I Wish I had More Time

This week was my final week at Cowanesque Valley High School. I knew this week was going to be tough, but I had no idea it was going to be this tough. This week was full of ups and downs, but it was all worth it in  the end. I started off the week with my second supervisor visitation. I was able to complete some demonstrations, and I was very excited to see the students participating in hands-on activities, completing something tangible that would be displayed to over 150 people during the FFA banquet. My students worked very hard Monday and Tuesday, producing the centerpieces and setting up the cafeteria for dinner beforehand. We were Learning to Do, and Doing to Learn, part of the FFA motto.

So Tuesday finally came around, and I was so excited to attend the banquet. I was expecting a very hectic time and my teachers running around like crazy, but it was very laid back and well planned. Everything ran smoothly and dinner was excellent. We were able to have the auditorium for awards, and the FFA officer team did an awesome job with the ceremonies and awards presented. Excitingly enough, I received one myself!!! I was shocked when I received an Honorary Chapter Degree from the Cowanesque FFA.


I was so taken back and blessed to have this opportunity to work with the students that the award made me speechless. I was so overwhelmed at the hard work that was done throughout the whole year by these students. It was incredible to see the student success all through the FFA. Honestly, even as a student teacher, I WAS SO PROUD OF MY STUDENTS! I could not imagine how Mr. Heyler and Mr. Boyer were feeling. The couple hours spent at the banquet revealed how much FFA really means to the communities and families involved. I saw the impact that we, as Ag educators and advisers, have on our program, and especially, the students in the FFA. I left the banquet glowing with pride and excitement, and best of all was that I was going back to teach those students tomorrow!

On Wednesday, I was very excited to teach, continuing to build the FFA chapter through recognition awards/degrees by teaching the students about the Agriculture Experience Tracker (AET). It was so simple to do this because I have enough iPads for every student, so convenience was not a problem. I felt very good teaching this lesson, because I want this class of freshman to be the first to apply the AET system every year until graduation, and hopefully by then the whole FFA chapter is completing AET records. I was so excited because I was able to begin something and maybe, just maybe, leave my mark on this Agriculture/FFA program.

Heading to the back side of the week, it was all starting to get sad. Everything I had worked towards was coming to an end, and all I wanted to do was buy more time with my students. On Thursday, the students were realizing that I was leaving and moving on to another teaching site. A few of them asked  me if I could stay longer, and that gave me a good feeling inside. It seemed I had made an impact to some students in my short time here, and I was very glad to hear that. I taught my normal classes, but there was a part of me that was not ready for the day to be over.

"My last day........ is this really it?"

I guess I never thought I would have to deal with the end. I had not only found a new place, but a home away from home, a career, mentors, and many other things in my 7 weeks at Cowanesque. I felt like I was abandoning all of my students and the school. I had the hardest time looking at all of their faces because I had become a part of their lives just as much as they were a part of mine. As teachers, we have an undeniable passion, for learning, with the compassion and understanding of students. The rapport I built with those students was unlike anything else I could ever explain. I laughed, got mad, bonded, guided, and became a role model for over 70 students. My last day was relaxed, and that was mainly because of the half day. I sat and spoke with my teachers after the students left, and I just couldn't believe the experience I had. I know not everyone will remember me or what I did at Cowanesque Valley High School,  but I will never forget them. I will keep them close to my heart, and do my best to come back and stay in touch. I can only look to the horizon, the next chapter, and the exciting opportunity to teach at Shaver's Creek in the coming weeks.

It was a pleasure to write for you.


"Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting." - J.M. Barrie

Learning Occurs Everyday, Especially as a Teacher

This week was another happy and great week. First of all, this past weekend I participated in THON. When it was all said and done, Penn State had raised over 13.3 million dollars to fight pediatric cancer! I was overwhelmed by the whole experience, and at the end of the 46 hours I was still going strong, just about ready to stand another 46! Thank goodness I didn't have to do that, but I can honestly say it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget.

Coming back on Tuesday, I was all ready to get back into my routine, and it was nice to see my students again. I was really happy to tell them all about my weekend adventure, and they couldn't believe what I had accomplished and the amount of money raised. It felt weird to have to wake up early, and put in a full day of work. It was nice to come back to a review day on Tuesday, so I was able to ease back into teaching with each class. I decided to mix up my testing as well, allowing the students to make up the questions on the exam in one of the sections. They wrote down questions on paper to take practice tests, and I took the questions straight from those sheets. Just to compare, I did the other section of my Ag Sci class the regular way and created the test on my own. I was not sure how this would turn out, but I was willing to try.

On Wednesday, I was ready to see if my different tests would make a difference to the students. After all was said and done, the regular test had an average of  27.7/40, while the test that the students made up averaged 30.8/40. These statistics, in my opinion, could have been much more different. My one section has numerous identified students, and they receive modified tests. This factor alone could have changed the outcome and average of the class. If those tests were not modified, the scores might have been different. But, looking at the numbers, there was not much difference, so it was just something interesting to look at from a teacher's perspective. I realized maybe I am making my tests a little too tough, but that is something I have to judge based on the class and academic level present.

For Thursday, we began a short unit on Floriculture. Knowing absolutely nothing about Floriculture, I was willing to learn to say the least. We would be working on the principles of design and then creating the center pieces and boutonnieres for the FFA banquet. On Thursday, I received a surprise. Our shop teacher who is right next door,  Mr. Boyer (no relation to one of my cooperating teachers Mr. Boyer) produced me with my own wooden name plate. I was ecstatic! I honestly couldn't believe how cool it was, and it was all mine too! Mr. Boyer, who made it, told me how he makes them for the teachers at CV, so he said now I was official. The name plate was amazing, and I show it off with pride everyday up in front on my board.

This little gift was one that made me feel so good. It was weird to see my name like that, but I have an amazing feeling of pride now when I look at it. I was so excited I received this, and tomorrow was Friday!

On Friday, I was able to do a couple demonstrations with the students and we started some Floriculture necessities that we would continue next week before the banquet. I am really excited about next week and the banquet, especially because we are putting in all this time and hard work to make it great. I now see how much advisers, officers, and members have to do to keep everything running smoothly and efficiently. Next week look for lots and lots of pictures!

It was a pleasure to write for you.