2/2/09
Ramona Underwood
The greatest influences right now in my life are the people I work with. The special education teacher, and the speech pathologist, are the two ladies that have shown me what it is to have children that need you in a special way. I don't think there is anything more rewarding than to know you have helped a child learn to speak better, or helped them learn a skill that will take them through life. Some of these children would not have been able to learn the speech ,or learning skills they learn without the help of a special ed. teacher,or a speech therapist.
Working with these two ladies has changed my course in life, and has helped determined my decision to get a master's degree in speech pathology, and work in the school system. I want to work with children and see them make progress in their speech, and every day life. I would like to be remembered as a caring teacher, who wanted, and tried to make a difference in every child's life I came in contact with as their speech therapist.
Monday, February 2, 2009
My future goals, and how I want to change them,or keep them.
2/2/09
Ramona Underwood
My future goals are to get through english 500, and math 500. I am not good in math, and it has always been difficult for me. When I quit school in the eighth grade we were starting into fractions, and I didn't learn a lot of math. Math has always been the hardest for me to understand. When this semester is over, I plan to change my major from special education teacher, to speech pathology. I did want to be a teacher, but now I have changed my mind, after working with the school speech pathologist. Now I want to help children in the school that have speech problems.
I think I have the ability to change my future goals. With hard work, study, and the help from my study groups, I can accomplish my career goals. No matter how old you are you can make a better life for yourself, and your family. You can also be an example for your children, and grandchildren. My oldest grandson, who is twenty, says he is the only one of his peer group who is going to college with his grandmother, and this makes him proud of me.
Ramona Underwood
My future goals are to get through english 500, and math 500. I am not good in math, and it has always been difficult for me. When I quit school in the eighth grade we were starting into fractions, and I didn't learn a lot of math. Math has always been the hardest for me to understand. When this semester is over, I plan to change my major from special education teacher, to speech pathology. I did want to be a teacher, but now I have changed my mind, after working with the school speech pathologist. Now I want to help children in the school that have speech problems.
I think I have the ability to change my future goals. With hard work, study, and the help from my study groups, I can accomplish my career goals. No matter how old you are you can make a better life for yourself, and your family. You can also be an example for your children, and grandchildren. My oldest grandson, who is twenty, says he is the only one of his peer group who is going to college with his grandmother, and this makes him proud of me.
The last time I had a moral dilemma.
2/2/09
Ramona Underwood
The last time I had a moral dilemma, was in the fall of 2001. My family and I had decided to go to Gatlinburge Tenn. (the smokies) for a short holiday, and see the autumn leaves. We didn't rent a cabin, we rented a motel room, because we knew we were only going to be there two days. We got there in the late afternoon on a friday, got our room key and was going to our room, when a door opens from a room across the hall and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the husband of a bestfriend of mine with another woman. I would have looked bad enough with him coming out of the room with her, but he stood there and kissed her. He had not saw us at the time, but when he turned around we were in full view. He grew kind of pale, and excused himself from the woman and came over where we were and boldly asked me not to tell my best friend. He stated he didn't have an excuse for his actions and he didn't want to hurt my friend. I told him I would have to think about this situation, and I could not promise him I would not speak to her about it. My dilemma was that he was also one of my good friends, and I didn't want to cause trouble between them, but I loved my friend like a sister. Oh what was I to do? As you can imagine this episode ruined my short vacation to the smokies.
We stayed the two days, my friends husband left after talking to me. I didn't enjoy anything about the trip, not even the colorful leaves on the trees. When we got back home I struggled with the thought of, should I tell my friend about her unfaithful husband,or should I keep silent? I still could not believe her husband had done such a thing. I still had not told her a month later. I could not bring myself to tall her something that could cause a divorce, and ruin her happiness. I had just about convinced myself that as a close sisterly friend I had to tell her, when a got a phone call from her asking me if she could come over. I told her to come on, I could tell she was stressed by her voice. When she got there she started to cry and began telling me that she had suspected that her husband had been having an affair, and she had a private detective follow him out of town two days ago and he had took pictures of him with a woman. I was shocked and relieved that he had been caught by my friend. I had not wanted to tell her, because I loved both of them like family, but if she had not found out, I knew I would have had to tell her,it would not have been right to have not told her. She would have been decieved by both her husband,and myself. As it turned out I didn't have to tell her, and i didn't have to lie.
