End of the Semester!

The end of the semester is finally upon us her at the Graduate School of Education. I would love to say that I am enthusiastic about this however the feeling is more bittersweet. Although I will be one step closer to graduating, I still feel like there is so much more I would love to continue to learn from my professors. Granted, all year classes are not present in my program, since classes run per semester, I will have to continue this journey with a new set of teachers.

Tips to making semester more successful
1.Prepare Early
2. Write an outline for papers and submit it for your teacher to critique prior to starting the actual paper
3. Have weekly study groups on classes that are more cumbersome
4. Have a support team of friends both near and far
5. Don’t worry or stress, it has horrible effects on the body
6. Create a study schedule that you will remain faithful to
7. Have events of relaxation scheduled every month to ensure you are taking care of yourself
8. Smile more

So currently, I am in the progress of preparing for two in-class exams happening this week; Quantitative Research Methods and Introduction to Statistics. With both exams happening in the same week my time has to be systematically scheduled for me prepare adequately. After those two exams, I have two term papers and then it is all over. Hello Christmas Break! With almost a month off for winter break, I believe I will be able to catch up on some much-needed rest and enjoying friends and family. Since, I am from Florida, this Christmas season will be filled with warm weather, which I love. So far, I haven't seen snow in Philadelphia but I'm positive that by January I will definitely experience snow for the first time. For now, I will bask in the fact, that South Florida usually reaches the low 60's which doesn't compare to the cold weather up here. I'll see you all in the New Year!

It's Thanksgiving Time!

It’s Thanksgiving Week Gobble Gobble! This Thanksgiving I had the privilege of riding on an airplane for the first time by myself! Yay! To be honest, I was a little nervous at first just because I am used to the idea of having someone to travel with but I all went well overall. I must say the little three year old girl who sat behind me and sang “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” “A, B, C” and “ Happy Birthday” multiple times made the trip interesting as well. Once we arrived in Fort Lauderdale I was welcomed with 82-degree weather which compared to the low 50’s in Philadelphia, was amazing!

Although Thanksgiving is meant for sharing a special time with the ones you love over a plate of delicious food, my Thanksgiving was slightly bittersweet. Why? After, the culmination of Thanksgiving there is only TWO WEEKS of fall semester classes remaining, which means final exams and final papers will be due. Currently, I am working on a final paper as we speak! As graduate student, I currently have two 20-page papers to write as well as preparing for two in class exams. Did bring my notes to study for these exams? Yes. Have I started? No. Unfortunately, I have not begun my work. It’s seems like schoolwork and family fun are not synonymous.


However, I do believe that every graduate student should find methods to relax. Since arriving at home, I have had the time to rejuvenate myself with those I love the most. Some of my friends did not have the opportunity to travel to their hometown but they did spend time with nearby friends from Penn. However you choose to celebrate the holidays, whether with friends, family, or you and a pet goldfish, make a decision to enjoy yourself.

Selfie Love

As you all may or may not know the Penn Graduate School of Education will have a new Dean this upcoming December. To celebrate her arrival to the school, she came to Penn on Thursday to take pictures around campus. One of the awesome parts about being a Graduate Assistant is that you are able to find out wonderful perks so guess who got to take pictures with the Dean? I did. Although there were other Graduate Assistant present in the pictures, I was so grateful to be able to be one of the first students to take a picture.

Prior to taking pictures with Pam, myself and three of the other Graduate Assistants also took pictures in the form of selfies. I have found that selfies allow you the benefit of remembering moments with those you care about and also allows you to participate in the shared memory because you are a part of the photo. Our photo is provided below. Don't we look amazing? Every time I look at that picture I start singing "We are family get up everybody and sing!" by Sister Sledge.

After taking group photos with Pam, I decided to ask a very important question to her. " Do you mind taking a selfie with us?" Ironically Pam agreed and she was very enthusiastic about it. As an amateur selfie photographer I took the same photo about 3 times but in the end we got the perfect shot. Below you will see a picture of Amanda, Felix, Alex, Zakiya, Pam (the new Dean), and I. After, hearing Pam agree to take a selfie with my I am now on a quest to document my time her in Philly and at Penn GSE through the process of taking selfies. I am very excited and I look forward to sharing my selfies with you in the future.

Fall is Here!

Hello everyone,
I am so glad you could join me on another journey. Currently, I have the experience to see not only the weather changes regarding the new season but also how nature changes. As a Floridian, I am familiar with seeing palm trees year around. Often times the sign that fall. Overall, when leaves died the leaves changed from green directly to brown. However, in Philadelphia the hues of leaves varied widely and it is by far, gorgeous! I have never seen a tree entirely covered by red or yellow leaves and to me; I was amazed.

