NAAE Region VI Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Awarded to Ms. Darla Romberger

The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Ms. Darla Romberger, an Agricultural Education Teacher at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, for being selected to represent Region VI of the National Association of Agricultural Educators for the Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Award. 

 Ms. Romberger shares, "After my student-teaching internship at the Milton Hershey School, I was hired at Cumberland Valley High School in August of 2013 and have been at CV ever since! Over the past 10 years, I’ve taught a variety of coursework across the Animal Science, Plant Science, and Ag Mechanics pathways. If I had to choose a favorite course, it would be CASE Animal & Plant Biotechnology or Agricultural Fabrication. I’ve also served as a CASE Lead Teacher since 2016 and have co-taught in-person and virtual CASE Institutes in Animal Science and AFNR." As you can tell, Ms. Romberger has gained a plethora of teaching experiences under her belt as she is entering her tenth year in the classroom!

Ms. Romberger is not new to agriculture in fact she grew up on a farm where her family custom-raised dairy heifers and grew corn, soybeans, small grains, and hay crops. She also got a glimpse into agribusiness as her parents own and operated a feed mill and nutritional consulting service. These led to involvement with 4-H and FFA where she then found a niche exhibiting livestock at county fairs and the PA Farm Show. She said, "I loved being involved in agriculture-related activities and had always considered being a teacher, so I was excited to learn that a career as an Ag Teacher existed so I could combine my interests!"

From there Ms. Romberger was hooked and grew her passion for teaching and agriculture by continuing her education at Delaware Valley University. "During my undergraduate career at Del Val, I was a Supplemental Instruction Leader for several Chemistry courses for 3 years. In this position, I led group tutoring sessions, retaught lectures and labs, and conducted test prep sessions. What I thought was going to be a short-lived job turned into a phenomenal 3-year experience where I solidified my passion for teaching and helping students find success." Her passion and enthusiasm for teaching started to shine through her students and still does today.

She shared why she is inspired to teach agriculture. "My passion is teaching others about the source of food, fiber, and natural resources and the science behind getting agricultural products to consumers. Each day is a new opportunity to make an impact on the future of agriculture and help students find their passion through school-based Agricultural Education. I firmly believe that each student has a strength they can share with others and that every student can gain valuable life experiences through Agricultural Education and FFA."

As Ms. Romberger continues to pave her path through agricultural education she said that her favorite part of being an Agricultural Educator is the variety of experiences that come with the job. "I enjoy teaching a variety of agricultural subjects throughout the day and designing FFA & SAE opportunities to help students apply classroom knowledge to real-world experiences. I also enjoy continuously learning about new advancements in agricultural science through professional development and collaborating with colleagues across the nation." 

While some of her favorite parts about being an Agricultural Educator involve the students, there are challenges that also come along with teaching students day in and day out. "The most challenging part of teaching agriculture is balancing your strengths and agricultural interests as a teacher with student interests and the needs of the community. In some cases, this means taking extra time to learn a new content area or find community resources to support a new course. However, approaching this challenge with an open mind can be extremely rewarding and lead to great relationships with community supporters and unique SAE opportunities for students."

The Agricultural Education program at Cumberland Valley High School is a rockstar program that has gained various recognition across the state and nation. Cumberland Valley Agricultural Sciences is a 3-teacher program that supports 275 students in grades 9-12. The department is split between 2 buildings (a 9th grade academy and 10th-12th grade high school). The program offers a CASE Plant Science and a CASE Animal Science pathway with courses that fulfill science graduation requirements and 3 rotating Agricultural Mechanics courses. 

The program is adding a CASE Natural Resources pathway in the 2023-24 school year to align with a renewed community focus on environmental sustainability. Touted as one of the fastest growing school districts in Pennsylvania, the Cumberland Valley School District is primarily suburban with several preserved farms in the western part of the school district. There are numerous animal nutrition, food science, hydroponics, and nursery landscape businesses within the school district. With these demographics, AgriScience is the primary focus of the coursework so students understand the science, processing, and marketing aspects of agriculture and natural resources industries. An FFA Leadership Team of 7 FFA Officers and 6 Committee Chairs develop and lead a progressive Program of Activities that includes nearly 100 events to Grow Leaders, Strengthen Agriculture, and Build Communities.

