I am almost halfway through the Math 25 College Algebra Summer Fast Track class here at Chaffey. I don't mind it, and so far I've been able to keep up with it. It turns out it's a hybrid class, with some of the class being online (mostly the homework system of ConnectMath with a digital textbook), and class meetings being held in person.

I've taken one online class before, Intro to Philosophy, and while it was easy to navigate (we used Moodle, which is similar to Blackboard) and I never saw the instructor, I was a little put off in that there was no face-to-face interaction (with Philosophy classes I like the debate and discussion aspect of the class). I didn't feel like I was actually going to school. But that's a different problem than what I am facing with ConnectMath.

Usually I do my homework on the weekends, and with math I do take a little more time than others might. I give myself time to process the material, and this class is no exception. However, I find myself frustrated as I do the problems, enter them into the "palette" on ConnectMath's website, and it gets marked wrong, despite me being right.

Seeing this when I know the answer is right is very frustrating.

Aside from questions that ask for set builder or interval notation, most of the time no format required is given, so when I get a problem wrong just based on the format, it makes me not want to do my homework. I've spent hours, unnecessarily, on a set of 15 problems, mostly because if you get it "wrong" more than two or three times, it resets the problem for you and you have to start all over again. Then I get frustrated because if I could turn in homework traditionally (a fat stack of paper), I'd be done and out sitting by the pool.

In class yesterday, the instructor tried to show us some examples by projecting the "palette" on the screen, and she came up with the same issues. In frustration, she said, "Is this what you guys have to deal with?" and received a unanimous, "Yes!"

These videos are nice to watch to review the material on my spare time.

But that is just a review of the "palette" tool of the ConnectMath website. Other than that, the website does have tutorial videos I watch on my lunch breaks, practice questions for review, and a link to the textbook, which is always handy. Most problems even have examples to learn from. And if you do get it wrong, not just from formatting issues but you legit got the answer wrong, you can do guided solutions and ask the computer to solve the problem.

So far I seem to be doing OK in the class. It's hard to tell when you're frustrated, because that can actually hinder your ability to learn. I got an 88/100 on the first test, which is a lot better than I thought I would get (I thought I got a low C). I am doing my best to study all the time and not just before the test. It's a little hard to do so when the class is so compressed and we have a test every other week. In a normal schedule, I would have more time to study and that period of 2 weeks would be a given for cramming anyway (at least, what I call cramming).

One thing I am doing is re-writing my notes. In class I have a notebook that I scribble everything into, then I got a second notebook to re-write in a neater and more comprehensive manner when I get home. I'm not going to be going into study aesthetics, however. There's just no time, and if you know me, you know my handwriting is an impatient, loopy catastrophe (that only I seem to be able to read which is fine by me).

This week is our second test which seems to be a take-home test or online test. I hope it is take-home, only because I fear what would happen if I don't put the answer in the right format for the "palette." I'll be quick with my screengrabs, then.

If  you are taking summer classes, how are they going? What are some challenges you are facing?

When I first selected my Math 425 professor in Fall 2016, I didn't do any research on him. I took the class because it was available Friday nights, and I wanted to have my Saturdays open, but that should have been my secondary concern. Things did not go well, and I, along with most of a student population of 30, dropped the class. Unfortunately, I dropped after the midterm, and got stuck with a W on my record (a grade of W does not count towards my GPA, but it shows when I transfer that I waited until half the class was over to drop).

After I left, I made an appointment with counseling because now I had to postpone taking Math 425 to the next semester, and thus postpone Statistics to Fall 2017. I told my counselor about how the teacher did not collect homework, do reviews, or teach like the book, and how most of us were very confused. Everyone failed the midterm in that class. The counselor said to me, "Didn't you check ratemyprofessors.com?"

I didn't, seeing as I didn't know that was a thing at the time. After the counseling session I immediately went home and checked the professor's score on the website.

Red up and down. Ouch. If I had seen that before I had registered for classes, I wouldn't have taken his class!

If I had seen this before I had attempted Math 425 the first time, I would not have taken this professor. All the things that make for a teacher-student incompatibility were there! Disorganized, didn't collect homework, didn't teach effectively, didn't let people know what was on the tests...come to find out that he would require a certain format of answers on the test that were not taught in the book! Some students may be able to work with this environment but you don't need the added anxiety of trying extra hard to cover what your professor should be doing.

