SAE Visit: Union County West End Fair Livestock Sale

On August 5th I was invited back to the West End Fair for the 4-H/FFA Livestock Sale. These students must know how to recruit and keep buyers. They had a very good sale with a great price average throughout all species.

Full house of buyers ready to support Mifflinburg 4-H/FFA.

I wanted to focus on meeting more parents and community members during the sale. I bounced around the audience and talked to parents, students, and fair board members. I was surprised just how inviting everyone was. I had actually already met one family way back in April, at the Penn State Club Pig Sale. The student purchased several project animals from the swine barn. (I work at the Penn State Swine Center if you were wondering.) Several animals did not make the weight limit, but every animal that showed up to the fairgrounds was healthy.

Lots of refreshments and treats prepared for the buyers.

Once students get into high school they usually understand the basics of caring for animals, but they need advice from time to time. SAE visits are essential to confirm that all components of the project are sound. It could be checking on how the student gets along with coworkers, how accurate their records are, or if the market steers have water at all times. As agricultural educators it is our responsibility to make sure students are treating both animals and other humans correctly. We are shaping the future of these students. It must be for the good of everyone and everything.

SAE Visit: Union County West End Fair Livestock Weigh-in

On August 1st I had the privilege to travel to the Union County West End Fair and aid Mr. Chuck Kessler in weighing all 4-H and FFA market animals. My cooperating teacher Mr. Kessler is an agriculture educator at Mifflinburg Area High School along with Ms. Lindsey Spurrier. I was surprised to see so many livestock exhibits and youth exhibitors at such a small county fair. Mifflinburg knows what they are doing when it comes to getting kids in the show ring!

Mr. Kessler pictured recording weights for market lambs.

It was very nice to finally start meeting some of the students, parents, educators, and other community members. The small tight-knit community of Mifflinburg seems to be filled with respect for each other. I feel more than welcome and can’t wait for my short stay.

It’s easy to see how Mr. Kessler has been so successful as an educator, when you see him working with the students. He brings a sense of strength and doing by the book t

o the Mifflinburg ag program. Both he and the students love to joke around and enjoy themselves as well. I  got to talk with Mr. Kessler’s wife. Nobody knows the schedule of a high school ag educator better than her. She explained how dedicated Mr. Kessler has been throughout his years of teaching. After we wrapped up weigh in and the afternoon livestock meeting, we headed to the high school to make classes for each species show and all the handouts needed for the shows. This process took us late into the night, but in the end everything was complete and the shows ran smooth. It takes a special kind of person to be a great agriculture educator. You must take pride in your work, celebrate the little victories, and always keep the students first.

Students weighing in their dairy beef project animals.

AEE 412 Weekly Writing #1: My Major Takeaways

Think of one class you enjoyed throughout your educational career. I'll bet it featured a teacher who knew how to motivate you as a student. This teacher created a positive learning environment, where you were not intimidated by the teacher’s presence. He/She was there to work alongside you and help you develop as an individual. You were not given loads of negative feedback after assignments. Your strengths were appreciated and built on top of.

1) Creating a climate of student growth and ownership

As educators we must understand how our students learn best and create a school environment that pushes them to reach their full potential. According to Jack Elliot and James A. Knight “students perform better in situations where the climate is more positive in nature.” It is important that we set the environment on the first day of school and make sure it remains positive. Students need to feel comfortable in their program before they can really push forward with their education. Students must feel comfortable with the knowledge gained in the classroom and be ready to apply it. At this point students learn that they own their education. Teachers have gotten them this far, but know they can take classroom knowledge and really pursue what they want in life.

2) Improving as an educator

In Effective Teaching: Notes for the Beginning Teacher Paul Vaughn lists the top ten teacher characteristics identified by Rosenshine and Furst.

They are as follows:

• Clarity

• Variability

• Enthusiasm

• Tack Oriented/ Business-like Behavior

• Positive Reinforcement

• Student Opportunity to Learn

• Avoided Criticism

• Structuring Comments

• Effective Questioning

• Humor

My areas of improvement need to come in clarity, variability, and structuring comments. As a facilitator I need to develop and communicate more clearly to assure all students are on the right track. 

To accomplish this, I plan to write out my lesson instructions to their entirety and practice. 

