English...YES!!, Biology.....not so much!

It has been a little hectic lately what with getting all the kids' reports done for school.  I had 2 state reports to help with, 2 state tri-fold posters to help with, 2 state floats to help with, and 1 aquatic animal report to help with..all within in the last week or so.  Needless to say, the blog went to the back burner.

In between all these reports, I did manage to meet with my Major and Minor advisers.  My first appointment was with my Biology advisor for my minor.  One of the first things he told me was that he has never had a Biology minor student with a major in English.  I realize that my interests are very much on opposite ends of the spectrum. 

He proceeded to look over my grades from my transcripts and noticed that I have never taken a chemistry class and that my College Algebra grade was less than stellar (um....D+).   I think I realized that a biology minor was not going to happen as soon as he started talking about retaking College Algebra.  

Math and I have never, I mean NEVER, been friends.  I was looking at my report cards from elementary beginning in 1st grade each report card has a teacher's comment of "She needs help in math".   My high school Geometry teacher helped me every day after school (he basically sat down and walked me through every problem in the assignment EVERY DAY!) and I still got a D in the class.   I hit an all time low when my college algebra professor pulled me aside and said that he was worried about me and wanted to know what grade I would be happy with, my reply?.. C-.   As you see from above, I couldn't even get that!

So, as much as I love biology, I will not be minoring in that subject.  Call me wimpy, call me a quitter, but I will not face my nemesis again! 


My English advising appointment went quite different.  I walked into her office and saw that one full wall in her office was covered in books....I was home!   It took everything in me not to step over and start perusing her collection and then to turn and spend another hour talking about books.  It wasn't a very long meeting and I happily walked out of her office as a declared English teaching major.

I have been advised to declare a minor, so that is still being mulled over, but in the meantime I will be eagerly awaiting the beginning of Fall semester.

                                                             
That is me!!

What to major in?

My ultimate plan is to be a high school teacher of English and Biology.  I looked through the biology minor requirements and overwhelmed doesn't come close to describe how I'm feeling.  It has been almost 20 years since I've taken a biology class and, although I was pretty good at it in high school, things could have really changed since then.

 Someone mentioned last night that I should major in world religions since other religions fascinate me.  I've made a fool of myself many times when I find out someone is a different religion than me.  Here is one such example: My girl scout troop meets at a church that I am not a member of and  I was trying to find glue for the girl scout project that myself and my co-leader were doing (we had both forgotten to bring some) when I came across one of the girls' mothers. I asked her is she went to church here (in hopes that she could tell me if they have glue here and where.) She looked at me and said, "Me? No I'm Jewish."  I stopped dead in my tracks.  My eyes got wide and I grabbed her arm and said, "Are you serious?! You're Jewish?! I mean actively participating, practicing Jew?!?!".  She is now looking at me as if I'm some crazed maniac and tentively says"...yes."  I then proceed to explain that I am so interested in the Jewish religion and culture and have been for a long time and that I have so many questions for her. We laugh about it now, but I know for at least a moment there she was pretty sure I was a raving lunatic!  Needless to say, other friends have had the same expierence when they have told me of their religious beliefs.

Back to my point, maybe world religions is something to consider as a minor, although could I even teach such a topic in high schools today?

I do think given my love of reading and literature an English major is a given.  I'm hoping that with all the reading I do, that when I get into my English classes and I see the required reading I'll be able to mark most of them off the list as having already been read.  Here's hoping!