Student Teaching

In my time at BYU-I, I have never EVER gotten any help from student employees. They don't know what they're talking about, and when you question their authority and ask to speak to someone who does know what they're talking about, they get really defensive, and keep assuring you that they can help you. No. No you can't. I've been talking to you for 15 minutes, and it is obvious to me that I am not going to get what I need from you.

Obviously, there is something to spur this blog rant.

I applied for student teaching about a month ago. I had all my paperwork, I checked with the advising office twice (with different people) to make sure there wouldn't be a problem with my student teaching. I also talked to someone in the education office. Everyone told me I was good to graduate. I asked - Is there anything else? No - you're all set. Great!

The student teaching will not even bother to look at your information if they think there is something missing/wrong.

So, sometime in these next couple of days we're supposed to find out our general placements for student teaching - local, Arizona, Utah, Las Vegas. I got an e-mail from one of the student teaching people and opened it with much anticipation...

This is what it said:

Megan.
Congratulation on being so close to completing your degree. After an initial check I noticed that some courses in your Music Education Composite are not showing up as complete. I know you have been working closely with the advising center of visual and performing arts. I would recommend that you contact them and make sure everything is complete with this major and fill out any necessary substitutions now to prevent problems in the future with student teaching placement.

(signed)

What the crap?!

So, I respond with an e-mail asking where the problem is, because this e-mail is vague, and I've already been told by 3 people that I can graduate.

This was on... Wednesday and I haven't gotten anything back. But the student teaching people get really worked up if you contact them, because they are simply TOO BUSY to even try to answer all student e-mails, and as a result, they ignore them. They have sent out e-mails that tell us this. Basically - don't even try. But I did anyway. You can't send me an e-mail like that, and then not expect a question or two.

I contact the Music Advising Office, and ask if Sister Jones (the full-time adult employee who works there who is the only one who knows what she's doing) and the full-time adult secretary tells me, yes, she is in from 10-2.

I go to the Music Advising Office yesterday, and see a student sitting at Sister Jones' desk.
"...Uh, is Sister Jones in today?"
"No."
"Do you know if she'll be in later?"
"No. She doesn't come in during the 7-week break. She might stop in during the day, but I don't know."
"Oh. Can I make an appointment to see her? "

We set up an appointment for today at noon with the understanding that if Sister Jones knew there was an appointment, she would come in for it.

I get an e-mail yesterday saying she won't be in at all, but I can come in and meet with the student who will be working there. The student also tells me that after looking at my grad report, I am missing a class. The student also tells me that there are substitutions that need to be made in my courses.

I refuse to go meet with a student employee, of the same breed who told me in the first place that I could graduate, which information appears to be wrong.

So I send an e-mail to the above mentioned student.
I tell him I am waiting for the professor to add me to the class (I have been waiting for about 2 months now). You would think that the people and secretaries in charge of registration might be able to add me to the class anyway if I have professor permission, but so far I haven't gotten anywhere with that. And now that the professors are on break, who knows when I might get added to it. As far as I know, the student teaching people will ignore my application for student teaching until I am added to this class. I also ask about the substitution that needs to be made.

I get an e-mail back that says "we usually make the substitutions when you apply for graduation". Oh- cuz I thought when I said "So, I'm good to graduate" and you said "Yes" that meant that the necessary paperwork had been completed.
No, I would be wrong.

I am waiting for an e-mail back.

I'm really annoyed! It's not like I haphazardly threw together my student teaching application and didn't bother to make sure I had all of my classes complete - I actually met with three different people who ALL told me I could student teach and graduate. I had assumed that meant I could student teach and graduate! Not that there would be extra paperwork that had to be filed before I could student teach and graduate. Which aparently THEY have to file!!! Gr. The information I have gotten from student employees is NEVER correct. EVER. And when I ask to speak with the full-time adult employee that supervises them, they get all offended and keep talking to me like I'M the one that doesn't know anything.

*sigh*

I did get an e-mail just as I was typing this that says I will be placed locally, but I won't find out exactly where until mid to late November. For those of you who don't know, "local" to the student teaching office means anywhere from Island Park to Pocatello - basically 1 hour (+) in any direction.

Why does everything with this school have to be so COMPLICATED?!!! I will be so glad to finally graduate!