Where does the time go?

Time Management Tips for Teachers

Time management has always been something I have struggled with. It seems like there is just not enough time in the day! How can I be sure that I manage my time more effectively especially once I

have my own classroom someday?

An article written by Remez Sasson for  the Success Consciousness website listed many reasons why time management is important. It begins by saying that time is a resource that you cannot store or save for later. Therefore the time you waste, you cannot get back! It goes on to say how having proper time management skills helps you to set up your priorities and be more productive throughout your entire day. 

We all know that time management is important but how can I improve my time management skills? Concordia Online Education gives 5 tips to manage your time. The tips were focused specifically for teachers! I really liked these tips because they were simple but effective and I can see ways I would implement them into my future classroom and even while I am student teaching. 

1. Organize the day by priorities

          Make sure the most important tasks happen!

2. Strategically plan homework assignments

          Differentiate between what will be useful to do in class and what can be done at home

3. Avoid loaded procrastination

          Small piles of paper is easier to manage and the feedback will be more useful!

4. Plan for potential crisis

           Have a plan of action!

5. Set aside personal time

           Prioritize and make sure you have time for yourself 

Check out this YouTube video that provides 3 tips to help manage time! It focuses on the "RAC" Method: Recording, Analyzing and Changing

Check out this website containing many Teacher Resources for Time Management. These resources include things such as a daily planner, guides to procrastination and even a teachers guide to sleep! 

Even though it might seem like there is just not enough time in the day, there are many resources, tips and techniques to help me manage my time. These will be beneficial while I am student teaching and also in my future classroom someday!

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot!"

Resources:

"5 Time Management Tips for Teachers." Concordia Online Education. N.P., 2014. Web. 28 

            September 2014.5 Time Management Tips for Teachers

Sasson, Remez. "Importance of Time Management." Success Consciousness. N.P., 2014. Web. 28 

            September 2014. Importance of Time Management

"Top 10 Resources to Help Teachers Manage Time." The Guardian: Teacher Network. N.P. 2014. 

            Web. 28 September 2014. Top 10 Resources to Help Teachers Manage Time

Weekly Writing #5

Effective Questioning 

Effective questions are something I have struggled with. How can you use questions to be beneficial and not dreadful to the students? I can always remember doing anything to not be called on by the teacher to answer a question. Not making eye contact or trying to answer the first question I knew the answer to so I wouldn't get called on later. 

The article by James E. Dyer was incredibly beneficial at addressing many of my questions about effective questioning in the classroom. One of my favorite sections was when he listed many tips on how to maximize student participation which was one of my biggest fears. I don't want my students to be afraid to answer my questions and be active in class. 

One of the first tips was to call students by names instead of pointing in their general direction. I thought this was a great idea and something I really want to strive to do. Along with calling them by name you should be intentional about your nonverbal communication. Looking them in the eye when saying "good point" instead of looking at your notes is so beneficial. 

He went on to give many useful tips including calling on the class as a whole, randomly selecting students, repeating the responses and even giving the students a chance to ask the questions. 

The article also gave effective ways to handle the students responses. You never know what students are going to say. I am always nervous I will not know how to respond to a student and will end up embarrassed in the situation. My favorite part of this section was when he gave tips on how to rephrase or redirect your questions to get a better response from the student.

The final part of the article by Dyer was about answering student questions. I loved the strategies they gave for answering these questions. 

1. Have the instructor answer

2. Redirect the question to the class

3. Help the student answer their own question

4. Ask the student to see you later

5. Defer the question to a more appropriate time

6. Redirect the student to a resource

7. Admit you don't know and work together to figure it out.

Effective questioning was something I worried about but I really feel like I have a better grasp on it after reading this article. 

Lab #3: The Interest Approach

They always say the third times a charm. By our third lab I felt more comfortable with the peers I was teaching, the room and even being video taped with the microphone attached to my shirt. As nervous as I get for the labs it's also really exciting! 

For this lab we were challenged with the task of coming up with an interest approach. Something to get our students hooked into what we were doing and excited to learn. I chose to do my interest approach on my monogastric digestion lesson. 

After the bellwork, I began by having the students gather around the table with me so we could do a hands on activity. I had the students tear up a peanut butter sandwich like the teeth of an animal would. Then we added water which acted like the saliva or the water the animal would drink. From here we used a cup as a funnel (the esophagus) and put the mixture into a Ziploc bag which acted as the stomach. We even added soda to act like the stomach acids!

