A Great Week to End a Great Student Teaching Experience

I honestly don't think it has sunk in that I have completed my student teaching experience. But I have, and it has truly been an a great experience full of learning and fun. I'm thankful to my students, Mr. Fellenbaum, Ms. Slates, and the Penn Manor community for helping make my experience one that I'll always remember with fondness. Like always, this week was full of learning, but it also had a bittersweet feeling about it. Check out the highlights from this week:

1. Rebuilding a small gas engine is problem solving at its finest.

This week I was excited because I was able to get my students started on rebuilding their small gas engines! They are given a lab packet with a general procedure, but students must use their engines manual to rebuild their engines correctly! This takes a lot of critical thinking and problem solving because the answers aren't written out for them (well they are, but you have to search for them). As always, I find it interesting to see how each of my students handles that challenge. Some definitely have more of a fixed mindset, while others express a growth mindset. But by Thursday, all of my students were making good progress and really seemed to be interested in completing their rebuild correctly. 

My engine diagram and my awesome students who made it!

Thursday was my last day teaching Intro to Ag Mech, and my students surprised me with desserts and a group of my students had spent a ton of time during homeroom making an engine diagram for me to take to my future classroom! It's awesome because you can see the piston/valves/crankshaft functioning together!

 

2. Rain Gardens - Intro to AFNR Style!

On Friday we took my Intro to AFNR students on a trip to install the rain garden that they learned about in class two weeks ago! It tied in perfectly with our soil science and plant science units. While it was a bit chilly, everyone worked together and got the job done - all while having some fun! My students in both Intro to AFNR and Biotech surprised me with cake and ice cream, and each of my Intro to aFNR students took the time to share the most meaningful thing they learned from me and wished me well in the future.

Installing the Rain Garden!

I learned so much from my students and I'm thankful to have gotten to know them this semester. I look forward to seeing some of them again at State Convention this June! And as for my awesome cooperating teachers, I'm glad to say "see you soon".

Action Research: Inquiry Based vs. Teacher Centered

This semester I had the opportunity to conduct an Action Research project in one of my classes. Over the past year, I have become very intrigued with Inquiry Based Instruction and how we as teachers can use IBI to increase student learning. So that is what I decided to analyze through my Action Research project: Does Inquiry Based Instruction result in increased student learning compared to Teacher Centered Instruction?

I decided to try and answer this question in my 4th block Intro to AFNR class. There are 19 students in grades 9 - 12. I chose two lessons that dealt with pH and modified them to make one lesson more inquiry based and the other lesson more teacher centered. In the inquiry based lesson, students were given a question and from that they had to develop their own hypothesis and experiment procedure to test their hypothesis. When students asked questions, I asked them another question to help them answer their own question. Then students analyzed their results and created a research poster. In the teacher centered lesson, I gave students the question and the hypothesis, as well as the experiment procedure. When students asked questions I gave them the answer.

Before each lesson I gave students a pre-quiz that consisted of multiple choice questions revolving around the learning goals of the lesson. Then, after each lesson I gave students the same quiz as a post-quiz to measure student growth.

On average, students increased their score by 45% after the IBI lesson. In comparison, students increased their score by 19% on average after the Teacher Centered lesson. This indicates that implementing inquiry strategies into lessons results in more student growth. Further research should be done with a larger sample size. In addition, one lesson should be modified to be both inquiry based and teacher centered instead of two different lessons.

Student Teaching Week 14!

Wow, it's hard to believe I only have one week left at Penn Manor. It's such a bittersweet feeling. I'm so excited to graduate because it's something I've been working towards for the past 4 years, but I'm not looking forward to leaving this community and all of the wonderful people I've gotten to know over the past 15 weeks. Thankfully I still have one more week to enjoy, so here are some highlights from this past week! Also, check out my other blogs from this week on the PAAE meeting I went to, my most recent SAE visit, and my visit with Macy at the Selinsgrove ag ed program!

1. Plants galore!

Two of my students modeling their flowers!

We are in the middle of our Plant Science unit in Intro to AFNR, and I have to say, I'm really enjoying teaching plant science! Students learned about the parts of a plant and flower, as well as how they all function together to make the plant grow. Now we're conducting experiments on germination!  I was really pleased with how my lesson on the parts of a flower went this week. Awesome questions were asked, everyone was engaged, and I knew at the end of the lesson the students had met the learning goals for the day. I definitely want to grow in my knowledge of plant science and horticulture and hopefully have a greenhouse learning laboratory for students someday!

