Changing Locations

Hi all,

I just wanted to announce that KORN will start broadcasting live again from its new location of Savage Montana. Starting at the end of July !!!!

 

All Good Tings Must Come to an End

Hi all,

So, this week was my last week of student teaching, which is so hard to believe, a few more days, weeks, months, etc. would be great but at least I need to start a new chapter in my own story. Looking back it has been quiet a chapter, in the beginning it is easy to say Derry was my only choice for a cooperative site and to some it was thought to be the wrong choice, only for geological convenience. But that was definitely not the case!

Coming from an area that doesn't have a school based Agriculture Education Program in the whole county the only experience I had, that was my driving force to be an Agriculture Educator, was through the county extension office, therefore, any school based Ag program would be a new experience for me, but keeping in mind I wish to work in a rural area very similar to the make up of Derry School District. Having an abundant amount of rural area and yet still has a large population of students from the near by urban and suburban areas enabling teachers with the ability to connect the same content and material  to a variety of student backgrounds and mindsets. One of the biggest challenges I faced during my student teaching would be that same challenge I so desperately wanted form a cooperative site.

Observing my cooperating teacher for the first week and then transitioning my self into the role of instructor allowed me to see  first hand a variety of  teaching methods and strategies. The availability of different lab areas (food science, animal science, mechanics, floral, and greenhouse) aided in the way the content was presented to the students. The routine at Derry is consistent by having the in class content (lecture) along with the hands on component (labs). Presenting the lessons  in two different ways,insures that all students (8 multiple intelligences ) receive the content in an applicable form for their thought process.

Yet some students still were not getting the content, going back to the challenge I so desperately wanted, this was do to the students attitudes about Agriculture and what they thought the class was going to be (blow off). This led to my action research study of The Effects of Students’ Attitudes on Learning; given two sections of the same course (Introduction to Agriculture & Horticulture) with the same number of students (18), but every different attitudes for the cores and its content, will the way the content is presented have an affect on student performance or will their attitudes play the bigger ruler in their academic performance for the cores. This challenge allowed me to test out my pedagogical tool belt to its fullest existent, inquiry, lecturer, place based, and problem solving.Staying with the students attitudes classroom management was definitely a learning experience having a class that requires all three department staff to be present in the classroom, to keep the class under control.

The size of the facilities also allowed me to use/try out my tool belt to its fullest extent in terms of having animals in the classroom or having class in the barn ( a comfortable setting for me to get started). It also allowed me to farther my own education as far as the horticulture side of things (plant identification, planting, seeding, etc.) I revised any help I need with lesson ideas for reevaluating lessons to fit students needs or feedback on how a lesson went or did go. So I contently had professional development.

On the FFA section of Agriculture Education I had very little understanding be owned the classroom, by my experience at Derry had every thing explained to me on a much simpler/comprehensive level. Before the State went to affiliate membership, all the students at Derry were members of the FFA. The chapter has officer meetings every other Tuesday, to review their POA and discuss any other information that needs to be discussed. On the alternating Tuesdays there is an all members meeting to keep all members informed. Derry's FFA year kicks off with the chapter officers developing an extensive POA from there its  presented  to the instructor and then put in to action , after their summer retreat/debriefing . FLC is one of the big events for the freshmen members, all the freshman( first year members) that they can take go to be introduced to the extensiveness of the FFA organization in PA. I have had the opportunity to go with 14 students to the ACES conference, and more recently with 6 students to SLLC. All these experiences have shown me how the organization helps to develop the students' leadership and career skills as well as how it works to supplement the curriculum at the same time.

    In addition to the instruction received all the students take part in a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), offered as a credited course for Senior and Junior that have schedule conflicts ( help students reach becoming a completer). With 95% of  students participating in an SAE their is quite the variety. Derry SAEs range from the traditional production Ag enterprise and placement experiences to more innovative experiences , such as Food Science Research, Volunteer Fireman Experiential, and many more. Each student has two scheduled visits to the site of their SAE with their Ag instructor. Additional visits are scheduled on an as needed bases. This summer I had the opportunity to go along on some of these visits. The SAEs I visited were all traditional enterprise( market animals, gardens, laying hens, and horses). During my internship I have had several opportunities to talk to all the students about their SAEs and conduct a few visits with some nontraditional programs (Fireman , Hydroponics, Demolition tractors, Feedlot employment). Along with the SAEs participation all of the students were encouraged and coached one on one to prepare and send their record books to the state contest ( AET up date day is every Friday) as well as all the upperclassman were encouraged and coached one on one for their Proficiency awards.

My last day was very emotional as the students surprised me with a good by party, card, and chocolate dairy cow. The students, Mr. Campbell, Mrs.Campbell, and Mrs.Reed have taught me so much Thank you just doesn't seem like enough for all they have given me. I would highly recommend any other student teacher who want a great and developing student teaching experience to consider DERRY!!    
   