Some CV program highlights include:

• 2017 PAAE Outstanding Agriculture Program
• Cumberland Valley FFA has been a nationally recognized 3-Star FFA chapter since 2013
• 15 FFA State Champion Teams since 2013
• 9 FFA State Runner-Up Teams since 2013
• 30 State FFA Proficiency Award winners since 2013
• 89 Keystone FFA Degree recipients since 2013

A few words of wisdom that Ms. Romberger shares for any high school students considering a career in agricultural education is to "take advantage of any opportunity to lead a group, present a workshop, or volunteer with an agricultural organization! Don’t be afraid to talk to current Ag Teachers in your school or county to offer help with ag literacy events, officer retreats, or other education-related events."

Congratulations again, Ms. Romberger on earning the Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Award. You represent Pennsylvania Agricultural Education with great pride, and we could not be more excited to have you represent our state and region at the National NAAE Convention this November in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education 

Class of 2023

Throwback Thursday: Fives Years of #TeachAg Excellence

Throwback Thursday

Five Years of #TeachAg Excellence

To celebrate this weeks #TBT we are going back to look at the #TeachAg Excellence from the last Five Years of Student Teaching Candidates.  

#PSUAgEd17 :

#PSUAgEd17

Some fun facts:

• Taught 46 unique classes during the 2017 Spring Semester totally 106 units of instruction
• Has earned a total of 8 unique majors and minors

To learn more check out their own highlights blog:

http://teachagpsu.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-magnificent-seven-returns-psuaged17.html

#PSUAgEd16 : 

#PSUAgEd16

Some fun facts:

• Taught 71 unique classes during the 2017 Spring Semester totally 159 units of instruction
• Has earned a total of 11 unique majors and minors

To learn more check out their own highlights blog:

http://teachagpsu.blogspot.com/2016/04/psuaged16-returns-change-makers-see.html

#PSUAgEd15 : 

#PSUAgEd15

Some fun facts:

• Taught 102 unique classes during the 2017 Spring Semester totally 202 units of instruction
• Has earned a total of 16 unique majors and minors

To learn more check out their own highlights blog:

http://teachagpsu.blogspot.com/2015/04/psuaged15-returns-stories-on-making.html

#PSUAgEd14 : 

#PSUAgEd14

Some fun facts:

• Taught 104 unique classes during the 2017 Spring Semester totally 222 units of instruction
• Has earned a total of 17 unique majors and minors

To learn more check out their own highlights blog:

http://teachagpsu.blogspot.com/2014/04/celebrating-17-positive-agents-of.html

#PSUAgEd13 : 

#PSUAgEd13

Some fun facts:

• Taught 74 unique classes during the 2017 Spring Semester totally 159 units of instruction
• Has earned a total of 13 unique majors and minors

To learn more check out their own highlights blog:

http://teachagpsu.blogspot.com/2013/05/appreciating-terrific-thirteen-from-2013.html

George Dietrich, Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @TheGeorge4H

#PSUAgEd18 Member

Cumberland Valley Student Teaching Canidate

#psuaged13 Britney Marsh's YouTube Video on her Program

Watch this awesome YouTube video created by Britney Marsh (@b_marsh216) and her students on the power of school-based agricultural education at Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center  - Red Mountain (@AAEC_FFA).

It was entered in the NAAE (@NAAE) Advocacy Video Contest and selected as an honorable mention video! It will be showcased  at the 2014 NAAE Convention in Nashville, TN!

"Howzit!" Following up with 2013 AEE graduates Ag Ed South African Adventure!

This is Britney Marsh in Arizona!

Did you know that South Africa is the second largest exporter of fruit? Or has its own penguin colony? Or that it has the third highest level of biodiversity in the world?!? Well one of Penn State’s AEE Alumni from 2013, Britney Marsh, is actually taking a group of her high school agriscience students to South Africa from May 25^th to June 2^nd!

Britney Marsh is a secondary Agricultural Educator/FFA adviser at Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center (AAEC)- Red Mountain Career Prep High School in Mesa, Arizona. She has traveled a long way to teach her amazing group of students and is now taking ten of them on an exciting adventure. They will be traveling and staying in Port Elizabeth at the Ulovane Environmental Center as well as traveling to the Amakhala Game Reserve.

If you have never heard of the game reserve before, it is a fantastic place. The founders wanted to make a malaria free safe zone in the eastern part of the country for animals to roam freely. They are trying to restore the land into its natural conditions again. The students will have the opportunity to learn about terrestrial plants, different bird species, and about the mighty mammals of South Africa. They will also be observing animal behavior on the reserve.

