A week of firsts

“We first make our habits, then our habits make us.” - John Dryden

Wow what a week it has been, I've had all types of firsts this week, my first FFA meeting, my first 2hr delay, and my first time chaperoning SLC for 4-H!

The beginning of the week was fairly typical, I am still only teaching Small Animal Science and Intro to Ag Science, on Monday I pick up Horticulture so I am really excited! Thursday was our Spuds and suds meeting, I was really excited to meet community members, parents, and future FFA members. It was a great time and we had a blast!





 This week in small animal science students have been creating a commercial using a dog as their star, to show an example I used my bunny to give students an idea. Check out the latest Superbowl add for Lipton Tea

 

 

Spuds and suds

Friday at 5 am I got a phone call tellin me to go back to sleep, it was my first 2hr delay. Now mind you we had gotten about 11 inches of snow from Thursday afternoon till early Friday morning. It was interesting teaching on a 2hr delay because the school shortens all morning classes, this meant for my 3 classes I taught only 15 minutes in each! Talk about drastic modification for my classes, I was not prepared for this 2 hr delay scheduled because I assumed it was similar to that in my high school where all classes were shortened.
 

So this weeks lesson: adaptation is key

Just a light snowfall...

Today I also had a great experience chaperoning the 2015 4-H state leadership conference, I am presenting a workshop tomorrow on global agriculture, and have a great opportunity to meet 4-H members from across the state.

I have always had a passion for 4-H and FFA and always hated how they never really connected, as a future educator I hope that I can help build that bridge between 4-H and FFA to prepare future FFA members and allow current FFA members to help current 4-H members!

I know this week was brief  but I am wore out! It was a long day, but I do not regret taking a chance and attending this conference to help develop my skills as a chaperone and continue
my networking, communication, and leadership skills!

 

Now to share a few websites I have discovered: Quizlet is a great site where you can create flashcards, vocab, and share the link with students to practice! I used this site to help my students identify cattle breeds and associate names and descriptions with pictures, the site saves any sets you make and you can also search other sets already made! You can also create a quiz and share it or print it!

Ever wanna try calling students but don't want to make them feel like you are targeting them? Well this fun site is a spinning wheel where you enter student names, it randomly picks a name and once the name is called it is removed! You can create multiple lists, save your lists, and use the wheel over and over again. I have found this site helpful instead of popcorn reading

Snowball fight during our spuds and suds meeting

Hope you are enjoying my adventure down the rabbit hole as much as I am!

The Tech Guy will make or break you...

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results"- Willie Nelson

Here is a little recap of my week in case you were wondering how my second week in the class has been.

Now you may be wondering about the title of my post...I have discovered this week that unless you have internet you have nothing...the frustration...but it is all okay, because now I am connected to the internet! 

 

Tuesday was my last day with Mrs. K, I really enjoyed teaching the whole day however I went home exhausted and ready for bed. I can't even stay up to watch the 11:00 news without being tired the next morning. Tuesday night I got to attended my first school board meeting. At each meeting the school board asks for each school (2 elementary, middle, and high school) to showcase one positive thing that has been going on. Since January is the month for farmshow, a few FFA members and I joined newly sun soaked Mr. Honeycutt and shared our experiences, accomplishments, as well as our observations of the schools we visited with the school board. This presentation not only showcased our Key Stone degree recipient, but also our jacket recipient. Both students got to share what the organization meant to them and also the power of the FFA jacket. By sharing in their experiences school board members see the power of FFA as well as all the organization has to offer. 

The student's "raps/ songs"

Now on Tuesday I had a kick butt lesson for my Intro class, we were learning about beef breeds and I knew from Friday that these freshmen do not do well with traditional power point notes, so I took a chance, stuck my neck out and mixed class up. I had students write lyrics to a song using facts and information about a breed of beef cattle, I wanted to have students sing however, they didn't like that idea. So I offered to type up the songs and the students took off and created some amazing songs about beef cattle! For once I felt like I had control, their attention, and their respect! Even the "bad" kids participated and helped write the songs. I didn't have much push back after I promised students wouldn't have to preform the songs, and my class room management strategies worked great!  

Bird Houses the Freshman made!

