Student Teaching - Day 6 and 7

I won't downplay - Tuesday was a hard day. Maybe even a "bad" day, although no day can be too bad when I get to teach ag.

It seems that the inauguration brought out the worst in certain people. I realize that being in a rural area meant a predominant Republican bias. I understand, being a Republican myself, the struggle it is to wish your country well and still be a patriot when your country has elected someone who you did not support. However, I came to the realization yesterday that I love my country more than I love my political party, and that it was time to back the new leader of my country. I didn't expect everyone to hold this same viewpoint, but I did expect respect while we watched Obama take his oath of office. Mr. Shartzer told me right before he left for the day that he would be at a textbook adoption committee meeting all day, and so I would have to run all of his classes. Although normally I wouldn't have a problem with that, he wanted them to do proficiency applications. There are many areas of expertise I possess in the FFA, but proficiency applications are not one of them. Therefore, I could only help them so much. In addition, many of them didn't even have an SAE to fill out a proficiency form for. Therefore, I was left with a large percentage of students who had nothing to do. I felt like watching the inauguration festivities would be a great learning experience, for a few reasons. First of all, regardless of their feelings toward President Obama, it was certainly a moment in history, and a good teacher would want to share that with her students. Secondly, tolerance can be illustrated in many ways, and I felt like integrating his moment into our day would allow others to see the beauty in diversity. But the unintended lesson became his well-written address to the country. I hope one day the students in those classes, even the ones I had to discipline for inappropriate comments, understand the enormity of the moment they saw in high school.

At 6:30, I came back for the chapter meeting. I was interested to see that they actually used parliamentary procedure, and followed an agenda. Our chapter meetings in high school were usually related to an activity, and opening and closing ceremonies was about as formal as it got. I get to say the advisor's part next meeting!

Today was better. I spent first block in Amy's class, making an outline for one topic of the discussion meet. In second block I came back to Mr. Shartzer's class and planned to continue working on it, but ended up working on Michelle's resume and cover letter for job interview - which is tomorrow!! Tomorrow is one of my favorite days of the FFA year. I love love love the speaking contests, even if it means a long day and waiting around for the extemp speakers to finish. I haven't had much time to help Michelle or the Creed speaker, Will, but I have tried to contribute what I can. I know in the future I will be able to prepare my students months beforehand. Tomorrow will also be exciting because I'll also be able to see the Sumner Co. ag teachers that I love! I can't wait!

Student Teaching - Day 5

It seems like my day on Thursday was already a week ago, so much as happened since then! Since I wasn't at Portland on Wednesday, some of the students asked me where I had been and some said, "You're back!" when they came into class. It was sweet!
The day was most uneventful, with the exception of my disciplining a student in 2nd block. I was very forceful when he smarted off to me, but Mr. Shartzer made him apologize and I accepted it, so I feel like we can still work together.

Michelle brought her new kid to class. I think his name is Spanky! When anyone would put him down after we held him, he wasn't used to the slick floor. We said it was like he was ice skating. :)

I left 4th block early to meet Jessica and Mr. Curtis in Murfreesboro at Dr. Hillman's house. Dr. Hillman is a voice and diction coach, and he helped me and Jessica clear up some of our incorrect speech patterns, words we say incorrectly, etc. It was very enlightening! I never knew I did some of the things he pointed out. I've been practicing since Thursday night to try to incorporate the things he said. I have 19 days until Discussion Meet, so I think I can do it! Afterwards I went to Ashley's to watch Grey's, then I heard school was out the next day, so we went to see Twilight at 10 that night.

On Friday I got to sleep in, then I went to Clint and Tracy's to play Wii with Austin and Allison, and get Clint's opinion of the Discussion Meet topics. Tracy made egg rolls and I had never tried them - I didn't know what to expect, but oh my gosh! They were amazing. She gave me some to take home, I might make them later tonight. They also gave me my Christmas present, a digital picture frame!
Today Mom, Bridget, and I went to see Twilight (yes, again! That's the 5th time!). We stopped by Wal-Mart so I could get My Best Friend's Girl on DVD. Now I'm relaxing at home. Danny and Amanda are coming over, so we're all going to watch it together. I also get Monday off, so tonight it like Friday night all over again!

