Grading is Difficult... Incorporate A Rubric!

This week in my welding and electrical class I began grading the work my students were doing for more than just completion and participation points.  My welding and electrical class is a really good group of guys.  With only seven in the class small group work and individualized instruction is the way to go!  These seven gentlemen have very little experience welding and it has been a challenge for some of them.  However, at the same time they take right to the tasks I assign them and give it their whole hearted effort.  Which I stress to them is all that I ask.  It is an awesome feeling when they come up to me and say “Mr. Tate how does this look?” or “Mr. Tate can you give me some advice on how to make it look like it does on the poster?”  The no quit attitude they have as a class is stupendous.  And the smiles on their faces when they are given a word of encouragement or praise on a job well done makes me smile as well from ear to ear.

So here is a quick run-down of the class there are two freshmen, three sophomores, one junior, and one senior.  With every grade level represented in the class it is fascinating to observe the class dynamic.  As a whole they help each other and work well together when given a group assignment. 

As I stated earlier I began grading my students on how well they could do a specific type of weld.  Grading them has been a challenge because each student is at a different skill level.  Using rubrics has made it that much easier although!  It blew me away how their self-evaluation lined up almost exactly with where I felt they stood in the class right now.  Each student honestly and whole heartedly put in their best effort and did not cut any corners.  As we continue on throughout the semester I want to continually make the point that as long as they give it their best it is all that I ask of them. 

Yesterday the students were given the task of completing a butt weld and given a rubric to self-evaluate themselves before turning it in.  Before we went out into the shop we spent some time discussing the theory of a butt weld and what makes a desirable butt weld.  The students were given ample amount of time to practice on scrap metal and provided the expectations for the assignment.  While most of my students worked diligently and on task.  One did not.  He did not create a butt weld, but more so just layered his two pieces of metal together with welds.  At the end of the period I spoke with him asking why he did not create a butt weld.  His answer was “this is a better stronger weld and I didn’t want you to be able to break my weld on Monday.”  I left our conversation at that.  What made giving him the grade he deserved was he himself allotted the points I was going to give him.  The takeaway is that a solid well produced rubric leaves no gray area.  And when questions do arise why a student received the grade they did.  You the instructor can give specific examples of why he/she did. 

Thinking About Having a Guest Speaker... This is for You!

Wow this past week has been a whirl wind of instruction, chapter FFA meeting, back to school night, and winter pep rally!  It might sound crazy, but I’m beginning to get used to this organized chaos.  The rapport that I am beginning to build with my students is phenomenal.  I can’t begin to say how thankful I am for the guidance and wisdom I am also receiving from my cooperating teachers as well.  I also witnessed the significance of back to school night and having an open line of communication with the parents.  While all these things left a lasting impression on me this week.  There is one thing I am super ecstatic to share with you.  That would be my career speaker panel I had come in on Friday afternoon for my vet science 2 class.

I began this event back in the fall semester preparing for my student teaching experience.  When people within the agricultural community came in to talk when I was in high school or in college during club events I greatly enjoyed these events.  My first unit of instruction in my vet science 2 class was terminology and careers in the animal sciences.  I began researching local companies, veterinarians, and talking with community members to begin to formulate a list of possible speakers.  When I got to Lampeter Strasburg I immediately began getting in contact with these people.  It was amazing how interested and supportive these people were willing to try and make it work in their busy schedule to come and talk to the students.  The big day finally came this past Friday and I must say I was blown away by my students’ interest and attention to the speakers the words of wisdom my speaker panel gave to the students and the overall success of the guest speaker panel.  So… you’re probably saying to yourself MASON who did you have come and speak?  Aaron Harris a recent graduate of Penn State and old roommate of mine came and spoke on behalf of Land O’Lakes.  Dr. John Kreider came and spoke on behalf of Eastern Lancaster County Veterinary Clinic.  Matt Hershey spoke on behalf of Select Sires.  Jeff Peifer spoke on behalf of ABS Genetics.  A Bradford County native!  Dr. Bill Braungard spoke about his experiences being a large animal veterinarian and his work formulating dairy nutrition rations with Cargill.  Dr. Gregory Martin spoke on behalf of Penn State Extension.  And John Frey spoke about his work promoting the dairy industry and providing support and resources to dairy farmers through The Center of Dairy Excellence. 

