Happy Holidays!
I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Whatever you're celebrating have a happy one.
After my teachers finish grading my final work and hand in my grades, I will be done with my Network Specialist Associates Degree. I am sure, given the nature of the IT field, I will be back later for more training. The IT teachers I have worked with at MATC have been amazing. If you ever go to MATC I highly recommend taking classes that Sue Kress teaches. Her classes are to the point with a strong emphases on lab work. You leave her classes feeling confident in your skills. I only had Brian Kirsch for one class, emerging technologies (VMware), but I would still recommend taking his classes as well. I don't think there is anyone who can top the experience he brings to the class. VMware is an exciting topic in of itself but the way he taught it made it more so.To be able to learn from a man who has worked so much with VMware and sits on the Board of Directors for the VMware User Group, is worth his pony tail's weight in gold.
On the flip side, I have had some bad teachers as well. Most of which were general studies classes, sociology/English and such. The only advice I can offer is to keep copies of all submitted work and take a picture of all graded work. This could save you. One teacher I had nearly failed myself and at least three other students because she lost her grade book and refused to use the Blackboard grade book. Luckily, I was able to find 90% of the work to prove I had done the assignments on time.
Another bit of advice, don't buy your books until you have verified with the teacher what is the correct book and wait until the book is actually used. There seems to be a lot of miss communication between teachers, the people who choose books, the book store, and the people who order books. So save yourself the hassle of having to return a book and wait till the teacher themselves tell you the needed book. Also I have gotten through at least five classes where the teacher has either never or only once referred to the books. Paying $100+ for a book, only used once, for one paragraph, read in class, is a waste of money to a broke student. I saved a lot of money and still passed those classes with a high grade.
I now plan on focusing on getting my CCNA and VCP5-DCV certifications. I have bought a new book recommended by Brain Kirsch to study for the VCP, called VCP5-DCV study guide by Brain Atkinson. I will post all my study notes from the book here along with my Cisco study notes. I plan on also posting more lab write ups of both Cisco and VMware. In between I will do write ups about home and small office IT solutions. I have one entry in the works explaining home wireless router features and how to find the one that best suits your needs without over paying.
For anything I post, if any reader has a question or comment please feel free to use the comments. I am always open to pointers. If I don't know the answer to your question, I will find it.