A group of tourists on the reserve!

  On top of all of that, they will be going on night safaris, exploring the marine intertidal ecosystems, look at the changing vegetation at the AddoElephant Park Woody Cape, going on a coastal scrub, and even looking at the dune forest in the diverse Albany Thicket. Studying is not the only thing they will be doing. They will have the chance to visit the village of Patterson where they will visit an Isipho village, (a program that helps the iNzinga people) multi-purpose facility which assists victims of AIDS. 

They will sit in on a lecture of the “Role of the Wildlife Veterinarian in South Africa.” Then they will be able to learn how to capture and immobilize animals. After they learned the proper procedures, they will actually practice shooting darts and then capture antelopes by themselves! They will practice ear notching and taking blood samples for DNA. Crazy right?! There will be no breaks on this amazing educational trip!

Britney is looking forward to bringing new information for her classes next year. The trip should be an awesome experience for all people that will be in attendance!

If you would like more information about the trip, or how you can start a trip like this in your school, Britney Marsh (@b_marsh216) provided her email address: BMarsh@aaechighschools.com, 

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog!

Olivia Murphy-Sweet
Student Blogger
Teach Ag! Avenger
Twitter Handle @OSweetMurph
2016 Agricultural Education Student Teacher   

First Days of School!!!

On the first day of school people, whether they admit it or not, always feel some sort of emotion towards it. Whether it is the excitement of the adventure of starting another year or dreading that alarm clock blaring that they know will come. I felt excited and anxious as it is my last first day of school as a student in the foreseeable future. How do I define myself after this year, since I have been a student for the majority of my life?

But I also saw the flip side as my teacher friends, new and seasoned, post facebook statuses about how excited they are for the first day of school and how ready they are to teach agriculture. Nicole Weaver from Twin Valley High School posted a status about starting her 10^th year of teaching and expressed her excitement for the new school year but also thinking about her previous students that she has had and all the different stages of life they are in. Tons of previous students posted on it thanking her for being their Ag teacher and saying what they were doing that day. Some are starting grad school, some are going into teaching careers themselves and asking for advice. It is great to see how one person can affect so many people, and that it stays with them many years down the road.

Mike Woods at Cumberland Valley High School stated that he was excited about his new teaching partner, Darla Romberger who recently graduated from Penn State in Ag Ed. He also said that he is ready to keep helping their program grow and expand and continue to change lives through agricultural education.

Other teacher status yesterday on my newsfeed came from Kristy Brubaker who just graduated from Penn State this spring. She said that today was the best day of school that she has ever had, and is excited about the classroom and the students.

None of these teachers had anything negative to say and are excited about ‘creating positive agents of change’ which is a phrase commonly used in the Penn State Ag Ed Program. Seeing these other teachers' successes, makes me more excited about when my role will be reversed, and I will be standing in front of the classroom rather than behind the desk as a student.  I know that myself and the rest of the 2014 student teachers are up for the challenge that follows that first day of school and are ready to be Penn State Ag Ed ROCK STARS!

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog!

Jeanne Case

Student Blogger

2014 Dover HS Student Teacher

Twitter: JRose_Case

2013 Teach Ag! Society Essay Event Results

Austin Young
 and 2013 student teacher Mackenzie McCollum

The Teach Ag! Society essay contest has been a part of the Pennsylvania State FFA Convention for the past four years. Students entering the contest must plan, design, and teach a lesson about agriculture to an agricultural class of their choice. Their teacher helps them with their lesson plan and guides them along the process of being a teacher for a class. The student then has to write an essay about their experiences during the process. To enter the contest the student submits their essay, lesson plan and pictures, which are graded by a group of selected individuals at Penn State. The top four contestants are announced before the State Convention registration then the final placing is announced at the Pennsylvania State Convention in June.

Facilitators at the Wii Night after the announcement of the winners

This past June, the contest saw a record number of participants with 45 applications sent in. Meagan Slates, Presidents of the Teach Ag! Society, was in charge of the essay contest this year. She comments that “A lot of the feedback that was given in the essays was that the students really looked up to their teachers and wanted to give it a try. I was surprised at the repeat number of participants from last year. With the help of their teachers most of the students really enjoyed teaching a class. All the students essays were great and choosing a winner was really difficult!” Meagan is a senior in Agriculture Education and as she enjoys advocating for agricultural education, she thinks that getting students excited about teaching is really important.

