Final Inspirations from Ms. Herath

Before I left Erie, I spent some time with the assistant principal Ms. Herath. She asked me a few questions she looks for in an interview and was very kind to offer me some advice and words of inspiration. She also took the time to answer a few of my questions. I could tell you all the basic questions she asked and my responses, but there is one big highlight I just need to say that sums it all. 

The infamous jar of rubber bands!

One of the questions she asked me is "What do I think makes me unique?" I told her about my time spent with Red Creek Wildlife Center. She was pleased with my answer, but then proceeded to tell me she brings with her a jar of rubber bands to every interview. She then pointed to the jar on a shelf in front of her desk. I gave her an intrigued smile and asked, "Why?" 

Ms. Herath replies, "That jar of rubber bands reminds me to always be flexible with my students. A rubber band will stretch when needed but return to its shape once it's job is done. You will also notice that the rubber bands are of different shapes, sizes, and colors. This is to remind me that every student is unique, and will need flexibility in different ways." I sat there in pure awe. So much emotion and passion in just a few simple statements. I was so moved by her passion. She told me I can borrow her idea any time, and I surely do plan on it. 

Ms. Herath asked me for a selfie! #instafamous

Tool ID SLO

With the short time I had left to complete my SLO, I had limited options. I decided my best choice was to complete an SLO on my Tool ID unit. I started by administering a pretest to see what my students knew. As I assumed, most of them did poor. I however was quite surprised that a few did get get about 1/3 correct. 

In previous years, students just had small black and white poor quality pictures. They wrote names and definitions just on a lined sheet of paper. I came up with a different teaching method that I thought would better suit my array of students. I found new pictures and designed them in a flashcard format. I gave students the blank cards and had them write the names and definitions on them. 

I divided the cards into 3 chunks. I taught the first chunk, about 60 tools, then reviewed with games for 3 days. I then taught the next 60 tools, then reviewed both the second and first chunk. I then completed the set totaling 187 tools. I then reviewed the set as a whole. I then administered there post test. 

The students overall did a lot better. I was quite pleased! There was on average of almost a 20 point increase on the ID score and over 7 on the definitions quiz. I definitely suggest making flashcards of various styles whenever possible. It definitely helped my kids. 

As one door closes, another will open

  

That's a wrap folks!

Looking back, I can't believe how fast time as flown by. Merely 15 weeks ago, I entered my classroom as a teacher for the first time. I have learned and grown so much, in more ways then one. I proved my strong will and determination to keep fighting against all odds.

Due to my brother's untimely death, I feel like my experience shifted quite dramatically. At least I can say that no one will ever have an experience like mine (hopefully, knock on wood). I will admit I struggled a bit in the beginning, as would any person entering into a strange and new environment. I got more comfortable within a few weeks and I felt like I was starting to really get the hang of it. I really felt like I was starting to connect with my students and get them to start to engage and interact with me.

Returning almost 3 weeks after the accident was really hard. But I came back to Northwestern, as this is my dream. I worked very hard to get to where I was and I wasn't about to quit. There were hard days and good days, and all those days in between. With my cohort and friends beside me, I fought with my heart and made it through. Would I say I was at my best? No, but I'd say I gave my best effort with everything I had left to give. I got right back to working with my freshman doing a milk defects lab. Doing a hands on activity with them was reaffirming and helped ease my transition back into the classroom. I honestly felt like I almost had to start all over again, and at an accelerated rate. This was difficult, but necessary to continue in the pursuit of my passion.

My student's taught me so many things. I learned that sometimes you just have to discipline. Sometimes your classroom management just isn't enough for certain students. I learned that some student's are capable of great compassion. A few of my student's helped keep a smile on my face everyday, even on one of those bad days. I learned that you might never know who you connected with until your time with them as ended. Yesterday, shortly before the dismissal bell was set to ring, one of my freshman students came to see me. She was one of the "I'm too cool for school" kind of student's. She suffered academically and tended to be disruptive in class. She walks up to me and says "I just wanted to say goodbye before you left", then started to hug me. I was so surprised and caught of guard by this student. I never knew that on a subconscious level I was connecting with her.

I will end this blog with two of my favorite inspirational quotes, as I hope I have inspired some of my student's, I will hope they will continue to inspire others.

"When the world has you feeling like a weed in the garden, know that someone out there see's you as a wish in field."

Visiting the Alma Mater, oh the memories

I got to return home for Northern Lebanon's FFA Banquet. I also spent the next day visiting my ag program and seeing how things have changed or remained.

Banquet was beautiful. It was great to see the many accomplishments and activities the chapter completed through out the year. They also honored by brother during the banquet, which was so thoughtful and amazing. My brother was made into an honorary member, so he will always remain on Northern Lebanon's FFA roster. The mechanics chapter trophy was also renamed in his memory, and will always serve as a reminder in the ag program. The chapter also presented us with a gift some of the students had made. They took a piece of metal and cut it out in the shape of one of his derby cars. They then placed a flag in the background, as my brother loved the american flag. There plaque and the cummins "C' made for us by the CTC Diesel Tech kids have plans to be hung above the garage door in our breezeway. As Steven spent most of his time in the garage.

