CASE is a teaching tool - not a one-size fits all curriculum.
This semester I have the chance to co-teach CASE Intro to AFNR with Mr. Fellenbaum. It has taken some getting used to when preparing for lessons. I honestly think it's sometimes a little harder to prepare for a CASE class because it's prewritten curriculum. I say that because it's easy to read over the CASE materials and feel like you're prepared for the next day - when really you should be reviewing your content knowledge and anticipating what questions students will ask. It's also important to keep in mind that CASE is just a teaching tool and you shouldn't always be teaching the lessons exactly as they're written. I feel like I've gotten better at planning/preparing for the CASE class and asking questions beforehand to make sure I'm prepared. One thing I would like to continue to improve on is incorporating/adding different activities into the CASE Intro to AFNR class to address more of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. One thing I tried the other day is having students take notes by doing a gallery walk. Essentially the notes for the day were posted around the room and students walked around to take notes. It was an effective and simple way for students to get up and move around - plus it is a nice change from taking notes via PowerPoint.
SAE's are AWESOME.
This isn't a new revelation for me, but the more I experience in the world of Supervised Agricultural Experiences, the more I believe in their power of fostering student growth and success. This week I went on an SAE visit to visit with a senior who is a 4th generation tobacco farmer (check out my blog about it here!). It was awesome to see and hear about how much that student has learned through his SAE project over the years. In my Intro to AFNR class, students began exploring the world of SAE and will work on planning their first SAE project this coming week. It was so much fun to see how excited some students got as they looked through the SAE Idea cards and began picking out ideas that appealed to their interests. I'm looking forward to seeing where their SAE projects will take them this semester.
Thanks for following this journey with me, I'd love to hear your thoughts!