2. Intake, Compression, Power, Exhaust - and repeat!

You guessed it! In Intro to Ag Mechanics I'm teaching a Small Gas Engines unit and I've really enjoyed the challenge of teaching something out of my comfort zone. I've learned a lot and I'm starting to feel more comfortable with the content! Ms. Slates has stayed after school with me a few times to go over parts and systems on the engine, which has been super helpful. This unit really helps students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills because students have to use their engine manual to find the answers to their questions. It has been interesting to see how each student handles that challenge. My goal is to continue to encourage growth mindsets and discuss how the skills they are gaining now are necessary for careers in mechanics.

3. Manor FFA students are AWESOME.

Today (Saturday) was the Manor FFA Car Show, an event organized by the FFA members to raise money for the Central PA Food Bank. What a beautiful day it was! We had over 120 vehicles enter the show and the money raised will provide 18,000 meals for the Central PA Food Bank. Talk about an amazing day. 

Thanks for following my journey thus far, stay tuned for my blog post on my final week student teaching!

A Mock Interview with Dr. Shaffer

On April 4th, I had the opportunity to have a mock interview with Penn Manor's assistant superintendent, Dr. Shaffer. First, she briefly described what the hiring process looks like at Penn Manor and then she went down through a list of questions that would most likely be asked during an interview for an agricultural educator. What I really appreciated was that after I answered each question, Dr. Shaffer discussed it with me and gave me feedback. Here are a few of the questions she asked:

1. What have you learned about yourself during your student teaching experience?

2. What did you learn about students during your student teaching experience?

3. Ag is multi-faceted. How would you assist students to integrate their learning into other content areas?

4. Why should we hire you? What personal and academic strengths would you bring to the Ag Program?

At the end I asked her a few example questions I would ask an administrator, including, "What direction do you see the Ag program heading over the next 5 years or so?" Overall I feel like I was prepared for the questions because I was able to give specific examples for my answers. However, I do think I need to work on taking the time to pause and think before I just jump right in to my answer.  Also, I definitely want to think about how I would answer the "Why should we hire you" question a little more. I just feel like that's a question you probably want to have a general idea of how you will answer it before going to the interview. I also need to review some of my education theory so I am able to confidently reference those names and theories during an interview.

Eastern Region PAAE Meeting

On Tuesday I went to the Eastern Region PAAE Meeting held at Oley Valley High School with the Manor Ag Ed Department. The room was full of Ag Ed family members when we got there, and we all had dinner together before the meeting. The meeting was productive and there was meaningful discussion throughout. We discussed FFA and PAAE events, the new Ag Ed commission, and professional development opportunities offered through the Center for Professional Personnel Development at PSU. In this blog post, I'm not going to focus on the content of the meeting, but rather my reflection on the importance of being involved in PAAE.

First, the fact that all of these teachers willingly give up their evenings to go to meetings such as this just shows how invested agricultural educators are in being the best teachers they can be. When you sit back and really think about it, it is also amazing to think about the network that ag ed teachers have with each other. Think about all of the knowledge and experience that was in that one high school room at Oley Valley where we had the meeting, as well as the other regional meetings across the state. That is why being involved in PAAE is important as an agricultural educator. It is our duty to not only be lifelong learners, but to mentor other ag teachers, too. Being involved in PAAE helps ensure you are up to date with what is going on ag ed and the agriculture industry, it promotes communication between ag teachers and vital partners, and opens up doors for professional development opportunities. Being involved in PAAE is also a chance for ag teachers to give back and serve a profession that has given them so much. I'm looking forward to continuing my #TeachAg journey and becoming more involved in PAAE.

Angie, Ally, and I catching up at the PAAE meeting

An Afternoon SAE Visit!

On Thursday afternoon after school, Mr. Fellenbaum and I headed off through the rolling hills of Lancaster County for an SAE visit. 

We went to visit one of my students in the Intro to AFNR class, Berklee. She is a freshman and is already an active FFA member. She has two SAE projects: a entrepreneurship sheep project at her home, and a placement project at her Grandfather's poultry farm. Prior to our visit, I reviewed Berklee's AET records to see how she is working to grow her projects.

