This week I had the amazing opportunity to return to CDE-3, Observation & Assessment for Child Development, as a guest speaker to students taking the class this semester. My professor was impressed by the Child Study Paper, as well as the observation records that I completed during my time in the class enough to invite me back, and it was an opportunity I jumped on!

Honestly, being asked to speak to other students about such a complex assignment was an honor, and I looked forward to this opportunity all Summer. Upon the start of the semester, I emailed my professor to make sure we were still on, and when she replied, I set to crafting a Powerpoint to meet her requirements for the talk.

The first thing I wanted to focus on before ever talking about the assignment was Time Management. For many people in Junior or Community College, Time Management may be an unheard-of concept. I, for one, was unaware of this term until I entered what was to be my last job in Halloween costume design, when a supervisor angrily asked me, "Don't you understand Time Management?" (protip: if a boss is willing to yell at you about something but not help you understand something, start searching for jobs elsewhere). That means that all throughout my first college experiences (at 3 different colleges) and through 9 years of a career, it was not a concept I was aware of. The point is, many High Schools and many colleges do not teach Time Management. They teach kids to do as they are told, which provides them a serious handicap when they go out into the real world.

I provided the students with tools to help better manage their time, like this schedule that breaks up different aspects of their lives into "jobs".

Discovering Time Management, and the importance of setting up certain tools to help with Time Management seriously got me through the semester of CDE-3. Without it, I don't know how I could have passed with such a good grade (A+, btw).

First, I told them to treat every aspect of their life like a separate "job." When you're at work, ideally, you are only supposed to be working. You can't use work time to hang out with your friends. You can't use school time, when you're supposed to be in class, to do work stuff (if you are, time to establish some Time Management boundaries!). Even if each "job" of their lives - work, school, homework, chores, family time, etc. - may not have a boundary set by someone else, like clocking in and clocking out, their boundaries need to be treated as if they are as important. Otherwise, they will be "robbing time" that they can't get back.

I showed them the Assignment List, which was something even my professor had never seen before!

I next showed them the Assignment List, which is a tool I use instead of a planner. Many of the students were blown away by this concept, and even the professor had not seen this tool before! I explained to them that many students rely on the syllabus alone, but often, a big step in taking the frustration away from knowing what to do is to see everything due in one place. I explained to them that when it came to managing not only CDE-3, which is very hand-out and assignment heavy, with other classes that come with their own levels of stress or difficulty, knowing the next step ahead of time not only keeps them focused and out of a state of fear, but may also help them to work ahead of deadlines.

I told them that they don't have to allow their lives to be dictated by deadlines. They can see deadlines as goals, and they can work ahead of those goals. They don't have to wait until the deadlines are in view to start working on assignments!

I showed them how to break down each assignment into mini deadlines or "goals", a major tip in staying ahead of the game!

Next, I showed them how to break down each assignment into mini goals (or deadlines) so that they aren't scrambling to get everything done the day before an assignment is due. The example I showed them was their real-life deadline of selecting a preschool for observation. One of their requirements to be able to observe in a preschool is to have a TB test done. I explained to them that this was part of their assignment, and they can break down this mini goal into even more mini goals. That way, they aren't trying to get a TB test scheduled and done before they visit a school, and they aren't scrambling to visit a school before the selection form is due!

I then went into detail about the child observation process itself, and how important it is to keep track of details. I explained to them these key points:

• Don't wait to get started.
• Keep a separate notebook and binder just for CDE-3 to stay organized.
• When doing observations, make a habit to look at the clock every once in a while and note the time...you may never know when you need that time stamp.
• After making observations, try to immediately go and transcribe the notes into digital format.
• Keep all digital files in a central location like Dropbox so that they are easily accessible, and you don't have to worry if you lose a flash drive.

I was able to answer questions and talk more in detail about the paper itself, and explained to them how important each part of the paper is. I was there for almost 2 hours, and I have been asked back in September to go through my paper in detail. I can't wait to help these students discover how easy it is to craft a truly exceptional term paper!

How have you helped other students? What part of this post helped you to understand how to manage time better?

Before Fall of 2014, SAHM Jennifer Felton of Southern California was most concerned with coordinating homeschool for her five kids, which was more than a full-time job that, while beneficial to her family, did not contribute to the family's income. However, Felton, at the time 32 years old, understood the importance of education for her kids, and had opted for homeschooling so that they could reap the most benefits from their educational experience. When the importance of education and the desire to increase the family income collided, she knew that there was one thing she had to do: return to school as a non-traditional student.

