Controlled Chaos - Week 4

Wow! It has been an exciting week!

Monday was a challenge in the sense that it was Monday, and kids were on the sluggish side, so it took a lot to get them participating, but they came around... Then there are those realization moments that make you count your blessings... In the context of fruit production, I brought into my Intro. to Ag lesson about eating a balanced diet, and the appropriate daily serving size... I told them to write down what they had eaten in the last 24hrs. so that we could compare... I noticed multiple students hadn't written anything... When I asked them about it, they said they didn't eat anything the previous day... nothing? "No."

Tuesday the highlight of my day was challenging my Animal/Vet Science class with balancing a complete dairy goat ration... they looked at me like I was out of my mind... haha... they informed me (the previous day) that my cooperating teacher had spent 2 weeks on animal nutrition... I said, "great I'll see what you know"... when they couldn't readily tell apart common grains, and didn't remember the 4 compartments of the ruminant stomach... well, I decided that they at minimum needed a refresher... They got their refresher Monday, so Tuesday they had to learn that they didn't really "know it all" like they thought they did... some fo their responses... "this is hard"... "we didn't do anything this complicated before"... "wow, it's hard to keep the protein and phosphorus in balance"... :) I loved it, and so did my cooperating teacher... and more importantly it pushed them just a little farther! I also good some good responses to the video on why it is important to wear proper safety eye wear in my Power Tech class, and no one seemed to need reminded.

Wednesday helped me select my title of "Controlled Chaos". I started teaching both sections of my Plant and
Soil Science, and I certainly got a few "stretch marks"... My first section has some students with a lot of energy, and a few "non-participants"; however, they were all engaged the entire time which is very significant for those students which typically act uninterested and set through class and sleep or at least keep their head down... While I would have preferred that they set quietly in their seats, raise their hand to ask a question, etc. at least they were all participating and paying attention. I split them into groups (howbeit not without some apprehension); however, despite the few grumbles, they obeyed without questioning or challenging. I had given them 10 seconds to decide who (from my high energy gang) was moving to another group, or I would pick... they didn't move fast enough, so I helped them with their selection! At the end of class as I was finishing up my reminders for the next day, the students all jumped up and headed to the door... at that point they pushed me just a tad too far, and I made them all go set down until I finished, and then I let them go. My second section of Plant and Soil Science is almost as equally challenging, but in entirely different ways - the class is composed of several lower-level students, several very sarcastic/"smart-alek" students, and 2 students who continually try to challenge me, but I am going to keep working on them, and do my best to hold my ground and keep the law laid down. If they take it a step farther, so will I, and they will bear the consequences of their actions!

Thursday was a unique day. I found out that I had incorrectly told my students how to wire their second
wiring project... That will have to be fixed Monday... Third period I had my first opportunity to take my Intro. to Ag class out to the greenhouse. After they had answered the bell work and filled out papers on their assigned seed type, we went to the greenhouse and they filled their trays with soil, drew lines/row with a "custom" board, planted their seeds, and made labels. For my Animal/Vet Science class we were learning about gestation and the placenta. Having planned way in advance for this lesson, I brought a very real and authentic specimen! ...My HS boys couldn't handle it... pretty amusing considering that they think they are so tough and macho - it definitely gave me some good laughs... :)

Friday was spent working on the AET with Mrs. Carole Fay. I learned several new things about the AET program and my student(s)! The most enjoyable part was getting to work with a few students who are genuinely interested in doing SAE projects. We talked about ideas and goals for the project, did some research, and started working on recording the information into the AET. I was also shocked to see how many of the upper class men have never worked a job, or even been involved in some kind of volunteer organization - not even mowing grass during the summer - very sad. As their Ag teacher, it is my responsibility to help prepare them for the workforce... a very scary aspect considering all the more experience I have in that category, let alone the fact that I'm not currently employed myself except through my small home business.

Things to work on this coming week... learn more of my student's names, work with those students starting SAE projects, and work on developing more ways to keep my students engaged and participating!