Hi, My Name Is…

*walks to stage and picks up mic*

Hello….My name is Marla, and I…ummmm….I….I am a Professional Student. *long sigh*  I began this journey almost 25 years ago and I have not had a break.  Yes, you heard me correctly, I have NOT had a break.  I have gone from Primary School to Middle School to High School then on to College. After I graduated from Undergrad I immediately enrolled into a Graduate School program to get my Masters. After completing my Masters Degree I enrolled into another Graduate School program to get an Education Specialist Degree.  And this, my fine fellow, is where I am today.  I am currently enrolled in a Ed.S. program to get a degree in Education Administration/K-12 Principal Leadership.

I NEVER thought that I would ever reach this part of my life.  I thought that by now…

1. Either I would be married with children, or
2. The Lord would be back (the 2nd Coming)

and we ALL know neither one of those have taken place. Well let me correct that statement. At least we all know about #2 not taking place yet, but just to clarify with you #1 has not happened at all either.

I am the product of a 2 parent, Jamaican household where education was NOT an option (yes, that makes me Jamaican American or Jamerican…NOT African American seeing that my parents are NOT African).  So even during my Summer Breaks as a child, I was apart of a Summer Enrichment Program that my Mum was the Founder/Owner of (she is a Professor of Psychology).   It was during the Summer of my 8th grade year that I took my first Summer School class.  What class did I take…Algebra I! And for every Summer after that I was enrolled in a Summer School class at a High School or College level.  By the time I graduated from High School I had 30+ credit hours of college coursework under my belt.

Now let me tell you right off…I was NOT the most structured student (that’s my brother), and I am still not to this day.  I am a last minute student.  I write my BEST papers the night before or the day that they are due.  When I would study for tests, I would have to make a song or dance out of EVERYTHING! And to this day I still do…even for my OWN students (and of course they LOVE it!).

Being a Professional Students has it’s costs…

• I did not take a loan out for College until my Senior year, BUT I have had loans all throughout my Master’s and this current Ed.S. program.  One thing that I am grateful for is the fact that I teach in an inner city school and that the Government does have a Loan Forgiveness Program if you have been teaching for a certain amount of time in an inner city school.
• My personal life kinda takes a backseat.  Sometimes when I think of the lack thereof I just SMH (shake my head) and other times I try not to think about it at all.

My goal is to finish this current program by the Summer of 2012 after that….that’s right you guessed it…I’ll be applying for school again to start an Ed.D (Doctor of Education) program.  What will my focus be?  I’m not sure at this moment, but I have about 6 – 8 months to figure that one out…

Hey….well it’s time to go! I have a paper that I need to write that is due…….*side eye*……..in about 5 – 6 hours! LOL!  No joke….lol

*drops mic* *exits stage left*

~ Love, Peace, and SOOOOOOUL!!!