Felton on a Geology trip to Joshua tree in December 2016.

When she first enrolled at Riverside City College, she did so with the end goal being that she would become a teacher for charter schools, where she would work with independent study students from home. She faced the prospect of obtaining a liberal arts degree, which is what many in the teaching profession obtain, but she wanted something a little more specific, like an English, Science, or History degree. "I really felt strongly that if I was going to spend all that time and money going to school, I didn't want a liberal arts degree," she said.

She took an Introduction to Teaching class and volunteered in a few classrooms, only to find that there were certain aspects of teaching that she did not like. And, she did not want to risk a future endeavor when the future of homeschooling and charter schools could always change. She faced a dilemma; she wanted to stay in school and solve her original problem of trying to improve the family's finances while also providing a good example for her children. She found the solution in a Geology class.

Exploring lava tubes in October 2016. Going back to school helped Felton discover her passion for Geology.

"I have always loved Geology," she said. "There was a professor who, at the start of the lab, told us of all the different jobs you could do with a Geology degree. I was amazed. I had thought that Geology jobs were only for looking at earthquakes and that there were no job opportunities. She changed my mind and led me to change my major." These opportunities are not always well known, including environmental clean-up, working with engineering firms, cities, and states, working to help solve water problems (like the drought in California), as well as working for energy companies.

However, even though her Geology professor was a catalyst in helping Felton find her passion, returning to school brought many changes and challenges. "My mom and dad were really happy that I went back. My friends are all happy that I went back, and have been really helpful and encouraging. My kids are proud of me, even though my youngest (who was turning 4 years old at the time) always says he wishes I just stayed at home with him. He knows how to work that mom guilt, but when I'm gone I know he really doesn't notice much."

Her children, however, are not considered separate from her own educational endeavors. Felton includes them in many of her homework activities. "They go to the college campus for...the observatory that I wouldn't have probably known about if I didn't go," she said. "I also ask my professors about suggestions and ideas in homeschooling my kids. My geology teacher told me about a lot of local field trip spots, my math teacher told me about the curriculum they use to help kids entering college who are struggling. We do schoolwork together a lot."

"I am able to prepare them for college," she continued. "Plus I can stress to them the importance of an education or tradeschool. I try to let them explore and meet different people who do different jobs so they can decide what they want to go to school for, or what they are going to do if they don't (go to college."

There are times when school and home don't always agree. For most of those times, Felton hires a friend to come and tutor her children when she will be away from home for long periods of time. Even then, the responsibilities of being a mom take priority, especially when some school events are not scheduled with non-traditional students in mind.

"I can't do a lot of things that I would do at school if I didn't have kids," Felton continued. "But I am at least moving towards a job and decent money of my own." She stated that she'd love to participate in clubs and organizations, work-study, and tutoring, where child-care is not provided by the school. "There's a week-long Spring Break geology trip that I would love to do, but I would be so anxious about my kids that it would probably be hard to do good learning."

There are other obstacles that non-traditional students like Felton face, which usually come in the form of finding and keeping financial aid. Most returning students, or those who go to college to change careers face the issue of having too many credits - most of which are not useful to their current major - to qualify for financial aid. "They won't give me a Pell grant (anymore)," Felton said. "I appealed."

Felton states that the key to success in school as a mother is knowing how to divide her time between the different needs in her life. "It's (about) balancing relationships and my own sense of self," she says.

Graduation!

Felton has graduated RCC with her AA and AS. "I did it!" she exclaimed. "I was mostly proud that I went back and finished it. I was proud for every night that I stayed up and worked on homework. I was proud that I studied and I asked for tutoring. I was proud (that) I tried and did even when I thought I couldn't. I was proud that even with certain...roadblocks in my way, I still kept at it."


The next steps for Felton include transferring to Cal State University Fullerton where she plans to get her Bachelor's of Science in Geology. While she is a bit concerned with scheduling her time in order to get to campus and back, she has decided on CSUF because of their Geology program's reputation. She sees no limits to her education, and plans to get a MS in geology at UC Riverside with a minor in hydrology or environmental studies, and maybe even a doctorate.

How does your experience in college differ from that of the traditional college student? What about Jennifer's story has helped you to understand your own educational goals?

This morning I woke to a sky full of thunder and lightning at 4 AM, and for the first time since last school started this Summer, I felt calm.

Summer school this year was, for me, a continuous adrenaline run with very little reprieve. I prepared myself for a tough semester, biting the bullet because I want to transfer and I needed this class to transfer. Doing a Math class was already something I wasn't looking forward to, but compressing a semester's worth into the period of 2 months was another challenge I was heaping upon myself.