Berklee's sheep

First we went to her home and she showed us her sheep project. Berklee has been showing sheep since she was in 4th grade and will be showing 4 sheep this year at the local fairs. I asked her to explain how she cares for her sheep as well as how she prepares them for the shows. Berklee was very knowledgeable and discussed how she monitors their health, rate of gain, and gets them used to being walked/handled. I was impressed. I also asked her what her favorite part of raising sheep was, to which she replied learning about showmanship and competing with her siblings.

Next we walked over to her grandfather's poultry farm, where Berklee works part time. She helps sort the eggs that are collected and prepares them for shipment. Berklee is currently preparing to compete in the Poultry Evaluation CDE - so she has the perfect place to practice egg grading! 

Berklee is in the class I've taught all semester, so it was neat to conduct an SAE visit with a student I've been teaching for a while because you already have that rapport built. It was a great afternoon and I learned a lot - thanks Berklee!

Berklee and her grandfather's Dorper sheep

A Day with Macy and the Selinsgrove Ag Ed Program!

Today I was in a classroom, but I wasn't the one teaching. Today I got to go spend the day with my fellow cohort member and friend, Macy, at Selinsgrove High School where she is rocking it as a student teacher! When I arrived, there was maple sap being boiled down into syrup, designs being prepared for the CNC machine, baby trout growing in the back of the classroom, and a large greenhouse full of plants. Selinsgrove Ag Ed is a busy place! I had a great time and really enjoyed getting a tour of the program and seeing Macy teach.

Getting ready to strike their first arcs!!

Ms. Fisher's 9th grade classes just started their welding unit and today was their first day to burn rod! Macy did a great job demonstrating how to set up the arc welding machines and strike their first arc. It made me reflect back on my own experience teaching welding just a few weeks ago and how awesome it was to see students overcome their fears and improve through practice. I can definitely say that welding is my favorite Ag Mechanics topic to teach.

Macy also teaches Building Construction and Horticulture. In Horticulture, the students are working on designing their own greenhouse! All of the students were engaged and asking questions, and it was neat to see them apply what they have learned.

Here are some key takeaways from the day:

1. One of the great things about Ag Ed is that every program is different, so there is always something new to learn when visiting a program! I don't care if you drive to Wisconsin like we did last year for our Domestic Study Away or just down the road to the neighboring Ag Ed program, I guarantee it's unique in its own way and there's something new for you to learn.

2. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Rapport with students is vital. I loved seeing Macy interact with her students. She interacted with each student during class, made jokes, laughed, and asked them about things going on in their lives.

3. Be adaptable and go with the flow. When I arrived, Macy informed me that her lesson for her first class wasn't going work out the way she had planned. Instead of stressing about what she was going to do, she just adapted and went with it! 

Thank you Ms. Fisher, Mrs. Fry, and Mr. Swineford for a wonderful day!

Student Teaching Week 13!

This past week I finished up my 13th week of student teaching. It was a busy week! The prior week was the end of the marking period, so I spent a good portion of this week making sure all of the grades were up to date and working with students who needed to complete make-up work. Thursday was the county FFA volleyball tournament, and a good time was had by all! Here are some more highlights from this week:

1. Grades matter, but student learning is most important.

The end of the marking period caused me to take some time and reflect on my philosophy of grading and how to ensure students are continually improving. I have a few students who are absent from school the majority of the time, and their grades show it. I try to get them to come down for homeroom so I can help them catch up, but if they're not in school they also aren't available to come down for homeroom. These next two weeks I'm hopeful that I can work with these students on the current material we're learning to make sure they don't get behind in the 4th marking period. I think it would be good to have a talk with these students about growth mindsets and how grades don't define you as a person, but instead just show that there's always room for improvement. Another resource I plan to utilize better are the students' IEP resource persons by having them help me modify assessments and help students complete make-up work.

2. Try new learning activities with your students because even if they don't go absolutely perfect, they will still learn. 

