Week Five: 1/3 of the Way Already?!

             I started off Monday feeling refreshed and excited for another week at Elizabethtown! I made copies and got everything prepped for the week during my prep period. I supervised students as they welded during agricultural mechanics in second block. For aquatics today, I wanted to try something new and work in a water debate in the class. I created a scenario about a town having to decide who gets access to the water in the local river. I broke students up into four groups: farmers, outdoor recreationists, water company workers, and power plant employees. I also had a four person group who acted as state congressmen and had to make the final decision. The students had to work in their groups to come up with arguments, present the arguments, answer questions from the congressmen, and then provide a rebuttal. Students seemed a little hesitant at first but once the rebuttal started, the students became much more outspoken and wanted to keep going. I think my directions weren’t as clear as they should have been in the beginning but overall I think the debate worked well! Class ended by cleaning the fish tanks in the aquatics lab.

            On Tuesday, I gave students a quiz in aquatics. I got the chorus of groans and “why’s” on Monday when I informed my students that they would be having a quiz. After the quiz, I asked students how they thought the quiz went and the most common response was that it wasn’t actually that bad. After the quiz, students finished putting together the wetlands display that they have been working on the last few days. The final product looks pretty awesome and I am pleased with my students’ work. To finish up class, I gave my students a pretest with four questions related to calculating water volume. The students were not happy with math and it seems like as a class overall, they struggle with math. The rest of this unit will be fun!

            Wednesday was the day I had scheduled to weigh and measure fish. Class started off with a page and a half of notes highlighting why we weigh and measure fish, its importance, as well as the procedure students would be following for the day. Students seemed to enjoy weighing and measuring fish, although I can’t say the same thing for the fish. I rotated several students for the actual weighing and measuring part; it required them to actually hold the fish. I think it was a combination of the students having a fear of the fish, the fishes’ slimy scales, and the fishes’ continual flopping but most of the 46 fish we weighed and measured ended up on the floor at some point. I wanted students to chart fish growth by tank as well as overall by averaging the growth in length and weight. Students became easily frustrated, partly because of my unclear directions and partly because they didn’t want to graph any results. Class ended with everyone frustrated and I felt a little defeated. After talking with Mr. Anderson, I had a solid plan for Thursday and was ready for a brand new day!

            On Thursday, I stated off class by apologizing for my unclear directions Wednesday, thanked students for their patience, and for being flexible through the whole process. I felt much better about class on Thursday and students seemed to feel better as well. I gave students class time to make their graphs. For the record, handing students a paper with clear, explicit directions and your expectations works much better than just a verbal explanation! I will remember this for the future. We finished up class with notes and a worksheet. Friday was a half day and we took notes on calculating water volume, as well as started practice problems. I quickly realized that I must be very specific and detailed, especially when it comes to mathematical problems. As I look ahead to next week, aquatics will continue with water calculations and complete two mini calculation projects. I will begin teaching ag mechanics next week as well! I’m a little nervous for this but more so excited! I will begin teaching about welding electrodes and plan to complete the Lincoln Electric edible electrodes lab! Here’s to an awesome week 6!

Week Four: One for the Books

          Monday started off as a normal day with no two hour delay, despite the slushy mess outside! I was thankful for the normal schedule to keep my lessons on track until an announcement was made that Elizabethtown was getting an early dismissal at 1pm. I managed to cover most of what I wanted in the shorter class period. This just reiterated the fact that as a teacher, I must be flexible! The students were excited to be getting out early and were chatty during class. Other than that, they seemed interested in the lesson and managed to give me their attention. One thing Mr. Anderson did talk to me about after this lesson is learning to work on my wait time as far as getting students’ attention while they are talking or not paying attention. This is something I want to make sure I have a good handle on now so it doesn’t get out of hand as the semester goes on.