Wednesday Mr. Honeycutt returned to the classroom and we began the up hill battle (once again) of getting my computer on the school's internet network. Let me tell ya about the tech guy...well I'll let you figure it out (check out my twitter and instagram). Since Mr. Honeycutt was back I was able to take time and observe how he worked the room, and how he kept the kiddos under control. I had a few fun lessons with my Small Animal Science class, and we had to take a short break from cattle in Intro so we could finish up our bird houses. I can not wait for Monday to pick back up review a little share out our "raps" and continue our quest to learn more about the cattle industry and terminology.

I spend a lot of time soaking up the free WiFi

Yesterday, I should call it Wednesday because until I got to McDonalds and got online to check my social media, I thought it was only Wednesday. Now about McDonalds, thank-goodness for their free WiFi because I have been using that up! In fact, I'm starting to meet all the regulars and the staff, they tell me good-bye when I head home and to have a good night. During class I had a few struggles with Animal Science, I had the chance to reflect with Mr. Honeycutt and we decided my issue is that I do not move around enough when presenting. To help solve this problem I used Mr. Honeyuctt's clicker. After class I experienced my first faculty meeting, I had the chance to introduce myself as well as meet 3 other student teachers! During the meeting we talked about, UDL, SLOS, and choosing students for parent teacher conferences.

I was really amazed that as a student teacher at Penn State I was being prepared for this field of work, and topics that we have discussed these same topics in our class! I know we were being prepared, but yesterday it really sank in.

Students working on wiring with Mr. Honeyctt

Today went really good, I improved drastically in animal science, and have gotten a lot better. I moved a round a lot, used a clicker, prepared for class better and had more fun with class. I do have room to improve, I need to slow down a lot when I talk and keep my hands a little closer to myself. I know its only week two and its only going to get better from here! 


                                                     







  Now for the highlights:

Blaze has taken well to life in the shop

•  During my 8th pd prep health class comes into the room, the health teacher has a student teacher so it's really interesting to talk and see how different our prep programs are as well as what our days look like
• The tech guy must not like me much, I have tried for a few days to get online and only today has it worked! I'm still in the process of getting the ability to print from my computer. He gave me a cord the other day, but I need the to download the software onto my computer before it will work.
•  I got heat and hot water at home!! 
• I've made a lot of connections in the community and have felt so welcomed
• I can make it home and to school with out a GPS
• I have gotten a lot of positive feed back from the students about my lessons, my goals, and our up coming projects
• My bunny has adjusted well to life in the shop and loves all the attention

Not a fan of the snow yet

Now, I'm not sure about the rest of yinz' but I am so tired when I get home every night, I am taking inspiration from Ms. Rice and trying to drink more water, however, I have found my increased water intake makes for increased restroom breaks and when the teacher bathroom is so far away, who really has time for that?? Here are a few other ways to try and boost your energy! 

And if you are looking for some inspiration to add a little art into your lessons, check out this collection of lessons that are art based! I saw a big improvement with my students by having them write a song, and I hope to work in Art and Music even more now!





Over all week 2 went a lot better than week 1, I can't believe 2 weeks have gone by already. As I plan out my weeks ahead I have had a few panic attacks about the lack of time we really have. I know its gonna get better and I know I am going to do great things here at Northwestern. So here is the countdown 2 down 13 to go...

1 down 14 to go

"Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops" - Henry Brooks Adams

Saying good bye to home once again!

Wow what a week it has been! From moving in, traveling to Farmshow, touring awesome programs, observations, and most importantly Teaching! 

• Moving in was a lot easier this time around, I must be a pro or something! 

• Farmshow was an experience all in its own (check out my blog about it!

 

Farmshow bus ride home!

• Touring two programs down there where the grass is still green (Lancaster) was a great opportunity to show our student's what the world has to offer outside of good ol' Erie county.

Observing on Wednesday was my first chance to see Mr. Honeycutt in action all day. It was great getting to talk to the kids, and see where their interests are. It was also great helping Mr. Honeycutt create the sub plan for the next few days as he has taken a small vacation. 
 


On Thursday reality hit me, and it hit me hard. I set my alarm for 5 am, check out the window to judge how much snow has fallen or blown onto the road and luckily these past few days I have been able to go back to sleep for a little bit longer. The best part about student teaching at a rural school is the fact I have yet to go to school the same way. There are so many back roads that twist and wind through this beautiful snow covered country side. In fact I just found Happy Valley road! Sadly its not so happy...there is a nice big hill that I am not sure I will ever make until maybe June. 