Student Teaching - Day 3 and 4

Tuesday was relatively uneventful. I got to school early to talk to my Co-op team. At first, I wans't sure I'd have enough, but by the end of the day I have a full 5 members, meaning we'll have a drop score. This weekend I want to sit down and plan this out the right way. It's a new contest so as Mr. Shartzer put it, we'll all be on an equal playing field. So by next Tuesday I'd like to have our game plan figured out so they know what to expect and we do this the proper way, as to not waste time. Winning isn't the most important thing, but I'd like to say we did the best we knew to do. I think we can incorporate our egg cooperative with the 4-H chick chain very well, so our presentations rank higher than others. That's one of my only solid thoughts on it so far. Also, I'm going to be at Beech during State Convention, but I'll accompany Portland to Convention. That way I can be with my Co-op team. :)

Also, in 2nd block, the students had a very intelligent discussion on global warming and the role agriculture plays in that debate. They also discusseed eminent domain. I was so impressed and proud of the knowledge they exhibited, and they probably didn't even know it was exemplary.

Amy's 3rd block gave me this beautiful buttercup! Speaking of flowers, I stayed after school to help Terry's wife, Marie, with the floriculture team. "Help" is really a loose term, since she's taken countless teams to nationals for floriculture. But being around their practice will teach me better than I could teach myself!

Today I went to visit Beech, my second placement, just to get a feel for their facilities. I was truly amazed at everything they had - Agscience lab, Animal science lab, communications lab, 3 greenhouses, aquaculture ... it was impressive. I wasn't sure what to think of Beech or the students, but of the small group I met, they seem very receptive and willing to learn. I'll have a hard time leaving Portland, but at least it will be for a school that's just as productive.

We then had to meet Doc at 2 at Lebanon High School, where Mr. Howard told us about his method of completing competencies. He also gave us some greenhouse tomatoes, and showed us his aquaculture operation. He gave me a great idea that I've been thinking of all afternoon. He mentioned how trying to grow tomatoes in float beds in their aquaculture tank didn't work, because the tilapia ate the roots. But there had to be a way to protect the roots while they still get water, like a mesh barrier underneath the float bed. I'll admit that aquaculture by itself never interested me much before today - now I can see how it could be a great activity coupled with hydroponics. Ag mech students could also learn block laying skills by building the tank out of cinderblocks.

I've had a long day, and I'll be glad to get to sleep, even with the frigid temperatures. I wish they cancelled school because it was just too darn cold!

Student Teaching - Day 2

*sigh*
I'm so tired and it's only the first day! But I'm probably tired because of my new workout routine and having to write a paper for my YOED 4000 class, and not because of my day at Portland.
The backdoor was unlocked! this morning when I arrived at about 7:35 (meaning I didn't have to walk around the entire school, giving myself blisters for the rest of the day).
To work on Degree requirements, students in all classes were to either give a 6 minute speech or 15 minute discussion. First block seems just too lazy to want to do any of these things. We discussed how most of these young men would work in factories, garages, body shops, as plumbers, firemen, etc. They don't see the value in a 6 minutes speech, no matter the topic. It's hard to convince them that speaking skills will help them for any career, especially at 8am.
Considering all of this, I will teach Amy's Floral Design 1st block. Awesome because that's the best class ever and it will be the first class I choose to teach when I have my own department. So thank the good Lord that I will be able to be in a positive environment of floriculture at 8am!
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Mr. Shartzer turned his Cooperatives team over to me. Little did I know, he had worked with the state staff for years to create a state contest for Ag Cooperatives, and he's letting me train his team. I love when I have competitions to work towards for State Convention, even if I'm not the one competing! I'm just worried about having enough team members. We will meet at 7:15 tomorrow morning, so we'll see.
I've also started my path to being healthier in body and spirit. I have thrown out my junk food and vowed not to get any fast food. I also have cut calories to around 1000 a day. I also bought two work-out DVD's and plan to use them at least 3 times a week. I'm taking green tea supplements as well. I had a SlimFast for lunch and wasn't hungry until I got home and had yogurt for a snack, then steamed vegetables and chicken breast for dinner, with my new V8 fruit juice. I want to be (and look) healthy in my graduation pictures. I know I can't lose every pound of my goal within 116 days, but I think I can still make a lot of progress!
I've also been listening to Joel Osteen's weekly video podcast. Last night while I got clothes, lunch, and everything else ready for today, the episode I watched seemed to apply to exactly what I was doing at the moment. It made me feel great! So this morning on the way to Portland (the beautiful, beautiful drive) I listened to another new episode and felt so wonderful about the day.
I've also purged the people in my life that are negative energies. Recently, although I mentioned it to very few people, someone from my past wanted to become close again. I meditated on it for a long time and wondered if this could be something I could handle. One night while I was with my best friend at the movies, I realized that I was more excited about seeing the movie than I was about this person! It was something I had to stop, because it had been toxic before. I knew it couldn't be good the second time, either.
I feel free and more mature and better about life all around!
Tomorrow I'll need to plan Floriculture lesson plans and decide which direction to take with the cooperatives team. Right now I need to finish the last assignment due for my role as a student. So much stress will be gone once I finish this paper!
I'm excited for tomorrow!