            On Tuesday, I had to teach my lesson a little backwards but it ended up working out. I started off class by allowing students to finish the notecards they were working on yesterday. This took longer than I had anticipated. I then gave students an article about why it is important to protect and preserve wetlands to lead into today’s lesson. After going over the article, I taught my lesson while students took notes. I had planned to show a twenty minute video with a worksheet in today’s class but ended up running out of time, something I didn’t think would happen with block scheduling! I took the students out to feed the fish and that wrapped up class. I was very excited about today’s lesson though because I took Mr. Anderson’s advice from my observation yesterday and put in place today. Wait time actually does work! I used it twice today in class and my students stopped talking. I also made sure to explain why today’s lesson was important and why it matters. I felt good about today’s lesson!

            Dr. Ewing visited for my first observation on Wednesday. I wasn’t nervous at all; I was actually really excited for the lesson! Since I was teaching about wetlands this week, I chose to have students complete an inquiry lab about oil spills while Dr. Ewing was there. I started off the lesson with a real life experience about an oil spill in Harrisburg in 2013 that affected the wetland at Wildwood Park where I was interning that summer. I showed pictures and described what happened for the first few minutes of class. I then introduced the inquiry lab, a simulated oil spill, and gave students brief directions for what they would be doing. I took students over to the shop where I had the lab set up and allowed them to work. Students had to use materials provided to determine what best cleans up an oil spill. It didn’t hit them until about half way through that in order to determine how much oil was soaked up, they should have weighed the material before and after! I finished off class with a Bill Nye the Science Guy movie about wetlands.

            I think this observation will be Dr. Ewing’s most interesting because in the last five minutes of class, I ran out of the room and headed to the bathroom. I ended up throwing up all over the bathroom and getting some on myself. I was very embarrassed to say the least. As a result, I was not able to go to school on Thursday because I had a fever of 101. I was able to return to school on Friday. I got to practice welding in second block. In aquatics, I caught up with what I missed on Thursday. My students were working on creating a wetland in the display case outside of Mr. Anderson’s classroom. Students worked on the different aspects of the wetland: plants, animals, water, mammals, reptiles/amphibians, background, and informative sign. The final piece will come together on Monday and I am so excited to see the final project! As I look ahead to next week, we will wrap up wetlands on Monday. Tuesday we will begin water calculations. I will be bringing a math teacher in to assist with some of the lessons when I begin teaching math. We will also be cleaning the fish tanks next week as well as weighing and measuring the fish! Bring on week five!

Watersheds, Welds, and Winter Storms: Week 3

           Week three of student teaching started off with not one but two two-hour delays! Both Monday and Tuesday of this week, Elizabethtown School District had a two hour delay from the hyped up blizzard of 2015. I was thankful school was not closed and appreciated the few extra hours of sleep I got each morning. I was well rested Monday morning and ready for another awesome week at Elizabethtown. I made all of my copies for the week on Monday during my prep period, something I plan to do each week as I develop my routine. I started off the week by teaching about the three major types of aquatic ecosystems in my aquatic resources class. The class was a few minutes shorter than normal due to the delay. I wasn’t paying attention when I looked at the clock and seemed to rush through the material only to find out I was going by the normal schedule and not the two hour delay. Talk about panic! I had my students create a poster where they had to depict and differentiate the three different types of aquatic ecosystems. Between the notes, poster, and feeding the fish, class ran right up until the bell. My biggest takeaway from Monday: slow down and be able to think on your feet!

            Tuesday started off with another two hour delay. The extra sleep had me well rested and ready for an awesome day. In aquatics, I shifted the focus to abiotic and biotic factors and how they influence aquatic ecosystems. After reviewing some notes, my students created a poster of a chosen aquatic ecosystem and drew and labeled 8 biotic factors as well as 4 abiotic factors. Class ended with a short article, worksheet, and feeding the fish in the aquatics laboratory. I felt much better about class today and thought it was my best lesson yet! I felt very comfortable in front of the students and many were asking great questions throughout the lesson! I felt very good about class today and hope great days like this one continue!

 

            On Wednesday, we had a normal school day, no two hour delay today! In aquatics, I taught my students about watersheds. I started the class off with a few notes and had the students color and label a map of Pennsylvania and its six watersheds. My students then had to read a short article about watersheds in Pennsylvania and complete a short worksheet. To finish the class, I introduced students to the end of unit assessment watershed pamphlet project. Students were required to choose one city of four possible choices in Pennsylvania and create an informative pamphlet about the watershed the city lies in. I provided a descriptive paper as well as a rubric so students would have a better understanding of the task and how they would be graded. 