I think we have enough snow
& I need to invest in a
snowmobile

Once I get to school I arrive about 40 minutes before my homeroom class begins. Its really nice having quite time alone to enjoy my coffee and yogurt and get all my materials ready for the day. Yesterday and today I have enjoyed the company of my neighbor who happens to be the substitute teacher for these next few days! Mrs.K is great and has helped me so much these past few days. She lets me take attendance, get the students ready and has allowed me to facilitate the work Mr. Honeycutt has left for us. It's been quite the ride using a lesson plan other than the one Penn state has developed. But it was a good experience to see what a "working" lesson plan looks like! I have enjoyed working with all the classes, well almost all of them...we all have that one class right?? 

Today I took on my first class and that was the Introduction to Agricultural Sciences course. This course is designed for first year Ag students and is mainly freshman. I have two sections of this course, giving me about 50 students total. 

Today in Intro we reviewed my procedure, expectations and consequences that we have been going over yesterday and Wednesday with Mr. Honeycutt, we than started on my favorite topic! Dairy Science. Sadly only a few students were as excited about learning about dairy cows as I was. But we made it through class.

I learned one big lesson today...and that is you always need assigned seating. My second session of Intro was bad, and I mean bad. I don't think I handled it as well as I should have and I am currently devising a plan of action (seating chart) I have also developed a grading rubric and example of what notes should look like so when we start note taking on Tuesday I don't lose them again like I did today. 

I know tomorrow (or Tuesday) is a new day and I should not forget the lessons I have learned today but as this experience continues I know I need to let the past be and move on! So here's to a new day and my first weekend! 







And for some super motivation for you(and because I need it too) Check out this great blog site!  http://absolutelytrueteacher.blogspot.com/

Super excited to head home tomorrow and get some much needed snow tires! On that note, I hope you have a wonderful weekend and continue to follow along with my adventure down the rabbit hole and into an amazing world full of unknowns!

Farmshow

Waking up at 4am I went to start my car, surprise..4 inches of snow covered my car. I thought oh boy this is gonna be a long drive, so I began the 12 mile trek to school down a few dirt roads, through a couple snow banks and 40 minutes later I finally made it to the school. I have personally decided I need to trade the car in for a snow mobile, its a thing up here in the tundra if you didn't know. Once I got myself situated I was handed the BOOK, ya know the one with everyone's medical forms, the room list, the codes of conducts, emergency numbers, if something bad happens we need it book. I felt like wow, they do trust me, maybe I will be okay.

We got everyone checked in and on  the bus except one student who was in a ditch, thankfully no one was hurt and they made it with just a slight delay. Then off on our 5 hour trip south to the land of temperatures above zero, grass, and sunshine. It was a nice ride down, we watched a few movies, I got to talk with Mr. Honeycutt, and I soon realized this Farmshow trip was one unlike any I have ever been on. For the past 8 years I have gone to Farmshow, all four years of high school I was part of the FFA Demonstration team and than I began showing goats for the few years after that. This trip wasn't about competing, but rather exposing students to agriculture, all it has to offer, and where FFA can take you. During my high school career Farmshow was about ribbons, awards, and milkshakes, this year Farmshow was about exploring, learning, and exciting new FFA members.

After only a few hours at Farmshow we packed up and headed to Bass Pro Shop where I began to see the student's personalities arise. These were freshman students, and students I didn't really know all that well. There were a few officers but the majority of the 26 students were first year members who didn't yet grasp all that FFA could offer. But knew that this organization was something special and that this trip was one for the books.

At the hotel the student's got to swim and I had the chance to stick my sore feet in the hot tub and reflect on the past few days. I got to really get to know a few students from my Intro class and I soon realized not all students had an agricultural background nor did they have much of an interest in it. But these student's they have great stories of where they came from and where they are going. And I hope through my lessons they take their passions and let them shine through.

Farmshow wasn't about ribbons and awards, it was about exploring larger programs, seeing how we can improve what we have here. We visited two programs in Lancaster on Tuesday, I got to see two fellow co-hort members and see what their programs had to offer. I think  it was great for the students to see how large a program can be yet how close the members and educators are. I know I was inspired to help Northwestern build up their program, and I realized how hard it must be to be a single teacher with a dream for a large program. And how awesome it is to have a strong community support, administration support, and passion for agriculture.

As this week continues I am excited to see the impact that Farmshow has left on those first year members and how awesome we are going to make these next 15 weeks!