This week in Biotech our regular soybean and GMO soybean plants were ready for our experiment. Students followed a procedure to extract DNA from both plants, use PCR to amplify the DNA segment, and run a gel electrophoresis to compare the DNA. It was a learning experience for all of us! It didn't go perfectly, but students gained valuable lab skills (for example, I didn't learn how to use a micropipette until college, so I think it's awesome these students already know how!!) and the importance of reading the procedure when completing a project/task. Students also learned about DNA, and how biotechnology is used in agriculture. I'm looking forward to next week when students will be using procedures they created to make biofuels (methane, biodiesel, and ethanol to name a few)!!

Preparing their soybean DNA for the PCR machine!

Thanks for following me along on my #TeachAg journey! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Professional Development: Pest Ed

This semester I had the opportunity to help plan and attend a Pest Ed workshop hosted by the Penn Manor Ag Ed Department. John Bray and Leon Ressler, Penn State Extension Agents, facilitated the workshop for community members who wanted to gain core and category credits for their pesticide applicator license.

The workshop contained several components. First we reviewed pesticide safety and the 2017 top disease issues in corn, beans, and small grains. Then we learned about using Xtenimax in Xtend Soybean Systems. Leon held a discussion concerning the importance of water quality management and how to safely store pesticides. Finally, we learned about the importance of following quarantine protocol for the spotted lanternfly issue that is currently occurring in southeast PA. I was really interested in the spotted lanternfly component and how people across the state are working to stop this bad insect. The spotted lanternfly has the potential to hurt timber, grape, and hop industries in Pennsylvania. Here is an informational video if you would like to learn more about this invasive insect:



While I was not able to earn credits myself by attending this workshop, I learned a lot about pesticides, pesticide safety, and the spotted lanternfly. I hope to earn my pesticide applicator license so that I will be able to help my students become licensed during their time in the agriculture program. This experience also showed me the importance of planning and helping to facilitate adult education workshops for local community members. It is a great way to engage with the community and meet the community's needs.

Student Teaching Week 11

While I only had one day in the classroom, this week was very busy! On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday we were at SLLC, Wednesday was a snow day, Thursday was the Manor FFA banquet (on a two hour delay schedule mind you!), and on Friday I had a student teaching seminar with my fellow #psuaged18 cohort members. Here are some highlights from the week:

1. SLLC - fun, community service, and leadership growth!

I had an awesome time at my first State Legislative Leadership Conference! FFA members spent much of their time at SLLC using those parli pro skills to experience how bills move through our legislative system. They debated and amended real bills, which brought a real-life context to the experience. We also served the local community for an afternoon. We helped residents at a retirement community prepare their garden plots for spring, and we had a ton of fun doing it! It was a beautiful day, so it was perfect for working in a garden. The residents were so excited to have us, and I know I really enjoyed having conversations with the residents while we worked. There were 7 junior and senior Manor FFA members on the trip, and they are my students in the last class I started teaching this semester. It was a great opportunity to connect with them and get to know them better! 

2. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Especially when you have a snow day the day before your banquet and a two hour delay the day of the banquet. What a busy day! Everyone was in full FFA banquet mode, and it was awesome to see it all come together throughout the day. I truly enjoyed my evening at the banquet. The students did a wonderful job hosting the banquet and I loved seeing the community come together to celebrate the accomplishments of the Manor FFA members. I was honored to receive an Honorary Chapter Degree at the banquet. I'm truly thankful to be spending the semester at Penn Manor.

The FFA motto painted by a very talented FFA Member!

Goals for next week:

1. Give students more ownership of their learning by giving them the chance to decide how they will "show what they know" from a lesson!
2. Utilize e-moments more in my lessons, especially when structuring discussions and review!
3. Continue to grow in my content knowledge of small gas engines and be confident while teaching it!

Student Teaching Week 10!

Well, #psuaged18 cohort is officially two-thirds of the way through our student teaching internships! This week was busy and full of learning - for both me and my students!

Here are some highlights from this week:

1. The WHY is essential.

This week in Biotech we continued our Applications of Biotechnology unit by discussing the Green Revolution and how biotechnology can be used to fight food insecurity right now in Africa. I began the lesson with a news clip about the current famine occurring in Africa. Then the students researched the green revolution to learn how Norman Borlaug saved over 1 million lives. I wanted to have a discussion about the positives as well as some of the downsides that resulted because I believe we should always be striving to improve. I could tell I hadn't caught the interest of some of my students because no one wanted to participate in the discussion. A few students even questioned why we were learning about agriculture in another country. After class was over, I reflected and talked with Mr. Fellenbaum and we agreed that I should begin class the next day by reviewing the Green Revolution and then taking some time to explain the why. The next day went much better and I feel that I effectively conveyed the why to my students. That biotechnology is all about using living things to benefit human life,and the Green Revolution is a perfect example of that. Students spent the next part of class researching a plant commonly grown in Africa and selecting characteristics to selectively breed for to help fight the famine. I was so impressed with their critical thinking and problem solving skills! 