   

Agriculture Students Play Part in Conservation

Hi All,

The past three weeks the students and I along with the park manager at Keystone State Park have been work with the students on the community based unit of instruction.The following is the news article developed by one of the students and myself.

Students enrolled in the PA Environment and Ecology course at Derry Area High School have recently been learning about the wildlife of Pennsylvania. This unit of instruction enabled students to explore different methods of wildlife identification varies ways of management methods, and ecological relationships between the environment, wildlife, and humans.  During this time the discussion of the Brown Bat and their current inflection of White Noes Syndrome, a devastating disease  named for the for the white fungus that infects the muzzle, ears, and wings of hibernating bats since the winter of 2007-2008 ,was introduced to the students. Afterwards it was decided to take action, with the hope of preventing more bats falling victim to this epidemic, whose death toll already numbers in the millions, by constructing bat boxes to be placed at Keystone State Park.  

The boxes will serve as alternative habitats for the bats, in terms of limiting their interaction with humans who are thought to be a major contributor to the current epidemic. In addition to being way from humans and highly populated bat areas (caves, mines, etc.) the boxes will be placed out away from   trees, in order to receive a minim of seven hours of sunlight, as well as near a natural water way for a food source.   

Students are constructing the boxes out of ¼ in. exterior grade plywood, painted inside and out with black water-based exterior paint, sealed with paintable latex caulking. The boxes will require little matiness after they are placed at Keystone other than minor wasp and seam inspection, otherwise bats will begin to abandon the box. The class has constructed a total of 8 boxes that will be placed at the Park later this week, if interested in farther information on the bat boxes or how to construct your own to take part in the preservation of Pennsylvanian’s brown bats contact Derry’s Agriculture Department. 

Additionally, the students developed a flyer to handout to visitors of the Agriculture during the future fair to educate them on their project and the effects of white noes syndromes. 

All in all it was quite successful, I do wish that my co-teaching would have went better and that more students would have turned out to take the boxes to the park, but at last the filed trip missed the school boards' died line for approval.       

Almost Ohio

Hi All,

Monday, I visited the Mohawk FFA to see how their two teacher program differed from a single teacher program. As well as see how Mindy's student teaching experience was going during the final stretch.

At first I wasn't very sure why they are a two teacher program and still am a little unsure as to why.  I was definitely surprised by the set up of their facilities, having one moderately sized mechanics shop that is all theirs,sharing a computer lab (with a very tiny tinny monitor for projections)and carpentry shop with several other classes. Switch rooms for just about every class. However, what they lacked in space they made up with equipment, at least in terms of machines. So, many welders.

The first class I was able to see was the first section of her Animal Science class which was nice because their were presenting their Final Farm Plan projects like my own classes were. The size of the monitor, allowing other students to have computers up to work on while others presented, and the rush to get them  "just over with" in two days seemed to take away from the students presentations and the effectiveness of the project. I did like that some of the students branched out from their home farms/ area and located their operations in other areas nation wide. Over all the class ran very smoothly. The second section came in directly after the first and ran very similar to the first except that the internet did not want to cooperate, there was no back up plan, and with the all ready small monitor showing the presentations in the edit format mad it even harder to  see.    

Next, was the the first section of two Agriculture Construction class. These classes were working in the shared carpentry class hanging drywall, in a already framed and wired buildings. I have know idea how they get much down as they  have to travail between the two rooms to measure, cut, etc. Additionally, half way through the class a home owner/consumer classes' students start to come into the shared class for their own class to start. The second section of the construction class came in right after the other and ran very similar, having one homeowner class leave and another come in during this time causing some distraction.

After lunch the third section of animal science took place following the same format as the previous two. It is during this section that I noticed the smart board in the computer lab and asked why the were not using it to present, it was because of not asking how to work it. The final class for the day was a machines class half of the class were working on lawnmowers while three students worked on a welding test plat they had been working on for 15 weeks, which was surprising. Their was only one student in attendance so I thanked Mindy and her Cop teacher and headed back to Derry.

It was very eye opening to see how different all agriculture programs are set up and work but yet deliver the same materials/content to their students. I did take way a great idea for the next time I have to teach Ag Construction, mark a section of your shop out (if you have the space) and have the students frame out one side of a building,using a wall for the other side. Split it into three or more rooms, then have them wire and dry wall their assigned rooms.              

The Path to the Future.... were are you going?

