Week 10: Where has the time gone???

 The past two weeks have been a whirlwind, and it feels like last Monday is already so far in the past. Week 9 brought with it some unexpected news from home, which made focusing on my student teaching very difficult. I am glad to have such a great support system from both Penn State and here at L-S, which allowed me to make it through week 9 and jump back into the normal swing of things for week 10. A few things that I learned through that process is the importance of having emergency sub plans (if I was sole teacher these would have been very important), and just how hard it is to reset after a few days out of the classroom. 

Week 10 was full of great teaching and advising learning opportunities! With all the excitement, I am just now realizing I didn't snap too many photos this week. I am currently teaching 3 courses (a full load at L-S) including Ag Mechanics, Small Gas Engines and now Ag Business and Management. 

Ag Mechanics is in the electrical wiring unit, and one major change that I made from the previous plumbing unit is a more organized note packet. Both Theory (at home) and Lab (in person) day's notes/wiring diagrams are all together in a single packet that I printed out for each student. So far, I am finding this to work a lot better for my students. I am seeing less late/missing assignments, plus the students that work a little faster in lab are easily able to move on to the next circuit since it is right there in the packet. This is something I will try to utilize more moving forward. 

Here is the link to my Electrical Wiring Notebook! 

As the student's begin their electrical wiring unit, we first have to review the "Rules of Wiring". Students create a key in their packets to help them correctly diagram every circuit before beginning the wiring process. 

Small Gas Engines is still working through there school engines. Most students have completed disassembled, cleaned, honed, lapped and tap/died their engines and are about ready to reassemble. With many students at different parts, lab can sometimes feel like organized chaos, however every student is fully engaged for the 82 minutes and I am definitely seeing progress in their knowledge of the different parts of the engine. One thing I want to work on moving forward is bringing together their engine system theory knowledge from the online days and what they are seeing each day in lab as they work on their engines. Two ways I have been doing this is by asking intentional questions about what we are learning on theory days as I check off their prep and reassembly scripts, and having some short Kahoot reviews before we jump into the work for the day. Any suggestions on how to better integrate/review the systems theory into lab days?? 

For my other pre-service teachers, below are the links to my Engine Theory Notebooks. If you have any suggestions on how to make them better, please let me know! 

Ignition

Compression

Cooling and Lubrication

Fuel and Carburetors

Ag Business has jumped head first into the Marketing Unit. After a day of intro and notes, I assigned them a project that pulls from the FFA Marketing CDE. Students have to work in small groups to develop a comprehensive marketing plan for a product of their choice. They will then have to present their plan to the class (stakeholders). If I'm being honest, marketing notes can be quite boring, so I felt the best way for students to learn about the 4 P's and SWOT analysis was to jump right in and start applying them to a real world example. So far the students seem to be loving it. Stay tuned to see how the presentations turn out! 

For the Marketing Plan Assignment, I provided students with the necessary notes for the unit, but then sent them on their way to dive right in. I placed some examples and additional resources on the front table for the groups to take if they wanted as well. 

This past week also brought with it the County LDE contests. I have not had a lot of LDE/CDE experience in the past so this was a great opportunity to to learn how these contests are run and what to expect (even though they looked a little different online this year). I helped to manage the Jr. Prepared contest, and assisted as our Parli Pro team competed. As and FFA advisor we are also coaches for our LDE/CDE teams, and my first experience with this role was coaching the two creed speakers for this year. We met once or twice a week to practice body language, inflection on our words, and how to answer questions. As my students logged in for their time slots, my heart was probably beating faster then theirs, and I am proud to say both of my students have moved onto regionals! 

It's hard to believe that I am 2/3 of the way through my student teaching internship. As I look back I am amazed by how much I have learned so far from both my CTs and these students. As I walk into next week, I will be learning how to wrap up a marking period and all that comes with that. Check back for an update and wish me luck as I try to get my students to submit their missing assignments! 

Week 8: Seeing some growth!

 Another busy week in the books! At this point in my student teaching experience I have been teaching a full course load for 3 weeks. As I said in last week's update, juggling all of the responsibilities of being a teacher comes with many challenges, but finding a routine and becoming more confident in my content knowledge and teaching abilities has been very helpful to my time management. Looking back at my weekly growth goals from the past 7 weeks, I feel that I have definitely become stronger in many areas. 

Some peaks from the past week include...

1. I wrapped up my time in Mrs. Oberholtzer's Vet Science 1 class and all of my students passed their unit assessments and created wonderful end of unit projects. Last week I felt a little discouraged because I felt that 1 of the half groups had missed something along the way, however after reflecting with the class and on my own teaching I was able to fill those gaps during our review prior to test day. I realized a big issue was clarity in my questions from last week. I made sure I was organized and prepared for their review day, and we saw some great outcomes. Saying goodbye to these students was more difficult than I anticipated, but their feedback on my teaching and enthusiasm in the classroom left me feeling even more validated. 

