Dear Jonas {Weekly Blog}

Dear Jonas,

As you rapidly conquered Pennsylvania this past week, you gave me sore muscles, cabin fever, and had me eat a lot of PB&J sandwiches. Even though I was not thrilled about any of this, you gave me the chance to get ahead in work, think through activities, create materials, and catch up on sleep. Little did you know that you would cancel school for two days, followed by 2 days of 2-hour delays. As great as that sounds reading, remember I am the teacher now and not the student, and it is not all that great.

Let me tell you what was great about your passing. First, winter feels like it is really here now. Second, I was able to get ahead so I was not at school until 9pm all week. With 2-hour delays, the day goes by so quickly you can't believe you were even in school. 2-hour delays were also great because I did not lose a day off later in the semester.

Now lets discuss the inconveniences of your passing. I lost two days off later in the semester I was looking forward too. My students were more wired because of the extra rest. I had great lessons plan, but did not get to teach them at all or had to shorten them. I was not able to have club meetings or flex time to work with students. I still cannot get the bell schedule down because I had two bell schedules to look off of this week.

Even through all of this Jonas, I should thank you. You provided multiple learning opportunities for me this week. One of the biggest lessons I learned was to not rush through lessons just to make them fit the timeframe of the day or week. There will be days given back to accomplish what I had planned. If I know the students are coming off a long weekend or a snow day, be ready for energy and channel that into something productive. That is when that word adaptability fits into student teaching. Thanks to you Jonas, next week I am going to adjust better to my lessons to meet the needs of the students of that class on each day. Parallel with this, I am going to stop myself with 3-4 minutes left and remind students of the assignments coming up and to complete the ticket out.

Jonas, thanks for letting me be apart of history, but next time lets keep it under 10 inches.

Sincerely,
Ms. Andrews

The Old, The New, and the Student Teacher {Science Class Observation}

Big Spring High School is a three story building with the science classes residing on the third floor. I was able to shadow a chemistry teacher in her second year on the first day of school and an anatomy teacher in her 22nd year teaching on day 4 of classes.

Chemistry: First Day of School

The chemistry teacher I shadowed had a non-traditional pathway to start her teaching career. She student taught last year, during her first year, and now, being in her second year, she is still learning on the job. The class I sat in on is Forensic Science. It was the first day, she did not have objectives, or at least posted in the classroom. For the first day the teacher stood in the front of her 16 students introduced herself and asked students to introduce themselves with whatever they seemed important, but had to say if they had a dog or not because that was important to her. The rest of the class was an introductory activity and notes. There was no syllabus review or classroom expectations, procedures, or behaviors, just a review of the major assignments 

Here is what I took away:

1. Students like talking about themselves so let them do the talking

2. If using Google Classroom, do not put all your assignments for the quarter or semester on their because students lose track and get pushed to the bottom of the stream as more content is added

3. Starting notes is okay, but it needs to be short and with an interest approach

The class was small so the introduction activity worked. I would have expectations, procedures, and consequences on the first day though. The teacher did express enthusiasm for subject and variability, but business-like behavior and learner-centeredness could have a stronger presence.

Anatomy: Day 4

The teacher of this class taught for 22 years and I knew how good she was as she taught her class, managed it, and handed me binders of resources, her laptop, and explained it all to me while teaching. I was blown away. She knew her content, had an impressive organization system, wanted to share all she could, explained why she did things the way she did, and told me she frequently collaborates with the agriculture department. She also extended an invite to come and visit her whenever I need resources, questions answered, or someone to talk too. 

Here is what I took away:

1. She utilizes many activities that we discussed in the fall: KWL, think-pair-share, and word splash

2. She uses bellwork affectively to benefit the students as well as give her time to take care of beginning of the class business. 

3. She uses popsicle sticks with students names on them to ensure she is fairly calling on students

I felt my mouth drop as the teacher conducted her room and class. She multi-tasked smoothly and her students enjoyed being there. She showed me how she got to where she was and reminded me it takes years. I want a district full of teachers who care about their students and schools as much as she did. Even though she was teaching definitions of parts she did it in a way that I was even interested. She had all the components of effective teaching except variability, but looking at her lesson plans, that did not same normal.

Let's Compare First Days {Weekly Blog}

Back in the fall I completed a First Day of School lab. After re-reading my blog I reflected on my experience comparing my experience this well to last fall and thinking about how I will make day one even better for my next two classes this upcoming week. Through talking with my cooperating teachers I learned that they are encouraged not to go over the syllabus the first day of school, but from my survey of asking teachers in the school, they still do.

Why? Most of their classroom expectations, procedures, and consequences are there and starting the second day students could "get away" with being late, etc. because they were not set. On the flip side, I learned teachers who do not go over the syllabus take the time to get to know the students through activities and push the students to get to know each other.