Some of the students entered the essay contest because they wanted the experience teaching or they wanted to see what it felt like to be in their teachers shoes. Regardless of the reason the students entered the contest, they definitely learned a lot about the teaching process.

Austin Young teaching the class

Austin Young, from Central Columbia High School is the first place winner this year. This is an excerpt from his winning essay:

“Agricultural education is vital to our nation’s youth because it teaches students 21^st century thinking skills which will aid them in being more employable in today’s increasingly competitive career market. In order for one to realize how agriculture affects every facet of society, agricultural literacy at an early age is essential. That is why society needs innovative, agricultural educators within our school systems.” 

Austin said that entering the contest gave him an opportunity to explore the career and was supported by his teachers Mr. Doug Brown, Mr. Curtis Turner, and his student teacher at the time Ms Mackenzie McCollum. Winning, he said has “reassured me that the career of being an Ag educator is one of the most important jobs in a society that would not be able to make it through one day without agriculture.” He also pointed out again that there is a shortage of agricultural educators nationwide and the need for Ag educators is more important now than ever. “ That is why this contest is so important. It gives students the opportunity to see what it is like to be an agricultural educator, which will hopefully propel them into a career of teaching America’s youth about agriculture.”

Katie McLaughlin and Victoria Herr in their
Teach Ag! shirts from the essay contest.

Victoria Herr, a senior at Penn Mannor High School, entered the contest because she wants to be an agricultural teacher some day. She thought that by entering the contest she would get a good feel for what being a teacher requires from an individual. “This contest taught me a lot about the skills needed to be a teacher such as writing good lesson plans, keeping the students engaged, and being prepared to answer any questions they may have. It also taught me that not all students are on the same learning level and as an ag teacher you must ensure that everyone is following along at a good pace for themselves”. 

Another student, Katie McLaughlin from Juniata High School entered the contest because at one point she had wanted to be an agricultural teach but her plans have changed. Although Katie will not be a teacher she will “always be teaching in the form of avocation.” Katie also said that the contest taught her a lot about what agricultural teachers do. Her teacher at Juniata is a part of a one teacher program with 110 kids to keep track of. She also has 11 different classes to teach in an 8 period day, all with different lesson plans. “I believe all teachers face challenges and we as students need to realize that our teachers truly want what is best for us. The essay made me realize how much Mrs. Morgan cares and it taught me to say thank you for everything she has done for our program.”

The top four winners of this years event were:
1st Place Austin Young, Central Columbia HS,
2nd place Amber Gabel, Newport High School,
3rd Place Lisa Boltz, Northern Lebanon High School, and
4th Place Victoria Daltroff, North West Area High School.

Meagan Slates wishes to continue increasing the contests and hopes to break the 45 entry record next year. Please keep an eye out to be ready to participate and apply next year! The Nation Needs You!

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog!

Jeanne Case

Student Blogger

2014 Dover HS Student Teacher

Twitter: JRose_Case

Appreciating the TERRIFIC THIRTEEN from 2013!

We are very proud of the 2013 student teaching cohort. Here is a glimpse at their achievement:

2013 PSU Ag. Student Teachers

Taught 74 different classes to students from 8^th to 12^th grades that are 42 minute periods to 90 minute “block” periods in length.

Delivered 159 units of instruction on topics from leadership development, agricultural mechanics, environmental sciences, plant sciences, animal sciences and much more!

Impacted the lives of  1176 individual students

Earned (or will earn) a Bachelors of Science in 5 areas: Agricultural & Extension Education, Animal Science, Biology; Dairy Science; and Food Science

Obtained 8 Minors/areas of emphasis:  Agronomy; Animal Science; Agribusiness Management; Environmental Science; Horticulture; International Agriculture; Leadership Development; Plant Science

Studied abroad in 8 countries, including: Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland; South Korea, Spain

Will have members who are Pennsylvania Certified (with reciprocity in more than 40 states ) in the following 5 areas: Agriscience K-12; Biology; Chemistry; Environmental Science; General Science