I must also develop several different examples or ways to accomplish the task at hand. Some students might understand the first example perfectly; however, others might need to see it done a different way. 

To accomplish this, I will have backup examples waiting in case they are needed.

There are times when my comments come out blunt and to the point. As an educator you must take time to gather your thoughts before commenting.

To Accomplish this, I will focus more on the positives of the experience and not the negatives.

3) Four Stages of Teaching

In Why you need to Succeed on the First Days of School Wong discusses Kevin Ryan’s four stages of teaching. This covers the time period from someone aspiring to be teacher to their students’ achievements.

1. Fantasy

2. Survival

3. Mastery

4. Impact

At this time in my educational career I believe I am transitioning from Fantasy to Survival. So many people have told me that it will be the hardest yet most rewarding year so far. It is not easy being a senior in agricultural education but it is worth it. I have seen this already in my classes during my first week back in school. I am excited to see where this next year takes me.

References:

Agricultural Education Magazine. (2005). Volume 77. Issue 55.

Vaugh, Paul. (n.d.) Efective teaching: notes for the beginning teacher.

Wong, H. Wong, R. (2004). The first days of school: how to be an effective teacher. Harry K. Wong Publications.

AEE 412 Lab: Reflective Teaching Lesson (RTLs) Reflection

Well the first AEE 412 lab is in the book for #psuaged17! Our cohort may be small but we sure are strong! It makes me sad and happy (at the same time) to only have six other class members. I wish we had twice as many in order to fill the teacher shortage. However, the instruction and collaboration we receive with such a small class is second to none.

Today we took turns teaching reflective teaching lessons (RTLs) and assessing what we did well and what improvements we can make. Our teaching lessons were every short (10-15 min). This made time management difficult even with the somewhat simple lesson objectives. The lesson I taught today was on how to tie a bowline knot. Overall I believe the lesson was a success with 86% of the class passing the assessment. My peers pointed out several areas for improvement such as clarifying directions and helping to encourage students as they complete each task. I can also improve my introduction and interest approach. As a student educator I know my weakness is communication. This effects the quality of the directions given to the students. Students may not know enough about a topic to pick up a discussion where I would like to. I need to remember to gauge where my students are and propel them forward from that point.

The whole class seemed prepared and brought an excellent positive tone/enthusiasm to their lesson. This made for a fun and interesting session. As a class I believe we need to continue to learn the context of our lessons, keep preparing effectively, remain respective of our peers’ comments, and keep bringing enthusiasm to our lessons. Our continued hard work and dedication will assure us a bright future in education.

Reflection #3: "The Innovators Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity"

Now that I have finished reading “The Innovators Mindset” and took several days to ponder, I believe I have captured my largest takeaways from Mr. Couros. Innovation in education is not the technology itself. Innovation in education is teaching based on the individual learner. It is a way of thinking that provides students with learning opportunities that actually stimulates their growth as individuals. Agriculture education in itself is very innovative. Students gain practical hands on knowledge that they will use in their future such as wiring a light bulb or installing a drain pipe. They engage in supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs) where they learn about their areas of interest from different people outside the school. Agricultural education gives students a practical, real-life experience. All students should receive some sort of education through agriculture.  

One of George’s eight top things to look for in today’s classroom is giving students a choice (Strength-Based Learning). To truly empower our students we must help them find their true interest/passion and create learning experiences. It is said that “Success builds competence and confidence.” It is much more effective to build our students up and build on top of their strengths. Many teachers in the profession tell their students to try harder……. try harder when they don’t understand a topic or concept. Students are sent home with loads of homework to reinforce concepts that they will never use. It would be much more beneficial if these students spent this time building on their strengths. This has definitely become less of a problem over the past years, and I predict that it will continue to progress.

In chapter eleven, Couros talks about embracing the open culture. In today’s world everyone is connected by their handheld device via social media. Facebook, Twitter, Forums, etc. are great platforms for teachers to share ideas and resources. It is only fair to our students that we continue to connect and learn from other educators. Social media gives us the pathway to find the resources and teaching strategies that will enhance student success.

So how can we be innovative as educators and more specifically agricultural educators? First we need to find what our students are interested in and what they want to do with their futures. This can be extremely difficult for many students who simply do not know what they want or where their interests lie. As educators we need to push our learners to participate in conferences, clinics, and other events. Being an innovative educator may involve obtaining access to herd management software, automotive technician courses, or many other specific tools that will help learners be better prepared for their post high school careers. We as teachers need to take the time and determine what the best path to success is for each student.