Ramona Underwood
The last time I had a moral dilemma, was in the fall of 2001. My family and I had decided to go to Gatlinburge Tenn. (the smokies) for a short holiday, and see the autumn leaves. We didn't rent a cabin, we rented a motel room, because we knew we were only going to be there two days. We got there in the late afternoon on a friday, got our room key and was going to our room, when a door opens from a room across the hall and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the husband of a bestfriend of mine with another woman. I would have looked bad enough with him coming out of the room with her, but he stood there and kissed her. He had not saw us at the time, but when he turned around we were in full view. He grew kind of pale, and excused himself from the woman and came over where we were and boldly asked me not to tell my best friend. He stated he didn't have an excuse for his actions and he didn't want to hurt my friend. I told him I would have to think about this situation, and I could not promise him I would not speak to her about it. My dilemma was that he was also one of my good friends, and I didn't want to cause trouble between them, but I loved my friend like a sister. Oh what was I to do? As you can imagine this episode ruined my short vacation to the smokies.
We stayed the two days, my friends husband left after talking to me. I didn't enjoy anything about the trip, not even the colorful leaves on the trees. When we got back home I struggled with the thought of, should I tell my friend about her unfaithful husband,or should I keep silent? I still could not believe her husband had done such a thing. I still had not told her a month later. I could not bring myself to tall her something that could cause a divorce, and ruin her happiness. I had just about convinced myself that as a close sisterly friend I had to tell her, when a got a phone call from her asking me if she could come over. I told her to come on, I could tell she was stressed by her voice. When she got there she started to cry and began telling me that she had suspected that her husband had been having an affair, and she had a private detective follow him out of town two days ago and he had took pictures of him with a woman. I was shocked and relieved that he had been caught by my friend. I had not wanted to tell her, because I loved both of them like family, but if she had not found out, I knew I would have had to tell her,it would not have been right to have not told her. She would have been decieved by both her husband,and myself. As it turned out I didn't have to tell her, and i didn't have to lie.
does your family play a role in encouraging you to succeed in school?
2/2/09
Ramona Underwood
My children have always supported, and encouraged me to go to school. They have told me they are proud of me for what I have accomplished over the years. They know how it has been for me., and how I had to stay up very late and study. They also knew how I struggled to pass test, because I had not learned a lot in the eight years I had gone to school.
My husband didn't want me to go back to school, he really gave me a hard time. He tried to discouraged me from going to school. He said I didn't need an education, he made enough money to provide for his family, but I think he knew if I got a degree, it would mean I would not be dependent upon him for everthing I needed. I kept on going to school despite what he said. It caused problems at times, but I never gave in to him and quit school.
Today I have A social work degree, and an LPN license, and I work as a school nurse. I have traveled a hard road, but I had, and still have, a lot of good professor's that have been understanding, and have helped me accomplished my goals, and my view about my life since I started my journey through college.
Ramona Underwood
My children have always supported, and encouraged me to go to school. They have told me they are proud of me for what I have accomplished over the years. They know how it has been for me., and how I had to stay up very late and study. They also knew how I struggled to pass test, because I had not learned a lot in the eight years I had gone to school.
My husband didn't want me to go back to school, he really gave me a hard time. He tried to discouraged me from going to school. He said I didn't need an education, he made enough money to provide for his family, but I think he knew if I got a degree, it would mean I would not be dependent upon him for everthing I needed. I kept on going to school despite what he said. It caused problems at times, but I never gave in to him and quit school.
Today I have A social work degree, and an LPN license, and I work as a school nurse. I have traveled a hard road, but I had, and still have, a lot of good professor's that have been understanding, and have helped me accomplished my goals, and my view about my life since I started my journey through college.
comparing my view of life before college, and now.
My view of life before college was kind of standard for a young married woman. I had two children, house work, and cooking, that took up all my time, and we never had enough money to live on. I was about twenty five when I began to think about getting my GED. I wanted to do something with my life that would be fulfilling, so I could earn more money. I knew that I needed an education, but I also knew that it would be hard for me,due to only finishing the eight grade.
It has now been thirty years since I decided to go get my GED, and I have an entirely different view of my life. I realize now if you want to make something of your life, you have to go to college. If you don't ,you will never be able to give yourself, or your children what they need. There is no possible way to earn enought money working for minimum wage to buy clothes, food, pay car payments, and insurance with six,or seven dollars per hour. I don't know how people make ends meet that earn so little money. My heart goes out to them, because I was once in the same place.
