Let's Travel to Manheim!

In preparation for my student teaching experience I have been learning about my cooperating center. Below is my video, check it out and be sure to comment with questions!

Angela's Cooperating Center: Manheim Central High School

#AEE412 Sunday Reflections 1

John Wayne once said, "Courage is being scared to death...and saddling up anyway." This is an accurate representation of current  feelings about my #TeachAg journey. Am I scared? Yes. Am I here to cinch that saddle and ride for a full 8 seconds? Heck yes! I was casually reminded about my culmination of feelings while completing this weeks readings. Here is my take:

The first thing that I noticed while reading Newcomb is that teaching high school agriculture is neither a walk in the park nor a piece of cake. That seems to be common knowledge to almost anyone I talk to. I am running full speed ahead to prepare for student teaching this upcoming Spring and it is difficult. Deadlines, acronyms, technology, lesson and unit plans, variety...its scary. Scary like being a Jeopardy contestant and realizing that you forgot to put on pants after you got on the stage. At this point in time I have no idea what I don't know. Sometimes I have to take a breath and remember that I am not the only one that feels this way. I am almost certain that the other members of my cohort feel this struggle as well. We want to tackle it all and be wonderful educators that make no mistakes. This is not feasible. I WILL make mistakes but I will grow from them! Yeah you might have to face palm when you accidentally address an email wrong or pick yourself up off the floor when you underestimated how long a project would take to complete with a due date rapidly approaching. When teaching we will bomb lesson plans or freeze when figuring out how to take disciplinary action in a situation. Heres the key: Clarity will come, our teaching will get better, we will eventually memorize all of the Ag Ed acronyms. Right now we should put some elbow grease into getting things done and trying our best because we have the greatest support system imaginable. Through our professors, virtual mentor network, PAAE members, and PSU Ag Ed alumni the answers to our questions are a phone call or email away. 

Finally, remember what Wong said, the first day of school is very important in setting the tone for the rest of the year. When something is important enough to give you butterflies you really care. I would guess that even professional Ag teachers get butterflies on the first day of school. Its a good thing! I care about the future of agricultural education in high schools across this country. I know that this year won't be easy just as  being a teacher in a classroom after graduation won't be either. However, I'm like The Duke who never backs down from the challenge of a good fight. 

Reflection #3: The Hidden Lives of Learners

Welcome back to part three of three in my reflection of The Hidden Lives of Learners by Graham Nuthall.

Chapter 5: "How students learn from the variety of their experiences"

Once again the word "variety" peeks out at us in this chapter. A large focus was once again the way that students need three encounters with a piece of content to incorporate it into their stored knowledge. It is crucial to remember that not all students will come into your classroom on day one and have the same prior or existing knowledge. Recognize their starting level and work your hardest to raise their bar of knowledge no matter where they start out. After all we are trying to make the best better! (shoutout to my 4-H friends out there) I realize that I have yet to take my methods class but I already realize the importance of variety in the classroom. I can't wait to actually learn how to use variations in my lessons because I've read about it and have gotten excited! 

Chapter 6: "Ethnic differences and learning"

Looking back on my experiences with Agricultural and Extension Education in the past year I have been involved in many discussions about diversity in the classroom. While reading this chapter I was reminded about the necessity of recruiting and retaining a population in your classes that represent the demographics of your school. Many times children who are in the minority do not feel welcome or comfortable with a group of students, the majority of which are different than themselves. In the book we were presented a few examples where students would use an individuals differences such as their accent or ethnicity to bully them in a more personal way. When I enter the classroom I aim to create an inclusive environment where students will not be worried about whether their differences make them stand out but can focus entirely on learning and growing as individuals. 

Chapter 7: "Teaching for learning: a summary"

This chapter was the first to be written by Mr. Nuthall's colleagues after his death. It served as a summary of what the reader has gained from the book. Following is a list of a few recent key lessons I am taking away from my time spent reading the final third of this book.

1) Learning is highly individualized and can come from teacher directed and student directed experiences.

2) Inquiry based instruction (although not referred to directly in the book) will create lifelong learners who are able to direct themselves and utilize problem-solving skills.

3) Include everyone in your classroom whether they be a minority through their race, IEP status, or popularity peer group. If you notice that they are being bullied make sure to do something about it ensuring that you follow th policy of the school. 


I would like to thank you all for following along with my take on The Hidden Lives of Learners by Graham Nuthall. May we all continue reading for professional development and become better educators because of our efforts!