A World of Distractions
For people like me, then, the chance to study a little more 'remotely' is an absolute lifesaver. My three children are very small. There is no way I would be able to have trained to become a Montessori pre-school teacher without Distance Learning. It has let me take a different avenue in my life, enabled me to study something I am passionate about, supported me through a time where, if it weren't for the flexibility of doing the Early Childhood Course via distance learning at MCI, I would not have been xable to study at all. I am very grateful and positive about the experience and feel I am lucky to have had the opportunity to learn the latest research on child development, to hone my teaching skills, to discover the truly amazing world of the Montessori Method.
Having studied full-time for my degree many years ago as a single person without children, I know that any course has difficulties that must be overcome. Distance Learning is no exception; those challenges are just different ones this time around. As I sit and prepare my final assignment, I become aware once again of just how those difficulties manifest themselves.
I tend to do most of my study at weekends when my husband is around to help look after three small and very demanding girls, after spending a hard week at work. And sometimes it's somewhat harder to create my own 'prepared environment' to foster my concentration than it is in the Montessori setting.
I sit in my study, tapping away, trying in vain to find that perfect quote. Which of Montessori's books did it come from? As I shut my eyes to concentrate, there is a series of loud shrieks from the room next door as one small girl remonstrates with another, then the padding of feet across the hall and my door is wrenched open. In tumble two cross, red-faced children, mouths open, both passionately describing who pinched who first. Then the baby crawls in as I am trying to usher the two out, picks up my text books from the floor and begins to eat them. My husband attempts to entice all three out of the study. The noise level reaches new heights.
By this time, I've practically forgotten what my name is, let alone what point I was trying to prove with my long-lost quote.
I also work in the evenings. This is normally calmer, as hopefully the children are in bed. But sometimes, sadly, they have other ideas; the stairs become a busy thoroughfare with them descending and me marching them back up to bed with a drink, a book, a toy, a blanket, a watering can (yes, really) or anything else that they decide Can Not Wait Until Morning. And sometimes, after feeding them, bathing them, reading stories, singing lullabies, settling imaginary friends and finally shovelling them all into their own beds, I am so tired that after about an hour or so, I realise I've spent the last few minutes doing less evaluating and more staring into space. I really ought to call it a day myself.
Studying from home means having to be very fierce about resisting distractions, whether they be pleasant ones, spending time with my family, or less alluring ones, loading the washing machine, changing the beds, cleaning the house.
My family are pretty supportive, but I do feel a little guilty when I hear my five year old role-playing with my three year old, saying 'I must do my essay now.'
Still, as another month goes by, another milestone is ticked off. One more assignment deadline to go and I move into a new phase of the course, concentrating on my teaching practice and then exams. There's still some way to go, lots of hard work ahead, but studying via Distance Learning has meant I've managed to come so far and learn so much and for that I am truly thankful.
What are your distractions when studying or working? Let us know in the comments below!
6 comments
Anne-Marie and Theresa, it is great to hear that other people doing distance learning feel the same way I do. It is hard, but I truly believe it will be worth it too. Lots of luck to you Theresa with the teaching practice!