One of the best places to view this beautiful display is near the grassy areas in front of Van Pelt Library. The lawn is not only a great place to sit down and relax with friends or complete homework assignments but also has a wide array of trees that change colors. As noted in one of my previous posts I enjoy being outdoors. Likewise with this opportunity to bask in the audience of nature’s beauty could not be missed. As I laid area, it was not uncommon to see someone in a business suit collecting leaves off of the floor or students take group pictures next to the trees. In fact I took a few photos of the trees and have placed them below. Although, the pictures are beautiful, they do not compare to seeing them in person. With the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaching, I would even like to collect a few leaves to show some of my friends and family who have not been in the northern states before.

Sidenote: In one of the trees along Locust Walk you will also find a Penn GSE Celebrating 100 years banner! It was exciting to see my school be celebrated by the entire Penn Community and I am grateful to share this 100 year anniversary with them.

It's Time to Register for Spring Classes

Hello My wonderful viewers.



Well it's that time again. I must consider my next semester of classes and fast. Since this semester began I have enjoyed a number of my classes and found the information so useful when considering education policy. My current class schedule includes Applied Research Methods to Inform Policy, Evolution of Assessment, American Education Reform, and Introduction to Statistics. Specifically, my Applied Research Methods to Inform Policy course and Introduction to Statistics course reinforced some very important themes that are addressed in education research. For instance working with the null and alternative hypothesis and running regressions. So for those interested in the quantitative aspect of education policy, I definitely recommend pairing these classes. The Evolution to Assessment course has also given me a more in depth understanding of how testing (formative, summative, interim, etc.) and accountability systems play such an increment role in the education of students K-12 and the educational system as a whole. As future policy analyst I really wanted to understanding the premise behind testing taking and the high stakes associated with it.For those of you interested in this field, this curse provides a great balance between informative articles, group activities/discussions, and lectures. If you are not as familiar with the history of education or just want a refresher the n the American Education Reform class does just that. We have read books such as Dianne Ravitich's book "The Death and Life of the Great American School System," which provided insight on the multiple perspectives surrounding the U.S. school system.

Anyhow, back to the main topic of interest... Spring Semester. Currently, I am unsure of which classes I will take for the spring semester because there are so many that meet my interests. This is my goal; Audit all of the courses I am interested in taking my first week of Spring Semester and then decide on which ones I will keep. Sounds easy bu since I am required to take a certain number of education policy specific courses and electives I have to find the perfect balance. I will keep you updated on this progress.

Life as an Education Policy Student

Quantitative vs. Qualitative

(Flashback)
During the Education Policy Orientation one of the professors mentioned this huge debate between researchers on quantitative vs. qualitative research. She also mentioned often times graduate students also take a stance on whether they are qualitative or quantitative. But rather than telling us which once would be most beneficial to the field of research, she told to take both qualitative and quantitative courses while we are here at GSE that way we can be well versed in the different analysis pathways that are available in both arenas. With this recommendations in mind, I registered for an Introduction to Statistics Class.

(Current)

This semester I am taking an Introduction to Statistics Course led by one of the Education Policy Professors which find extremely beneficial. Since he is one of the Education Policy students is able to address the continent for education policy lenses. We are currently learning how to use a Statistical Software called STATA, which allows us to analysis the data from a descriptive and quantitative aspect. Then, through our homework assignments were are given the opportunity to apply the knowledge we are acquiring in class and use the Statistical software in meaningful ways.

Though my courses are very informative, I would rather have classes such as Introduction to Statistics more than once a week. Since the content is so in-depth it would be beneficial to have this class twice or even three times a week instead for two and half hours. For instance, I have experienced multiple classes when the my professor was unable to finish the lecture notes because of the discussions and questions that were generated in class. However, if we were able to have two classes if would allow us to not only engage clarifying remarks and questions but also address all of the necessary content.

Nevertheless, I have gain a more much enriched understanding of how statistics works in conjunction with research. In fact, for this upcoming spring semester I plan on taking an additional Statistics course so that I may continue to develop my quantitative skills and this upcoming summer I will be registered for a qualitative course. So as a future Ed Policy students I would recommend that you also keep your options open and explore both qualitative and quantitative research.

It's Time to Eat!

Food Trucks
Life outside of the classroom can be a very exciting experience. There are so many opportunities to eat around town and experience the joy of trying foods from so many different cultures. Food trucks are stationed throughout the Penn campus and around the city so trying something new can just be a few steps away. Recently, I have eaten Halal, Mexican, and Caribbean food from different food trucks around the area. Though I was unfamiliar with food trucks prior to moving to Philadelphia I really enjoyed the food that I have eaten so far from every food truck I have visited.

