A Whole New Perspective

Today was my first day of student teaching... except I did not teach. Instead, I tagged along to the PA FFA Mid-Winter Convention at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. My cooperating teacher did not attend, but his partner teacher did. This trip was a nice way for me to get to know her. It was also an eye-opening trip, from the advisor's perspective.

The snow, sleet and freezing rain this morning caused us to have a two hour delay, which was nice but also caused some confusion among the students. Needless to say, our trip to Harrisburg was slippery and we had to use extra precaution. Despite the weather, the students, while well-behaved, were clearly excited for the trip. They were chatty and hyped up the entire bus ride there.

When we arrived, they excitedly ran off of the bus, not to be seen again until we left. I walked around with Ms. Spurrier, checking out the FFA Chapter booths and displays. I also met up with a fellow student teacher, as well as my high school ag teacher. It was good to get to know Ms. Spurrier, and have a chance to see some familiar faces.

When it came time for the Mid-Winter convention, Ms. Spurrier and I found a few of our students to sit with. We had two members earning their Keystone Degrees. We patiently watched and waited for the Keystone Degree ceremony. When the time came, Ms. Spurrier went to the arena floor to take photos of the recipients. It was neat to see the behind-the-scenes of the ceremony.

I was in charge of rounding up the students when it was time to leave the complex, while Ms. Spurrier got the bus. I was nervous, but I managed to wrangle 36 students and get them to the bus in one piece. While this was not a huge deal, it made me feel accomplished and needed.

I can tell that student teaching is going to expose me to many new experiences. I know that as the weeks continue, I will gain a new perspective and appreciation for ag teachers. I think that attending the Mid-Winter Convention/ Farm Show was  a nice opportunity to get to know some of my students and get a sneak peak at my future career!