These seven men hit all the key points I wanted them to talk about to the vet science 1 and 2 classes and FFA members.  They spoke about their experiences in their chosen career field, educational background, working hard, and networking with everyone you come in contact with.  While everything went off without a hitch at least to those in the audience, but I filed a few things away for the next time I do an event like this.  Oh and by the way my cooperating teacher was away on a field trip with a student who won a scholarship so it was me in the room with the sub.  Here are a few takeaways…

1.      Preparation is crucial!  These events do not happen overnight!  With good planning you can pull things like this off, but you have to make numerous phone calls send emails align dates and times to work with everyone’s schedules and have answers to the questions they might ask when you are on the phone with them.

2.      Notify the office.  Let them know what is going to occur on the day of your event.  Notifying the office made things go much smoother. 

3.      Inform your speakers to wait in the office until a designated time when you will come and escort them down to the classroom.  I did not do this and I was running back and forth down the hallway picking up my guests.

4.      Name tags for your students make everything much more professional. 

5.      Having your students create meaningful questions and researching the companies that your guest speakers work for beforehand makes for much more of a purposeful discussion.

6.      Allow for time at the end of your guest speaker panel for them to give one final closing remark.  I kind of got cut short with time because of our winter pep rally.  I was busy making sure we got through a few of the students questions and did not allow for any time for the guests to make any final remarks

7.      THANK THEM!  Show them how appreciative you are of them.  Make sure to get email and postal addresses!

Did you do your stretches? Have to be flexible.

Check out my video post to see my two big takeaways from week three of student teaching at Lampeter Strasburg High School!

Week Two of Student Teaching at Lampeter Strasburg

Week two of student teaching was eye opening.  Monday as well as Friday were in service days.  Mrs. Oberholtzer and I made the most of it making copies, evaluating supplies, and brushing up on lessons.  The hallways were dark and quiet and I’m not sure if other teachers were tucked in their rooms or scooted out early.  Either way I saw that on days like Monday and Friday it is very important to get the most out of it.  Come in with a plan, work, work, work and make preparations you otherwise could not until the end of the regular school day. 

Fast forward to Thursday night which I had been super excited for all week.  Thursday night was our county record book meeting at Lancaster Mennonite High School.  This was the first time I got to interact with the other ag. teachers within the county.  The evening began with a short presentation from the conservation district followed by a dish to pass supper. 

After finishing our meal we began grading record books.  I was a bit nervous at first grading student’s record books.  I didn’t want to cheat any student out of points they worked so very hard for.  Sometimes things are never how they seem and the grading sheet provided to me helped me work through student’s record books off of AET.  AET really seems like a great platform for students to record their records on.  The more interaction I have with it is making me feel comfortable enough to work with students one day on my own using it.  The evening was long, but it was very enjoyable to read through students’ record books.

The other part of the evening that really warmed my heart was the laughs and conversations I had with the other ag. teachers.  Lancaster County has a very diverse group of teachers ranging in numerous years of experience, personal backgrounds, gender, and curriculum taught.  It was powerful to see the thoughtfulness and care they put into their students.  Events talked about at this meeting would not be conducted for another two months, but it takes ideal preparation for such large events to go off without a hitch.  It was also great to hear kind words from so many people about the program that I am in and the cooperating teachers I am placed with.  I am truly excited for the next 13 weeks.  Monday I begin teaching Vet Science II and agricultural mechanics wish me luck!  Stay tuned to also hear about a career speaker panel I have set up to occur in just a few short weeks! 