What did I learn? 
The context of the classes are that welding is a 9-week, 3rd quarter only course, and horticulture is a second semester course. Students expect syllabuses so do the unexpected because it pays off. I had activities on day one for both my classes. Horticulture they played minute it to win it type of games and welding they went on a scavenger hunt for welds throughout the first floor of the school. I did go over my syllabus because of the 80 minute periods. Students liked hearing about the projects they get to do, especially in hands on classes like welding and horticulture. I even had one student in my welding class that did not know you actually get to weld in the class and his eyes got big with excitement when I said that we do!

What would I do on my first day of school as a first year teacher? 
- Build rapport with students through games or activities. Each activity needs to serve a purpose though.
           - For example in my horticulture class I had them work in teams to emphasize that they will need to be collaborative this semester, we played would you rather and I asked WHY they picked the side they did and then told them I expect them to ask WHY this semester and be expansive in their thinking.
- Give a tour of the shop or greenhouse if that is applicable.
- Go over expectations, procedures, and consequences.
           - This includes classroom operations and classroom processes (where do you pick up graded papers?)
- In a one to one program, work through where everything is digitally, have them sign into Google Classroom, and make sure everyone has access to folders/documents
- Handout any papers that need signed and make it worth points.

What am I doing next week on my first days?
Both of these classes are are year long and 40 minutes. I am utilizing the same systems as my cooperating teachers as well as their expectations, consequences, and procedures. Since is has been half a year since they heard them I am going to review expectations, procedures, and consequences to ensure they know nothing changes and then take time to build rapport the first day.
             

The Power of Community {Weekly Blog}

My first week at Big Spring High School was meeting new people, getting into a routine, asking a lot of questions, and, of course, planning. I once again was reassured of my placement being perfect for me for reasons that fit my individual development plan as a preservice teacher. 

Big Spring Boys Basketball Game

This week I was able to dive right into the high school community and sold basketball tickets with my roommate (whom is a teacher at the high school) as well as watched the games. Anyone that knows me knows I have a passion for athletics and I feel a great deal of pride for teams I am invested into. I am now a bulldog for 15 weeks so I was dialed in and cheering for the players. 

Having this experience early on was perfect for the community I am in. The community, inside and outside the high school is small, so the schools staff in the districts, students, and community members were at the Friday night game cheering on the team. Some of the high school staff recognized me, teachers said hello, and community members asked where I was student teaching and as soon as I said the Agriculture Department they ranted about how great the teachers and program are. I also saw a few of my FFA students, on the court and in the stands, and got to sit with a few members of the high school staff. 

Big Spring Pride Cup

I realize these interactions are different in each high school, depending on the community, but with a smaller to medium sized high school it was a rewarding evening being able to help out as well as support the students. In agriculture we know community involvement is vital and Big Spring is doing it right. I also recognized the power of having presence and involvement inside the school and outside my content area. I am looking forward to the upcoming weeks and attending different meetings where I (hopefully) can make connections to people and places and reconnect with people again. This also kicked started my interest in learning what specific efforts and events the BSFFA program makes to connect to the community. Watch out cooperating teachers, more to questions coming your way!

Chapter 2: Student Teaching {Mid Winter Convention}

Today started a new chapter in my agricultural education story. Chapter 1 was pre-service preparation this past fall and now Chapter 2 starts my student teaching experience. My first experience within this chapter was day one of my student teaching experience. The scene is set at the 100^th Pennsylvania Farm Show where FFA blue corduroy jackets flooded the exhibit halls. I am now in a button down shirt that says advisor instead of a blue jacket that says Katie Andrews and Big Spring FFA is written on the front of my shirt instead of Hans Herr FFA across the back. I have officially moved across the desk… Katie Andrews to Ms. Andrews.

“With great power, comes great responsibility”. This is a bit cheesy of a saying I think, but today I constantly reminded myself to look like I knew what I was doing through showing confidence, grace, and intelligence. I have been entrusted the power of decisions, words, and time to students who are well taught and served everyday. Now it is my responsibility to utilize my power as the student teacher to influence and educate students. I guess you can say it got real today!

Let’s talk more about this idea of responsibility. In trying to leave Farm Show we were missing one student. Due to lack of communication on the student’s end, we were not able to leave the farm show until we had parental contact or the student on the bus. What I observed from my advisors is how they handled the situation. Even though they were frustrated, they took the bus ride to cool down and address the matter with the parent who picked the student up as well as the student upon returning to school. Also, they clued in the principle during the incident which was helpful for reassurance on what they were to do in the situation. They did not hold this against the student the following day during classes either.

This reminded of a discipline derby. I was on the bus with the students while my teachers were in the Farm Show complex brainstorming what I would have done or what I can do to help. The composure, solutions, and execution were all well done and I was intently observing and listening as to how the situation was worked through.

The rest of Mid Winter Convention was a reminder of why I am excited to become an official member of the agricultural education family. Every teacher I came across was excited that it was my first day, said hello, and many engaged in conversation with me. Being comfortable is something I want me students to feel when they are engaging in FFA events or within the walls of my classroom. The result of being comfortable is personalities shining brighter, learning occurs, and more laughs are shared.