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!