The next day was a great trip down memory lane. I spent my day seeing what a school day in the NL ag department is like 4 years after I graduated. I also got to see it from the perspective of a teacher, and no longer a student. Ill start by saying there have been some additions and updates to our department! We have an almost fulling functioning kitchen in our shop now! This is a great benefit to our food science class. There also have been some artistic updates. One of the students was very artistic, and got permission to paint a mural on our wall in the shop as well as some additional art on the brick pen in the barn. The mural is beautiful and really brightens up the otherwise white plain brick. 

One last thing I will talk about was my time spent with our freshman. The greatest recruitment tool we have as a chapter is the fact that every pair of freshman gets to take care of and raise rabbits. The students love being able to get hands on with an animal and have some ownership in there class. While I was there, we spent some time bunny bonding and helping to socialize our rabbits. I really hope I get to implement a very similar project in my future classroom. 

Making bonds with science class (chemistry bonds, get it, haha)

I got to spend some time with Mrs. Murray who teaches general chemistry at Northwestern High School. She also teaches one class of environmental science, which manages the recycle program at the school. She is the adviser for creek connections, which is a group of student's that help monitor the local water quality and conduct independent research on conservation of watersheds. She co-advises PJAS (Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science) which is a competitive science research project program that has a regional and state level competition. She jokingly referred to it as a science fair on steroids. She runs a service learning group where students have the opportunity to participate in activities to better serve the community. 

The day I visited, we had many leading questions. Where does chocolate come from and how is it made? What are the characteristics of cocoa butter that makes it unique, including polymorphism of crystal structure? What does it mean to temper chocolate? Why is tempering necessary and what happens if its not done correctly?

She prides herself on purposeful and proactive teaching. Making sure there is never an opportunity for down time. Students are always engaged in something in her classroom. When she notices a student is not being productive, she utilizes proximity very effectively.  She also when needed, will redirect there attention as a whole, as to not single a student out. 

She tried to connect with the students on a cultural level. She was trying to make them realize how chocolate connects us on a global level. She gave them voice and opinion on the subject. She also fed them chocolate (who doesn't love chocolate). This lesson helped to build upon prior knowledge using something concrete and real items to describe an abstract concept they had been discussing in previous lessons. 

In general, I think the students were interested in the lesson. I mean, you got to eat chocolate, who wouldn't be. Her students stayed focused on the tasks they were given and seemed really intrigued by the lesson. When they got stuck, she tended to offer advice, not answers. She has a good rapport and respect from her students. This makes classroom conduct and labs easy to facilitate.

Why'd the chicken cross the road? To get to the Fire Station!

I got to explore some cool SAE's during my time here in Albion. This trip took me to a fire station and to a local home of student.

Drake with one of chickens

Drake has explored a variety of SAE's. His first SAE involved employment at Albion Home Sales and Services. There he cared for and maintained the various trailer rentals that the establishment owned. That summer, he decided to try his hand at landscaping with his neighbor. He currently is employed at Camp Fitch YMCA as a dishwasher. He has been there since Thanksgiving. Also somewhere in there he wanted to try his hand at raising chickens. He built a solar powered heat source for his chickens! How neat and ingenuitive! His flock includes an assortment of 20 chickens.

H.P. Weldon Farm Strawberry Crops

At the fire station, I got to talk to sister's Julie and Brooke Edwards. The oldest sister, Julie, has four different SAE projects. These projects include her horses, working on a production crop farm, and serving as a firefighter in the Springfield Volunteer Fire Department and 2017 Albion Area Fair Queen. Julie has a Quarter Horse gelding that she competes in local 4H shows with, typically in gaming. She also works at H.P. Weldon Farms, a production crop farm that also raises beef cattle. She works with maintaining and harvesting crops, along with some customer service when needed. Julie has also been a volunteer firefighter since she was 14 years old. She is a certified firefighter and vehicle rescue technician, with hopes of becoming an EMT in the next few years. Finally, Julie serves as the 2017 Albion Area Fair Queen, a title that she holds passionately in hopes of advocating agriculture to young people in her community.

Brooke with Mack

Brooke also completes an SAE on her horses and working on a farm. She shows at local fairs and in 4-H competitions. She competes in 3 summer qualifier shows, and if she does well she advances to districts and then states. She competes in gaming, showmanship, and english pleasure classes. She also works at H.P. Weldon Farms, where her main task is picking strawberries and corn during there harvest seasons. During the off-season she helps with general tasks around the farm.

Julie telling us all about the trucks!

Almost there!

Another week in the books! I have been working extremely hard to complete my Community Based Unit and SLO in the time I had left. It's gunna be a run for the roses, or should I say degree. Haha. I can stay up night after night, but I can only rush my students so much. I can only hope and pray for the best.

My freshman student's and I have been working hard on learning our tools. We are making flash cards to study from, and it seems to be helping the students. My ENR student's are working hard at building our cages, the one base is complete, and the other is almost complete. The tops will require the student's to think about shapes and measurements to make sure the doors shut properly. The new study method for landscape appears to be working better for some of my student's. I am still having trouble managing others, but sometimes you just can't win them all.

Another thing that happened this week was the PAAE Region Meeting. We carpooled down in a van, which provided me an opportunity to chat and listen to various teacher topic conversations. (I also LOVED not being behind the wheel for another long drive. Haha.) Once there, I sat with Mr. Seaman from PSU and Mr. Brammer, the adviser for PA FFA. It was nice to chat with the both of them about my prospective job in Maryland. Mr. Brammer even offered to help me out if I ever wanted to get my Maryland students involved in something in PA. I look forward to seeing where this career takes me, and I look forward to really getting my life back on track.