Well, I was sure to reference Ratemyprofessors.com from then on out and the results have been great. I've made sure I got classes with teachers that not only have good ratings but also teach in ways that correspond to my learning style. I selected my new Math 425 professor based on his rating, and not only was I able to follow along and get feedback on my homework, I did so well that I got an A in the class!

But going to Ratemyprofessors.com doesn't just mean look for people with all green ratings and blindly taking their classes. There are other factors to consider! Follow my guide when planning to register for classes below:

First, consider your learning style.
I have had the pleasure of taking class 3 times with an amazing professor. He has the room arranged with chairs in a big circle, and lecture is discussion based. The whole group gets in on the learning and no one really has the chance to get distracted with their phones. I found this learning experience to be very helpful because it helped me to remember everything just in how novel the setting was. We related the textbook material to real life stories, and learned from each other. For the most part, he has great reviews on Ratemyprofessors.com

But there's one bad review. They complained about what they considered was an inappropriate college class setting, and that the homework didn't seem to help them relate to the class content.

Obviously my experience and their experience was very different despite the fact that this professor runs all his classes in a similar way. This student did not mesh well with the teaching style, which doesn't necessarily denote a failure on the part of the professor or student. It just means it was a bad match. The student probably should have dropped the class and taken it with a professor who was more orthodox.

And while I am OK with formal learning environments with the class sitting forward and the teacher reading from Powerpoints, as they don't necessarily hinder me in any way and I've walked away with an A in those classes, it's just not as memorable an experience for me. So far I've had two professors (one Child Development and one Philosophy) who has conducted class in the circle format, and not every professor will even consider it.

But there are other factors to how I learn. I love to write, so a teacher who assigns a lot of essays will be a good fit for me. I enjoy professors who give feedback, answer questions, and call on me during class. The one class where even though I did well I would have given the professor a bad rating if I did not understand that we just didn't mesh was a class where the teacher read off Powerpoints through the whole class and didn't accept questions or call on people.

For some students, this class method would really work for them. For some, it wouldn't. I sat next to someone in that class who had a hard time concentrating on the 3 hours of non-stop lecture. She told me she was ADHD and I could tell that she was spending as much time fighting to concentrate as she was learning. Obviously that class was not a good fit for her.

Why say all this? Because when you go on Ratemyprofessors.com and you see what everyone is praising or complaining about, you need to give these ratings context but also consider how they fit in your learning style. I've noted before that if a bunch of students complain that a professor gives out a lot of essay assignments it won't necessarily be a bad thing for me because I love to write essays. To each their own!

Then look at the professor's ratings.
If you look on a professor's page on Ratemyprofessors.com, you'll notice a little section with a rating number and certain categories that students select about the professor. 


This section provides a snapshot of the professor and some details that students may not put in their rating paragraphs because they only have so many words they can post. 

• First is the Overall Quality number. This number is a rating average of all the individual ratings given. Great professors are going to have a rating of 4.0 or above, but I generally pick people with a 4.5 or above. 
• Would take again. This isn't a dealbreaker for me because for many professors, students don't need to take a class with them again unless they are majoring in the subject. It's nice to see something there but if you don't, it should be ok.
• Level of difficulty. This number sort of breaks down how well a teacher instructs so students can "get it." It doesn't necessarily mean a teacher is "dumbing it down." I would look at this number if you are taking a course that you consider hard. For example, say math isn't your strong suit. If you are looking at a professor for a required math class and the difficulty rating is 4, then it probably isn't the class for you. That 2.1 rating may be more your style. The same subject and material will be covered, but students are reporting that this teacher makes it easier to understand.
• Hotness. I never fill this out because I don't really care how hot a teacher is, but some students might. It's not a deciding factor for me when selecting an instructor, because they could be Chris Hemsworth for all we know but a bad teacher.
•  Top 20 tags. I pay attention to this instead. This may be the most crucial part of a professor's rating header, alongside Overall Quality and Level of Difficulty. It gives you a better idea of what to expect from the instructor and weeds out complaints from a bigger picture of what the professor is like. For example, the image above shows that this professor gives lots of homework, as rated by 6 people. I think it's a safe bet to expect a lot of homework from the professor! Many people may not like that, but for me that's not a dealbreaker. On the flipside, only one person said this professor is a tough grader. This may show you that this professor is only a tough grader from that person's perspective. The professor may not be a tough grader at all! The student may have been expecting to get away with doing the bare minimum, or may not be used to college grading. Who knows? Try not to take lesser ratings like this sway your decision too much.

