Student As Self ( Follow The GUIDE)

uided Response: Review at least two of your classmates’ posts and, based on their discussions, share your thoughts on how at least one student development theory relates to your classmates’ experiences.

Anika Guidry

For this discussion, draw on your own experiences as a graduate learner and reflect on the various support relationships that have been important to your own academic success. What are the roles you consider critical to your own progression within a graduate program, especially as related to student development, support, or student affairs?

As a graduate learner my number one supporter has been my son. He is the reason I decided to further my education and obtain a degree to have a better job and learning situation. Now, I am expecting my second child and my goal is complete my masters program, which I have only the capstones after this course) before her arrival in August.

The role as a working single parent with a full time teaching career has been critical to my progression. Between lesson plans, grading papers, and teaching full time I am always exhausted. I have been trying to manage my time and keep assignment days clear of teaching duties but it has been rough. As I stated in an earlier post when I was in my bachelors program I would hear from my student advisor extremely often but in the masters program I haven’t heard from anybody. I’m not even sure who is my advisor. I would appreciate the support because sometimes I am overwhelmed.

Philip Peevy

When I became homeless (a situation that no longer qualifies for me), I considered the roles of my peers and support staff at Ashford to be the most important participants in my own development as a grad student. At the time that I lived in the shelter,  I became what Shlossberg refers to as “moving through” an event that I had not initially anticipated.

Additionally,  I did not have the support of any of my family members or my other relatives (they rejected me once this happened), so I did feel marginalized. This rejection caused me to perceive myself as worthless to them, both as a person and as a family member. Fortunately, I had other support from my peers at work, my case managers, and the university. These individuals helped me to overcome my negative perceptions of myself; consequently,  I began to feel more hopeful for the future.

Now, I have successfully transitioned out of this event, and I subsequently developed a sense of my own identity apart from my family (We still love each other, though, I suppose).