Half Way Point.....Can it be?!

I feel like this week went by even faster then the past weeks.  I can't believe I have reached the half way point so quickly!  I feel like so much has been accomplished, but I still have so much more yet to do.  This week has been full of a lot of review as I worked quiz and test my students on what they have covered so far in their classes.

I spent time with my Introduction to Agriculture class finishing up posters on Conservation.   My intentions for this project were for the students to take the information they learned in class and do research to make it more personal.  I wanted students to begin to think about the issues that arise within soil and water conservation that affect their lives.  However, I realized as they were doing their research that the students weren't seeing just how important this topic really was.  After spending a day presenting posters, and reviewing the unit as a whole and taking a quiz, I decided to have the class participate in a class discussion.  I began to ask the students what they learned.  They spit back the information that had been given to them, telling me how we had little fresh water, and we needed to conserve it.  However, I still didn't see that they really understood the importance.  I asked them what we could do with this information to really make a difference nationally, and even globally, in soil and water conservation.  Answers such as creating brochures, and commercials were thrown around, which didn't seem like bad ideas.  However, I then challenged them to think about whether or not those things would actually make a difference.  The room was silent.  I asked them if anyone had changed anything they do after learning about our limited water supply, and the effects soil erosion and pollution could have on them.  No one had.  We then talked about if it really mattered for them.  They realized in America, we have it easy.  We EXPECT water to come out of the faucet when we turn it on.  We EXPECT there to be enough land to produce the endless amounts of food that are available to us.  I then challenged them with this question:  If you had to carry every ounce of water you use in a days time, would you then conserve water?  Would you still EXPECT a fifteen minute shower?  It was then that I saw the students start to get it.  When we talk about the water cycle, and water availability, it isn't a national issue, it's a global issue.  We wrapped up the discussion to wrap up the unit.  I learned a lot, and will make a lot of changes before I work through this information again in the future, but overall, it was a really good learning experience.  Next week I will be working through a mini Introduction to Dairy Judging unit before moving ahead with soil and hydroponic management.

I worked through speeches with my FFA/SAE students, who will all be presenting their speeches at the county contest.  We went over different ways to prepare for the contest, and worked on digging deeper into subjects in order to vamp up their final drafts.  We will continue to work through the public speaking unit as we begin presentations on Wednesday of this coming week.  I am excited to see the students progress with their public speaking skills!

My two sections of Horticulture were productive this week.  We worked through the last part of seed propagation, took a quiz, and will now head into asexual propagation.  I am really pleased with the students response to my instruction.  I believe that they are really learning the information well, and they are being really patient as we wait for the supplies to get into the greenhouse!

This week I picked up Agricultural Mechanics with the Electricity unit.  A class full of high school boys, who laughed at me when I told them my first classroom expectation is Respect.  I have made it half way before having a difficult time, so I can't be surprised, but this will undoubtedly be a class to test me.  I feel that I have done well in sticking to my consequences, however, I am nervous as they begin to reach the point where I planned to remove them from the class.  I have found the key with them is to keep them busy, however, I can't have them in groups, as they have not proved that they can handle that yet.  I believe this will definitely be a new adventure as I continue to work with this class.

This week we also had the delivery of our strawberries, which was a fundraiser I helped put together.  They first moved ahead two days on delivery, then were pushed back a day, making the final delivery date Wednesday.  We had a busy day as we worked to make sure everything was handled smoothly.  Friday was another eventful day.  Halfway through third period Mr. Steinfelt had a fire call, after the second call went out, the school arranged for immediate coverage, and I taught forth (which was already my class) and fifth (not my class) on my own.  I feel that I was better prepared this time, and overall, it went pretty smoothly.  I have learned that you never know when duty may call, that is for sure!

I am really enjoying my time in the North.  I find myself working later and later every night, and I look forward to the extra time to get work done on the weekends, but in the end, it is rewarding.  I look forward to this second half of my experience, but I know it will come to an end all too soon.