That being said, there are some things you should not accept from a professor or "take with a grain of salt."
Now we move into the individual ratings or paragraphs under the rating header. You're going to get individual insight from each person that expands on the rating header. For the most part, you're going to see some great ratings like this:

This teacher seems very respectable and a good teacher to boot!

But you may run into a page full of these:

You do not have to put up with a teacher who belittles you in class.

Teachers are people too, and they have their quirks and make mistakes like the rest of us. But being a professor requires some level of professionalism that students depend on. We're here to learn, and learning is already a process as it is. Plus, we are paying for these classes and deserve to get our money's worth!

As a non-traditional student, we're working hard not only at school but at home and at work too. Some of us have kids. And even if we didn't have any of that stacked against us, if we have to do extra work because a professor isn't carrying their weight, that's a bad thing. Here's a few things to look out for in reviews that will tell you to steer clear of a professor:

• They talk about themselves or topics that have nothing to do with the subject matter. Ok, I had one of these. Business was the first class I enrolled in when I decided to go back to school. The professor was...interesting to say the least. She made inappropriate and flirtatious remarks to the young male students in the class on the first day in front of everyone. She talked about how great she was and all about her family. I spent the whole class there that day - the first and last day I attended her class - and she spent maybe 20 minutes on the class subject out of 3 hours. I didn't use Ratemyprofessors.com back then, but looking at it now, for her, most of the students complain about the same stuff that I had a problem with. She spends most of the semester talking about stuff that has nothing to do with the class, leaving students to fill in the gaps and learn on their own. Why take a class if you have to do that? But, I suppose I should thank her. I dropped that class and turned my back on business once and for all, and have been able to dedicate myself to Child Development whole-heartedly.
• Bad organizational skills. If students complain about a teacher who is always flustered and doesn't seem to have their stuff together, pass them on by. If they can forget to do their job right, how do you know they've graded you right? Remembered you turned something in? Didn't lose your papers? And no one wants to waste time during lecture meetings to wait for a teacher to get their material going.

• Doesn't collect homework on time or at all. I find this very annoying. I am busting my butt to go to college and get my As and you are going to treat my hard work in such a disrespectful manner that you aren't even going to collect or grade it? Pass.
• Not only do they not give constructive feedback, they are rude, angry, or belittling. You do not need to put up with this. I had an art teacher the first time I went to college who treated me this way. I was in a class of mostly guys, and the teacher liked to put the girls work up front and pick it apart. His tone was not constructive, and was very belittling. He had nothing but praise for the work the guys did. One time he pulled my art in front of the class and asked, "What were you thinking?" in such a condescending way that I decided I had had enough and left. At the time I had been told that I should have stayed with the class and not drop it, but I respected myself too much for that. You don't go to college to get abused.
• They don't show up most of the class, show up really late, or leave really early. There's a rule at school where if the professor doesn't show up in the first 15 minutes of class, its cancelled, even if they don't email you or put up a sign in sheet. I've heard of some people having professors who did this on a regular basis! I understand things come up, but if a professor can't be arsed to show up most of the time, it's just disrespectful. I get myself going and manage my time, and I expect someone with the title Professor to do the same, especially if I am paying out of pocket for my education. 
• Students complain that they get graded for stuff they weren't aware of. I once had a teacher who marked anyone who looked at their cell phone at all with an F for the day (back before the age of smart phones and most people treated their little Nokias like watches). I was surprised to see my grade lowered by all these mystery Fs! Some other students complained as well, and she revealed her unspoken rule. I've also had professors knock points off stuff like writing an essay in MLA when they had wanted us to write in APA but had not stated this requirement (we automatically refer to MLA unless requirements ask for it). This may not be a deal breaker, and it wasn't for me, but it may be more of a hassle than you want to deal with. I asked for my points back because these rules weren't made known to me and I got them back, but I noticed a lot of other students were too intimidated to do so. No matter what the case, stand up for your needs. This isn't high school, and you can get those points back!
• They are inappropriate and lack a teacher/student boundary. Like the example of the business professor, class time is not your professor's personal Match.com session. What a professor or student does on their private time is none of my business and I don't care (and also, people meet in real life situations like that, and at work, and rules to keep it from happening are archaic at best), but if that kind of behavior happens in the classroom, that's not a classroom you need to be in. Even though I stayed the entire class session that first day with the business professor, other students walked out in the middle. You're at school to learn. You shouldn't have to put up with a professor who clearly lacks maturity, tact, and boundaries.

