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.