2. Soil buffering capacity, soil buffering capacity, soil buffering capacity.

This week in Intro to AFNR we focused on, you guessed it, soil buffering capacity. Students followed a procedure to test the buffering capacity of water, and then they designed their own experiment to test how soil particle size affects buffering capacity. It was interesting to watch students go through that problem solving process and even experience some frustration. I think many students were so focused on being "right" that it took them longer to develop a hypothesis/procedure. When students asked questions, I tried to redirect them with a question. I really enjoy the inquiry process and I'm looking forward to further developing my skills in delivering IBI.

Goals for this coming week:

• Continue to grow in my content knowledge of small gas engines.
• Build better rapport with two of my students that I have a hard time connecting with.
• Be more confident in my decisions!

Thanks for following my journey, thus far - I'd love to hear your thoughts/advice!!

Student Teaching Week 9!

From our snow-less snow day to the Manor FFA Officer Selection night, this week was full of excitement! Teaching a full load of classes is keeping me busy, and I'm learning so much along the way! Here are some of the highlights from this week:

1. Officer Interview Nights!

This week I had the honor of serving on the interview committee for both the Lampeter-Strasburg and Penn Manor Ag Ed Program. I was blown away by the students' interviewing skills and enjoyed learning about how they're using FFA to grow themselves as leaders. It was also neat to see how the two schools differed in their officer selection process, and think about how I might do it when I'm an ag teacher at my own school. How do you conduct FFA Officer selection at your program?

2. Adult Pest Ed Program

On Tuesday evening Penn Manor Ag Ed Department hosted a Pest Ed workshop for community members who already had their pest ed certification. It was a great way to meet some more community members as well as learn about pesticides, water quality management, and the Spotted Lantern Fly problem from Penn State Extension agents.

Getting ready to debate the ethics of cloning!

3. Soil, Welding, and Cloning - Oh My!

I really enjoyed teaching all three blocks this week, and I think part of that had to do with the fact that I'm really interested all of the topics my students are learning about! I enjoyed discussing with my students in AFNR that soil was, in fact, not dirt; why cloning is controversial in the Biotech class; and how to continue to improve in welding.

Goals for Improvement:

• Try a new learning activity this week.
• Continue to improve on making my directions clear and concise.
• Include more student self-evaluation in my lessons.
• Give students more autonomy in some of their classwork.

Student Teaching: Week 8!

Week 8 has come and gone, and week 9 is about to begin. This past week has been busy and full of learning - for both my students and myself. With each passing week I'm feeling more comfortable in the classroom, and I can tell my students are feeling more comfortable with me, too. Here are some highlights from this past week:

1. You never know until you try!

There is one student in my Intro to Ag Mech class that was absolutely terrified to try welding. He had been avoiding welding for some time, and then this week I was finally able to convince him to try for 15 -20 min. He was in a booth next to one of his friends who helped him set up. I had him practice a couple of weld puddles just to get the feel of welding. He was still unsure about his whole welding thing, but he did well, so I showed him how to run a bead. I left for a little to check on other students and when I came back he showed me his weld - it was awesome! Like better than most people's first beads. I was so excited about it and he was smiling from ear to ear, so I'm pretty sure he has conquered his fear of welding (hopefully - we'll see this week!). 

2. Connections, connections, connections.

Soil suspensions!

This week we began our Soils unit in Intro to AFNR. We began by learning about components of soil and soil porosity. After arguing (all in good fun) that soil was not the same as dirt, I facilitated an interest approach that connected why we are learning about soil to Lancaster County. We discussed what factors enabled Lan Co to be the most productive non-irrigated county in the nation and then looked at Lan Co on Web Soil Survey. I really enjoyed helping students make those connections and understanding the WHY. 