Student Teaching - Day 1

My blog has a new purpose!

Because I've started my semester of student teaching, and I need to keep a daily log, my blog will serve as my journal for student teaching. I'm very excited!

YOED 4000 met this week on campus, and I went to Portland, my first placement, on Wednesday. I stayed all day, although we only had to observe a few classes. Knowing the teachers and many students ahead of time made me feel right at home, so I didn't mind staying. The classes were all going over Parli Pro for degree requirements, so I was able to lend my knowledge when they got a little hung-up. I love Parli Pro! I also love that it was only the second day of class but they were already being engaged in active learning for something that can certainly benefit them regardless of their industry.

I think I will be going back and forth between some of Mr. Shartzer's and Mrs. Amy's classes. She has Floral Design 1st block, possibly my favorite ag class ever!, so I hope I can teach a little in there. Mr. Shartzer's 1st block is Ag Mech. Just because I made an A in my own Ag Mech class doesn't mean they should rely on me just yet! I hope Mr. Shartzer allows me to plan some days for experts in different fields - plumbing, construction, welding, etc. - to come into the class and either help with a project or just discuss tips on getting a job in their respective industry. If we do this, I hope my dad can get away from his woodworking job to speak to the class. He's very creative and I'd love for him to discuss the best way to interview for a job of his type.

I also want my mom to demonstrate some fun ideas from her 4-H Dog Project for Mrs. Amy's Small Animal Care class. I want to try to incorporate the young 4-H'ers in her group with the high school students. Beneficial for both! Mr. Shartzer also has Wildlife Management - a subject I had always thought should be a CDE and hope one day to make it so - and Ag Sales. Amazing classes that I can't wait to teach!

As for my first day, I also was asked to help right a speech for one of the chapter officers. I was happy he had just met me but trusted me enough to revise his speech. I get to do that this weekend! I'm trying to think of an effective way to help him add meat to the speech in the places I would suggest without writing any of it myself. I'm thinking a list of effective words and phrases, some printing research, and leaving blank spaces in his draft. I trust he can do it, and at the same time I know what kind of things he could add to make it exemplary, so I want to meet in the middle somehow.



At the end of the day, the afternoon announcements came on and told me I had a message. When I got to the office, I had flowers!! It's actually a live plant (I noticed later) with some flowers inserted. This means I can keep it forever in my own classroom one day and remember when some of the ladies from the 4-H office gave me flowers on the first day of my student teaching.


This weekend I plan to finish hemming the rest of my dress pants, wash the dress clothes I wore to class this week, plan some ideas to ask Mr. Shartzer and Mrs. Amy about, work on Discussion Meet (not student teaching related, but needs to be done), and revise the speech for my new student. :)

I can't wait for my first full week!

Updates

I haven't written in a while, I've been too busy to even think! Luckily it has slowed down some recently. The event that kept me most busy was my brother's wedding on September 13th! It was a beautiful day that really made me proud of my little brother. I loved seeing his childhood best friends all grown up in a tux. I finally got to visit their apartment for the first time on Friday night, and it seems like they're really off to a great start. I love them!

