Higher Higher Learning

So ten years after finally graduating with my B.A., I’m about to re-enter the hallowed halls and pursue an M.Ed. at Hawaii Pacific University. It’s got a brand-new program in secondary teaching that really appeals to me for a few reasons:

  1. It’s a new program. I like the idea of getting in on something in its early stages.
  2. HPU is in downtown Honolulu, an area I have always enjoyed spending time in. Plus, it’s very close to home (just an hour’s walk, if it ever comes to that).
  3. HPU is a small school, and I’m a small-school guy.
  4. I know a million people with advanced degrees from UH-Manoa. I know very few people with advanced degrees from HPU. That’s appealing for some reason.

Plus, it really is time. I need those extra letters after my name and I can always use that extra knowledge in my brain. I know who I am and what I am, and I feel great about both, at least professionally, so I go in with nothing to prove to anyone. All I’m going to do is ask myself before every class session what I can get out of my time and what I might be able to offer others.

I sorta can’t wait, but I need to calm down and focus–I have a ton of stuff to get done before I’m actually admitted and I’ve got to get a lot of things in order for work. I have been steadily getting a lot of prep-stuff done and was feeling very, very good about my progress, but then I agreed to take on the yearbook. Yes, I’m a banana. Now my line looks like this: one section of literary analysis, two sections of algebra II, one section of freshman computer, and one section of yearbook production. Holy. Mackerel.

I’ve taken a ridiculous amount of time to prepare my problem set for next year’s math league events. Each school has to submit a complete set (that’s three problems–easy, medium, difficult–each in six events and one team problem) and at most schools, the task is divided among the math teachers. I’m a one-coach team, though, so it all falls on me. I think I’ve already spent a good twenty or twenty-five hours on the problems, but I’m just about done now. Just another hour to compose my solutions and then to photocopy and staple.

The problems aren’t due until the first meet in October! I am so on it!

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