“The Innovators Mindset” has been a great read. I have and will continue to reflect on what I can apply to my future classroom. Although this book is geared towards an administrative audience, there is so much I can take away as a future educator. This is a book that I will keep in my arsenal for the rest of my teaching career.     

Reflection #2: "The Innovators Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity"

As I continue my journey through “The Innovators Mindset," it becomes increasingly clear that great teachers push education to its limit. These limits can cause slight unease from time to time with administration officials. If the students are always first in the educators mind, the educator cannot do wrong. Couros gives an example of a teacher using Facebook with students’ parents as a communication tool. Assignments and in-class projects were uploaded and shared with each students parents. This is not technically applicable to all classroom settings, however in this case it gave parents a strong connection to the classroom and teacher. They were able to physically see their children progress and receive feedback directly from the teacher. 

When an educator goes above and beyond to stimulate innovation in the classroom, other teachers feel pressured to make large changes in their own classrooms. This discomfort often entices administration to halt the growth and improvement of innovative teachers. The teacher who was using Facebook to communicate with parents was eventually forced to stop using this tool. Parents expressed many positive opinions on the use of Facebook as a tool and were unhappy when it was discontinued. Shouldn't parents have a say? Teachers should not be penalized for being innovative. Other teachers should want to continue to improve throughout their career.

Couros also makes a very strong point on how important networking is. He says that networks are imperative to growth and innovation. I have started to see networking play a role as I prepare for my senior year at The Pennsylvania State University. I have had many opportunities to meet educators from around the country and also around the world. There will be many more opportunities in the upcoming year and even more in the future for a matter of fact. The agricultural education family is made of great innovators that are eager to share their ideas and strategies with other educators, especially new teachers. It is easy for teachers to become complacent in their programs when they do not see what other agriculture teachers are doing in and outside the classroom. It is important that we as educators continue to network and learn from others in the profession. If we do not continue to improve our programs, the education of our students will suffer. We need to take pride in our work and produce the best future leaders possible.

“The Innovators Mindset" has reinforced many key concepts that I have learned over the past year. The examples provided by Couros has also given me many more ideas that I can take into the classroom. As I continue through “The Innovators Mindset,” I will continue to take notes and bank some genius ideas.

Reflection #1: "The Innovators Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity"

As you many have already guessed, I have decided to read the book "The Innovators Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity" written by George Couros. George is an inspiring leader in education who promotes innovation in education. He encourages teachers to not only ___ but to empower their students.

In part 1, George begins by explaining why innovation is so important in society today and the implication that it can have on the prosperity of an individual, company, and/or society. He used an example comparing Netflix and Blockbuster. The innovative change to streaming movies and TV shows over the internet propelled Netflix to victory in the movie rental world. We must continue to be more innovative in how we teach in order to produce future leaders who are more innovative and forward-thinking. George defines innovation as "... a way of thinking that creates something new and better." Being innovative is not the specific task or technology. It is a way of thinking that has led to this accomplishment. Agricultural education provides a great platform for producing leaders who have a more forward thinking aspect. The need for constant improvement in agriculture is greatly driven by a growing world population and a push for more sustainable agriculture. Producing innovative students is a necessity in order to find ways to assess these future world problems.

This section also got my "wheels turning" on how we as teachers can empower our students to be forward-thinking. There are several factors that contribute to the growth of our student's innovative thinking. We must help shape students into resilient, technology fluent, individuals that have plenty of hands-on experience and networked connections. A valuable agriculture teacher easily addresses resiliency, hands-on experience, and networking. Teachers often struggle with incorporating technology in their student development. I myself have been working to overcome this problem before I enter the teaching profession. Here at The Pennsylvania State University we utilize many different platforms of social networking and resources. Our use of these resources at a university level will lead to an improved transition into our future classrooms.

"The Innovators Mindset" has already provided me with a new perspective on how I facilitate now and how I will facilitate with my future students. I appreciate all of the real world examples the author includes, as they provide another level of clarity.  I look forward to continuing my exploration of innovation and continuing to reflect on what I can take with me and apply in my future career.