3. Star Red Rose Interviews

This week I got to serve on an interview committee for Star Red Rose interviews at a county level competition. This is similar to proficiency interviews, so I got to talk with students from all over Lancaster County about their awesome SAE projects! I was impressed by the students' interview skills and enjoyed learning something from each student. This was a great experience for me as a future teacher because now I have a better idea about what judges look for during interviews and in AET applications.

I truly enjoy my weeks at Penn Manor, and I can't wait to see what the next 7 weeks have in store!

Week 7 - Halfway Mark!

And just like that my cohort members and I are halfway through our student teaching experience! It's crazy to believe that in just a few months we'll be walking at graduation. But before that - there is so much more to experience and learn! Here are some highlights from National FFA Week at Penn Manor:

Hoss's Night!

Meet Your State Officer event at Hoss's: On Tuesday a group of us (#girlsnightout) went to Hoss's to enjoy an evening of FFA friendship! Our evening was full of all-you-can-eat soup/salad/ice cream and many laughs. It was my first time going to Hoss's for Meet Your State Officer night and I really enjoyed it.

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon: Every year the Manor FFA chapter hosts a luncheon for teachers and students to thank them for their support of the program. FFA members were a part of every aspect of hosting the luncheon - students roasted a pig, made pulled pork, made homemade ice cream, set up the room, served food, and more. It was awesome to see so many teachers come to the luncheon, and there were many teachers who said that this is a day they look forward to all year. It just goes to show the importance of giving and expressing thanks and that it doesn't go unnoticed.

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon

Awards Night: Manor FFA members have the opportunity to apply for various chapter awards each year, and interviews are one component of the award application process. On Thursday evening, community members volunteered their time to serve as interviewers for the various award categories, and students rotated through and interviewed for each award they applied for. I got to sit in on the proficiency award interviews and I was amazed at what these students are accomplishing through their SAE projects. It was a great opportunity for students to start developing their interviewing skills, and I enjoyed seeing the community come together to make this event happen.

Student Teaching Week 6!

This week was full of exciting learning opportunities! I know I say time is flying by every week, but it's hard to believe that we've been student teaching for 6 weeks! Here are some highlights from this week:

1. I started teaching Introduction to Agricultural Mechanics this week!

Identifying potential hazards!

This week I started teaching the welding unit in Intro to Ag Mech! It was awesome to see the students  finish and test their plumbing squares from the plumbing unit earlier this week. A lot of hard work and problem solving went into their plumbing squares, and you could see the pride in their faces when their squares didn't leak. On Wednesday, we began our welding unit. We covered safety, parts of the machine, and how to set up the welders. It's interesting to experience the differences in planning required for Intro to Ag Mech and CASE Intro to AFNR. I'm utilizing interactive notebooks in Ag Mech, and I'm looking forward to trying new notebook activities. Next week will be a lot of fun - students will be striking their first arc!

2. On Friday my cohort members and I got to sharpen up our interviewing skills!

I spent the day in Happy Valley on Friday for our student teaching seminar where we got to participate in 6 different mock interviews! We had an awesome group of volunteers who work in school administration, Penn State Extension, and the ag industry come for the afternoon to conduct the interviews. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to practice my interviewing skills and receive helpful feedback from experienced interviewers. I definitely feel more confident about interviewing now. It was also great to catch up with my cohort members and talk about everything that we're learning this semester!

Keep an eye out for a blog post on my first experience at ACES! Happy National FFA Week everyone - I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone celebrates and advocates for agriculture and FFA next week on Twitter!

Student Teaching Week 4!

It's hard to believe we're already 4 weeks into the semester! This past week was full of growth and fun experiences! Here are my takeaways from the week:

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!

Specialty Crop SAE visit: Tobacco

Today I got to learn more about a crop that I previously knew nothing about: tobacco. Lancaster County produces most of the tobacco grown in Pennsylvania and is a common cash crop to see on farms. Mr. Fellenbaum and I went to visit Jonathon, a senior in the Penn Manor ag program and a 4th generation tobacco farmer.

Jonathon and his sister, Renee, stripping tobacco.