            Students were given the entire block on Thursday to work on the project since it is an in-class project. I stayed after school Thursday night up until the parent/teacher open house. The event started at 6:30 and concluded at 8. I enjoyed meeting some of my students’ parents, even if it was only a few parents! Friday in aquatic resources was another work day for students. Most of the students finished up their watershed research project about half way through the block. I handed out the next assignment that I had planned to do with students during class today. I had planned a debate surrounding the issue of water usage. Students selected a viewpoint to represent and started formulating arguments and key points. Class ended with a visit to the aquatics lab to feed the fish.

            This week was busy, productive, and fun! I have gained a deeper insight into the logistics of teaching, especially with planning, preparation, and adaptations/accommodations. As I look ahead to next week, I will be having my first visit from Dr. Ewing, my university supervisor on Wednesday. I have planned a mini unit on wetlands with the help of Mr. Anderson and I am super excited about it! My students will be learning about wetlands, completing several in class activities, and then creating a wetland display in a display case in the hallway! I practiced welding several beads at the end of the week and will have more opportunity to practice next week as well.  It’s been an awesome three weeks so far and I can’t wait to see what the coming weeks have in store!

Visiting a Science Classroom: Forensic Chemistry Style!

        On Wednesday, January 28th, 2015, I observed a forensics chemistry class at Elizabethtown High School during first block. The class is taught by Mr. Scott Baylor. All I can say is I was blown away by the fact that forensics chemistry is offered in high school! I have never heard of a class of this proportion being offered at a high school level. I am super jealous of the students enrolled in the class! From my observation today, it is evident that Elizabethtown students are just as excited about the class as I was: the class had a very high enrollment. I was very attentive and focused during today's lesson and it felt like I was part of the class. After class, I thanked Mr. Baylor and told him I will definitely be back!

         Today's lesson focused on using microscopes. The objectives of the lesson were to identify parts of a microscope, learn how to properly use a microscope, and take five digital pictures using microscopes in the classroom. Mr. Baylor started off class with several brain teasers and jokes to gain student interest in the lesson. He showed a short video with five follow up questions to lead into the day's lesson. He taught about microscopes using a PowerPoint for roughly 20 minutes. Students were provided a packet of guided notes which they used to assist in taking notes and followed along with the lesson. After the PowerPoint, Mr. Baylor showed students actual microscopes in the classroom and demonstrated how to use them properly. The lesson finished up by allowing students to work with the microscopes in chosen groups.

           As I observed the lesson, I noticed that students were very focused and attentive throughout the lesson. Students were not holding side conversations, answered questions that Mr. Baylor asked, and laughed at his jokes as he told them. I also noticed that Mr. Baylor did not just "give away" all information to his students. He provided them background information but also facilitated learning as the lesson went on. He asked students thought provoking questions and allowed them to form some of their own conclusions. The class was well structured and it was evident that Mr. Baylor plans his lessons well. He often checked for comprehension and reviewed the objectives at the end of the lesson. He made information relatable and gave his students some freedom while practicing, something I know they appreciated.

           Mr. Baylor expressed clarity very well throughout the lesson. He was clear in his verbal directions and provided specific instructions. He was very enthusiastic throughout the lesson, something I admired. He cracked jokes, maintained student interest, and was just generally excited about the content. Despite all of his joking, Mr. Baylor was professional in his language and provision of material. Mr. Baylor expressed variability very well in his lesson, something I would like to model as I continue to teach. He demonstrated the importance of variability, especially with block scheduling. The lesson was very student centered. He provided students some information but allowed them to experiment with microscopes on their own. Mr. Baylor also exhibited with-it-ness by remaining enthusiastic while making the information relevant and relatable to students.

