Reflections on the 1999-2000 Master's School Year

The main focus of my year was most definitely writing our research paper. Karen, Dawn, Beth and I were already hard at work prior to the finish of the program last year. We spent all of June, much of July working on the consent and assent forms, gathering information and then began our study of the literature and programs available. We set our timelines for the year with high hopes of being finished in late January! We sure sere shocked when December rolled around and we were still fine-tuning Chapter 1.

January brought on the start of some major health problems for me and by February I was completely bed ridden. This posed quite an emotional and physical challenge for my family and I. Fortunately, I was able to begin working in April. My group remained quite patient with me. They continued to plug away without me! Tina Meyers and Jill Katrin made sure that I was kept current with the information presented in class and gathered handouts for me! They were wonderful.

If I was to choose the most important part of the master's program it would most certainly be: Building Bridges. I was able to get to know staff members in a new light. I believe the master's program has brought our community of teachers closer together. I find this to be invaluable. The door to communication within and between buildings has definitely opened a little further.

I felt working in a group on a major project was a growing experience for me. I have always tended to work alone and do things my way, on my own schedule. I don't think I would have been able to finish my project without the help and support of a group. Working full time and being a parent is challenging enough. I found working in a group to be very rewarding, and sometimes difficult. We each brought strengths and were able to support one another with the skills we brought to the group. I found the skills I learned from Dr. McCarthy to be quite helpful when preparing for our final presentation. Our group really enjoyed putting this part of the project together!!

I think the Program was a success story! Even if there were a few "bumps" along the way!

I continued to enjoy the presenters and instructors when they came live to International Falls. I appreciated their willingness to travel Up North in the winter. I would have dreaded that long drive. I did not enjoy ITV. It is so impersonal.

I believe that Mary Jean took a tremendous amount of heat over the two years and did not get the credit she deserved for the work and help she provided our cohort. Our group appreciated the skills and time she provided us.

Thank you, Mary Ann for the guidance and support that you provided our cohort!

Have a wonderful year!! Kim

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2000