This alert and I became fast frenemies over the Summer!

The semester started with me feeling unprepared for the pace of the class. The professor moved at a speed I wasn't used to in order to fit an entire semester's worth of material into 2 months. And then there was the ConnectMath website we used to enter our homework and on test, which provided me with hours of frustration. I went into the first test - with a test every 2 weeks - feeling somewhat prepared but good enough. I left feeling I could have done better, and that I was not as prepared as I needed to be. I got an 88% on that test, but made a lot of mistakes because anxiety got to me. I decided then that I was going to prepare better for the next test.

During this time, my Uncle Gilbert began to show that chemo was no longer working for him. He had been battling Stage IV cancer for over a year by then, and for the most part never "looked sick." He was tired all the time, and sometimes would leave family events to nap, but when Summer hit, he lost a lot of weight and stopped responding to treatment.

Also during this time, my parents decided to put the family house up for sale and move. This required us, as a family, to go through near 20 years of accumulated "stuff" to help them downsize, and then actually helping them move from one house to another. Trying to budget time between school and family obligations became a struggle.

I did much better on the 2nd test than the 1st, despite staying up all night to finish it.

The next test was a take-home test, however, the circumstances of it being a take-home test did not make it easier. I had underestimated how much homework was due and pulled an all-nighter in order to get all the homework - and take home test - done before the next day. I did much better on this test, even though pushing past my limits to get everything done had me paying for it the next day.

After those two tests, we moved into conic sections, logarithms, sequences and series, which was rather easy for me as I remembered it much better from Math 425. This homework and the subsequent test were no issue for me, and I basically solidified my A for the class...not counting the Final, of course.

The week before the Final, my Uncle died of Stage IV cancer and we held the funeral. I ended up taking two days off from school - ouch - but the math was easier for me, so I didn't have a hard time catching up (Pascal's Triangle & Binomial Expansions). At this point my parents were all moved out, but we had three rooms, a garage, shed, and attic's worth of stuff left over that we had to organize and sell.

All homework was done the Sunday before Finals, and I spent Monday and Tuesday reviewing. I took Wednesday - the day of Finals - off in order to study. I realized how much work I had missed since I went back to school in 2015, and thus, how much money I have lost. This may be a reality for many non-traditional students, which is something many school counselors don't mention.

The Final came, and I was...completely and utterly prepared. I finished every question, and knew what to do. I found myself...having fun during the Final! Now that the obstacle of frustration was gone, it was like 20 puzzles waiting for me to solve them! I mean, they were worth 10 points each, but hey...what's a little fun when you're fighting for that A?

I left Finals and went on home...and promptly fell asleep. But rest wasn't in me, not yet. We still had two rooms of solid walnut furniture to move downstairs (by we, I mean just my dad and I). The next two days had us clearing way too many books (I need a Kindle, y'all) from shelves, organizing random stuff, and hauling the heaviest furniture ever down a flight of stairs (protip: place furniture on it's flattest side and control slide down). Then, Saturday morning, we were up at 4 AM to greet the many, many people who had camped outside our house for a yard sale.

We sold everything but my childhood desk. Everything.

Sunday didn't bring much reprieve, and neither did Monday really. I was waiting for grades. I am that type of person who checks for grades every day after a Final, even if I know what I am going to get because I keep track of my grades. There's something about seeing them posted that gets me excited. I don't have anxiety about it. I just was waiting with anticipation.



I checked the website to see that I had a 65% in the class, with the Final coming in at 0%. A part of me felt a little fear, but I knew I had done well, so I emailed the professor about the mistake. She adjusted the website and my real grade of a 99% in the class, an A+, appeared.

I feel a sense of relief, not in that the grade was posted but in that Math for me is done unless I want to take more advanced Math. I might, maybe one day, but for now my goal is to transfer and move onto the next step in my college path. Statistics for Social Science is the last math related class I have to take for my major, but with Math 25 done, I can transfer.

All in all, I think this class - and the goings-on of my life during this class period - brought me to the edge of my boundaries for self-care. I pushed myself a little too hard on this one, and not because I know I deserve that A and the investment this class gives to my future self. The pace and the online system created more elements to schedule and process than I think was necessary for me. I will do Summer classes if I have to in the future, but I will be restricting this experience to classes that I know don't already hold a challenge for me, as Math 25 did.

How was your Summer class experience? What did you learn from it? What would you do differently in the future?