Hi all,

Alright so after last week's basket drop, I have picked it back up, this week was going to be different ! It was Monday, my first period and fourth period Introduction classes took the same test on general livestock breeding systems, which we had gone over the  week before and reinforced with an visual gummy bear activity. Well, I should clarify that only first period got to do the activity. Because, fourth is incapable of getting through anything without drama or "I Don't Need to Know This". Any ways first period preformed 30%better on the quiz, therefore, I decided that first period would be taught the basic terms and anatomy of livestock in a place based setting using the animals at the barn for a hands on component. Forth would get all the same information via power point and notes. Earlier in my experience I had started collecting data for my action research based on the theory "how student attitudes and performance are effected by the method in which the lesson is presented: lecturer vs.hands on & place based. With the data I had collected earlier and my newer collection it is still in favor of place based for performance, however, it also shows that students' attitudes play a significant factor on the results as well.

          
On another note the rest of my classes are working on warping up all of our projects, so they can be displayed during the schools future fair this coming Wednesday. The Future Fair is a new event that the principle Dr.Perry developed for this year, each department will be showcasing what curriculum and career opportunists they offer their students, recruiting students in lower grades and their parents. Additionally, for the upper class men colleges,universities, employers will be in the gym to showcase the opportunists they offer graduates. An up date will come next week on how this event goes, so far it is coming together great. During the Future Fair I will be filming the rest of  Ag department's new recruitment video, having the students talking to others in a real setting about their program and were a Future in Ag can take you.


As it all starts to wind down here at Derry it is hard to say good by and the majority of students don't make it any easier to do.

Till next time!        

To MUCH or To LITTLE?

Hi all,

Well this week was interesting! The topic was defiantly classroom management, however, the question still remains what I'm I to be doing?  Because, one time it's to little and another it is to much. WHAT!!

At the end of last week I thought this was all behind my and I had finally excelled  in this area. Apparently not,to start things off I was asked to remove a well earned detention  so a "Good" student wouldn't have it on their record. Easy answer, NO. I was then approached by two other students that wanted theirs retracted as well so they wouldn't miss prom or be removed from the school district.They all revised the same answer NO and I asked them if they wanted the short list or the long list as to why they got detention and why it was not going away. I thought that would be the end of the headache for the week, no such luck.

The following day a student informed me they wanted to punch me in the face and were counting down the days till I left so they could. This was brought on by a group project, they didn't like their group, and then they didn't like the other group they were moved to. Luckily, three other students witnessed this to back up my  referential that the office said was to much and my COP said was just enough. But any ways the week went on to Friday and my last review of course this week of  the period acted like the kindergartners they always are and the than the one project I was looking forward to and the majority of my students had been looking forward to was crushed by a handful of student, who I was advised to ignore "they just have an attitude sometimes".

Out of all my weeks this is the one that has gone the worst by far and relay has my questioning why I want to teach because of the question what is to MUCH and what is to LITTLE? Hopefully this week goes a lot better as I take it upon myself to have a review of the expectations and consequences with all of my classes and the one heads back to kindergarten with there classroom management.

till next  time!  

Spring is Here!!

Hi All,

While this week was full of events, including our area "Leadership" CDE event. I am very excited to reported that Derry had the most participants (26 freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors), taking home the most First (Small Gas Engine, Prepared, Jr., Conservation, and extemporaneous speaking, along with creed), Seconds (Jr. and Prepared public speaking, and Job Interview), & Thirds (Prepared Public speaking and Small Gas Engine). However, the proudest moment for me was waiting for the Job Interview result and one of my Freshmen said " I don't care where I place , I'm just happy I work hard on my resume and cover letter and you talked me into coming." Oh, the things that students say that make you Happy to be an Ag Teacher!

Additionally, this week the weather finally broke for a three day period, allowing my to try out some placed based education with my PA Environmental and Ecology class. a wise man once told me " the best way to get students to learn is to take them 'outside' where its happening", Thank You George. Armed with our bird call boxes and silhouette cards the two groups (27 students) of students successfully identified over 20 different PA birds. Having the two groups allowed my to try out a co-teaching approach, and than came the rain so, we started constructing our community based project "Bring on the Bat Boxes".

This week I also started into the one class I had dreaded the most, Ag Construction. To my surprise (knock on wood, fingers crossed, and through spieled salt) they have been fairly well behaved and engaged. Each group of three is framing out  an 1":16" scale building. Currently we are working on laying our  sub flooring. The humor of me in the shop and allowing the students to double check and correct my work seems to be a great insensitive for the class.

In Animal Science the nice weather brought more discipline problem than I thought possible. All the students quickly figured out that the more they pushed the more numbers that dispersed on the consequences list between them and detention.Some students so much that according to my Cop teacher I earned my A, as I finally had a student call me .......... while it wasn't very nice or appropriate and we'll  just leave it at that.

Out of all my weeks these was by far the best. I still have a lot to learn but what tool I do have are  starting to come together. Looking forward to the upcoming week , AIing our play dough heifers with pixie stick seaman.

Till next time!