Earned 21 different Additional Certifications/Accreditations/Licensures, including(listed alphabetically):

o   Accredited Parliamentarians from the Society of Agricultural Education Parliamentarians; First Aid/CPR/AED Certification; Beef Quality Assurance Certified Producer; Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Technician; Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources (AFNR) Instructor (June 2013); Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) Principles of Animal Science (ASA) Instructor (Summer 2013);   Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) Natural Resources (NR) Instructor (Summer 2013);   Keystone Aquatics Resource (Project Aquatics);Food Science ServSafe Certification;  Genex Certified Artificial Insemination Technician; National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Instructors ; Occupational, Safety and Health Administration Certificate; Pennsylvania Song Birds curriculum; Pennsylvania Wildlife Forensics curriculum; Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles curriculum; Professional Animal Scientist;  Project Food, Land & People curriculum; Project Learning Tree; Project WILD curriculum; School Bus Commercial Driver’s License; School Bus Drive Certified Trainer

Involved in 18  professional organizations, including(listed alphabetically):

o   Alpha Tau Alpha, National Agricultural Education Honorary; American Dairy Science Association – Student Affiliate Division (ADSA-SAD); American Society of Animal Scientists (ASAS); American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS),  Association of Career & Technical Education;  Campus Girl Scouts,  Penn State Collegiate FFA, Penn State; Block & Bridle; Central Susquehanna Pupil Transportation Association; Delta Tau Alpha Agricultural Honorary Society; Food Science Club, Penn State;  Gamma Sigma Delta (GSD); Graduate Student Association, Ag & Ext Education, Penn State; National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE);  Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators (PAEE) ; Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators (PAAE); Pennsylvania School Bus Association; Pennsylvania Young Farmers Association (PYFA), Sigma Alpha Professional  Agricultural Society

Gained experience or have been employed with  27 different relevant jobs/Internships including (listed alphabetically):

o   Berks County 4-H Summer Intern; Center for Dairy Excellence Intern; Columbia County Extension Office;  Gensemer Meat Company; GROWMARK Field Service Intern; Huntingdon County 4H Summer Assistant; Iowa State University Academic Tutor;  Kansas State University 4-H State Office Intern; Penn State 4-H Youth and Families with Promise; Penn State Agricultural and Extension Education Undergraduate Research Assistant;  Penn State Agricultural & Extension Education Center for Professional Personnel Development Student Worker; Penn State Deer Facilities; Penn State Equine Facilities; Penn State Harrisburg College Preparation Representative; Penn State Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Intern; Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Research Intern; Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania Internship Program; Renee Hodgson Landscape Company ; R.G. Morgan Construction and Concrete; Romberger Farm Supply; School Transportation Safety Coordinator; Shaver’s Creek Outdoor School Intern; Shilling’s Dairy Farm; Southern States – Grantsville Ag Service; University of Wyoming Meat Lab; Ventura Foods, LLC, Quality Control Tech; Yule's Greenhouse

To learn more about their specific student teaching experiences (Twitter Handle):

LAST UPDATED ON APRIL 28, 2014

PJ Adam (@mifflinburgST13) - Mifflinburg Magic -
Current Position: Rohrer Bus Service, Pennsylvania

Jamie Aukamp (@jla322) - Aukamps Analysis -
Current Position: Agriscience Teacher, Anson HS, North Carolina

Kristy Brubaker (@kristylane)- Brubaker's Big Picture Review-
Current Position: Agriscience Teacher, Tunkhannock , Pennsylvania

Kaydee Gearhart (@klg5271)- Greenwood's Greatness -
Current Position: Agriscience Teacher, Mifflin/Juniata CTC, Pennsylvania

Britney Marsh (@b_marsh216)- Greenwood Rocks! -
Current Position: Agriscience Teacher, Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center, Mesa, Arizona

Mackenzie McCollum (@McCollumMac)- IMPACT -
Current Position: Danville MS Agriscience Teacher, Pennsylvania

Adam Peachey (@peachey_adam)- No Blog Submitted -
Current Position: Construction

Heather Pray (@hpray18)- Pray's Ponderings on Cedar Crest Fun! -
Current Position: Gardon Spot HS Agriscience Teacher, Pennsylvania

Darla Romberger (@DJR_131)- Milton Hershey Moments -
Current Position: Cumberland Valley HS Agriscience Teacher

Ashley Tressler (@aet5099)- Tales from Tressler  -
Current Position: Graduate Assistantship, Penn State Harrisburg

Josh Walker (@jmw5508)- Walker's Wisdom -
Current Position: Long Term Sub - Solanco Agriscience

Alyshia West (@a_west362)- The Great Northern Lebanon Experience -
Current Position: Food Science Industry, Central Texas

Cortney Wright (@WrightCortneyC) - The Wright Stuff -
Current Position: Agriscience Teacher, East Juniata HS, Pennsylvania

IMPACT by Mackenzie McCollum

I spent my last day eating entirely too many donuts, cupcakes, and confetti cake and going through massive amounts of tissues because I was emotionally out of control. I could NOT imagine student teaching anywhere other than Central Columbia High School. My cooperating teachers have impacted me more in the last four months than I thought was humanly possible. 