2/2/09
Ramona Underwood
It has now been thirty years since I decided to go get my GED, and I have an entirely different view of my life. I realize now if you want to make something of your life, you have to go to college. If you don't ,you will never be able to give yourself, or your children what they need. There is no possible way to earn enought money working for minimum wage to buy clothes, food, pay car payments, and insurance with six,or seven dollars per hour. I don't know how people make ends meet that earn so little money. My heart goes out to them, because I was once in the same place.
2/2/09
Ramona Underwood
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
My name is Ramona Underwood. I grew up in Albertville Alabama. I have two sisters, and two brothers, and I am the oldest of the four. I quit school in 1968 at age 15 and got married. I have two children a son named Tracy, and a daughter named Michelle. After I had raised my two children I went back to school in 1990and got a GED. I started to college at Snead State JR. College in Boaz. I had an 8th grade education and I knew this was going to be hard for me. I had been in school for about a year when my daughter got married at age 17, and had a baby a year later. About 2 years after her baby was born, she started getting sick. At this time I was only taking academics at Snead. I had to leave school for awhile, and take car of her. After about a year of stating very sick, my daughter had to be rushed to UAB in Birmingham because our local hospital could not find out what was wrong with her. She had gone into convulsions before she was sent to UAB, and had a near death experience. Michelle told me she was traveling down a long dark tunnel, and could not stop herself. She said she tried to catch hold of the walls of the tunnel, but couldn't. She also told me she saw her whole life pass before her as she was traveling down the tunnel at a very fast speed. After being admitted to UAB, Michelle had to go through a series of test for days. She was later diagnosed with chron's desease. This has been seventeen years ago and she as had three operations where four and one half feet of her intestines have been removed. I have spent a lot of prayerful days, and nights with her at hospitals. She is doing fine now and as been healed by GOD of chron's desease.
I started back to college in 1993, and got an LPN nursing degree. I worked as a nurse for five years, then decided to go back to college and get a Social Work Degree. I started to Jacksonville State University in May of 1999. I finshed this degree in two 1/2, years and graduated in December of 2001. After I received my BSW, I enrolled into the masters degree counseling program at JSU. I had finished this program except the last semester when I fell at work, and hurt my knees and back. I could no longer climb the stairs at JSU. My doctor sent letters to JSU explaining why I could no longer attend college at that time. I spoke to my professors and told them what had happened, they said they would give me a withdraw with passing, but I later found out when I tried to go back to finish the last semester to graduate they had given me withdraws with f's. I was heart broken and I have tried to talk to the dean of JSU and find out what I could to remove these f's but they will not work with me. They have refused to let me come back to the college and finish that last semester, so I can graduate and get my masters counseling degree.
I have decided to pursue a teaching degree in Special Education here at Alabama A&M. I like the college very much, and All the staff here are very nice, and helpful. I think that a degree in special ed. will be rewarding because there are so many children who can benefit from these classes.I will love this career in teaching because I like the school setting, and I work as a school nurse at the present time.
Ramona Underwood
I started back to college in 1993, and got an LPN nursing degree. I worked as a nurse for five years, then decided to go back to college and get a Social Work Degree. I started to Jacksonville State University in May of 1999. I finshed this degree in two 1/2, years and graduated in December of 2001. After I received my BSW, I enrolled into the masters degree counseling program at JSU. I had finished this program except the last semester when I fell at work, and hurt my knees and back. I could no longer climb the stairs at JSU. My doctor sent letters to JSU explaining why I could no longer attend college at that time. I spoke to my professors and told them what had happened, they said they would give me a withdraw with passing, but I later found out when I tried to go back to finish the last semester to graduate they had given me withdraws with f's. I was heart broken and I have tried to talk to the dean of JSU and find out what I could to remove these f's but they will not work with me. They have refused to let me come back to the college and finish that last semester, so I can graduate and get my masters counseling degree.
I have decided to pursue a teaching degree in Special Education here at Alabama A&M. I like the college very much, and All the staff here are very nice, and helpful. I think that a degree in special ed. will be rewarding because there are so many children who can benefit from these classes.I will love this career in teaching because I like the school setting, and I work as a school nurse at the present time.
Ramona Underwood
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