          Today's science classroom observation proved that while teachers teach different content, much of their delivery methods and overall structure of the class are the same. Mr. Baylor exhibited the six identified qualities of effective teachers as identified by Rosenshine and Furst. He maintained variability and enthusiasm, two qualities I find very important, especially with block scheduling. His students remained very interested in his class, something I strive to maintain as a student teacher. Mr. Baylor made information relevant to his students and gave them some freedom throughout the lesson. He also provided me with several resources involving wildlife forensics which I plan to incorporate in my classroom. Overall, this was a great observation and it reinforced the fact that teachers must maintain interest, practice variability, and ensure students are learning throughout the lesson!

A Whirlwind of a Second Week!

            Whew! Week 2 was a short week but it was jam packed with the beginning of a new semester, meetings, and my first week of teaching! Monday was a day off of school to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day. However, I attended the Manheim Young Farmers’ meeting at Manheim Central High School with my cooperating teacher Mr. Anderson as well as two fellow student teachers. The meeting featured a presentation from Penn State Pest. Ed. While the meeting was geared towards private and/or publicly certified pesticide applicators, I still gained a wealth of knowledge regarding pesticide application safety techniques. The presentation was different than the one I experienced during the AEE 313 conference earlier in the month.

            Tuesday was the day that I have been waiting for…my first day actually teaching! I taught my first lesson in my aquatic resources class during third block. In order to change things up from the typical first day of class introduction, I had my students complete the oreo cookie inquiry lab to determine if double stuffed oreos are truly double stuffed. My students seemed to enjoy the lab overall. I tried not to let my students notice how nervous I was and didn’t want it to affect my first day of teaching. Once I began teaching, I calmed down and felt more comfortable. Later that evening, I attended my first Elizabethtown FFA member meeting. The officer team gave me a surprise welcome and introduction which was much appreciated! I am so excited to work with such a great officer team over the course of the semester!

            Wednesday was a short day: Elizabethtown got out at 11:30 due to inclement weather! I was not able to teach my aquatic resources class and had to put off the introductory activity and lesson until Thursday. On Thursday, I wasn’t as nervous as I started my lesson. I made it through the introductory activity, my classroom procedures, expectations, consequences, and the syllabus…with a decent amount of time left in the block. I then started my first introductory lesson about the basics of water. I took students over into the aquatics lab and we fed the fish. I wasn’t thrilled about my performance; I knew I moved way too fast through the material in the beginning of class. As the class went on, I felt more comfortable and slowed things down. I had a good reflection with Mr. Anderson when the day was over and he provided me with some awesome suggestions to get me on the right track. Thursday ended with a county ag teacher’s meeting at Lancaster Mennonite High School.

      

      My day went much better on Friday! I was very productive during my prep period, opened up more to my students, and did a much better job teaching my lesson than yesterday! Obviously there is still much room for improvement; this was only my second day actually teaching a lesson. I still have a lot to work on as far as the delivery side but I feel confident in terms of preparing my lessons and accompanying materials. As I look ahead to next week, it will be my first full week of teaching and I have some good activities planned! My students will be learning about watersheds, completing a watershed project, and ending the water resources unit with an in class debate on Friday. I will continue to get to know my students and talk to them more as we become more familiar with each other. Here’s to hoping the predicted snowstorm for early next week doesn’t change my plans but as I know all too well, the key to teaching agriculture is flexibility!

New Beginnings...Week 1 of Student Teaching

It's official!

            When I was told that you won’t have the same day twice as an ag teacher, I didn’t really believe the saying until this week. I began my student teaching experience on Monday January 12^th at Elizabethtown with my cooperating teacher Mr. Mark Anderson. The school district had a two hour delay due to a nasty winter storm that had passed through Sunday evening. I arrived at school around 9am, observed an ag mechanics class, and headed to the Pennsylvania Farm Show around 11:45 that morning. I attended Mid-Winter Convention where 5 of my future students received their Keystone Degree and 6 other students received their FFA jackets. We left the Farm Show around 7pm that night and on the bus ride back, I reflected about the day. It was very different attending Mid-Winter Convention assuming the role of an advisor. It brought back bittersweet memories of me walking across that stage just four short years ago.

