Aug 132016
 

With the cooling winds, soccer and baseball season ending, and the store sales on loose leaf, scribblers and pencils it’s obvious the summer is coming to an end and kids are getting ready to meet their new teacher.

As an author, parent and homeschool teacher this does make me jealous and eager to buy new supplies even though my cupboards and drawers are overflowing with old ones. I refrain but still reflect on what it felt like each year to return to school.

The anticipation of who would be my teacher, would I like them, would I know anyone in my class and like them? The new supplies and clothes were always exciting but it was always hard to know what to buy as I was always so nervous about what others would think. I love that we avoid that with my son for now as we home school him but I wonder how I would feel now if I went back.

Returning Student

If you were given the opportunity to go back to school, would you? Would you choose university, college or high school to upgrade your marks? Or would you stay home and educate yourself for free or low fees with the many available online courses? What courses would you take as in this scenario they are all electives?

I love to learn though am not sure I’d do well in a classroom at this point so I would definitely take all the free online courses or low cost courses I could manage. Recently I saw the book titled DYI MFA which is basically a home study guide for the Masters of Fine Arts program. Of course, it’s not as extensive or challenging as the in class experience would be but it’s offering a lot of value and I can do it at my own pace.

When I decided writing was what I wanted to do I knew no one and nothing but experience could teach me how to express myself the way I wanted to. Of course you can learn about the proper structure of a sentence, grammar, spelling and parts of a story which are all very important but also something I learned in elementary school. The real soul of a written piece is something you need to find yourself so I wasn’t going to pay a crazy amount of money to reiterate that right after high school graduation.

Now Is the Time

But now that education is more readily available and degrees, in some aspects, are not as necessary, it’s a great time to figure out exactly what you want to learn and teach yourself. Check on sites like Udemy or through a recognized university for programs that suit your needs.

Get in the spirit of back to school as it’s not just for kids anymore. We all have something to learn and teach so get at it today and treat yourself with some pens you’ve been eyeing.

Thanks fore reading and learning,

Sarah Butland

author of Being Grateful, Being Thankful

***Sarah Butland is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.***

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