My First Week as the Student... Teacher

Week one of student teaching was full of many firsts along with fun an exciting moments all in between.  For those of you tuning in late or might have forgotten.  I am student teaching at Lampeter Strasburg High School located in Lancaster County.  The area is heavily agriculture production based, but intermixed with suburban areas. 

Day 1

I traveled to Farm Show with Mrs. Oberholtzer my cooperating teacher and Mr. Smith the other ag. teacher within the department with five students receiving their very own official jacket.  Monday was a lot of fun seeing my other cohort members and chatting about how their first day on the job was going.

Day 2

Was my first official day observing in the classroom.  I observed two classes of Vet Science 1. I will be teaching one class of this just one week from tomorrow.  I also observed the agricultural mechanics class which I will be teaching as well.  The afternoon brought my first department meeting.  I got to attend this and see how one functions. 

Day 3

We went back to Farm Show for the entire day taking 20 students with us this time.  It was nice walking around Farm Show with my cooperating teachers picking up helpful resources, taste testing food, talking dairy cows with producers, and seeing how you manage getting 20 students off the bus in the morning and getting 20 students back on the bus in the afternoon.

Day 4

My observation continued, but I assisted students figuring out the proper drug to use for an animal that was sick and how many milliliters to administer.  One thing I learned during this assignment is to have patience.  Some students struggle with math.  Heck I was one of those students when I was in high school.  It is exciting to see a student’s face light up when they figure out the right answer. 

Day 5

It’s finally Friday!  On Friday I got to grade students during their practicum skills assessments.  I got to observe and grade students on how well they can fill a syringe, administer a subcutaneous and intramuscular shot, halter a cow, and hold a cat.  These activities were a lot of fun for the students and me the teacher.  This part of the lesson showed me how variability is crucial during a lesson.

Some other takes from the week:

·         Getting in a routine is very beneficial

·         The gym teacher is a graduate from Athens my high school alma mater

·         Prep period is something to make the most of

·         Getting to know the office staff is of great importance

·         Speaking to students can sometimes brighten their day ten fold

An All Day Affair to a Short Afternoon at the PA Farm Show

My student teaching experience at Lampeter Strasburg High School began Monday January 11^th.  Going to high school in the Northern Tier traveling to Farm Show was an all-day affair.  However, since Lampeter Strasburg is only about forty minutes away from the Farm Show located in Lancaster County we did not leave until eleven o’clock.  In the morning I observed Vet Science 1 a class that I will begin teaching next Monday.  We did travel back to the Farm Show Wednesday for the whole day taking twenty students.    

When eleven o’clock rolled around we took five freshmen with us to receive their very own blue and gold corduroy jacket.  We met the five seniors receiving their Keystone Degrees there.  As we settled in our seats on the arena floor I was introduced to Mr. Spencer the principal of the high school.  Holly and Mr. Smith (my cooperating teachers) informed me how important it is to always invite your administration to events like this.  Something to be noted when I have my own program.

Right before the ceremony started I reflected on my journey within the FFA.  I remember being a young freshman ecstatic to be receiving my official FFA jacket.  Never would I have thought all the opportunities it would offer me throughout my high school career.  And listening to the FFA Alumni Association speaking to the over 500 students receiving their official jacket that day I was so excited for them!  I also thought about my time back at the Farm Show 4 years later when I would be receiving my Keystone Degree.  How so many people helped me along my journey towards my degree and how appreciative I was for that.  From my FFA advisor who gave me guidance and hauled my show animals to fair, my parents who encouraged me to keep working hard with my steers when I felt defeated after leading them, and my friends I met within the FFA who I made endless memories with and the opportunity to house my animals at their farm. 

Now being a student teacher and observing the convention from a different viewpoint.  I can’t wait to get started with the students I will be spending the next 14 weeks with!   

Final Lab Reflection

For pre-service agricultural education teachers at The Pennsylvania State University we must take AEE 412 our fall semester before student teaching.  This course is jammed pack with content and assignments.  It is nothing to take lightly!  All that said it’s a class where we get to grow professionally, learn together, collaborate together, and get to teach our peers along with high school students for a three day mini unit.   

