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This website is an assignment for a university course in partial fulfillment of a Master of Science degree in Information Media at St. Cloud State University, Minnesota, USA.
The creator of this website, LaDonna Larson, has a baccalaureate degree in music education from Bethel University, and is currently pursuing a master's degree while working as a graduate assistant at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
The creator of this website, LaDonna Larson, has a baccalaureate degree in music education from Bethel University, and is currently pursuing a master's degree while working as a graduate assistant at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
(My written exam as part of my application to the SCSU Information Media Department master's program:)
I Love Music & Books!
by LaDonna Larson
Each of us has things about which we are passionate. These are the things that get us out of bed early in the morning, and keep us up late at night, just to immerse ourselves in these pursuits. For me, my two main passions have always been music and books. As a child, reading books and playing/composing music took up all my spare moments. Making decisions about college came relatively easy, although I knew I would have to choose between these two super-interests. Because of my experiences in choir, band, and composing (not to mention the offered scholarships), music edged out books in choosing my major subject of study. However, I continued to love reading all kinds of genres, mostly as an escape from studies.
In my adult career, I enjoyed teaching music in a wide variety of settings, due to my husband’s and my interest in international teaching. I found that I not only loved the content, but I enjoyed working with students of all ages and ethnicities. I had planned to take a leave of absence when I began having my own children, but my leave was much longer than I had planned, due to having my hands gleefully full of four children in less than two years. I had planned to compose music during this time, but found my new life a bit too full of interruptions for the focus required. So I turned back to my other passion: books. This was not only for my own sanity, but for the sheer enjoyment of sharing my passion with my children. (Actually, they enjoyed both of my passions.) Once again my life was full of books, and not just Dr. Suess, though he was a favorite. My children enjoyed books far beyond their vocabulary, and I absolutely loved sharing them with my kids.
As my kids entered their school-age years, I turned again to teaching music, as that was my area of licensure. However, there were more lay-offs than positions hiring at the time, and the few available jobs were taken by those who had recently taught. I enjoyed five years as a substitute teacher, but longed to have more consistent interaction with students, so as to build relationships and make a difference in young people’s lives. I also felt the need for more training in technology. I considered getting a master’s degree, so that I might hone my teaching skills and get more training, but I could not afford to finance it at that time. As a substitute teaching in classrooms, I was exposed to many different types of technology that I had about fifteen minutes to figure out each morning that I taught. Although I knew I could always ask the students (they know everything, right?), I knew I would lose a tiny bit of credibility if I had to resort to that. I found that I was getting pretty good at figuring things out, but I also found that I wanted to know more about how to use technology in the classroom. I substitute taught for the media specialists at Princeton High School and Princeton Middle School quite a bit, and I enjoyed that setting more than any other. I loved being able to help students with finding books and solving technology problems.
When I was made aware of the graduate assistant position in Information Media at Saint Cloud State University, I was immediately intrigued. It seemed to be an answer to a lot of my needs. It would provide me with the funds necessary to obtain a master’s degree, it would offer training in a variety of technologies, and it would enable me to work with one of my passions: books. I quickly applied and was thrilled to be hired. A Master of Library Media degree will double the number of areas for which I can be hired, and I will be able to continue working in an educational setting. This is important to me as my husband is also a teacher, and we hope to some day return to international teaching.
Upon graduating with a master’s degree, I hope to be able to find a position as a library media specialist within an hour of my home, which is currently in Cambridge, Minnesota. I believe I will be a good candidate, because I have strong skills in teaching, organizing, and working well with others. Because my husband’s current position earns college tuition for our children, we will not be able to pursue international teaching until they have graduated from college or university; however, teaching internationally continues to be a long-term goal and desire. I believe that by the time I am done with the master’s program at Saint Cloud State University, I will have a hard time choosing between teaching music and working as a library media specialist (assuming both are offered), even though most of my life has been devoted to the pursuit of a music teaching career. The job market being what it is, I probably won’t have the opportunity to choose, but I would like to think I will be prepared and open to whatever opportunities present themselves. I look forward to those opportunities!
I Love Music & Books!
by LaDonna Larson
Each of us has things about which we are passionate. These are the things that get us out of bed early in the morning, and keep us up late at night, just to immerse ourselves in these pursuits. For me, my two main passions have always been music and books. As a child, reading books and playing/composing music took up all my spare moments. Making decisions about college came relatively easy, although I knew I would have to choose between these two super-interests. Because of my experiences in choir, band, and composing (not to mention the offered scholarships), music edged out books in choosing my major subject of study. However, I continued to love reading all kinds of genres, mostly as an escape from studies.
In my adult career, I enjoyed teaching music in a wide variety of settings, due to my husband’s and my interest in international teaching. I found that I not only loved the content, but I enjoyed working with students of all ages and ethnicities. I had planned to take a leave of absence when I began having my own children, but my leave was much longer than I had planned, due to having my hands gleefully full of four children in less than two years. I had planned to compose music during this time, but found my new life a bit too full of interruptions for the focus required. So I turned back to my other passion: books. This was not only for my own sanity, but for the sheer enjoyment of sharing my passion with my children. (Actually, they enjoyed both of my passions.) Once again my life was full of books, and not just Dr. Suess, though he was a favorite. My children enjoyed books far beyond their vocabulary, and I absolutely loved sharing them with my kids.
As my kids entered their school-age years, I turned again to teaching music, as that was my area of licensure. However, there were more lay-offs than positions hiring at the time, and the few available jobs were taken by those who had recently taught. I enjoyed five years as a substitute teacher, but longed to have more consistent interaction with students, so as to build relationships and make a difference in young people’s lives. I also felt the need for more training in technology. I considered getting a master’s degree, so that I might hone my teaching skills and get more training, but I could not afford to finance it at that time. As a substitute teaching in classrooms, I was exposed to many different types of technology that I had about fifteen minutes to figure out each morning that I taught. Although I knew I could always ask the students (they know everything, right?), I knew I would lose a tiny bit of credibility if I had to resort to that. I found that I was getting pretty good at figuring things out, but I also found that I wanted to know more about how to use technology in the classroom. I substitute taught for the media specialists at Princeton High School and Princeton Middle School quite a bit, and I enjoyed that setting more than any other. I loved being able to help students with finding books and solving technology problems.
When I was made aware of the graduate assistant position in Information Media at Saint Cloud State University, I was immediately intrigued. It seemed to be an answer to a lot of my needs. It would provide me with the funds necessary to obtain a master’s degree, it would offer training in a variety of technologies, and it would enable me to work with one of my passions: books. I quickly applied and was thrilled to be hired. A Master of Library Media degree will double the number of areas for which I can be hired, and I will be able to continue working in an educational setting. This is important to me as my husband is also a teacher, and we hope to some day return to international teaching.
Upon graduating with a master’s degree, I hope to be able to find a position as a library media specialist within an hour of my home, which is currently in Cambridge, Minnesota. I believe I will be a good candidate, because I have strong skills in teaching, organizing, and working well with others. Because my husband’s current position earns college tuition for our children, we will not be able to pursue international teaching until they have graduated from college or university; however, teaching internationally continues to be a long-term goal and desire. I believe that by the time I am done with the master’s program at Saint Cloud State University, I will have a hard time choosing between teaching music and working as a library media specialist (assuming both are offered), even though most of my life has been devoted to the pursuit of a music teaching career. The job market being what it is, I probably won’t have the opportunity to choose, but I would like to think I will be prepared and open to whatever opportunities present themselves. I look forward to those opportunities!