Why Brenda began an on-line degree program

People go back to school for many reasons. Mine simply was that I had thought about being a teacher many times. Between not wanting to be an Athletic Trainer anymore, having two small children and tired of working jobs that didn't require more than a high school diploma when my husband wasn't working, I decided to finally pursue the career of teacher.

So once I decided to go back to school I had to decide if I wanted to pursue another Bachelors degree or a Masters degree. After talking to teacher friends, I decided that if I didn't do the Masters degree now, I would want one shortly after I started teaching and therefor it did not make sense for me to do a second Bachelors degree. I looked at our local University where I received my BS, but to get a Masters in Education I had to have a Bachelors in Education first. There was a Masters program for me 45 minutes away, but it was on ground and I would have to drive not to mention figure out day care arrangements and work schedules.

Then I discovered XYZ University and I could get my Masters and my teacher certification at the same time from the comfort of my home in my pajamas. Like any new endeavor I started off gung-ho (not to say that I haven't held myself accountable I currently have a 3.85 GPA- I'll explain through this blog why it isn't a 4.0 like I would like) and began an adventure that thank God started with budding new friendships with ladies that are miles away, actually some of them time zones and even countries away.

I am now 8 weeks away from starting student teaching and the last two years have been full of ups and downs, laughing, pulling my hair out, and swearing I was going to quit. Through this blog we hope to share with you some misconceptions of on-line education, some tricks of the trade for getting through with your sanity, what NOT to do, yes there are many things with hindsight being 20/20 I may have handled a little differently :) And perhaps the biggest lesson learned is that I have the self determination and drive to finish a Masters degree in my pajamas in the comfort of my own home with children, work, rental properties and life all happening at the same time.