Oh boy. This is a new and interesting experience for sure.

The first day had me trying to find a parking pass, like always, since the parking passes never seem to arrive on time. That's okay though, because school gives out temp ones on the first day. I did take my own advice and get to school early - a half hour early - to get the parking pass and find class, which was in the Vocational Services building. It was a large classroom, the largest one I've been in, and even though only half the seats were taken, it was still a large amount of people.

My teacher comes from Cal Poly Pomona, and it can be typical for professors who teach during the Summer to come from different colleges. Last Summer I had Jon Russell (from Cold War Kids, for reals), who isn't a classroom professor during the regular school year. The Math 25 professor's teaching style thus far seems to be different from the teachers I've had before at Chaffey, and she's decided to use an online book and grading system for the class.

The online system for Math 25 that also comes with the ebook.

I brought my laptop with me just for this purpose, but the class is so condensed that trying to follow along with the textbook is can be tricky. Instead, I correspond my notes from Math 425 with the notes I take for this class, since it seems Math 25 just expands on what I learned in Math 425.

First, we need to do an assessment so that the online system can tailor our learning experience to what we need to learn, i.e. what are our strengths and weaknesses are. It took me a while to do this assessment, and I was surprised at how much I had forgotten (mostly the later chapters of Match 425) in the last two weeks. I am glad I am taking this class now, because I don't want to lose all the hard work I did in Spring!

I didn't quite understand the report, but if I am not mistaken, I am a bit shaky on the last few chapters of 425 that will also be a part of 25 and are considered College Algebra (hence the need to take this class). These chapters were condensed into a month in 425 so I am not too worried about the results of this assessment.

The teacher moves rather fast through the material, but it isn't hard to understand. She doesn't sacrifice comprehensive teaching for speed, which is great. There were a few things I was iffy on, but I wrote notes in the margins of my notebooks about where the lesson corresponded to the book so that I could review later during study time. That way I am not floundering to correspond the lecture with homework.

The only real con I can see to this experience is the amount of time I spend sitting. I work full time so I mostly sit for 8 hours, then for four days a week I sit 2 more hours. By the end of the second day, my legs and butt ached! By the end of the fourth, my ankles were swelling like I had been sitting on a 15 hour flight to China in coach (protip: spring for the business class, trust me)! In fact, sitting here typing this, I feel like I need to get up and jog.


This weekend I will be tackling the homework, which I hope doesn't take up all of my weekend. It is a condensed, high credit class, so that may just be wishful thinking. There are due dates and all the homework is submitted online, so I don't have to worry about not getting credit or feedback like my first Math 425 professor.


How was your first week of Summer classes? Where did you excel, and where did you struggle? How do you plan to adapt?

I hate being bored. I'm one of those people who likes to be doing something constructive. Plus, as a non-traditional student who is returning to school, I work, so I don't have time for epic adventures but I also know how to, and want to, make the best use of my time.

Summer excitement!

That being said, there are things I want to do this summer, most of it being prep for next semester and the June 5th start date of summer classes. Here's my plan for the Summer:

Take a summer class. 
I've already talked about why this is important to do, but I feel like I need to make sure I am utilizing my time to the best of my ability. Sitting around the house or just going to work isn't fulfilling that purpose for me. Since school has ended, I've watched all of Sherlock...all of Call the Midwife..all of Riverdale...all of Anne with an E...you get the point. I could easily waste my summer on Netflix, but that time can also be used to get me ahead for next semester. Sure, Math 25 isn't what I'd call the most exciting plan for summer (although I am excited), but the time is going to pass anyway. Why not pass it doing something useful?

Earl Nightingale has the right idea.

Check out and fill out as many scholarships as I can.
I am on the Board of Governor's Fee Waiver, but I still incur costs for school. I spend money on books, fees, parking passes, and I also lose money when I take days off from work to do school related stuff. Plus, when I transfer, I will not be under the BOG. I am going to fill out as many scholarships as I can, because anything can help with the cost of college.
 