We then moved to the small intestine (a nylon) and talked about how the water that was leaving the nylon was like the nutrients that go into the animals body. We then used paper towels to soak up the excess water just like the large intestine. 


I was pretty excited to teach this lesson because I definitely am a hands on learner so teaching a hands on lesson was a lot of fun. I was more pleased with my lesson plan this time around because I had my power point printed out and ready to go as well as my guided notes for the students. I definitely think with each lab I am becoming more and more prepared. 

The one thing I noticed that I still need to work on is my clarity. This has been a goal of mine for a while. I need to improve on clarity especially when I am giving directions. Sometimes it makes sense in my head but I don't articulate as well as I could. 

I really enjoyed this lab and I'm looking forward to our genius hour we are having the next lab session! 

"Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out."

Lab #2: The First Day of School

I was very nervous to do my first day of school lesson in front of a small group of my peers who I consider my friends. I can only imagine how nervous I will be when I actually have to teach in front of real students, in a real classroom as a real teacher!

For this lab we had to come up with our classroom procedures, expectations and consequences then present them to our students just like it was our first day of school! The one thing we have heard over and over again that really played a part in this lab was making sure you hook the students in right from the beginning. This was the hardest part for me. How can I make sure the students are excited to be here and engaged in what i'm saying?

Those who know me know that I am obsessed with music. I thought that having a nice upbeat song playing while they students come into the classroom and begin their bellwork would make the mood a little lighter and would maybe make them a little bit happier! It would at least keep me sane for a while.

One of my biggest fears about becoming a teacher is classroom management. This was the first lab that our peers role played as typical students. Some were distracted by technology, some were sleeping, some were talking and the list goes on and on. I think this is such a good way to get us ready for what a real classroom is like. Of course its just a tiny sneak peak into what a real classroom would be like but it gives us the chance to try and work out what we would do in a situation like that.

Even though I was very nervous I was also very excited. I feel like these labs are really beneficial to our future careers! There are many things I want to improve on but overall I was pleased with the way my first day of school lab went!

Next weeks lab? Interest approaches!

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone"

Weekly Writing #4

Last week we got to write our first lesson plan and our first unit plan. I don't know if I was more stressed or excited as I worked through both assignments. We always hear about how important objectives are but as I working on these assignments it all really clicked for the first time. Objectives are the road map to each lesson. They keep you on track and everyone is on the same page when it comes to the end destination. 

Not only is it important for the teacher to create solid objectives for each lesson, it is important for these to be shared with the students. Listing the objectives and stating them aloud to the students gets their brain going and they know what to expect that day. It is also important to make sure the verbs you are using in the objectives are measurable and attainable. There are verbs that fit perfectly with the various cognitive levels (remembering, processing, creating and evaluating.)

Our readings for this week also focused on group teaching techniques which I found very interesting. I thought that the basic group teaching techniques were something I can definitely see myself using in the future. 
1. Lecture
2. Discussion
3. Demonstrations
4. Field Trips
5. Role Play
6. Resource People
7. Cooperative Learning

Out of the seven, field trips is the one that really stood out to me. We often think about lecturing, having discussions in class and doing demonstrations but I haven't really thought about taking my students on a field trip. 

The article from the University of Florida was really beneficial in breaking down how to have the most effective field trip for your students. I enjoyed how it broke the whole trip into three parts: pre-trip stage, trip stage and the post-trip stage. Each stage is equally important to the success of your field trip. The one that really stood out to me was the post trip stage. I believe that it is so important to debrief from the trip with the students and reflect on not only what you did but why you did it!

"A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination & usually the best way to get there."

~H. Stanely Judd

Weekly Writing #3

The semester has just begun but we have already learned so much! We are beginning to work on developing lesson plans. This has always been a scary task for me but I am excited to learn how to make my lessons the best that they can be. 

Every lesson must have a killer beginning in order to get the students interested, paying attention and motivated to learn. Our reading for this week talked about interest approaches. I think this is going to be challenging because every single day you are going to have to find a way to reel the students in and get them ready. 

Over the summer, I read "Teach Like A Pirate" by Dave Burgess. There was an entire section of this book dedicated to interest approaches! One of my favorites was the real world application. This hook shows students the real-life importance of the lesson, in hopes that this will motivate them to become engaged in the content. I think that this hook can be effective in an agriculture education classroom because the things students are learning can truly be transferred  into real life situations. 

