The " I am the teacher" status

This week!
What can I say it was an interesting week. I taught my landscaping class for a full uninterrupted week. However, things did get changed a bit. With the way that the semester dates had been rearranged, and the way the weather, and a million other things have been, what I planned to teach this week had changed three times. So several ideas, and lesson plans later I taught something completely different. It went well all things considered. This week we talked about careers in landscaping. The students gave presentations on careers of their choice that deal with landscaping. We all drew sketches of the courtyard together and then created mini plans as a lead into landscape design/symbols. We also learned some new vocab, and got to know each other better. My  students that are considered to be in the "life skills" category did really well this week. I was very proud of them for keeping up and working so hard. When my lesson was over on one of the days, their aid/coordinator came up to tell me that I was doing a wonderful job with them and congratulated me. Woohoo! One small step in the learning process, one giant leap for confidence!This week I had my first real conversations with the kids. It was a person triumph. When I got that opportunity to create rapport with them and build a connection it really solidified that teacher status.
     With every triumph, there is also a set back. The first student that I really connected with moved away yesterday. This student was very bright and real joy to have in my class. Many of the other teachers in the building were excited to see him leave because they said he was a slacker with no ambition . In my classroom he was the most polite, respectful, hardworking student in the group. I was very proud to share with them that I didn't have one complaint about him, and that he was an absolute joy to have around. My cooperating teacher and I were both saddened by his removal. I felt really accomplished that I was able to motivate and bring the best out of a "problem student".
      This week we also brought 17 rabbits into our classroom. My entire room is lined with fuzz balls. Every day Mrs. Miller teaches the kids things about rabbits that I never knew. I take notes right along with the kids. I never knew how dynamic and "profitable" rabbits could be.  There is a commercial that uses the slogan "what's in your wallet", I want to run around and say, "what's in your class"? Mine is full of cute learning opportunities. When it comes to students they say never be surprised because they will do anything. Well when I came in this morning I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but there was duct tape stuck to a rabbit. Great :( !!!!! We had asked the students the previous day to tape the top of the cage to the bottom, well they did but on the inside. Getting duct tape off a rabbit is just ever so pleasant. I guess next time something weird happens I'll be ready.
 Next week I am going to work with Mrs. Miller on rabbit handling and care. I will also be teaching more landscape designing principals in my landscaping class.

The First Week! dun dun dun

Wow,
One real week down. This week was filled with so many things. First thing Monday morning the was mandated reporter training. For a new teacher I felt like this was really important. This was a new school with new rules and policies. I wanted to make sure that I knew what to do in order to make sure that all my students are safe, happy, and healthy. I also had the chance to spend some time with my teacher since it was in service. We had a really great day and she helped me out like crazy. Tuesday was great because we had a snow day. I was able to take that time to create some great lessons with tips that I had learned the previous day. Wednesday was well, interesting. We sent a pig that the students had raised and cared for off to slaughter. While at the same we brought in 15 rabbit for breeding. A typical day in the life of an ag teacher. a bit of shock for a new ag teacher. This is however, a learning process. That is something I try remind myself. Every day is chance to be a better teacher. Thursday was the end of the semester. I went with my teacher to Gettysburg to grade my first record books. Tyler Cremeans is the student teacher at Gettysburg. It was nice to know that you have someone close to get some support from. Mrs. Miller helped us both figure out what heck we were doing. I know I was thankful. Today was the first time that I had a class to myself completely. It went pretty well. I have a very small class and half of them literally, are considered Life Skills students. So I think this will be a great learning opportunity for me. This will teach me how to make a great class for everyone. Overall I would say it was a busy and a bit stressful this week, but an awesome learning experience. Feeling thankful for a cooperating teacher with so much experience.

Material covered this week:
Syllabus
Expectations
Grading
Introductions
Greenhouse
Ag careers forms
Permission slips


This photo of the apple processing factory is what the students can see out of their classroom windows. They grow the apples, the factory turn them into products that are sold across the U.S.

Farm show? or the greatest thing ever?

Well, it was that time again!!!!!! YES! Farm Show.
only the greatest thing to happen to Pennsylvania every year. Farm show attracts all walks of life for various reasons. It is a place to learn, be entertained, and yes.. eat! the Pa Farm Show has some of the best eats around. There is something else amazing at Farm Show though, the students! Every year hundreds of Pa FFA member attend this great event. They are truly what make this event what it is today. Thy come to receive awards, set up booths, and create displays, and be seen. What these students do is seen by the entire state, which is pretty awesome by any standard. This year my cooperating center created a landscaping display and an informative booth. their booth was on Pa deer. this a subject on everyone's minds considering the time of year. they were teaching the public how to score their antlers. the booth include a television that playing an informative easy to follow video on the scoring process. The booth display also included a very nice buck mount which captured the eye and drew you in. It was a very nice display and the kids did a great job with it. They really enjoyed having their work seen by everyone, and were more than happy to pose with their plaque. Go Team! By the end of this week the kids were no strangers to photos however. They made it into the Gettysburg paper. I was very proud of them. Their Ag teachers, Mr. Howell and Mrs. Miller definitely set them up for success and supported them like any good Ag teacher would. A side bonus was that it was Mr.Howells birthday this week and the kids got him a little birthday present to show their appreciation.. can you say ..tiara!!! This year the theme for the displays was the birds and the bees. the student participated by creating and adorable little display with a fountain in the middle. that fountain brought the kids some money as the guest of the farm show were tossing in coins.