Plan to start a Non-Traditional Students Club/Union at my school.
I've already emailed the Associated Students Union at my school about wanting to start this up at my college. There is currently no club or union for non-traditional students there, and most, if not all, clubs there meet during the day, so non-traditional students cannot participate if they work full time. 

I hope that if I do get this started, that we are able to meet after 5 PM on weekdays, and that it can be a place where non-traditional students can get involved in school, work on being well-rounded students, and can be supported in the unique challenges they face as non-traditional students in a system built for Fresh Ex-High Schoolers.
 
Get involved. 
I definitely want to get more involved in the community and start preparing to be a teacher. I've applied to be a tutor in quite a few places, but I also volunteer with Helping Hands Pantry. I want to do more, and visit more often. I did tutor my cousin during the semester (2nd grade) and enjoyed being able to work one-on-one with a kid. I was able to get her to focus, and she was able to do a really good job on her project. She got an A, and delivered a great Powerpoint on Queen Elizabeth II (with works cited, I'm so proud). She learned quite a bit about integrity in school, how to be a good person, and how respect works. She picked the Queen because she liked that, "everyone does what she says." At the end, she said she learned that being respected like the Queen comes with respecting others, and serving others tirelessly and selflessly. I'm sure there's more to being Queen, but for a 2nd grader, it was a good learning experience.

I know there are plenty of kids out there who don't get the chance to work one-on-one with a tutor. Many parents don't get tutors for their kids because they believe they are expensive, and that a teacher should be able to do everything themselves anyway. That couldn't be further from the truth! In today's crowded classrooms, every kid - even the "gifted" ones - can get overlooked and left behind. I also know there's more to a child's success than aptitude for test-taking and following directions alone. It can be an emotional experience...and a child who believes they can't do something won't do something. It's up to the people around them to tap into the power of "yet."

I can't do that...yet.
I don't know that...yet.
...etc. 

A growth mindset not only benefits children in the classroom but us as college students!

Have some fun
There are a lot of people I've met who probably think that I don't know "how to have fun." The truth is, I find school and learning very fun. I love writing papers, studying, research, and challenging my brain. It's just who I am. Unfortunately a lot of these things are made synonymous with being a stick in the mud, perfectionism, and generally not being a fun person. I think that's sad, because a lot of people do really find this stuff enjoyable and that's ok.

That being said, I understand that too much of a good thing can really hurt. Brain farts, burnout, and of course, dealing with an autoimmune disease plus real life means you have to pull your head into reality every once in a while. Sometimes, you really do need some mindless fun to relax your big, beautiful brain. So I've made a list of all the things I want to do this summer, as modest as it may be:

• Go to the beach, maybe train it to San Diego
• Throw a Goodbye House Party (we're moving!)
• Hang out with my nephews more (we went to the zoo and had a party last weekend, but I also want to visit the Discovery Cube too, and see Cars 3)
• Squeeze in a visit or two to the Griffith Observatory and The Getty, as I haven't been in yeeaaars
•  Mani, pedi, hair, all that biz

 How are you spending the summer? What are you doing during the summer that is preparing you for what comes next in your college journey?

As I have mentioned in my previous posts about anti-bias children's lit, girl characters in children's lit being portrayed as part of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math interests are rare. We've seen an upswing in interest and representation of girls in STEM, but the truth is, boys interests, representation, and toys remain the priority of many educators, television program producers, authors, and product developers. 

I have taken an interest in the endeavor of getting girls into STEM since before I decided to leave Halloween, as I pushed for more girl models wearing traditionally boy costumes: scientists, firefighters, fighter pilots, astronauts, etc. (I also pushed for more girl versions of superhero costumes). I realized as I did research that girls were getting the short end of the stick, and when I was a young girl, none of today's efforts at representation existed!

Brave New Girls volume 2 is due out on Kindle and in Paperback in August 2017

That is why I am extremely excited and appreciative to be a part of Brave New Girls 1 & 2, a compilation of stories written by fantastic up and coming authors, all of which feature girls in scifi and/or STEM settings and interests. I met Mary Fan, one of the authors and editors of the project, while exploring the science behind scifi fiction writing while living in New Jersey some-odd years ago, and have kept in touch with her. When she sent out the call for illustrations for Brave New Girls 1, I jumped at the chance. 

