The Search Continued....

     Throughout the semester, I have been able to learn about and visit a few amazing agricultural education programs throughout Pennsylvania. Each program was different from the next and I ended up seeing a wide variety of program facilities, SAEs, as well as students and teachers. Every teacher that I was able to meet was incredible welcoming, but my favorite part about each of them was how committed they are to their students and programs. 

The Centers

    As someone with almost no high school Ag Ed background, I found each of the programs that I was able to visit incredible in their own ways. I was given tours of schools, met some of the FFA officers, met other teachers within the schools, and even got to see some exotic small animals. 

    One of my favorite parts from my first visit was seeing how the students interacted with their teacher. They all genuinely loved their teacher. If their teacher was struggling, those students were right there giving all of their support. The environment at my first visit was like none I had ever seen in a school before. This program also welcomed a wide variety of SAE projects that included livestock, small animals, vet care, crop production, and so much more. I liked the community throughout the entire school as well as the support that the other teachers showed toward the FFA chapter and the rest of the ag program. The chapter participates in many conferences and workshops throughout the year and keeps its students on their toes. They also hold a number of fundraisers to benefit their program. This school also has a woodworking and metal shop with an attached greenhouse. 

    The second school that I was able to visit had incredible facilities. From a dog grooming tub all the way to a stall for a small horse/calf, this school had amazing hands-on opportunities for its students. Many of the ag students are also enrolled in other vocational classes like metal working and carpentry. The carpentry students are even building a house to be sold! There are also a few greenhouses with plans for a new one as well. The classroom opportunities are endless at this school and the FFA program offers even more. Their program is involved in numerous conferences and workshops throughout the year and also holds several community events. One of my favorite events is a pancake dinner with homemade maple syrup made by the students on the school's campus!

    The third school that I was able to visit had a super cool shop with several welding booths. There were also setups for some small animals as well as aquaponics. The popular agriculture that surrounded the school surprised me because it was not run by who I expected: it was run by Amish! Unlike many of myself, the students at the third school I visited received most of their agriculture information inside the classroom; most of these students did not grow up involved in agriculture like I did. I was surprised to learn that only a select few students came from a farm background. When learning about the FFA program, I also learned that the advisors do not tend to encourage SAEs as much as other advisors do. These teachers said their primary concern was getting the students involved in the program, and sometimes you have to sacrifice certain things. One of my favorite things about this school was that every student is required to take an agricultural biology class that is taught by one of the ag teachers. That means every student rolls through their program for at least one class. 

The Teachers

    In my mind, the teacher that I get to student teach under is just as important (if not, more important) than the cooperating center that I will get to teach at. Choosing someone to learn from for a semester can be pretty challenging once you consider the fact that you will be with them for over seven hours a day for five days a week. The teachers that I was able to visit were all extremely passionate about their programs, students, and agriculture. Each of them brought something different to the table and would definitely help me to become a better agricultural educator. I really can't say enough about each of the teachers that I visited; it would be a pleasure to learn from each of them.

    Two of the most important qualities I was looking for in a cooperating teacher is patience and good leadership skills. I have not led a classroom for longer than five days and would love to learn how to be an effective classroom leader from a good teacher. I also think that I exhibit patience fairly well, but I think my patience can always be improved. I am mostly searching for a teacher with patience because I know that I will not be perfect during my time in the classroom; I also know that I learn best from patient people. Learning from a patient cooperating teacher will benefit the teacher, the students, and myself the most. 

Where Do I Go From Here?

    I strongly believe that I will thrive at any of the cooperating centers that I visited these past couple months, but I also think one is the best fit for me. Whatever school and teacher I ultimately work with next semester will help me turn into the best ag teacher that I can be. I look forward to sharing where I am placed!

And thanks for tuning in!

With love,

Krista Mathias