2. My Ag Mechanics class started finishing up their Plumbing unit by completing their plumbing square projects. These end of unit assessments are not only a test of what the students have retained over the unit, but also how well I have taught them the content. Occasionally, I find myself worried if I was able to truly reach each and every student, but as they completed theory quizzes,  tested the projects and filled out the "customer invoices" I was extremely happy to see that each student was able to show off the knowledge and skills that my unit objectives pointed towards. Additionally, I created a more organized system for students to complete lab and theory notes for our next unit (electrical circuits) and students already seem to be more invested. I think this is a combination of excitement from being able to create something in the shop and the new and more organized structure. 

3. Additionally, I have been making some great progress with my Small Gas Engines class. Each student is 100% engaged and on task during our work time. Additionally, I have been very intentional with my questioning strategies to get students to think more critically about our theory content and apply it to our lab days. One benefit of the hybrid schedule we are on right now means that while we are in person we have much smaller class sizes. This allows for a lot of one on one time with students if they need it. Right now I am able to move between students and offer individual advice or instruction during their engine disassembly. Reflecting on my current teaching strategies, I realize that in the future when our class sizes are larger again I may need to adjust and preform more whole class demonstrations and take more time to review before allowing students to work independently, as I will not be able to move through each student as quickly. 

This upcoming week will present a new challenge as I go back to Penn State for three days for a seminar. Writing sub plans, preparing students for my absence and preparing myself for returning to students that I haven't seen in a while will be new and difficult. While a break seems nice, it actually comes with a lot more work and  will definitely test my time management and organizational skills. Check back next week to see how it all turns out! 

#psuaged21

 How have you seen yourself grow over the past 8 weeks? What are some of your biggest worries regarding sub plans and being absent from your classes? 

Placement SAE Visit

This weekend I had the opportunity to go on my second official Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) project visit. This visit was a little different from my first a few weeks ago, as I was not as familiar with the project (equine placement - harness racing training facility). Unlike my first visit where my own previous experiences with raising Market Dairy Beef Steers could help me to offer advice, this time I had to rely heavily on more general employability and reflection skills to push my student to reflect on her own growth over the past few years working with this project. I absolutely loved seeing my student's passions for agriculture shine through, and I walked away with some new knowledge of my own and feeling accomplished as an advisor for helping a student strengthen their project. 

Below I will answer eight questions to summarize my visit. 

1. Who did you visit?

I visited a senior from the L-S program who is currently enrolled in the Ag Mechanics 1 course I am teaching. This student currently has two active SAE projects (Paid Placement - Equine Science and Foundational - Exploring Career Opportunities). This students has been in this Placement since 2018, and has recently been given much more responsibility in their role at the training facility. As a senior, she has been accepted into a four year program to start her journey to becoming a large animal veterinarian. During the visit, and while preparing for the visit, we discussed how this SAE has helped her to gain valuable hands-on animal experience for her future career goals. 

2. Where did the visit occur? 

This student works at a small local training facility about 5 miles from the school. We planned to meet during her Saturday morning shift at the facility.  When I arrived the student greeted me at the barn entrance, took me inside to see what she was working on, and meet her supervisors. 

As the student continued to put the harnesses on the horse, she clearly explained each step and why they had to be done in a certain order. She also explained what each piece of the harness was used for during the training/racing. The student also credited her supervisors for their amazing support throughout her time in this Placement, and discussed how they taught her each of these new skills. 

3. What preparations did you make prior to the visit?

In preparation for the visit, I talked with the student before our Ag Mechanics course to plan out a good time for me to come by for a visit. We wanted to find a good time for her to show off her new responsibilities with the training of the horses. Additionally, I reviewed her record book entries in AET (an online platform used to track a student's time, finances and achievements in classroom and school projects), and made sure everything was up to date. We also took time to discuss any current concerns or questions that the student had regarding her project. Following this conversation we decided that a Saturday morning visit would be best, as both her supervisors could be present at the facility at that time as well.  Additionally, we discussed the student's progress towards a Proficiency Award in Equine Science. 

4. What was the student's SAE program?

As I said before, this student is currently in a Paid Placement SAE in Equine Science and a Foundational SAE which focuses on continuous career exploration throughout the years in agriculture classes.  For more information on Placement SAEs check out this link.

