Music to my Fears: Week #9

From the Greenwood students performing in the musical The Sound of Music, to making songs in animal bioscience, to listening to some tunes to get work done, we brought the music this week!

Greenwood students in The Sound of Music

Caught in action

I am so loving having my students do these hands-on activities and labs. Not only is it good for them to actually see and practice what they've been learning and reading about, but it's nice for me as I try to lesson plan. Less of me talking and more of them doing. I also think they really like this change of pace.

Risk BOLDLY

One of my expectations of my students is to risk boldly. I know that sometimes this is easier said than done, but I want to push my students to step outside of their comfort zones. So I try to plan activities where they're not always reading or listening to me lecture. 

I was nervous to try it because I knew I would get some push back, but I had my students try to make a song which included the parts of the udder anatomy. This was to help them with their anatomy quiz they would have the next day. There was some initial push back, but there were some really fun songs made. And I think my energy and excitement about this activity made them a little more excited. There were still some that spoke the lyrics rather than sang them, but I was happy to see them get in front of the class and perform. 

There were other groups that really got into it and even brought their guitar to play! It was fun and I think they enjoyed it. 

Anatomy of the udder performance

I had made the comment that I would join them singing if that would make them feel better. I like to live by the idea that I won't make them do something that I wouldn't do myself. One of my students said that this ideology is what makes a great teacher. I really appreciated his comment because I wasn't looking to try and be great... I was just being me. It comforts me to know that who I really am with students is received well and that they appreciate my efforts and support.

I did end up singing with one of the groups which made true my promise to my students. It shows me that it's not about having great lessons or being the best and most knowledgeable about the topic (I completely butchered the initial explanation of the anatomy of the udder to begin with). It's about showing students that you care and want them to succeed and you will do what it takes to get them there. It made an activity that I was hesitant about initially which stemmed from a lesson that originally crashed and burned seem worth it to see and hear the students' feedback. 

FFA participation

This weekend, we are at the Farm Show Complex for the Truck and Tractor Pulls. The blue jackets are being put to work helping with tickets, raffles and other odd jobs. They also get a chance to see the event!

Plans for next week

So next week, I'm going to be gone for three days. It stresses me out not being there just because of the nature of the lessons in several of my classes. There are presentations and labs and things that are coming up but I need to be there to assess them so I have to push things back even further. I fear that I am going to have to either start cutting out lessons that I wanted to teach (which I've been doing already) or cutting out whole units because I can't get it all done before the end of student teaching. But I am hopeful that it will all work itself out and when I have my own program I will be able to plan better for these events. 

In brief, I am having my students in the greenhouse, doing some work on engines, preparing for speeches, doing a careers assignment, making cheese, and discussing food additives. 

Leaving Thoughts

"The key to success is playing the hand you were dealt like it was the hand you wanted"