I took my last exam. I barely managed to pass the exam. However, I did pull a C+ in the class. It was Introduction to Psychological Measurements. The instructor was terrific; the topic was excruciating. And as I posted earlier, I managed a B for Introduction to Biology. Again, the instructor was excellent; but unlike the other class, the subject was enjoyable.

They are not my best grades, but all things considered, I’m glad to have passed the classes. With all that has gone on during the last five months, I am surprised I finished the semester.

I finished Biology 1001. I took my last exam this morning and managed 87%. I’m happy with that. I also turned in my last assignments for PSY 3801. It was a statistical course, Introduction to Psychological Measurement and Data Analysis. I still have one exam, and then I am completely, utterly, fantastically done with the Fall Semester.

For the record, worse semester ever. Not the classes but what life threw at me the last six months. How I managed to get passing grades is beyond me. I look to be getting a B in Biology, which I am overjoyed about. I look to be holding onto a C in the Psychology class, with which I am content. Considering that I was switching jobs, making multiple trips to Green Bay while Tina dealt with the passing of her mother, including handling the estate, and then Tina having emergency surgery to remove her rupturing aneurysm, I’m grateful I finished my classes.

I cannot draw. I’ve known this for all of my life. And no, I don’t buy the “anyone can draw” bullshit. So, when I signed up for a psychology class, the last thing I expected was an art component. But that’s what I have to do. Now, I’ll draw, but it does not do anything for my learning experience. Just the opposite, it bogs me down. I do not get the thought behind making me do art. It seems to be an unsound theory not supported by any real-world situations.

Now, I get the concept of critical thinking. I believe it is a crucial aspect of being able to succeed in the world. However, I’m not convinced that it is a process that can be taught equally to everyone with the expectation of a universal time-frame. People learn at different paces and in different ways. I am a word thinker. My thoughts are dialogue. I cannot visualize anything. Nor do I hear music. Or have music in my mind. Just words. Just dialogue. So, I am a simple man who likes to receive information through words. I will go through life using what I was taught, gaining mastery at my pace.

It irritates me when education goes beyond educating and forces premature “mastery” of subjects. In other words, they are trying to force comprehension. It is the one thing I have learned in all my years as a counselor – I cannot force my clients to gain comprehension. It is a spontaneous process that occurs at a different pace for each individual. Mastery is gained through repeated effort. And through their respective manner of thinking. Kinetic thinkers, auditory thinkers, visual thinkers, and emotive thinkers all learn in different ways. Unfortunately, teachers are forced to craft a classroom without regard to the various manner of thinking. And that’s a shame.

Oh, and for the first time since I started college, I have an instructor that I am not liking. It’s a first for me.

Okay, okay. I know. It’s been a while since I’ve punched the keys and produced a post for my blog. So, here it is.

I finished the weekly work on one of my courses. Unfortunately, due to being under the weather physically and mentally, I fell behind on a major project due on Monday. It requires creating a question and finding an answer in historical sources. I also have a 10-page case study analysis paper due in my other class on Monday. It requires no research, so I’ll get it done tomorrow.

Thankfully I have an understanding instructor who is going to give me more time to get the project finished. So, I’ll also be working on a question (my biggest struggle) for some historical sources about past plagues or other such microbial-caused illnesses. But, I know I’ll get it done.

I hope you all are doing well and dealing with the current state of affairs that has befallen our world. I know I have good days and bad days. Hell, sometimes I have good hours and bad hours all in the same evening. We are in one unique period in this modern era. I hold you all in the Light.

*I have no idea how many education updates I’ve created.

I should be working on assignments. I finished the work for one class already today. I’m now just waiting for my motivation to finish its walk around the neighborhood. So, while that’s happening, I’m posting here on my blog.

Aren’t you happy to know this?