Back To School Tips

Back to School Tips For Women

“I will prepare and my time will come.”

Abraham Lincoln

I want to encourage those of you that God has placed it upon your hearts to go back to school to do so. It is not too late and you are not too old, or any of a myriad of reason you may have. Teachers were the kindest people I knew as a child and I always wanted to be one of them. I remember hosting “school” as a kid and helping the younger kids in my neighborhood with their homework. Situations and circumstances came along and I lost the dream of becoming a teacher. However, God’s plan for our lives will not be denied.

Our daughter was four and our son was about eight months old when I started college. I started taking some basic classes in elementary education thinking that I would use the training to home school my children. That was my plan, but not God’s plan. Even with the support of my husband and my family, it was hard. I had been out of high school for seventeen years so I had to learn how to study again, but this time with the added tasks of meeting the needs of my husband, my children, managing a household and working part time.

I remember a time when my son was very ill and I had been up with him for days without sleeping. I had two reports due for school and no way to get them done in time. I went to my husband in tears and told him I was going to quit school. I told him I couldn’t do it, it was too hard, I was tired, I was too old to be a teacher, it was too expensive to continue, I’m behind on the laundry and the housework, I didn’t have the time I needed to grocery shop, and the classes were becoming more and more difficult for me. I was about a year and a half from graduating with a degree in education and I felt like a complete failure. He said to me, “O.K. if that is what you want to do I will support you, but you will never be able to face the kids and tell them not to give up because things are hard or they are tired. You won’t be able to say to them don’t quit because you did.” I cannot explain to you how his words ministered to me. He was right. I wanted to stop rowing in the middle of the lake. I instantly stopped crying, and hugged him and my kids. I took the emphasis off myself and focused on my family. I contacted my teachers and explained that my son had been ill and I was unable to complete my assignments. I was given more time to complete my work and was actually commended by my instructors for continuing my education. I thought about my family instead of how hard this was for me.

There were times when I did not have a babysitter for my daughter and had to take her to class with me. I talked with my instructors and we worked out things so that I could be a mom and a student too. I asked my family to come over and help me with the kids so that I could finish the housework. My husband took over the laundry. I stopped thinking that I had to do everything on my own and realized that if I was going to do this, I needed to learn to ask for help.

There have been times in our life that my husband has been unable to work due to health issues and temporary lay-offs, but we were able to get through it. If I had not finished college and continued my education to become a district administrator, we may have been in trouble.

If you know that there is something that you should do in your life that will require you to take classes or learn a skill, please do it. Change is never easy but it can be done. It does not matter how long you have been out of school, if you are single or a single mom, married with kids or no kids, if you do not know how you are going to manage to work and go to school, or even if you don’t know where the money is going to come from to pay for school, there may be a plan for your life that only this kind of preparation can prepare you to meet. Talk to your family and friends to get their input to see how they can assist you. You are not alone and you can do it. You never know how God plans to use you.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step, even when you can’t see the whole staircase.” Here are some tips to help you take your first step.

• Pray, ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and guidance so that you will make the right decisions
• Talk it over with your family and friends. After all, this is going to affect their lives too. They will be your biggest support base.
• Meet with an admissions counselor at the school you plan on attending. They may be able to help you with programs that are designed for “Non -Traditional Students,” that can put you on the fast track to your degree.
• Meet with a financial aid counselor. They can tell you about financial options and direct you to grant money (you do not have to pay back grant money) or other programs out there to help you financially. If you work, check with your employer to see if the company offers any type of tuition reimbursement.
• Pay attention to deadlines for admission, registration, and financial aid. In this case a deadline is a deadline!
• Register early so that you can have your pick of classes and class times. In my case, I had to register for classes that ended by 2:00 because I had to pick up my kids at 2:30. Keep in mind the responsibilities that you have in your life that cannot be changed.
• Begin with basic classes and then move into what you want to major in. Literature, Math, or a Science class is a good start.
• Take as many classes as you can at a community or junior college. This will save you money versus a university. Just make sure that whatever you take will transfer over to the college or university you plan to attend, so check with your counselor before you take classes you may want to want to transfer over.
• Check with your college or university to see if they offer childcare services on campus. Most junior colleges offer some type of childcare. There may be a nominal fee. Don’t forget to ask about things like who is responsible for watching the kids, what programs or activities do they have for the kids, what are the age ranges of the students, do they take kids in diapers, do you need to bring food or is food provided, are criminal background checks done on everyone, and what are the days and hours of operation?
• Start slowly maybe one or two classes and work your way up to more as your schedule, finances and other commitments permit.
• Try on-line classes. This is a great option if the college you want to attend is far from your home or workplace. You can also be a stay at home mom and work on-line while the kids are napping or in the evening after bedtime. If you are disciplined and have some knowledge about the subject, this may be a good option for you. Before you take this option, check the college or university to see how much support you will have if you have questions.

Time is going to go by whether we do something with it or not. Why not spend our time being obedient to God’s will for our lives. When I graduated, there was a woman in her late fifties that received her degree also. This woman and her daughters were in college together. She was divorced and raised her two twin daughters alone. One of her daughters was a single mom, so she was a grandmother too. She and her daughters graduated together on the same day. It was wonderful to see. So, be encouraged that you are not the only person to get a late start. God has fully equipped you for the task. The time has come to step out of comfort zones and into faith. Prepare, and walk into the future God has planned for you.

Deuteronomy 8:18- Remember the Lord your God. For he is the one who gives you the power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath. (NLT)*
*New Living Translation

Sharon Price
Director of Student Support Services
Brookwood School District 167
Glenwood, Illinois