As teacher, you spend a lot of your time thinking about how to positively impact the lives of the students that you see every day. You hope that you make a difference. You hope that you impact all of your students, but at the end of the day, you know that it has been a success if you have reached just one student and changed just one life.  It was not until yesterday, that I realized what a profound impact my students had on me. That one life that was changed indefinitely was mine.

Teaching agricultural education at the secondary level with Doug Brown, Curtis Turner, and Jen Fisher has solidified my desire to go into the agricultural education profession.  But it has been the students that made me realize how much I am going to love this career. Those students ignited a fire in me to go out and do everything that I can to spread agricultural literacy and make the kind of impact on my future students that my students from Central Columbia have made on me.   Just like I told one boy, the only two things that you have control over in life is your effort and attitude and that is enough to make you successful at whatever you choose to do.

Last night, I wrote every student that I taught a thank-you note, but no amount of gratitude for the experiences that I have shared at Central Columbia is enough. If you want the chance to make a difference in the lives of your community’s youth & ultimately change your own life, consider a career in agricultural education.

Submitted by:

Mackenzie McCollum

@McCollumMac

2013 Student Teacher

Central Columbia

Greenwood Greatness by Kaydee Gearhart!

Going into this student teaching experience, I thought that I would have an impact on the lives of the students, but didn’t really think about how it would happen or the obstacles that I would have to overcome. Now, as I reflect back on my experience at Greenwood, I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to student teach with Mr. Clark, who is an experienced teacher who was able to give me feedback.  The students at Greenwood are amazing.

I absolutely loved my student teaching experience at Greenwood! I love teaching agriculture! I have a passion for agriculture and working with students. I enjoyed my student teaching experience and I know that teaching agriculture is what I want to do for a career as the rest of my life. I have so much fun working with the students and even learning with them! I looked forward to each day of my student teaching experience. It was so rewarding to see where the students started and to see the amount of information that they learned. And seeing the “ahh-ha” moments when the light bulb came on for the students after working with them made it worth the frustrations that come along before the students “get it”. I love helping the students reach their full potential. I know that this is what I am supposed to do! The days went by so quickly, it was like I wasn’t even “working” because I enjoyed the entire experience at Greenwood! I got to know the students and build a rapport with them. I was also able to gain their respect and have fun while teaching and watching them learn. 

When I first started, it was all I could do to remember the names of the students that first week.  Now, I not only know their names, but I know their personalities, their interests, and how to motivate them!  Each student is unique and in order for me to be successful, I had to take the time to get to know each student.  This started with a simple “Hello, how are you today” in the beginning.  At the end of my student teaching experience, I have full conversations with students.  Some students come looking for advice, whether it is a question about a math homework problem, college, or they want to know if I like the picture of their prom dress.  Other students come to tell you all about their plans for the next Career Development Event that they want to participate in.  This did not just happen overnight.  I had to gain the trust and respect of the students before they trusted and respected me.  Building a rapport or professional relationship with the students is crucial!  I would say it’s one of the most important aspects of being an agricultural teacher!  You have to get to know them and their interests! In order for this to happen, you have to make an effort.  Talk to your students before and after class, take an interest in them and what they like (other than the class you are teaching) and just genuinely care about them.  This task is not necessarily as easy as it sounds. 

The first obstacle that I had to overcome was in my Small Gas Engines class where I taught a class of 17 senior boys.  Talk about a tough crowd… These boys didn’t want to be taught by a girl!  Because everyone knows that girls don’t know anything about small engines…. WRONG!  It took a few weeks to prove to them that I knew what I was talking about.  Once they realized that I actually do know what I am talking about, they began to gain respect for me.  This was a slow and gradual process.  Students accepted me on their own time, not mine.  I gained some student advocates who realized that I knew what I was talking about and they helped get other students back on task when they didn’t want to listen to me.  Slowly but surely, I made progress with each student.  Even up until the last week of student teaching I was making progress and breakthroughs with students. 

