when they come and they are blessing watching them grow. Each year a new discovery, new challenges, new futures for these little ones. Happy days, truly happy days.
I had one daughter of my own that wanted to be a teacher at one point. She wanted to teach kindergarten as she thought it would be a profession that she would enjoy. Granite State College offers an early childhood education major or post-baccaluareate teacher certification, if being a teacher is your dream. Going to college is such a great experience no matter what age you are or what stage you are in your life. You learn the value of an education just by embracing all it has to offer, all your classmates sharing the same dream. Anything is possible if you really want it. Do you want it?
I am teaching a Foundations in Early Childhood Education course online at Granite State College this semester. It is a course that I have not taught before. Many of the people in the class are involved in the early childhood field, but need the coursework for their certification. Their first assignment was to introduce themselves and tell a little about their interest in the field of early childhood. It amazes me how many of the students talked about how much they love what they are doing. Almost every person in the class mentioned how much they love their job. Early Childhood education is not a high paying career field. It is also not an easy job, but it is one of the best jobs on the planet. Imagine working with young children who are excited about things such as butterflies in a garden, or clouds in the sky. Adults are usually too busy to notice the little things, but young children spend their time noticing these things. It is great to see so many people working in a field that they love and taking the time to improve their understanding of the field through online undergraduate education courses at Granite State that may lead them to an Associate Degree or a Bachelor's degree in early childhood, or even special education teacher certification.
I am interested in your opinion of online education. Granite State College offers many courses on line. They have many online education, early childhood certification, and elementary education degree courses now online. So I am wondering what you think of an online model in the field of education?
I recently taught the same course in both a face to face and an online format at Granite State College. The course was for Early Childhood Education Majors. I have asked students in the class for their feedback on the course materials including books, videos, discussions and forums. Those students who took the course face to face seemed less interested in the book and more interested in the discussions. Those students who took the course online were very impressed with the book and the videos. They enjoyed the posts of classmates to forums, but rated the book more highly. So I am asking your opinion of the online education experience. Is it a good way to gain an education? Do you think you get the same overall experience? Are there things that are missing in one format or the other that we should build in to the face to face or online models? Stay tuned to see what people are saying about online education.
Today I am sitting at an educational conference for paraeducators. I am writing as I await their next break and my next opportunity to help someone learn how teaching certification can be within reach. With Granite State College's new undergraduate teaching certifications, as well as the Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certifications we can now make teaching certification a reality for more individuals. Granite State College can also help Paraeducators achieve Paraeducator II Certification with the State of NH with a five class sequence or an Associate's Degree.
I am excited to be able to tell prospective students that we can now offer teaching certification with a Bachelor of Arts in Individualized Studies in Social Studies, English Language Arts and Math Studies or a B.S. in Early Childhood Education. We are offering the same teaching certifications as at the Post Baccalaureate level:
General Special Education (K-12)
General Special Ed (K-12)/ Elementary Education (K-8)
Early Childhood Special Ed. (0-age 8)/Early Childhood (N-grade 3)
ESOL (K-12)
Mathematics (5-8)
Secondary Mathematics (7-12)
By specializing in the critcal shortage areas for teachers in NH, Granite State College is able to help individuals be more "employable" upon earning teaching certification. Para educators are so excited to hear that they do not have to stop working to take classes and earn certification. Both undergrad and PBTC programs are job embedded and field based, meaning that we want you working in a school or approved program during your time with us. Classes are available online, as field based or occasionally as face to face, so you can live anywhere in NH (and surrounding states) and complete your teaching certification.
Time to go and talk with some future teachers and tell them... how easy it is to get that teaching certification... that allows you to take that teaching position... increases your ability to positively impact the future of our children and schools... and furthers your career!
Wow, have you ever taken an online course? You might think you just read the things online and submit your papers. But have you thought about forums? They are the greatest thing about an online course.
Think about the Early Childhood Certification or Elementary Education Degree at Granite State College. You are busy working in a classroom all day helping children, but you want to complete a degree, or get those courses required for a promotion. Getting to class at night is difficult but you want some support from your peers. You think online education might be too hard because you won't have contact with others in the class.
The online forum is the perfect answer. Here you post a question or a thought about the reading you have done, and your peers respond with their answers or additional thoughts. You have an ongoing conversation with the other people in your class, right from your own computer. So consider the online college option as the perfect answer to your busy life.
In a recent class for the early childhood education major at GSC's Rochester NH college campus, we were talking about family strengths. One of those strengths revolved around encouragement and setting a good example. If parents are not only telling children that they care about how they do in school, but are also demonstrating the importance of school by taking a course they might need for work, or starting a new degree in an area that you have always been interested in is the prime way to set the example and encourage your children to value education. Consider taking courses in early childhood for your Early Childhood Certification, or maybe courses in project management, towards a Masters Degree in Project Management, or special education teacher certification. Try showing how much you value education, by getting involved yourself in either online adult education classes or face-to-face courses. Your children will learn from your example.
Today is the first day of spring and, as I write this blog, I am watching the snowflakes swirl around outside my window. I ask myself how can this really be the first day of Spring? And then I think about all the important dates in our lives: Holidays, birthdays, vacations... fun days that we look forward to. But what about for college students? There are exam days and papers due days and beginning and ending of the semester days. These are special days too but not always those fun days, unless you consider them as milestones in getting you closer to where you want to be in life.
So have you considered where you want to be by next spring or next winter or next birthday? How about enrolling in classes at Granite State College. Did you know that there are online classes for almost every subject? There are also face to face classes in Portsmouth, and Rochester and Lebanon and Manchester and Littleton and Berlin. That pretty much covers the state. You can find yourself in a different place by that next special date in your life. You could be halfway through an Adult Accelerated Degree Program, or finishing an adult education certificate, or taking classes in Early Childhood Education, or any number of degree programs at Granite State College. So don't wait for Spring to arrive. Register now and be ready when that special date, the first day of spring classes arrives in April.
Now that you have eaten the Thanksgiving turkey and all of those pies, you may be thinking about enjoying December and then making the regular New Year's Resolution to go on a diet. Well, how about something more lasting this year? A resolution that will really change your life?
How about enrolling in Adult Education classes at Granite State College. You have debated taking a class, finishing a degree or maybe getting an Adult Education Certificate. Now is the time. Granite State College has face-to-face and Online Classes in many areas. Maybe you are interested in an Adult Accelerated Degree Program, or Online Classes for Criminal Justice. Maybe you are interested in Childhood Education Classes or Behavioral Science Classes. Check out all the offerings at Granite State College and then make a New Year's Resolution to further your education. Classes at Granite State are offered in the evenings and people like you are coming from work to learn more and further their careers. The people are friendly and ready to learn. So, make a move and make a New Year's Resolution that you will enjoy keeping. You can register on line today. And, as for that diet, just watch that third piece of pie!
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