Thundercat 60 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Has anyone done it? Doing it? Thinking about doing it? I'm two years into a three year (part time) masters degree in Second Language Education. After an eight year absense from school it was a little hard to get back into the swing of things but everything is going well now. Studying is actually getting kind of fun again (when I can find enough time to do it!!) Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Doing it - enjoying it but my god it does start to consume your free time doesn't it? Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I am returning for a masters after this winter. Not entirely sure but taking the GRE in the next month and studying for it SUCKS all low end math that I have long since overlooked. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Looking into starting a Doctorate in Feb '11, just because I like the idea of having Dr in front of my name Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Yeah, bye-bye free time! I feel like every day is pretty packed now. Also, I've had to become much more organized again in order to get everything done properly. If you don't mind me asking Rob, what are you studying and where? Mine is through the University of Toronto OISE. It's the first time they've offered this kind of online/summer session cohort and some of the professors are really quite famous in their field so it can be quite intimidating... (nevermind the fact that most of my colleagues in the course have a lot of experience teaching in Canada while I have none...) @Mitch - good luck man! My one year off snowballed into eight so don't lose focus! Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Dr. Panhead does have a nice ring to it Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Diploma in TESOL - classified as a level 7 on the national qualifications framework in the UK. Link to post Share on other sites
griller 9 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I cannot think of anything I want to do less. Sorry, just wanted to say that. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Been there, done that. Would have liked to have done a few other post grad things afterwards (as was the plan) but like many irresponsible students I got knocked up (for the 4th time)and had to change my plans. But having been a straight from school student AND a mature age student - I have a clear understanding that maturity and motivation makes a massive difference to achievement. Good Luck BM. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Mitchpee-don't do it. Appreciate life a bit before you jump straight back into further education. Take a break from education and earn some money so when you do go back to studying you can do things in your spare time. Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Originally Posted By: RobBright Mitchpee-don't do it. Appreciate life a bit before you jump straight back into further education. Take a break from education and earn some money so when you do go back to studying you can do things in your spare time. I am thinking it may be better to get it done now. While I still have the contacts I do. I have recommendations and have invested time studying in the GRE. I would like getting some time for myself to save up and prepare though also enjoy. Ahh it's a debacle. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Your contacts will still be there in a year's time - I was personally burnt out after 19years of education. Once you pass your GRE, how long are the results valid for? Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 3 years Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 My missus just finished and passed her year 12 in Germany. She left at year 10, had to pass a maths exam to get back in. I taught her starting from year4 fractions to year 11 basic calculus in 6 months! She soaked it in. Took her 6 months full time to do year 11&12 with 7 subjects. Didn´t have to teach her maths and physics after that. She figured it all out herself. I´m impressed. You know, it´s easy when you have to do 2 subjects whatever the level you are at. I hate it when you have to do more than 4 ! As for me, I have to do German integration coarse now! I´ve been putting it off. Not really looking forward to it. My studing and retirement days are over. I wanna work! Happy to support her studying. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Only after retirement if I was really, really bored would I consider it. Currently with a full time job, young child and reasonably active social life (and wanting to ski every bit of spare time I have throughout the winter) there really isn't any time to devote to study. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Originally Posted By: MitchPee 3 years Take a break for a year - then go back. Enjoy some time out in Hokkaido, back to the states, get married, settle down, have kids, then study again. Na seriously, a year out will help focus your mind on your studies. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 I tend to agree with you Rob. While getting back into studying has been hard after some time away my motivation and drive is much more focused by my understanding of what it takes to succeed at school. Not to mention the fact that I have a much clearer idea of what I want to do with my education. Continuing school just because you don't know what else to do seems like a really big waste to me. I also think taking time out allowed me to recharge my batteries a bit as I did a rather challenging double major in university. But like I said above my original plan was to take a year out and it quickly became eight. Jynxx, congrats to your lady! She sounds quite driven! Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Originally Posted By: RobBright Originally Posted By: MitchPee 3 years Take a break for a year - then go back. Enjoy some time out in Hokkaido, back to the states, get married, settle down, have kids, then study again. Na seriously, a year out will help focus your mind on your studies. That's the plan, thanks Rob . Well relinquish the wife and kids thing. Not really sure I am the marriage type. Time will tell but I'm betting it's going to take me a while before, if ever, I reach that. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Originally Posted By: Black Mountain But like I said above my original plan was to take a year out and it quickly became eight. Plus you are more motivated if you are spending your own money to further your education. Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 I've just finished an Adv Dip and now considering my Masters in Applied finance. Studying is so hard when you are working fulltime and have small kids, but like MB said about mature age students, I think help when trying to apply one's self. I have to pay for my studies (each course) up front and am only reimbursed if I pass. Pretty good motivation to pass. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Thanks BM. She always felt uncomfortable about not finishing highschool. Also had low self esteem and fear about failing. She never had top marks with maths before but now she gets them and if she f***s up a bit, she knows she´ll still pass. That makes her relaxed and do well. But man, There was a bit of a drama when she froze on her final exam for german. Got ziltch but just passed adding all the exams from before. Her parents freaked out, she had to go back on meds (which makes it difficult for her to concentrate), had to re-arrange the other exams for a later date. I was in Australia then, and had to fly back pronto. She´s looking forward to going to uni in Australia in the future. She has my Stewart Calculus, Young and Freedman univeristy physics books and the Short oxford english dictionary and Kanji to play with at the mo. I think it´s not about taking courses. That´s just instutution and politics if you already learnt how to study. It´s about learning a little each day. I had it till recently. I need to get back or otherwise I´ll get old. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Jynxx good on ya mate for helping her achieve that goal! Having already got Cert IV, Diploma, Bachelor and Masters the logical step for me is the Doctorate. I'm hoping to do some research on how to change the Chinese mining safety culture which should actually add some value to the planet, well at least this part of it. Safety in the work place is a passion of mine but with 2500+ deaths here last year in mining too many families are being destroyed through our demand for goods and services, an "interesting" regulatory environment and a lack of knowledge of basic safety and not the least a lack of empathy in what is a very dog eat dog drive for economic prosperity. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Our demand or China's lack of health and safety regulations? Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Both in a way mate. There are plenty of regulations, some of them good some VERY obscure and some just less then helpful but also lots of private mines that dont give a .... Of all the stuff that has been "duplicated" here its a pity a copy of the Western Australian Mine regs and Act wasn't one of them. The western world "benefits" from that with cheap products. Not real keen to have this turn into a China thread though. Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Originally Posted By: panhead_pete Jynxx good on ya mate for helping her achieve that goal! Having already got Cert IV, Diploma, Bachelor and Masters the logical step for me is the Doctorate. I'm hoping to do some research on how to change the Chinese mining safety culture which should actually add some value to the planet, well at least this part of it. Safety in the work place is a passion of mine but with 2500+ deaths here last year in mining too many families are being destroyed through our demand for goods and services, an "interesting" regulatory environment and a lack of knowledge of basic safety and not the least a lack of empathy in what is a very dog eat dog drive for economic prosperity. This is awesome. Pete, like you my interests subside in sustainable and safe economic development. Albeit I like to look at larger scale development if you guys need someone to tell you the economic implications of actions just let me know By the way everyone in this thread is great. We should all just form our own company. Seems like everyone has an awesome skill they got from higher education. Link to post Share on other sites
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