A Few Food Truck Tips
1. Bring Cash
2. During lunch time between 12 to 1, the lines are really long
3. Ask friends about popular food trucks around the area
4. Be willing to try something new

Going on a Cheesesteak Hunt
As you may already know Philadelphia is synonymous for its Philly Cheesesteaks! So one of the greatest food challenges for me is finding a the restaurant with best cheesesteak. Well, I recently started my quest for the best Philadelphia cheesesteak and it have been a very filling experience (both figuratively and literally). My first stop was to two famous Restaurants that are well known for their cheesesteaks Pat's of Steaks and Geno's.

Both of these food restaurants were both featured on a Food Network episode and they are literally across the street from one another. So my goal was to try both cheese teaks and determine which one would become my favorite. By the time I finished the two cheesesteaks I was stuffed and there was a clear winner. However, I would much rather wait until you have tried them before telling you my vote so when you come to Philly feel free to email me and let me know which one you chose.

A Few Cheesesteak Tips
1. Bring Cash
2. Come Hungry
3. Carry lots of Napkins
3. Allot Time (The lines are long especially during the weekend)
4. Bring a Friend

Penn Gets You Connected! Career Fair!

Hello my fantastic viewers! So glad you can join me on this journey!

Today, I had the exciting opportunity to go to a Career Fair located in Houston Hall at Penn. This Career Fair was of particular interest to me because it was centered on Policy and Government, and as an Education Policy Master's student reaching out to these jobs could be very beneficial. As a Penn student this event was completely free and all I had to do was show proof that I was either a student or an alumni by providing my Penn Card. So why would I attend a Career Fair in October when I do not graduate until August 2015? Great question! I wanted to start my career search as early as possible so that I could be aware of as many opportunities as possible. Rather than stressing myself out three months before graduation, I would much rather have my future career already solidified. Were there job openings that would start in August 2015? Wonderful follow up question. Yes, in fact many of the jobs recruiters intentionally had job openings around the end of spring/summer because they knew that there would be a large amount of graduating students searching for jobs. As a result, I was able to speak with multiple companies about my educational background, skill sets, and experiences for jobs that I could potentially begin as soon as I graduate!

By the way this is my SECOND Career Resource Fair since starting Penn in August! UPenn is aggressive about getting us linked up with C-A-R-E-E-R not just a random job, and I love it! Both Career Fairs provided me with many opportunities to communicate with leading businesses, education centered agencies, research companies, and more. In fact, today I received a personal email from one of the recruitment advisors I met at my first Career Fair and we are currently discussing an upcoming job opening in August of 2015, which is really exciting. So if you are looking for an amazing school that provides you with multiple facets to connect with potential companies in your field of interest look no further than UPENN!

Below are the guides that I received today at the Career Fair. On the left is an entire guide through different areas such as how to apply for jobs/internships, going to graduate/professional school, interviewing, and more. On the right is the booklet that contained all of the organizations and companies at the Career Fair as well as a brief description of each one. These resources were really helpful.

Weather Blues

My recent journey through Penn GSE has been a very interesting journey thus far. One of the most significant changes has been the weather adjustment. My hometown is Fort Lauderdale, Florida and I am used to wearing clothing that matches the warm weather that I experience year around. The idea of wearing a sweater in September was foreign to me and, to be honest, I was nervous about experiencing "autumn" and "winter" for the first time. Also as a person who has never seen snow before, I have no background knowledge of what others may consider "cold" weather. So far I have gathered some tips from current Penn students which I hope will be helpful in the near future. This information may be helpful for those who have never experienced a north eastern autumn and winter. Tip #1: Layering is the Key It would be advantageous to layer especially in fall when the weather varies in the early mornings and mid day. This way you are able to accommodate for with the temperature changes. Tip #2: Rain Boots Rain boots can be helpful for puddles but avoid using them to keep your feet warm because theyy do not provide good insulation Tip 3: Fleece and Wool It can become very windy in Philly so keep in mind that some materials to a better job of insulation ***More tips are forthcoming as I am made aware of more tips. For now, I am just cherishing the last warm days that I have in Pennsylvania by doing more outdoor activities. This past weekend I went to beach in Belmar, New Jersey which was relaxing and very beautiful. There is also a beach in New Jersey called Cape May which is also very popular that I plan on going to in May with some of the my colleagues. Even simplistic outdoor activities like studying on the grass outside or playing outdoor sports can help so when the temperature starts to change you will have gathered lasting memories that will keep you mind and heart warm.