National FFA Week played a role in my ability to connect with students on a more personal level and build rapport with them because of the activities and events that were planned.  This made it possible to spend more time with them and talk to the students individually.  I learned about their interests and even goals in life!  Who knew that FFA Week would make a student open up about their life?! I also found that it was very beneficial to attend the basketball games. I had many of the starting players in my classes, and attending their basketball games made a huge difference in the classroom.

Another way that helped me make a connection with the students was talking with them and getting to know them during my planning period when they have study hall. These students are in the ag room and Mr. Clark originally “voluntold” them to help me do various things. By the end of my student teaching experience, they asked what they could do to help me out and I built an awesome professional relationship with these students. They were my main classroom advocates when their peers would not listen. There were a few students in particular that encouraged me along the way, and they probably didn't even know it. They would make comments like, "You are going to be a great ag teacher", "I really like when you teach our class because I learn a lot", "We want you to teach us about ____ (insert various topics!)", "You are very professional and are a good student teacher". These little comments made me feel good and made me feel like I was doing it right! I was surprised at the respect that I gained from the students, especially some of the senior boys... who know everything (or think they do)!!! Every morning I generally see the same group of students before school start because the same students make their way to the ag room. I always say "GOOD MORNING ______(insert name of student) when I see them. One day, I didn't say good morning to a particular student because I had other things going on. This student said good morning to me first. Later, this student came up to me and asked if everything was okay because I didn't say "Good Morning" in my bubbly, excited voice like I do every morning. I was told that this student knew something was wrong/on my mind because this student had to say "Good Morning" to me first. I didn't realize the impact that I was making, just by saying Good Morning to the students; but they came to expect it, whether they realized it or not. Until this day, I did not realize how many little things can impact a student's life.

I know that I made an impact in the lives of these students, AND they made an impact on me! I loved every minute of being at Greenwood! This was a great experience and I was blessed to have such an awesome group of students to work with!  I could not have asked for a better experience!  When I finished a day, I felt a personal satisfaction because I was able to impact the lives of students.  And it never felt like “work” because I loved what I was doing!  You can’t get any more rewarding than that!

Submitted by:

Kaydee Gearhart

@KaydeeG

2013 Student Teacher

Greenwood High School

Walker's Wisdom - Thoughts by 2013 Student Teacher Josh Walker

Why I Love Agriculture Education!

 1) Not the Standard Workday! Why would you want to do the same thing each and every day? Thank God with agriculture education I don't have too! Agriculture education has the opportunity to work with a variety of different subjects dealing with everything from welding in the shop, chicks in the classroom, and landscaping on the school grounds. We have so many different opportunities and the fun doesn't end there! The National FFA Organization and the Supervised Agricultural Experience program give students so many opportunities to try things outside the classroom. You are always learning something new with Agriculture Education.

2) Not every student is the same. Working in agriculture education gives students the opportunity to select the areas they are truly interested in. One of the things that I have truly grown to love and see with the courses in agriculture education is that students have the option of taking a class whether its plants/animals/shop and if they decided they don't like it, they don't have to give up with agriculture! All I need to say is "hey!, you seem like you have a lot of interest in this area. Why don't you try out (insert class here) next year?

Outstanding Mohawk Agriscience Students!

3) It doesn't matter what previous experiences you've had, I can challenge anyone. Experience is a plus but definitely not a requirement. Students come in with various degrees of knowledge on the material. Maybe they have had previous experience or it may be their first time with the concept. I have the ability to challenge students who are excelling through independent study while working with the rest of the kids in the class. Students who excel can also be devoted as group leaders for the class and may aid other students with the subject.

4) What other classes gives students' real world experiences that make them employable right out of school? Many academic classes require students to continue their training and prepare students for a four year degree. Guess what? College is NOT for everyone. There are so many skills trades that go unfilled on a yearly basis and the demand for these positions increases annually. We have the potential to get students exposed to these tracks, show them what these jobs entail, and then they can decide if it is an area they think they would like to pursue all without throwing tens of thousands of dollars in student loans away after realizing they do not want to work in that field.

5) Last, but certainly not least, I get to do the fun stuff and build relationships with my students. How cool is agriculture education. I know I said the learning doesn't stop in the classroom and it is so cool! Through the National FFA, students have the opportunity to travel out of their counties and across the country if they so desire. They are constantly involved in community service, chapter improvements, and local area needs all of which lead to personal growth and career success.

 

It just doesn't get any better than this!

Submitted by:

Josh Walker

 @jmw5508

2013 Student Teacher

Mohawk HS