I was given two stories to illustrate the first time around, The Hive by Kate Lansing:

My illustration for The Hive will be featured in Portolium's 2017 Best of Portfolium,

"Teen science aficionado Fi has made it her duty to protect the honeybees. Not only does she love the little creatures, but her society depends on them for their survival. Something sinister is astir, though, and powerful forces are behind it. With the help of her programmer friend and a surprising ally, Fi sets out to discover the truth and share it with the world."

 and Flight of the Zephyr by Aimie K. Runyan:

"On the planet Tenturia, mining service is mandatory. But Wynn Felstrander managed to avoid it by working in her father's lab instead, after the government decided they needed her scientific skills more than another laborer. Still, she's trapped on the planet by the all-powerful regime.

When Wynn makes an important breakthrough in the process for refining the crystals used for fuel, she thinks she's finally found her ticket to freedom. But then she discovers that the Council is hiding a sinister truth about the very energy source she's spent her whole life working on. And the consequences for her mining-outpost home could be dire. Wynn soon finds herself facing the most difficult decision of her life. Should she take the Council's offer for safety? Or risk everything to leak the truth?"

When Mary announced a Volume 2 of Brave New Girls, I once again jumped at the opportunity.  This time I was able to illustrate three stories, and dove into each while also finishing up a 40+ page child study paper and studying for finals! But it was all worth it. I felt that this volume was building off of the previous, with bigger, bolder stories for girls and boys to read about brave heroines in STEM! The first I tackled was The Maker's Handbook by George Ebey:

"In a post-apocalyptic future where technology is shunned and people work as slaves for the good of their province, a young girl named Enola meets a mysterious wanderer who puts her on the terrifying and liberating path. "

Then there was The Case of the Missing Sherlock by Mary Fan herself:
 

I really enjoyed playing with black & white, and really wanted this image to reflect the excitement of vintage mystery novels like Nancy Drew.

"When her AI roommate, Sherlock, vanishes while working a case, fledgling biomedical engineer Chevonne is left to play detective after the authorities refuse to help her. Her investigation takes her into the heart of a dangerous operation that seeks to use Sherlock’s scientific know-how for their own nefarious purposes…"

And my personal favorite, The 17th Quadrennial Intergalactic Neo-Cultural Expo & Science Fair by Jeanne Kramer-Smyth:

I had a lot of fun with this one. I really wanted to get into some scifi fashion design, using my previous career in costume design, and create a magazine cover type feel, as if advertising the titular event itself!

"Up late working on their entry for the Intergalactic Science Fair, Alice and her friends are faced with a dire emergency on the space station that holds their boarding school. Can they figure out how to evacuate their classmates before time runs out?"

I'm sure everyone involved in this project hopes that their work will encourage girls to take part in STEM but also to show boys and girls alike that girl heroes do not have to fit into someone else's traditional gender roles and tropes. Just like real life girls and women, females are smart, hardworking, and ingenuitive! Illustrating these characters has not only been fun but also a part of my own mission to help and work with kids to see their potential. How many future scientists and astronauts will I meet? That's an exciting prospect!

Brave New Girls volume 2 is available August 2017, and is perfect for the young reader in your life, the classroom, or even for yourself!

Finals are over! Spring 2017 is done! You're free! Freeedooooom!

Ok. Get it out of your system because I am going to suggest something that is going to put a damper on your Summer plans (which, if you are a non-traditional student like me, you don't have because you work full time anyway and don't get Summer breaks...). What is that thing you don't want to hear?

Take a class this Summer.

Oh, what?

My college has classes available during the Summer and many students take advantage of them. These classes are usually basic, introductory, and general ed classes that are easily compressible into the short Summer break (our college calls them Fast Track classes) and help students get things out of the way so come Fall Semester they can take classes that really interest them.

Our summer catalog!

I will be doing this with Math 25, or College Algebra for this year. This way, I can apply to transfer this Fall! I met with a transfer counselor and we realized the only thing standing in my way is this class, and of course I'd rather get this class done now!

I did take a class during last Summer as well. I took Introduction to Philosophy, mainly because at the time my major was undeclared and I wanted to keep my mind busy. This unknowingly helped me prepare to take Intro to Religion that Fall, which I did need for my major.