With a semester of AEE 412 lab just under wraps it was a positive experience overall.  Each week I was challenged to teach a certain approach to presenting material to my peers.  While at times I did become quite stressed out.  The knowledge and skill I learned from creating these lessons like a solid interest approach, problem solving, and inquiry have strengthened me as a to be educator.  I now realize the importance of not just standing in front of the class lecturing from a PowerPoint and students never having the opportunity to get up out of their seats.  When teaching on Wednesdays I struggled with clarity specifically clarity in my directions.  Throughout the semester lab I became better at conveying my thoughts and directions across to my students.  I really witnessed this during my three day microteaching experience.  Wednesdays also taught me how much you have to be prepared to teach just a lesson let alone an entire school day!  I found myself preparing days in advance for my teaching.  I also witnessed first-hand how well my lessons would go if I had all my materials prepared and lesson solidly written before going into teach.  This in turn was a confidence booster and helped me succeed during lab. 

Individually, I have grown in the sense of becoming more familiar with teaching techniques and how you might incorporate them into certain types of material I may be teaching.  Throughout the semester and specifically during my microteaching experience I saw the powerfulness of having bell work, greeting students, and starting class with some type of interest approach.  I always thought bell work was dumb, but when looking at classroom management techniques having a consistent schedule set of procedures makes starting class that much easier.  The whole greeting the students’ thing just puts that personal touch on the class. 

Getting up in front of my classmates and being front and center built on my public speaking skills I already had.  Being able to own the classroom and speak in a teacher voice is essential when actually going out and teaching.  I also, learned how to manage students who might be disruptive, rude, or disengaged.  When we began role playing in class I have to say we gave each other a run for our money!  It was all in good fun and meant to only give us an outlook on what might occur while student teaching.  Professionally I have grown realizing that students will only take me as serious as I take myself.  Every day I must go in dressed for success and expect the same from my students while in my classroom. 

Coming into this semester I thought blogging was silly and it’s just another means of social media.  However, my viewpoints have somewhat changed.  Reflecting after pivotal moments in my short teaching career thus far is very important.  It is also just as important to reflect as soon as I can.  I have realized after completing any task worth blogging.  I have found that reflecting and putting my thoughts down into my blog makes me think about the successes, struggles, failures, and meaningful moments I had during my teaching lessons.  Blogging about it allows for me to share my thoughts with anyone.  Reading my cohort member’s blogs it made me feel good they encountered many of the same difficulties that I did.  And that in just a few short seconds I could reply to their blog and discussing anything.  At the same time I can’t imagine blogging on a regular basis when/if I had my own program.

As for improvements for AEE 412 lab

1.      Mix up lab sessions halfway through or quarterly.  This would allow for us all to observe and be a part of other cohort member’s lab.  There was a lot of comments left on the ThereNow website stating I would have loved to of been in your lab!

2.      Reflect on student performance immediately after presenting their lab.  I experienced this right after my IBI lesson.  It was very beneficial.  Discussion doesn’t have to be long, but reflect with the group and instructor after every time a student presents.

3.      The small lab groups made it very impractical to incorporate the things we had to into our lab and we were always improvising with the number of students we had.  Teaching to three students just didn’t give it that teacher student feel.  However, it is understandable nothing compares to the real thing and this is the closest we can get.

4.      Structure.  There just seemed to be a lot of confusion and hear say.

 

Early on in the semester we learned about the 5 characteristics of effective teaching by Roshenshine and Furst.  Early on these 5 characteristics were instilled into our thoughts when creating a meaningful lesson.  As a final assignment we had to create a video highlighting one of the 5 characteristics we thought we demonstrated strongly.  I chose to express variability.  I thought throughout all my lab sessions and microteaching experiences that I did a very good job mixing activities up and keeping student engagement in my lessons.  Below you can watch my short video.