The Cumberland Valley Kickoff

#psuaged22 parted ways after delivering our Final Presentations in December and are now scattered across Pennsylvania hoping to score some touchdowns at their respective Cooperating Centers. From now until the end of April I will be experiencing some serious growth as an educator and blogging about it every week, so be sure to keep coming back for more updates and help me to maximize this experience by asking questions or leaving me with some feedback in the comment section. 

The Line of Scrimmage

Cumberland Valley's 2022 Keystone Degree Recipients

The first day of my Student Teaching Internship did not begin in the classroom, but in Harrisburg at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. After spending the weekend learning about financial literacy and job negotiation at the Pre-Internship seminar and judging Agriscience Fair project with my cohort, I met up with Cumberland Valley at the Pennsylvania FFA Midwinter Convention in the New Holland Arena. Here, first year members received their very own FFA jackets and senior members where given their Keystone State Degree, the highest award a Pennsylvania FFA member can receive. 

I have been to Midwinter Convention many a time before, but attending this event with the lens of an advisor had me seeing it in a whole new light. A lot of thought goes into organizing an event like this for a larger group of students. Not only do you have to think about the logistics behind getting the students to the Farm Show Complex, but you also have to think about how to make the experience meaningful for all the students attending. To do this, Ms. Darla Romberger and Ms. Jeanne Case created a scavenger hunt that the students have to complete while at the Farm Show, giving them an opportunity to explore, but also challenging them to engage in some of the educational opportunities that the Farm Show has to offer. They also took the time to prepare the seats of their jacket and degree recipients with congratulatory hand-outs to make the experience a touch more special. I am thankful to have been able to help celebrate the accomplishments of Cumberland Valley FFA members during this exciting day.

The Bench

Gel Electrophoresis (SCIENCE science)

You know what, I like the bench (no one gets tackled there). Watching Ms. Romberger shine from the sidelines also proved to be a great opportunity to become more comfortable with my surroundings and get to know some of the students. I learned that I am also in the right place when it comes to learning to employ a rigorous, relevant curriculum for my students. From fetal pig dissections to gel electrophoresis to DIY hydroponics units, a lot of really cool content is being taught in Ms. Romberger's classroom. While I do feel underprepared when it comes to content knowledge in most of the classes I will be teaching this semester, it looks like there will be plenty of opportunity for me to learn new things to take back to my own classroom in the future!

With the students having off on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I will being my second week (and first week teaching) on Tuesday. Since I will be starting off by introducing my first class to myself and my expectations, what first day activities do you love using in your classroom? I am both nervous and excited for the journey ahead of me, but am so ready to be the best teacher that I can be for my students. Be sure to check in next week for more updates!

'Taylor'ed with love,