Here's why you, as a non-traditional student, should take a class this Summer:

Keep the momentum going.
This is my main reason for taking a class during the Summer. I don't want to get complacent, and while relaxation is needed and should be done, I don't want to relax so much that when Fall comes along I struggle to get back into the groove. 

Get some basic classes out of the way.
If you have things like basic English that you need to get done but don't want to waste a full semester doing, this is a good chance to get it out of the way. These classes are usually compressed during the Summer so there's less chance you will get bored with the material and feel like you are wasting your time.

My summer will be a summer of math! This way, I can apply to transfer in the Fall, and I will keep the momentum going from my A in Math-425. When Statistics for Social Science starts in Fall, I won't be scrambling to review!

Explore something new.
I took Intro to Philosophy because it was interesting but also it was an online class. I'd never taken a strictly online class before, and I've had friends jabber on and on about philosophy before, and I'd always struggle to keep up in conversation. I decided to get some basic knowledge and earn a grade while I was at it. I learned that while philosophy was interesting, I didn't want it to be my major, and while online classes were novel, I missed the social aspect of being in a class and discussing ideas. If I had never taken that class, I would have never known.

Reduce work load for the future.
Next semester has me doing Biology with a lab and Statistics for Social Science. These are two classes that I've heard are heavy on workload, and I don't want to be stuck doing a class like Math 25 while I am working on Statistics and whatever it is Biology lab will be throwing at me. Getting this class out of the way frees up my schedule to focus on these two classes. 

However, there are special challenges that taking a summer class may bring, and how to get around them:   

Your kids have the summer off.
If you are a Stay At Home Mom/Dad, you may be in charge of the munchkins for the Summer while their school is out. Your demands of being a parent will be mixed with going to school during the Summer. The solution? Stick to easier, basic classes or take classes at times when your SO/secondary caregiver is present. Or, take online classes. This may mean taking classes on a Saturday, or in the evenings when someone can watch the kids. Or, sign your kids up for a Summer Camp that takes place during the day so you can take classes at that time.

Our catalog also has a section with online and hybrid classes for the summer.

There aren't many classes available when you can take them.
My solution to this is take one in something that interests you at the time you can take them. Look to online classes where you control your schedule. You will ultimately be responsible for the routine to get the work of these classes done, but the flexibility of managing your own schedule is unparalleled.

You need more time to understand the material in the class.
I faced this last Summer. I tried to take an Intro to Ceramics class because I really wanted to explore ceramics! But ceramics isn't something you can compress into a tiny amount of time. I found myself struggling and decided that while I was still interested in ceramics, I needed to be honest with myself. I wasn't going to rob myself of the experience of learning. I wanted to learn, and to enjoy the art, not rush to get things done. I dropped the class.

Your city may have a summer activities brochure like this one that features classes you and your kids can take during the summer.

If you are faced with a class where you know you need more time to learn, then don't take it. Take something else, or take a prerequisite/easier class to the one you want to take to prep yourself. If your school doesn't have a class available, check with your city. Chaffey is in Rancho Cucamonga but also Fontana and Chino, and all those cities offer summer classes (without credit) that may be a more gentle introduction to a class. They don't just have art classes too...they also feature classes in computer skills, music, writing, and more!

Not all teachers come back to teach during the summer.
Sometimes summer classes only feature not-so-popular teachers, new teachers, or worse, really bad teachers. Getting around this can be rather easy. Just visit ratemyprofessors.com and check out potential teachers ahead of time. My rule is generally if they have many Green Ratings and maybe one Red Rating or Yellow Rating, they should be okay. When I see tons of Red and Yellow, I stay away. But I also look at what the students are saying in the ratings. Are they talking about the teacher's organizational skills, ability to lecture in a way that will help me to learn, or making the learning experience fun? Or are students consistently saying that the teacher is unorganized, is hard to understand, and makes learning a chore? I also look at how the professor's teaching style meshes with my learning style. I love to write papers. So if a bunch of students complain about writing papers all semester, it may not be that bad for me. But if students complain that a teacher never collects homework or gives feedback, that's a no from me. 

Hopefully all this will be an incentive for you to keep the momentum going for Summer! I for one am actually really excited: coming off my A in Math (first ever!) and wanting to prepare for the future, giving myself the best chance I can for Statistics for Social Science? When you think about the work you have to do in that way, it seems less like work and more like a present!
 
What classes will you be taking this Summer? How will they prepare you for the Fall?