How I Got Here, (or "expanding the universe of suckable objects"

Do you ever have those moments where you stop and wonder how did I get here? Generally, it seems, one reads of these moments in fairly extreme circumstances; such as the hiker who goes out for a two-hour romp and ends up lost and shivering in a tree well 12 hours later. Or the classic rock fan who belatedly realizes that they bought tickets to see Bob Saget. My own most recent moment of curiosity came this morning while I was riding the bus. As I was reading one of my textbooks I came across the sentence: "This transformation of her sucking schema makes it more effective, expanding the universe of suckable objects" (from The Development of Children. by Lightfoot, et.all.). I couldn't help but wonder, how is it that I -a twenty something guy from small town Oregon who planned to live a vagabonding life until at least age thirty five- came to be riding a bus into downtown Seattle for graduate school in teaching and reading about the universe of suckable objects? Well, let me tell you.

After six years as an undergraduate student I realized that my financial aid was approaching it's limit, so I finished school and did the first thing most people do when they finally attain their Bachelor's degree in a Liberal Arts field: got a job in a coffee shop. About a year later, I decided it was time to do the second thing most people who hold undergrad degrees in the Liberal Arts do: go to graduate school. In all seriousness though, I took what might be termed a 'wandering' path through six years and four colleges worth of undergraduate classes. I eventually majored in Outdoor and Experiential Education which was exciting, challenging and spoke to my passion for working with young people and being active. However, after a few years of working seasonal/temporary jobs in the recreation industry (both during and after school) I realized that I was quickly tiring of the seasonal lifestyle. I began to look for the next step.

I had been interested in education for years but essentially just didn't have the gumption to get my ducks in a row earlier in life so it was only natural that I began to think about becoming a 'traditional' teacher at this point. I moved to Seattle in the fall and began simultaneously job searching and looking for education programs. Downtown one afternoon I parked in front of a university named Antioch and went across the street for a job interview. After the interview I stepped into the Antioch to see if they offered a Masters in Education degree; two months later I found myself riding the bus back downtown for my first week of classes. I was doing some intro reading for my Developmental Psychology class which included an expostulation on Jean Piaget's theory of Constructivism using the example of an infant exploring what objects are or are not suitable for oral fixation, which brings us back to the beginning and the "universe of suckable objects."

My goal is to report and reflect in this blog on my experience as an Antioch student in the Graduate Teacher Preparation program. I plan to post at least once a week to begin with, so keep your eyes out for new information. My hopes for all who follow this blog are to provide you with first-hand information about the program, happenings in the world of education and the joys and challenges facing today's students in the field of education. As you read please feel free to comment on anything and everything, I would love to hear about your experiences as well as thoughts or questions you might have.

Best,
Mike