            On Tuesday, I again observed Mr. Anderson’s ag mechanics, intro to ag, and aquatic resources classes. I interacted with the students throughout the classes. In the ag mechanics class, I suggested an idea to a student who was brazing and shaping metal wire and was looking for a shape to create. I suggested a deer head and antlers naturally, and he loved the idea! I attended a meeting with Mr. Anderson and the assistant principal regarding SLO’s and a new form of evaluation that Elizabethtown teachers would undergo. I watched students catch, measure, and weigh tilapia in the aquatics class. I even rolled up my sleeves and got my hands wet as the let me measure a fish!

Measuring and weighing tilapia with students.

            Wednesday was a busy day as students were preparing for their final exams. Students in each class worked on final review packets as I again observed. In the intro to ag class, I walked around and answered several questions as Mr. Anderson prepared home-made ice cream for the students. (It was delicious by the way!) I also watched students in the aquatics class feed the tilapia, something they seem to enjoy doing. I attended a department meeting with Mr. Anderson after school which focused on improving and rewriting curriculum, including a focus on K-U-D’s. These Knowledge, Understand, and Do are goals that students are supposed to reach. It was interesting to see the changes the school district is implementing compared to other school districts across the state. I stayed after school and helped prepare for the tool and parts ID for the ag mechanics final exam as well.

            Thursday and Friday were half days for students as they had final exams. Teachers were required to stay the full school day. I assisted Mr. Anderson with grading as well as prepared for the upcoming week. There is no school on Monday which means that Tuesday is my first actual day of teaching. I will be starting with the aquatic resources class and after a few weeks, I will pick up the ag mechanics class, and eventually the intro to agribusiness class. I am still in awe that this moment has finally arrived. As Tuesday inches closer, I find myself getting somewhat nervous. At the same time, I find myself getting so much more excited! My dreams will actually come true in a few short days and I can begin to teach students and begin to impact their lives in a positive way. I have been prepared for this moment and know that I have a wonderful cooperating teaching to work with. I cannot wait to see what the semester holds and as I found out this week, no two days are the same when you’re teaching agriculture!

Experiencing Mid-Winter Convention as a First Day Student Teacher

               Everything I have worked towards the last three and a half years is finally here: student teaching. To say that I am excited is an understatement! Last night I experienced the typical “first day of school” jitters but once I stepped foot into the classroom today, all of my worries went right out the window. Walking into what will become my classroom for the next fifteen weeks, and seeing my cooperating teacher for the first time this year, gave me the reassurance that I made the right career choice. I belong in the front of an agricultural classroom, changing the lives of students and impacting them in a positive way.

        My first day of student teaching started off unexpected but appreciated with a two hour delay! Upon arriving to Elizabethtown this morning, I observed Mr. Anderson’s first period agricultural mechanics class. Once class was over, 20 FFA members, Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Thoman, and I traveled to the 86th FFA Mid-Winter Convention at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Five Elizabethtown FFA members were receiving their Keystone Degrees and six members were receiving their first year jackets from the PA FFA Alumni Association.

          Attending Mid-Winter Convention was a bitter sweet moment for me. This was the first time I attended the convention since receiving my Keystone Degree in 2011. I was so proud to watch five of my future students walk across the stage and receive the award, as well as watch six of my future students put on their FFA jacket for the first time. Even though I am not officially the FFA advisor of these students, I was still very proud of their accomplishments. I will have the opportunity to work with these students over the next fifteen weeks, both in class and in FFA.

          Watching the ceremony and listening to the accomplishments of the 337 Keystone Degree recipients and watching an arena full of FFA members putting on their jackets for the first time gave me that burning feeling in my heart that reassured me agricultural education is where I belong. Experiencing the ceremony from a different perspective, that of an advisor, made me so excited to acquire a teaching position and become an FFA advisor of my own chapter one day. I cannot wait to start positively impacting the lives of FFA members as an actual advisor and agricultural educator. I cannot wait to see what the semester, and my future, holds! Here’s to an awesome start of the semester and hoping the rest of my student teaching experience is just as amazing!