Another hook that I think is incredibly interesting and would be beneficial for students is the Techno Whiz Hook. I think that technology is something that is going to become more and more useful in the classroom. Students are so connected to technology, why not make it a helpful tool in the classroom. One of the super cool tips was using QR codes throughout the classroom. Students can just scan the code to get the information. You could even have them scan the code as they walk into their classroom to get there "Do Now" assignment. 

Also, social media is huge in the lives of students. There are many useful ways to use social media instead of it being a distraction. For example, you can have students tweet questions or fun facts they find about a topic you are studying for extra credit. Also, having a chapter Facebook page can be beneficial to inform not only students, but parents as well. 

Some of the other hooks include: the kinesthetic hook, the safari hook, the Picasso hook, the involved audience hook and the contest hook just to name a few. I definitely recommend "Teach Like a Pirate" for anyone who is interested in teaching. 

Lesson plans are key to a teachers success and one of the most important parts of a lesson is the interest approach. I think it is important to always have an interest approach and also important to mix up the type of hook you are using in the classroom! 

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure"

~ Colin Powell

My Cooperating Center: Cashing in with Conneaut Area Senior High

I am stoked to be working with Ellen Aurand at CASH! Check out this video:

Reflective Teaching Lesson: The First Lab!

I'm the kinda person who likes to have everything planned out. I like to know what i'm going to do and how i'm going to do it. Therefore, when I was given two days to plan a lesson on "magic squares" I was a little freaked out. I was nervous that my lesson wasn't going to be perfect and I was going to fail at the task. 

A Magic Square! Using numbers
1 through 9, each column, row
and diagonal adds up to 15 

After spending time trying to figure my lesson out on my own, I wrote out a short lesson plan, practiced what I was going to do and what I was going to say. My lesson was on magic squares and the task was to get my lab group to successfully complete a magic square by the end of my teaching. If you're wondering, a magic square is one where all rows, columns and diagonals add up to the same number but you can only use each number once! 

I was so nervous for my first lab, especially since we were being video taped! However, as soon as I got to the room, I wasn't nervous anymore. That's one thing I love about my major, we have all become so close that I wasn't afraid to teach my lesson for them. I knew they were going to help me and make this experience fun. My lesson went pretty well and the feedback that I got from my peers will be so beneficial in helping me move forward.

One thing I need to work on is making sure my directions are as clear as they can be. After explaining how to complete parts of the magic square I had a lot of questions. I feel that if I would have been more clear in my instructions that could have answered those questions. 

 I thought this was a great way to kick off our AEE412 lab. It gave us the chance to understand what was expected, got us comfortable in the room, with the video tape and with each other. This experience taught me that as long as you prepare, have an idea of what you are doing and have confidence in yourself and your lesson, things will turn out okay. I'm looking forward to the rest of our labs. I think they are a great learning experience and are gonna help prepare us to be the greatest agents of change that we can be! 

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."

~Joesph Chilton Pearce

Weekly Writing #2

“Proper planning prevents poor performance.”This was one of the first things I read during this round of weekly readings. I think that this quote shows how important planning ahead is. Planning out the courses, the units and the lesson plans are all crucial to how successful you are in the classroom.

I have never really thought about how important the curriculum, course plans and unit plans were to a program. I always just focused on the lesson plan! After class and reading about planning, I now realize that you can’t have a great lesson plan without all of these other components.

So after thinking about how important all of these components are, I started to think about how I could ever create this entire plan and make it realistic and useful. The readings were great at breaking everything down and explaining how important the whole plan is.

The one thing that really stuck with me was how effective curriculum is planned backwards from long-term desired results. It broke this down into a three step process (desired results, evidence and learning plan). If you follow this process it will help avoid treating the textbook as the curriculum rather than a resource.

Each of the readings talked about working backwards to achieve success. It is important to set goals and have the end in mind. I think this can apply to the entire curriculum but also the daily lesson plans. One way to do this on a day to day basis would be to make sure your lesson has clear and attainable objectives so you can achieve them by the end of the lesson.

The other key parts of the readings were Bloom’s Taxonomy. I have learned about Bloom’s in many other classes but really enjoyed the chart that broke down each level. I especially thought the questioning strategies were very beneficial.

Overall, the readings taught me how important planning is. It also gave me great tips and advice on how to make sure my curriculum, course plans, unit plans and lesson plans with be successful. 