My classes are pretty amazing. I look forward to getting on campus and seeing everyone for the day and getting down to business! I feel like just in the few weeks that have passed this fall so far that I have learned more than I have in any other semester. I'm amazed at the passion teacher educators have and it really solidifies my passion for agriculture education. I have had ideas arise from almost every conversation in my education classes that I know I can use in my career.

Things have started rolling on Ag. Council! I have an amazing group of officers that I know will exceed my expectations. I feel like sometimes I have so many ideas that I can't pin it all down, but I could not be more grateful for having this responsibility during my senior year so that I can try to leave on a positive note. I just hope through things like Raiderfest and Ag. Ambassadors that I can help just one future MTSU find their home in our department like I did. I can't imagine being anywhere else.

I have also begun a new venture as a BeautiControl consultant! I haven't hosted any spas yet, but I am building my list and my inventory and spa supplies. I had so much fun hosting the spa for Amanda's bridal shower that I really wanted to be able to help other people experience that much fun, too. My training is on October 11 and I get the second part of my spa kit. I'm excited!

Today I bought a $4.95 ticket to see one of my heroes, Rudy Guiliani, at the Sommet Center in Nashville in about a month. I was reading the Sunday paper and saw this ad for a motivational seminar, featuring people like Pat Summit, Collin Powell!, and of course my favorite, Rudy. I couldn't believe that it was only $4.95, so I immediately when to the website (before finishing breakfast) and saw that somehow it was true. I also bought the $4.99 workbook that goes along with the day. It looks amazing and I'm glad I by chance saw it. It's like America's Leadership, In Concert. I'm such a dork for things like this, but I can't wait. I'm sure I can learn things to help Ag. Council work more efficiently, and also things I can teach my future officer teams.

So basically my life is amazing!

Back to School!

It's been a while since I posted, school has started!

I have always liked school, but this semester already seems to be the best one I've ever had. The quality of my professors and the importance and relevance of the course material has increased exponentially this semester. I'm sure it's because I'm taking all the classes right before student teaching, so they finally have to tell me how to actually do everything. And I love it! I have a SPSE class that teaches how to cater your course material to those with disabilities. I have a Technology in Teaching class in which we built a website, learn how to mail merge in Excel, and tons of other useful things that I will actually be able to apply when it comes to my career. I also have an Instructional Design course once a week that I feel will help me a lot when it comes to lesson plans and classroom management.

I also have Doc's Methods of Teaching Ag Mechanics class, and I'm actually not too worried about it. I'm excited to try out some stuff in the shop. I also have Dr. Gill's Ag in Our Lives, which sounds like it's shaping up to be a bunch of field trips to places and people I came to know well during my state officer year. It couldn't hurt! My last class is online, Companion Animal Management. Because I want to teach a class of Small Animal Care, I think this will be very beneficial. I am also looking forward to adopting a dog once I get an apartment, and I'm excited to learn everything just for my own knowledge!

I turned in my Intent to Graduate and Upper Division forms, and have a few more of those big hurdles to cross, (aside from classes and student teaching) like the Praxis 2 and CLEP'ing Biology. I know it sounds silly, but I'm going to be amazingly proud of myself once I graduate. When it comes to working through things, like financial aid, classes, exemptions for classes, and all the other things that could go wrong, I did it either by myself or with the help of Mrs. Kelly, the Ag Secretary. She is amazing!

I also shopped some this weekend, bought some owl jewelry and some more pieces of Night Owl from Vera Bradley. The big backpack, the lunchbox, and the sunglasses case. I've got to lay off, it's so expensive! I'll love carrying all that around with my laptop case though, I'll be extremely coordinated.

My brother is getting married in two weeks! The Bridal Shower I'm throwing Amanda is a week from tomorrow. With any free time I have, I like to put on a movie and work on the decorations. I also need to start coordinating the music. Then there's the flowers, the shower, and getting anything I need done as a bridesmaid. So much to do, but I'm so happy for my little brother!