Jonathan is an active FFA member and will complete Penn Manor's Ag Production program when he graduates this year. He has been developing his Placement and Entrepreneurship Specialty Crop SAE projects since he was in middle school, and currently has his Keystone Degree. We went to visit his SAE project on his family's farm, where they grow 26 acres of tobacco every year in addition to other crops. It was easy to see how much Jonathon has learned over the years. He talked me through the entire process of producing tobacco including pest management, why you have to top the tobacco plants before they flower (the plant can focus its energy on growing the leaves instead of a flower), cutting and drying the plants, and finally stripping the leaves. I also got to see how the leaves are graded and sorted as they are stripped. Producing quality tobacco is both a science and an art, according to Jonathon and his dad, and it also takes a lot of time and hard work.

Before the visit, we planned the date with Jonathon and Mr. Fellenbaum and I talked about how he has grown his SAE over the years. I would evaluate Jonathon's SAE project based on learning that is evidenced both during the visit and through his AET record books. At one point during the visit, I asked Jonathon what is the most important quality/characteristic he's developed by producing tobacco. He immediately answered, "taking the time to do things right the first time." Jonathon keeps records on his project in AET and will be applying for a proficiency award this year. In the Penn Manor ag program, SAE's are a part of the class grade. In addition, students earn 1 SAE credit per year by investing at least 120 hours into their project and keeping record of it. SAE visits also make up a part of students' evaluations, and the four ag teachers here at Penn Manor divide and conquer SAE visits over the summer. 

I really enjoyed visiting Jonathon and learning all about his SAE project. It's truly awesome to see students get excited and teach you something they love learning about!

Week 3 of Student Teaching: Check!

This week I completed my first full week of teaching! State testing finished up on Tuesday, so I'm teaching a full 90 minute block now. I think I'm still getting used to the schedule of an ag teacher because I'm exhausted every day, but I'm learning lots! Here are my takeaways from the week:

1. Always stay one step ahead of your fastest students.

On Wednesday our goals for the day were to finish up the activity from the day before, set up AET accounts, and start the next activity. After the Warm-up, I talked about our goals for the day and had everyone get to work on finishing up yesterday's activity. Some groups finished much faster than everyone else. I was planning on doing a group demonstration on how to set up AET, but I realized that probably wasn't going to work out well. Thankfully, we were able to send kids who were done back to the back tables to work with Mr. Fellenbaum and set up their AET accounts. Some students who already had AET accounts also helped their classmates. After class I talked with Mr. Fellenbaum and while everything worked out, I should have probably had everyone set up their AET accounts first thing in class. After I could have briefly introduced the next activity so that when students finished the activity from the day before they could have immediately began their next task. This coming week my goal is to take my planning one step further and make sure there is always something for faster groups to work on. On the other hand, I also learned the importance of giving students time limits for tasks. Without time limits, students feel no pressure to stay focused and activities can often take longer than they need to. While you don't want anyone to get left behind, you  also can't make the rest of the class wait on one person/group to completely finish up. Including times in my directions will hopefully keep everyone moving and more focused.

2. Building relationships with parents is important.

Thursday night was Parent's Night at Penn Manor, which means that parents have the opportunity to visit the teachers their child has for the semester and learn about the classes they're in. I really enjoyed meeting some of my students parents and talking with them. As a teacher, parent's night is a chance for you to share about what ag ed is all about (aka - Intro to the Three Circle Model 101) as well as getting to know more about your students through their parent's perspective. At one point during the evening a couple came up to me to talk about their daughter, whom I have in my Intro to AFNR class. She is taking the class because she LOVES horses and wants to take the Animal Science classes offered through the Penn Manor ag ed program. They wanted to know more about my experience at Penn State, and if there are many job opportunities in the animal science/equine industry. I was so excited to share about various paths/careers you could pursue in the animal science, as well as share about opportunities at PSU for students interested in Animal Science. Ideally, teachers and parents should act as teammates that are trying to help a child grow and succeed. I'm looking forward to meeting more parents in the coming weeks!

My Science Classroom Visit!

On Wednesday (1/24), I had the opportunity to visit and observe Ms. Beaver's College Prep Biology class, which is comprised of mostly 10th graders. The students were conducting an Organism Response to Stimulus lab that day, where they determined how worms responded to various stimuli (drops of water, sugar water, salt water, and diluted vinegar) and then analyzed why. It was neat to see how nicely ag classes and science classes complement each other!

Students conducting their stimulus lab!

