15: I'm Ready!

Blessed...

Here I am with a few of the *many* messages of inspiration that students
gave me today and with a clay whistle in the shape of a pig made by
one of my teacher friends. Mr. Hughes (aka @Potterybob1 on Twitter).

I cannot even begin to describe how blessed I have been in my student teaching experience. A great school, amazing teachers, supporting community, awesome students, uplifting peers, AMAZING TEACHERS... wait, did I already mention my amazing team of 3 super duper Ag teachers? I have been provided opportunities by Mrs. Seibert, Mrs. Anderson, and Mr. Werning that I never even imagined. They have pushed me, questioned me, and supported me through the last fifteen weeks. There were good times and some hard times but everything has always been about growing and preparing me for the real deal. Mrs. Seibert is quite certainly "Wonder Woman" and has taught me to stand up for yourself as a woman ag teacher, don't be afraid to be dedicated, and to make friends and have fun. As I look at my cleaned off desk and prepare to leave today I will admit that I am going to miss Manheim Central and all of the people that I have connected with in my short time here. With that being said, I am excited about what the future holds for me. I look forward to finding my spot in an agriscience program and making an impact on a school, in a community, and with more students. Wish me luck!

My Advice to the Next Student Teacher

My 15 week student teaching experience is over (tomorrow)...

What?! How?!?

I feel like it was just yesterday when I thought that January would never end. Now I'm packing up my things and preparing to head back to Penn State to finish out and get my degree.

Here is my advice for those who come after me...

• When choosing your cooperating center visit as many places as possible! One of the things that lead me to choose Manheim Central High School was the way that it felt while I was there visiting. The connection between you and the teachers that make up the ag department will be vital for success. Believe me, by visiting you will be able to see if there is "chemistry" between you and the potential cooperating teacher. 
• Work like crazy in the Fall. Listening to your professors and completing every task that is asked of you will significantly make your life more simple during student teaching. 
• The SAME goes for while you are student teaching. It will be super hectic and the days will be a blur. Do the work. Write lessons BEFORE you teach them no matter how much of a pain that is. This will make you feel 3,000x better when you need to collect all of your plans to turn in when you head back to college. I feel successful because I started the binders when I started teaching and just kept throwing the lesson plans into the binders as I taught them. It was a great tactic to ensure success!
• ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE. Your cooperating teacher will not get mad at you. They will not be annoyed at you. They will be so incredibly happy that you are interested in learning and taking the job seriously. You might even get an unexpected gem when they answer you! So please, for my sake and your sake and your students' sake...just ask the darn question.
• Do not be in a hurry to get home. Your cooperating teacher is investing their time into you and their students. You should do the same. Plus, cool things happen after the bell rings. This is the time where reflecting on the day and having "teacher talk" is a blessing. Students are there from bell to bell. Don't just be a student.
• Share a piece of yourself with your students. Obviously don't tell them the nitty-gritty details of your personal life but it is totally okay to share that you have siblings. That you have a dog, a car, parents, etc. This makes the students view you as a real human being that they can relate to and confide in. If you act like cold reserved individual then they will treat you as such. Trust me on this one.

May the force be with you while you start out in the classroom and may you always provide your students with information that will one day help them win Jeopardy. :)

-Angela (aka. Ms. Becker)

14: PAAE in the East

Attending the Eastern Region PAAE meeting stimulated my reflection on what happens when a big group of great minds get together. State FFA Convention, regional contests, and the next meeting location were just a few things that we discussed. The following things that happened during my evening adventure were the most memorable...

Me, Rose, and Allyson!

1) The tight knit community of ag teachers never ceases to amaze me. The jokes and smiles were contagious. I was approached by a friendly face many times with the question of "How are you?" and "How is student teaching going?" I was also touched by the kindness and support for some tough times that important people to PA FFA had gone through. It was very wholesome.

2) I was SO happy to see my fellow student teachers. I had missed not seeing Allyson and Rose everyday like we had in the fall. Our cohort has really become a unit and I love the happiness that our friendships bring me. 

3) I LOVE seeing other programs. This meeting took place at Oley Valley High School. They have one of the most prestigious high school food science labs that I have ever seen! It really is quite amazing. Their courses really are full of intense scientific rigor. I must also say that I appreciated all of the pelts and taxidermy that was on display around their ag department. 

I like to make friends wherever I go.

I believe that it is essential to remain an active member of the PAAE. Membership provides countless benefits for us teachers and all of the people that we interact with such as our school faculty and administration, our families, and even our students. I know that I will continue to strengthen my membership in the PAAE and hopefully become more involved as I grow into my first teaching job.

13: When Life Throws You a Curveball...

This week was planned. My EEE classes were going to work on research, learn about soil textures, and take their cumulative exam. My animal science class had finally hit the poultry unit and would have guest speakers to talk about contract growing and vertical integration.

On Wednesday morning I woke up to the text message from my Dad that my grandmother had passed away. Of course this is something that I hadn't planned for. I drove to school with a heavy heart and tried to figure out how the rest of the week was going to play out. I am so glad that my student teaching experience has taught me the fine tuned art of adaptability and preparation.

The key from this week is that because I had better planned I am able to be at home with my family helping them to make it through this tough time while they do the same for me. It has been a few days and things haven't gotten any easier as I watch my Dad cope with this loss. The moral of the story is that planning ahead can make your life much easier when you can't use "Plan A." I feel that some days we make it all the way to "Plan Y" before anything seems to work out. AND THAT IS OKAY.

Planning and preparation will be something that I continue to hone in during my upcoming years and would love to have any advice that you, my reader, can share with me.

12: Taking Care of Yourself

R & R

Teachers. Work. Hard. 

With the holiday of Easter being this week, our time in the classroom was shortened significantly. This provided me the chance to head home for the weekend and spend some quality time with my family on the farm. We moved the cattle, sorted some lambs, built steer pens, and played with some puppies. It really has been a lovely weekend thus far and there are now only a few short hours to Easter dinner! (I can't wait for some ham!!)

I know that as a reader you may be wondering why I am telling you all of this... Here is why. Ag teachers are some of the hardest working people that I know. Teachers invest their entire being into their job and students. Teacher burnout is real! As ag teachers, we need to remember to think about ourselves sometimes. Do not feel ashamed that you need a break. Know when to take some time for yourself so that you can keep conquering the world as a super teacher. Now, I am not saying to put aside all of your responsibilities. I am simply saying to make your health and wellbeing a priority. If that means waiting to do your lessons until Sunday night, then so be it. Get a little bit of R & R so that you can be a better teacher! I hope to remember this as I get started in this profession. I hope to one day be a veteran ag teacher and I know that in order to do that, I must take care of myself first.