Week 15: Goodbyes and Good Memories

                      

           I can’t believe it. I cannot believe that my 15 weeks at Elizabethtown are up. My time as a student teacher is over. This is still hard for me to fathom and I have been trying to let it sink in. I had mixed feelings as this last week began. Part of me was excited to see what comes next in my life but part of me was very sad knowing this would be the last time I will see many of these students. I began the week with the mindset that I would make it a great work and really enjoy the last few days with my students and Mr. Anderson. On Monday, I had a busy day as I prepared for the final week. I made copies and prepared lessons during my prep period and some of this continued into second block. In aquatics, I continued teaching students about reptiles and amphibians. Students took notes and then completed a fun activity involving puzzles and a summarizing worksheet. In intro to agribusiness, I taught a lesson on budgeting. Students completed an activity to help them realize the importance of a budget and then completed an inquiry based activity on budgets. The night ended with an ag advisory board meeting at 7pm.

            On Tuesday, most of my day was spent outside. My students, Mr. Anderson, and I were all glad to get outside and enjoy the nice weather. I finished the rest of my lessons for the week during flex and my prep period today. In aquatics, Mr. Anderson and I took students out to Bear Creek, a piece of land owned by the school district which houses two ponds and a wooded lot. I created a worksheet I wanted students to fill out using field guides to identify various aquatic species at the pond. It was sunny and breezy, a perfect day to get students outside. In intro to agribusiness, Mr. Anderson and I also took students down to Bear Creek, but for a different lesson. I wanted students to tie together everything we have been learning about: marketing plans, budgets, cash flow statements, etc. together in a final unit project. I explained to students that they would have to individually create a final project using Bear Creek as the basis. Students were to determine how they would create some sort of agribusiness or company at Bear Creek such as an environmental center or fishing guide service. I explained they could get creative with their ideas but had to be school appropriate. Students came up with a lot of great ideas and I’m excited to see their final products!

 

            I had such a great day on Wednesday! This was the day that I would finish my community based unit of instruction by taking students in my aquatic resources class stocking trout with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission! 16 students from my aquatic resources class, as well as several who took the course in the fall, went along on the trip. We left the high school at 10:15 and arrived back at 2:30. Mr. Anderson and I enjoyed the stocking trip just as much as our students! We stocked at several places along three creeks in northern Lancaster County: Conoy Creek, Little Chiquies Creek, and Little Conestoga Creek. The day started off perfect for stocking: warm and sunny. As the day went on, clouds rolled in and it was raining by the time we got to the last stop. Students enjoyed applying concepts we discussed in class to a real life setting. This was a great way for me to connect with more of my students as my final week came to a close.

            Thursday was an enjoyable day! I finalized several assignments during my prep period, as well as prepared for the lesson component of my DIY project. Students had to solve a crime scene and determine which of the four possible suspects accidentally killed fish in the tanks in the aquatics lab. I gave students brief background information while making sure I didn’t “give it away” so to speak. Students remained engaged throughout the lesson and were happy to discover that no fish actually died. I would make sure that I was not the culprit as I was in this case if I taught this lesson again. I would probably pair students up to complete the activity together with such a broad spectrum of ability levels in one class. In ag business, students watered and fertilized all of the plants in the greenhouse. They continued to work on their finance project that they started yesterday. I had to play catch up with many students who were not in class yesterday as well.

            Friday was a very emotional day. I ended up crying most of the day. I didn’t realize how much I was going to miss being at Elizabethtown! I had such a great group of students and an amazing cooperating teacher; I didn’t want this experience to end! I prepared a goodie bag for every single student, as well as a hand written card. I handed these out to each class and then shared a short PowerPoint presentation as a reflection upon my time here. I cannot begin to explain how I felt as I was talking, looking out across each class to my students and seeing tears roll down their faces! Seeing my cooperating teacher cry was even harder. I could not have asked for a better experience and everything I have done up to this point, all of the exams, projects, assignments, everything made this experience worth it. Next week will be hard, knowing I won’t be walking through the doors Monday morning to see my students. I will cherish the memories I have made here and embrace the young teacher I have become. One day I hope to be half the teacher that Mr. Anderson is to his students and also a mentor to student teachers like me.