And that’s a wrap! Just like that, three months later,
countless hours of no sleep, grading papers, ridiculous amounts of Starbucks
and Redbull, writing lesson plans, tracking hours and traveling to various FFA
events has come to an end. Well, for my student teaching at least. This past
week was crazy to say the least, but did I learn A LOT! Wrapping up the end of
a quarter before heading to state convention and spring break, taught me
numerous lessons about lesson planning and organization.
Even though I may not have always been the most organized
throughout my experience, I believe I have learned from this experience and
other teachers how to better organize myself for next year when I am on my own.
I don’t think anyone can fully prepare or be organized for an event, trip,
contest etc. until they have gone through it at least once (or twice). Throughout
my entire student teaching experience and especially this past week I have kept
notes on how different lessons or trips went and how I can make changes for
next year. I have also talked with many different Ag teachers from across the
state and have kept notes from them as well. These are extremely valuable
experiences and conversations that have helped me build relationships and
contacts.
State convention…wow! I started out the trip feeling pretty
nervous and self-conscious about what the trip would hold for me. I was given
the task of driving four students as we didn’t have enough seats on the bus.
WHAT! YOU WANT ME TO DRIVE STUDENTS?! These were the thoughts running through
my head as my cooperating teacher and principle asked me to take on this
responsibility. Little did I know how much this task would impact my
relationship with these students and my experience as a student teacher. I was
able to build so much more rapport with them versus simply riding the bus with
them. While at state convention I was excited to see my fellow cohort members
as well as other teachers I have not seen in a while. I wish I could’ve spent
more time talking with them but I also enjoyed being in session with my
students. In the future, I want to work on finding this balance. I do not want
to be the type of Ag teacher that doesn’t go to session with their students or
simply turns them loose. I experienced this in high school and now being on the
other side of the experience, I understand that state convention should not be
spent following your advisor around or vice versa. I wish we would have had a
trip similar to state convention earlier in the term as I got to know my
students so much better and build greater rapport with them. I was honestly sad
that I had to leave. Bittersweet would be the best way to describe the end of
state convention and my student teaching experience.
I am looking forward to going back for their FFA banquet in
May and graduation in June. I hope that I have had just as great of an impact
on them as they have on me and my teaching. And looking back, I believe I did
have an impact on them. Moving forward when specific songs play on the radio, I
will remember various experiences with these students.
Thank you so much to my cooperating school, teacher and ALL
of the students I had the awesome opportunity to meet, teach and engage with
throughout the past few months. This was an incredible experience that has
taught me so many important pieces of teaching.
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