5. How would you evaluate or rate the program? On what criteria? 

While I did not have a specific rubric to evaluate this project, I would give this students a 4.5/5. She fully understood her responsibilities at the facility and was able to clearly explain everything she was doing. Her supervisors were very happy with her performance and over the past summer even gave her more serious training responsibilities. It was evident throughout the visit that she had a great relationship with her supervisors, and was able to easily and clearly communicate with them. Her record books were up to date and well detailed. She was making progress towards her Proficiency Award and had set goals to complete that application by the deadline. She maintained open communication with her advisors (myself and my CT) and was enthusiastic about showing off her progress in this project. The only reason I did not give the students a 5/5 is because their is always room for growth and improvement. 

We did utilize a check list for the visit, which is pictured below.  This serves as a record of our visit and we provide a copy to the students so they can look back at our comments to improve their projects and use the information to update their records. 

6. What recommendations were made for improvement?

This student was doing an amazing job and performing well in her placement. The biggest recommendation for this student as she finishes up her high school career is to be more reflective about this experience and how it will benefit her moving on to her career goals. Additionally, looking at her record books, she will be a great contender for an American Degree Award in the future if she chooses to continue the project in the next few years. We also discussed what was needed to put the final touches on her Proficiency Award application in the next week. 

7. What record books were being used?

This student, and all L-S students enrolled in an agriculture course or SAE, utilize the AET record system. The AET, or Agriculture Experience Tracker, is an online platform where students can create journal entries to log time in experiences and manage expenses/income for their projects. 

While this student had up to date records, I suggested that moving forward she focus on finding a routine for entering financial records. 

8. How does the cooperating teacher "grade" the SAE program? 

Students receive a weekly grade (10 points) for their AET journal entries related to foundational SAE's from class and Immersion SAE project updates. Additionally, they are expected to complete and update their SAE plans in AET from year to year or as any changes occur. 

This visit taught me a lot about the variety that SAE projects can take. Additionally, this Placement SAE was a great way to merge the school's ag program with the local community. The skills our students are learning in class are allowing them to join the local economy and be positive advocates for agriculture and our program in the community. I really enjoyed getting feedback on the student's performance directly from their supervisors and seeing the student's skills and passions shine through. 

Overall, I feel that I have learned a lot about helping students to set up strong SAE projects and how to professionally conduct visits with students. My CT and I discussed the importance of documenting our visits, and recording each in the AET app so that the students can also see our feedback in their online record books. Additionally, with this last Placement visit we discussed the process of helping students find these opportunities within the community. Having positive and active relationships with your community stakeholders is a must as an Ag Teacher, and this is something I will strive for in my future programs. 

Week 7: Half Way There!!

This past week was full of great activities, student projects, and lots of opportunities for reflection on my teaching. Hitting week 7 marks the half way point in my student teaching internship. I am currently teaching a full load with Agriculture Mechanics 1, Small Gas Engines and Vet Science 1, and so far I am loving it! Yes, it is very hard to find enough hours in the day to accomplish instruction, grading, planning, CDE team coaching, and the many other tasks that come with teaching, but as the pressure mounts I feel that I am falling into a good rhythm that will carry me through the rest of this experience. 

Some peaks from this week include...

1. All three of my classes were able to engage in some pretty awesome hands on activities during their lab days. Vet Science completed their personal digestion labs, Ag Mechanics got started on their plumbing squares, and Small Gas Engines finished up their micrometer practice and began the disassembly of their school engines. 

I wasn't able to snap too many pictures, as I was pretty busy moving between students to answer questions or provide some real time feedback, however these projects might have made me more excited than the students. Some of the classes I was most nervous to teach coming into this experience (Small Gas Engines) are now my favorite! It takes a little more time on my end to prepare and learn the content material, but theres nothing better than being able to teach students by doing and working through problems together in class. 

2. This week I received my mid-term evaluation, weekly teaching evaluation, and a formal observation from Penn State. One thing I have learned throughout the past 7 weeks is the value of feedback. I know that I am here to learn, and I truly appreciate hearing what others thought went well and what I could make better. Even if things don't turn out exactly how I had planned, theres always tomorrow and as long as I take time to reflect and adapt it will be a better day.

One pit from this past week ties into this reflection piece. During what was supposed to be a simple, quick review during my Vet Science 1 class, I realized this half group hadn't quite comprehended some of the major content material from the unit. I was a little discouraged, however I asked the students where they felt something was missing with instruction and talked to my CT about it as well. I now know where we need to focus our review this week and how to improve my clarity and instruction in the future. 

While there are definitely areas of growth for me to work on moving forward, I can really feel myself becoming stronger as I continue to move through this internship. I plan to focus my attention on my organizational skills, clarity, and question technques. I am excited to get back into the classroom on Monday and see what week 8 will bring. 

Questions: #psuaged21 How are you feeling at our half way point? What are some of your major growth areas for the remainder of our internship?