Class Two, Week One

I am getting a little behind as it is almost end of week two from class two. I told my dad the other day, 15 classes, one down and 14 more to go! My mom sent me an email and asked how school was going. Then she asked me if I was having fun...can't say that I am. It is very much a dedication and determination thing for me right now.

I am slightly out of the norm in this class as almost all the others are nurses, work in a hospital, or a on 'THAT' side of the health care street. Discussions between class members count as participation and 'attendance'. It is hard for me to be part of a discussion when I have no related working experience. Several members are working in Labor and Delivery - can't say that I can even relate as a patient :)

My professor pissed me off this week. I had done my attendance and was reading comments between other members and something one classmate said triggered a memory. Talking about 'If you want someone to do a good job, you need to give them a good job to do', what that meant to us and if we agreed. One had written that it was not possible for everyone to have the best job as someone still has the toilet cleaning job. What mattered was that this person with the menial task felt important and still part of the team as the vice president of the company as it took everyone to make things happen. I read this and remembered the year I cleaned Gentry Middle School. It wasn't a job I wanted, but needed. I always had several teachers that were working late in their rooms and found that I was not in any way looked down upon due to my job description. I was still respected as a school employee, person and what I did mattered. I shared.

Here is what was said by "DR ERIC" as he calls himself (hmph!) : Some statements are so vague as to be meaningless. I believe this applies here and given your responses so far...okay is he talking about my responses or the thread of comments at that time? The more I thought about it, the more ticked off I got. Especially since this was placed out in the Main forum where everyone in the class reads. So, I sent him an email. I sent it in my individual forum, just between he and I so waiting to hear back from him. If I don't hear back by tomorrow, I am chatting with my enrollment and academic counselors. I really wanted to call him on this in the Main forum, but I didn't....I was nice, this time. Seriously, don't piss me off!

Well just finished working on group project due next week (Easter for pity sake!). More to do, but I still have individual assignment do finish up that is due tomorrow. I needed a break, so here you find me :) Going to take a break from the computer for a while now then come back with fresh eyes! My motto this week is take me as I am or don't take me at all (which is what I almost shared with the class if you get my drift, hehehe!).

End of the first class

Note to self...you had it easy and you didn't even know it! I have started the 2nd class. I am feeling slightly out of my comfort zone. I really want to go back to that first class now. I have been waiting to hear about my final grade - I was at A- at the end of week two, so we shall see. Overall, the three weeks went fast. It did not help that I had mandatory overtime two of those three weeks (and again this week). I DO think that without the mandatory overtime, I will be able to feel a little more secure and able to handle the classes.

Every week, there is something and very little time to breathe. I did know this before starting, I just didn't KNOW this. Thinking and doing are two very different things I am finding out.

Participation for classes require talking via online chats with other students. You have a minimum of two topic chats four times a week to be 'there' and it counts toward your grade. First class had only 12 people and not everyone chatted. This class we have double the group and it is much harder to keep track of conversations. Again, wishing for the time I was in first class again :) I will persevere, I promise!

Not sure how I feel about computer and emails for work, computer and chatting for school and now this, computer and journal entry for what should be me relaxing?...OY!!!

Second Week, Class One

I am already thinking that I am glad it is only a 3 week class! End of the second week was Monday and the last three days of that week were TERRIBLE! Team Project due on Monday at midnight. We have known about it since the syllabus came out, but no one really started on it until after week one. Well the project is worth 25 points right? There are four topics for 4 points each. It just so happens that there are four people on my team. Seems like easy math to me!

WRONG!! Of the 4 topics, I felt comfortable writing on any one of them, so I put out a message to my other team members letting them know that. I told them that if anyone had a preference take it and I would pick left overs (basically, just not in those words). Not only did all topics get picked, the person that picked two already started the PowerPoint presentation with her two topics! BITCH! Yes, I said it and meant it. She KNEW what she was doing, you can't tell me that she didn't.

I shot off an email to everyone and was blunt. I asked how this was fair. I was assured that there were enough other things for me to do to contribute to the project. I took my lumps and started working on uniforming the presentation. We had citations on the slides and speaker's notes on the slides, awful I tell you - just awful. I spent almost 7 hours working on it Sunday and knowing that I still had more to do, I sent it out to everyone to review with the intent to finish on Monday before submitting final presentation (not due until midnight). Well these old ladies didn't like that I moved all their stuff around and made it look 'plain'. Excuse me but PowerPoint slides do not tell the story, they just hit the highlighted points. Your speakers notes tell the story.

Final presentation had nothing, I mean nothing from me in the way of contributed information or materials. As a TEAM, whatever grade is received is given to all members. It bothered me so much that I was awake at two in the morning. I couldn't stop thinking about it and started crying. After about 30 minutes of crying, I started writing a letter to the professor. Mostly, it was therapeutic in nature, but part of me knew that I would be sending it. Okay, do not do anything rash! I reviewed it, changed it and saved it. I sent it to myself at work. At 6 a.m. I laid back down for a nap.

On my way to work, I called my advisor...didn't tell her about the letter but did tell her about the project. First thing she tells me, you need to tell your professor. Okay - I felt better writing the letter; I felt better talking to her; and you know what? I felt better when I sent the letter. I hear that it is campus policy that professors have to answer withing 2 days so we shall see.

I now have a paper that I need to write, on my own, that is due on Monday, again at midnight. Going to go do some research now. Good thing that library online is open 24 hours!

First Week, Class One

Today marks the end of my first week of online class. I have to say, it is a little overwhelming. I didn't have Internet until Saturday, four days after class started. The same class started again tomorrow, so I was just going to take it then. But NOOOOOO! It would make a difference in my financial aid, so I went to talk to JMR (the big man at work). I explained my situation and he graciously allowed me to use my computer at work last week until I got my Internet working Saturday. I spent so much time at the office and even if I wasn't working all that time, I am sick of my corner!

I think the people on my team are smarter and more verse than I am. Not to say that I don't have an opinion, but I think they are better at putting their thoughts on paper. Sigh, here I am beating myself up already! I think I am the only one that is going with the MHA/Gerontology field, so this is only one class that is 3 weeks long. One week down and two more to go for Class One.

What the blazes have I done now?