At the beginning of class, Ms. Beaver used a fun way to split the students up into lab groups. She made up a sentence and gave each student a word, and then they had to find their partner who had the same word. Ms. Beaver provides her students with Unit packets that include all lab/task sheets. Students had just learned about the scientific methods, so for this lab they wrote their own hypothesis. Ms. Beaver made sure everyone's hypothesis was an "If... then..." statement, which made me think back to some of our IBI workshops! The students were very focused on their lab, and I really enjoyed seeing everyone's reactions to handling worms. It took some students a lot of courage to touch their worm! I noticed that Ms. Beaver was engaged throughout class by checking in with groups and making sure everyone was staying on task. She gave clear directions and when students asked her questions, she would redirect them with a question or tell them to check their lab packet again. Ms. Beaver says she tries to include at least 3 different learning activities during class on non-lab days, so it sounds like she incorporates variability into her classes. I definitely think Ms. Beaver facilitates learning instead of just giving away info.

Students always had something to do - when they were done with their lab they went back and worked on their review sheet that was already in their unit packet. I liked the idea of unit packets, it basically serves the same purpose as Google Classroom but on paper. That way students are responsible for keeping their packet materials and if they're absent, they already have their make-up work.

During my visit Ms. Beaver and I talked about some of the classes I'll be teaching as well as what she teaches. It was fun to talk about how much the biology classes and ag classes overlap. Right now, the science classrooms and ag classrooms are far apart (and believe me when I say that, Penn Manor is a HUGE school). But starting in 2019, a new school is being built and they are putting the science and ag classrooms right near each other, which will hopefully open up all sorts of opportunities for collaboration!

I really enjoyed meeting Ms. Beaver and visiting her Biology class. I'd love to hear ways that you and the science department collaborate together at your school!

Week Two: I am officially teaching!

Hello everyone! Week two is officially complete! It's hard to believe how quickly time is passing. This week was a bit abnormal for a few reasons. First, students only had a two-day week. Students had Monday off for MLK day and Tuesday was an inservice day. Then we had a snow day on Wednesday. So Thursday was the first school day of the week and my first day teaching a class (Intro to AFNR). Also, students are in the middle of state testing, so that means block length is shortened from 90 minutes to about 50. Even though there were only two days of school this week, there was a lot to learn an experience! Here are my lessons learned/questions from week 2:

Community is required for a successful ag program.

This week I had the opportunity to attend Penn Manor's FFA Alumni meeting. I enjoyed the meeting because it gave me a chance to meet some more community members as well as see how invested the ag ed program and community members are in each other. There were alumni members from different generations as well as the current FFA President. I always think it's neat to see people serve something larger than themselves, not for personal gain, but because they believe in the purpose of whatever it is they're serving. The alumni take charge of various events throughout the year to help/benefit the Penn Manor ag ed program, and once again it just goes to show how important it is for an ag ed program to be a part of their community. I'm really looking forward to becoming even more involved with the Penn Manor community during my time student teaching.

Agricultural Experience Tracker.

On Thursday at the county FFA meeting, I helped the other ag teachers judge AET records at the county level. I have had a similar experience judging proficiency award applications at the national level in one of my Ag Ed classes. The experience is really valuable for me as a future ag teacher because it teaches you how to fill out AET records correctly so that you can teach your students correctly. Record keeping is an important skill to have and it provides opportunities for awards and such through FFA, but sometimes I sense that it's hard to motivate students to take their record keeping seriously. For all of you experiences Ag teachers out there: How do you promote intrinsic motivation in students to maintain a quality record book?

It's the little things.

Penn Manor just started spring semester this week, and since we have block scheduling that means students start all new classes. I'm teaching an Intro to AFNR class comprised of mostly freshman.  I've been working on learning the names of everyone in the classes I am/will be teaching, and I'm getting pretty close. I also have to keep reminding myself that not all of these students know each other because of how big the school is (whereas in my high school everyone knew everyone). The students in the Intro to AFNR class have been very reluctant to engage and answer questions the past two days - I think it's mostly due to it being the first week of the semester. Towards the end of class while everyone was putting their stuff away I started asking kids what they had planned for the weekend. It was really neat to see their faces light up as they began talking to me about things they had planned and things they were interested in. They also seemed more relaxed and comfortable. I'm looking forward to seeing what next week brings!