Early Mornings, Long Nights, and Lots of Memories: Week 11

          I had a very relaxing and refreshing weekend which prepared me for the busy week ahead! My time spent student teaching here at Elizabethtown is winding down and it is definitely bitter sweet. On Sunday, I took a hike with my dad up the mountain behind our house. As I was hiking the steep incline on the last section of the trail towards the summit, I thought about my student teaching experience. As I close in on the last few weeks of student teaching, I know it will be very busy and even challenging at times. Between lessons, spring CDE’s, meetings, and assignments; it is easy to feel like the end isn’t in sight. Just like that hike, I know that the end is near and the view from the top, just like the end of student teaching, will be well worth it.

            On Monday, students continued building their c-clamps. Students cut the threaded rod and cut the small square piece to attach to the top piece of metal. In aquatics, I began teaching about fish, a topic I will cover over the next few days. After a lesson, students completed a worksheet where they had to label fish fins and internal organs. Afterwards, students had to color and create their own fish, making sure to include all body parts found on the rubric. In intro to agribusiness, students worked in the greenhouse for the period. The graduation geraniums will soon be arriving. In order to make room, all other plants had to be transplanted into individual pots. I stayed after school with Mr. Anderson to help prepare the ag mechanics CDE team for their event on Thursday.

            Tuesday was a long day, but productive nonetheless! In ag mechanics, students attached the hex screws to their c-clamp. Some students managed to weld the hex nuts and get their threaded rod stuck in the process, myself included! It was an easy fix as we used threading taps and oil to unscrew the rod. In aquatics, I taught a lesson on fish movement and senses. Students then had to complete a worksheet about fish senses and then write a three paragraph journal entry as if they were a species of Pennsylvania fish. I heard lots of complaints about writing but encouraged students to get creative. In ag business, we finished transplanting plants in the greenhouse and prepared for the arrival of the graduation geraniums on Wednesday. There was about a half hour left in the period so students completed a worksheet on a discontinued food product of their choosing and how it related to agrimarketing. I stayed after school for the student teacher online meeting. Elizabethtown had an all member FFA meeting at 7pm which could end up being my last one as a student teacher! It made me realize how fast time is going and the thought of this experience coming to an end made me sad!

            Wednesday was another very long but eventful day. In ag mechanics, many students began to finish actual construction of their c-clamps. The final pieces were welded onto the clamps. Some other students worked to get caught up because they were absent. In aquatics, I taught a lesson on fish reproduction and spawning. I showed two short videos that really highlighted main points from the lesson. Afterwards, students completed a worksheet related to fish reproduction on a Pennsylvania fish of their choice. In ag business, students were in the greenhouse replanting the graduation geraniums which arrived that morning. After school, I traveled with Mr. Anderson and his wife to the Shady Maple smorgasboard for New and Beginning Teacher Meeting. I had the opportunity to meet other teachers in the area, gather new teaching resources, catch up with other student teachers, and eat plenty of good food!

            Thursday was my last day teaching for the week because I was traveling to Penn State on Friday for our second student teacher workshop! The county ag mechanics CDE was supposed to be held on Thursday but was canceled due to lack of interest. The students on the team were bummed, understandably, as was I. I was looking forward to watching the CDE for the first time and thought that our team would have done well! In ag mechanics, students were finishing up their c-clamps. Many finished welding, grinding, and touching up their clamp and moved on to the final step: spray painting. Students will need time to finish up tomorrow as well; some are still playing catch up. In aquatics, students dissected four of the striped bass that passed away over the course of this semester. Students split up into groups and really seemed to enjoy the activity! Students completed a worksheet relating to the process which included review questions as well as more thought provoking questions. I reviewed the questions with the class at the end in order to make sure everyone understood the information as well as summarize main points. In ag business, students finished planting graduation geraniums and cleaned the greenhouse. This process did take the whole period but the greenhouse looks amazing!

            While Friday will be spent at Penn State, I must admit I will miss these students while I am gone. As stressful and hectic as the weeks can be, I do enjoy the time spent with my students and Mr. Anderson. Some days the students seem to drive me crazy but every day, they make me smile. As I look back upon the week, I feel that I am interacting with students more than before, especially in my ag mechanics course of 17 boys. I feel like I am finding my “teaching routine” so to speak too. Looking ahead to next week, it will be just as busy. I have an SAE visit, a formal observation by Dr. Ewing, and a snow make up day.  Even though it might not seem like it, and just like the hike I took last weekend, the view will be worth it from the top!