Egads, week one down and I feel as if I had just a weekend off. Sigh.
Classes seem good and maybe not too much work this time around. At least the topics seem fun and interesting anyway! My coursework seems to be overshadowed so much by my clinical work it's almost as if it gets in the way. I remember Didi complaining about taking classes on top of all her other work, and I'm now really 'getting it.'
Social Systems is fascinating and it looks as if it will cross into a fair amount of poly sci as well as anthropology, which is a refreshing detour from the norm. Then out Teaching Psych class is being taught by a five star prof from Harvard who, besides having a rather overwhelming CV, is an absolute hoot! She's taught lots of online courses as well, so is well rounded and will give us a really broad sweep of exposure and practice.
The supervision/consulting practicum taught by the teacher I didn't like before is also excellent. This, and not the other, is definitely his forte. Must make a case presentation already next week, but the format is pretty much exactly what I write in my reports for my practicum, so all I really have to do is pull three already completed reports at random and present them. Is that a Godsend or what?
Lastly is the cross cohort dissertation class where we 2nd years are mixing with the 3rd years. The prof was away this first time so two of the 3rd years ran the show and it went fantastically. THIS is how I envisioned my graduate experience; groups of students passionate about their specialties, discussing their work, dreams and futures! Our cohort's interpersonal bickering has made that pretty much impossible, so a bigger pool of people helped a bunch. Of course there are sure to be new relationship problems that will take the edge of the fun, but at least this first class, and likely a few after this, was really interesting and a powerful learning tool for us all. Anyway, it got me charged up about my topic again and I'm itching to get down to work!
First day at the south county juvenile hall (I'll be working there every Friday until the term is out) was rather ho hum. Its an old facility, but in a very beautiful place, and it's much more open and airy than the new, very institutional one up here where I work on Sundays. I was told it would be more 'laid back' but my take on that is that it is not so much laid back as utterly disorganized and badly out of compliance. I live like a pig, but I am a stickler for organization at work, and it just irritates the hell out of me to work in a place where there is no rhyme or reason to the system. Or rather, there IS no system! The facility is slowly being shut down, presumably due to budget problems, but I have to wonder if there's more to the story...
And lastly, my neuropsych prof has asked me if I want to do a full battery of tests along with the writeups on a couple of her clients, since she just broke her ankle and is going to have to have surgery soon. Oh lordie... damned if I do and damned if I don't. Pass up one or two complete batteries? NEURO batteries??? No way! But when???? GROANnnnn...
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6 comments:
Before I even read the mention of me I was thinking "That's exactly how I feel, that it gets in the way." Coursework begins to seem like an annoying obligation that interrupts my real work. Last quarter it was especially bad when my job and my thesis were my main priorities. After a while I began designating one day for each class, no matter how much work I had to do -- reading and a paper would have to be done in that one day, and if that wasn't enough time it would just be a piss poor paper.
Coursework takes as long as I let it, so doing it at the last minute forced me to finish everything in just one day instead of letting it take over my week. (Not that I recommend this approach... it's just what I have to do for my schedule.)
The classes sound great! I'm jealous :)
What's the deal about closing that facility and the one in North County? Where are these kids supposed to go?
Donna
One day per class... hmm. tempting but I don't think my OCPDishness would allow it yet, didi. I may amend that next year though!
Donna, the county is in debt and beyond and the closure is, supposedly, a result. My impression this last week though, is that they are not just more 'laid back' down there, they are significantly less compliant with paperwork, which can't make them look good on the books. The one in North County where I work will serve the whole county, which is odd since it is so far north and it's such a big county. They expanded it though, 2/3 is all new and it has the largest capacity. I suppose that's why.
Geez, so many California counties are having budget problems. It does seem odd that the place where you are working will serve the entire county, but at least they enlarged the facility, because they will certainly need it. The North County facility that I was referring to is the one in PR - I read in the paper that it's closing, too. I wonder where they will send all the kids that used to go there? To your workplace?
Donna
SLO prolly. They're hiring for 3 MH staff right now.
Here's a weird one for you; two CYAs (now termed DJJs), are closing and the reason is purportedly that adolescent crime is dropping so we don't need them anymore. Kids will be coming back to various JHs and when those are overwhelmed the less serious offenders will be sent out on Electronic monitoring or just probation. Of course the number of kids being tried as adults is on the rise... could there be a connection? Who needs a Youth Authority when you can just stick all your minors in adult prisons instead. I know there must be several pieces missing in my view of the puzzle, because this makes NO sense!
Geez, that's just crazy. My ass that adolescent crime is dropping! I think using electronic monitoring or probation can be used for some crimes, but where do they draw the line about adult prison? I really think that sending a kid there is only useful for them to really learn about how to be a lifelong criminal.
I always think of those facilities as CYA's. Shows my age ;)
Donna
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