Peer Review:

Statistical Analyzer:

It is not easy to be an education major at Trinity, but it does pay off in the end. At times, there was so much work to be done for different classes on top of completing a HUGE online portfolio that was to be completed before graduating, that it was tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The portfolio was to be a useful tool when interviewing and applying for positions at different schools. (That proved to be true - it is a very useful tool to give to administrators for them to view the work that you have completed over the course of four years of college as an education major.) But it was a labor-intensive project, as are most things related to the education major. The grading scale isn't easy either - a 98 to 100 is an "A" in most coursework tied to the education department. A 94 to a 97 was an "A-", a 90 to a 93 was a "B+" and on down - definitely not an easy grading scale, although it wasn't impossible by any means to maintain a high grade in the education courses - it just took a lot of work, turning things in on time, and putting a good amount of effort into each assignment. It wasn't easy in college, and it consumed my life at times, but it was good preparation for the real world of teaching, as there is always a ton of things to be done in the classroom, between planning and preparing lessons, helping students one-on-one, grading papers, turning in paperwork to the administration, keeping up with the parents of students, keeping my certification valid, and more. The professors in the education department are excellent - they are current in the information that they are providing their students, and they bring years of knowledge and experience to the college courses they teach so they can prepare future educators in their classes. They also make sure that we stay up-to-date with what the state of Illinois requires for future teachers, and there are a lot of rules at times that go hand-in-hand with both the state of Illinois requirements and the requirements that the Education Department at Trinity has. It's not a program of study for everyone, that's for sure, especially when it comes to turning in paperwork on time, keeping grades up where they needs to be, (there are a lot of rules regarding what grades must be met in both the education courses, the courses you're taking for your minor, and your overall GPA), and "jumping through the hoops" so to speak for the state of Illinois. But, it was definitely worth it, and when it came time to student teach and then teach in my own classroom, I felt more than prepared for the different aspects of teaching I have encountered.