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 

― Benjamin Franklin

SAE Visit

One of my favorite parts of Agriculture Education and FFA is the aspect of learning by doing. An SAE project gives students the opportunity to learn about something they are interested in outside of the classroom walls. The skills and knowledge that they gain through their SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) are ones they will keep with them for the rest of their lives. 

Through the SAE experience students learn how to create a budget, keep records, explore career options in agriculture and apply what they learn in class to a real life situation. 

For my SAE visit with the Conneaut Area FFA I spent Monday, August 18th observing and learning about poultry and sheep production SAE's. Since I have a strong background in showing and raising sheep, Ms. Aurand asked if I would be willing to work with and judge the FFA member on fitting, showmanship and the market quality of her lamb. 

Some of the things we talked about were the weight of the lamb and its weight gain since the time of purchase. We also went over the important steps to getting a market lamb ready for show. 

It was very interesting to learn about the poultry SAE because I was not as familiar with it. Just like the sheep we went over how much the meat pen of chickens weighed. We also talked about the feed the chickens were getting on a daily basis. 

It was great to observe the projects these students have been working on for such a long time. I even got the chance to help out at an AET workshop and help students on their records book. The entire SAE process is such a beneficial aI am looking forward to my upcoming SAE visit with the Conneaut Area FFA

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

- Benjamin Franklin

Weekly Writing #1

This is the first of my Weekly Writing assignments for AEE412: Methods of Teaching Agriculture. These writings will allow me to reflect on the readings and share my reactions to them as well as the class activities and discussions. 

Wong, Part A

Reading about the basic understanding to being a successful teacher was very beneficial. The reading started out talking how important it is to have a great first day of class. It talked about have control of the classroom is crucial to the success of the school year. Control of the classroom means that as the

teacher, you know what you are doing. You also know your classroom procedures and all of your professional responsibilities. Along with this it is important that your students know that you know what you are doing.

I also learned about the four stages of teaching from this reading. The first stage of teaching is the fantasy stage. In this stage teachers believe that they cannot fail. They also believe that they need to relate to students and be their friends in order to be successful. The second state of teaching is the survival stage. In this stage teachers rely on ineffective practices just to help them get through the day. They often are more focused on the paycheck they will receive rather than what they are actually teaching. The third stage is mastery. In this stage teachers know how to manage their classroom and they have higher expectations for their students. They teach to make a difference.

The final stage is impact. In this stage you will fulfill your dream of making a difference in the lives of your students. You will also have a sense of pride knowing that you affected your students’ lives. I feel that I am somewhere between the fantasy stage and the survival stage. I am just getting started on my teaching journey and I can’t wait to see how I work through each of these stages.

The reading then went on to talk about the difference between being an efficient teacher and being an effective teacher. Efficient and effective are very similar but have different meanings. Being efficient means you are doing things right. Being effective on the other hand means that you are doing the right thing.

An effective teacher has positive expectations for student success, is an extremely good classroom manager, and knows how to design lessons for student mastery. I think that I will struggle most with classroom management. I am looking forward to learning more about how to be an effective classroom manager this semester.

Along with being an effective teacher means having an effective classroom. In order to have an effective classroom you must have a well ordered environment + positive academic expectations. I think having positive expectations are incredible important. I also think it is interesting how discipline has little to do with classroom management. “you don’t discipline a store; you manage it”

Enhancing Student Learning Through Teacher Behaviors

This article began by talking about how agriculture teachers are some of the best teachers in the world. But why? Rosenshine and Furst reviewed fifty studies and identified eleven teacher behaviors that were associated with student achievement.

From their studies they found five behaviors that provided the greatest opportunity to influence student achievement. The first behavior was clarity. To achieve clarity teachers should be sure that what they are teaching has organization and structure. I think that clarity is especially important when giving instructions to students.

The second behavior is variability. Teachers should working in a variety of teaching methods and techniques to ensure that the students are learning to their full potential. Every student learns in a different way and having different methods of instruction can be very beneficial!

The third behavior is enthusiasm. This is one that I feel is very important. “Enthusiasm is contagious.” Teachers who are enthusiastic create a student interest in learning. I think that this is especially important in subjects where students might not be as interested.

The fourth behavior is task oriented and or businesslike behavior. Rosenshine and Furst reported that teachers who were characterized by task-oriented behavior were more concerned with student learning rather than students enjoying themselves. I think that when teachers are more task-oriented students know what is expected of them and they know what to do.

The final behavior recognized by Rosenshine and Furst is the extent to which teachers provide opportunities for students to learn the curriculum material as prescribed by performance objectives and included on students evaluations.