This week was a very active week in the classroom. Students began speaking to the class in preparation for the CDE public speaking contest in FFA Leadership. It has become more obvious to me as a teacher on how illiterate students are today. I do not believe that the students are the ones at fault, but I do believe they are the victims in this. From my time as a middle school student, my writing skills have developed (I am not saying that I am a good writer, because I am far from it) greatly. However, even as a senior in college, I do not feel as skilled as others.
This class project has made me ponder how the education system has prepared students on writing and communicating with others. Is technology affecting students in a negative way? Have children shied away from reading as child to playing video games or finding entertainment elsewhere? Or are the students that I am teaching at the beginning stages of writing and speaking? Knowing that I can make a difference in how students speak, and write puts a pulse in my veins. That I can have a positive impact in how they can influence others.
This week I was able to see students greatly improve in their writing and speaking abilities and help coach them to continue building.
This is the type of positive impact is what bring joy to my life, knowing that I can make a difference.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Saturday, February 22, 2014
When the Light Bulb Turns On
This week was a great week for making improvements. With the National FFA week and all of the activities that follow, I am very proud with how the students came together to see it all through. At the beginning of the week, students were scrambling around putting all of the ideas they had together and executed a very good teacher dinner.
With school being cancelled the day before the Teacher Dinner, I was very worried that the items students promised to bring would not appear for the dinner. Some of the items did come in, however, other items were not present. Fortunately, some students were able to have parents bring them in throughout the day and others had friend pick them up. This was a great learning experience for me as an educator to have a plan B, plan C, and even a plan D. However, when it all came together and students were given thanks from the other teachers, they were very happy of their work and dedication to see it through.
The classroom this week was also a very inspiring for me as an educator. I have some students that an outside person may not think would do very well, however, they were my best students at the task. I was curious as to what their parents may say so I called one family and had the other family in my parent teacher conferences. They were both very happy with how their students were doing in the class and said that their child was always excited for my class. This was a great thing to hear from them and it was even more inspiring to keep me motivated.
With school being cancelled the day before the Teacher Dinner, I was very worried that the items students promised to bring would not appear for the dinner. Some of the items did come in, however, other items were not present. Fortunately, some students were able to have parents bring them in throughout the day and others had friend pick them up. This was a great learning experience for me as an educator to have a plan B, plan C, and even a plan D. However, when it all came together and students were given thanks from the other teachers, they were very happy of their work and dedication to see it through.
The classroom this week was also a very inspiring for me as an educator. I have some students that an outside person may not think would do very well, however, they were my best students at the task. I was curious as to what their parents may say so I called one family and had the other family in my parent teacher conferences. They were both very happy with how their students were doing in the class and said that their child was always excited for my class. This was a great thing to hear from them and it was even more inspiring to keep me motivated.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
The True Experience
The past week couldn't get any closer than an AG teachers normal week. This last weekend I participated in my first ACES conference which was truly an eye-opening experience. However, once we arrived, I noticed my students were not nearly as enthusiastic as I was for the experience. I knew that I had to get them excited and yet build rapport with them since they have only seen the stern Mr. McMillen. It was time that I showed them that FFA is fun and could be fun with Mr. McMillen.
Once we were at the dance, I noticed that all but 2 of my students sat around a table and would refuse to leave it for the dance floor. They seemed too shy to just get up and have fun. My duty, to see that they had fun (CHALLENGE ACCEPTED). I began dancing past their table without acknowledging them to see how they reacted. I got some laughs and continued to prod at their stubbornness. By the end of the night, the table was empty and all of the students were having a great time. From that point on, the students in the classroom were not nervous to talk with me about issues they were having. This experience opened the door for the students to connect with me. Teaching became a little more easier because they seemed more relaxed and confident in sharing their findings with me. As a result, this week was a very productive week, they knew that I could be their for them and that I could help them instead of just teaching them.
My classroom management plan has taken an interesting turn. At the beginning of student teaching, I wanted to be the "Classroom Enforcer", however, I quickly realized that it will only work for some of my classes. One class in particular is unscathed by standard punishments such as detention or in-school suspension. In reality, if I were to give the detention, the students will skip the detention and receive and in-school suspension. With this route, not only does the student get placed in the in-school suspension, but they miss out on a learning episode. This route does not do anyone any favors or benefits. Re-thinking my approach I began to just let them talk more than my other classes and connect with the students more rather than be seen as the "Classroom Enforcer". After a week of this tactic, I noticed that the students respect me more as a teacher and will be dead quiet when I need them to be, but also, their quality of work has gotten better. I have students that you would think did not learn a thing by watching them in class, but when they get an assessment, they blow down the doors on it and rock it out.
Very little circumstances such as this are black and white in the classroom, sometimes you have to improvise and change the things you were taught to do in order to see student success. Besides, we are teachers because we want to see students achieve and grow. The road will most definitely go in different directions, but the destination remains constant. TOTAL STUDENT SUCCESS
Once we were at the dance, I noticed that all but 2 of my students sat around a table and would refuse to leave it for the dance floor. They seemed too shy to just get up and have fun. My duty, to see that they had fun (CHALLENGE ACCEPTED). I began dancing past their table without acknowledging them to see how they reacted. I got some laughs and continued to prod at their stubbornness. By the end of the night, the table was empty and all of the students were having a great time. From that point on, the students in the classroom were not nervous to talk with me about issues they were having. This experience opened the door for the students to connect with me. Teaching became a little more easier because they seemed more relaxed and confident in sharing their findings with me. As a result, this week was a very productive week, they knew that I could be their for them and that I could help them instead of just teaching them.
My classroom management plan has taken an interesting turn. At the beginning of student teaching, I wanted to be the "Classroom Enforcer", however, I quickly realized that it will only work for some of my classes. One class in particular is unscathed by standard punishments such as detention or in-school suspension. In reality, if I were to give the detention, the students will skip the detention and receive and in-school suspension. With this route, not only does the student get placed in the in-school suspension, but they miss out on a learning episode. This route does not do anyone any favors or benefits. Re-thinking my approach I began to just let them talk more than my other classes and connect with the students more rather than be seen as the "Classroom Enforcer". After a week of this tactic, I noticed that the students respect me more as a teacher and will be dead quiet when I need them to be, but also, their quality of work has gotten better. I have students that you would think did not learn a thing by watching them in class, but when they get an assessment, they blow down the doors on it and rock it out.
Very little circumstances such as this are black and white in the classroom, sometimes you have to improvise and change the things you were taught to do in order to see student success. Besides, we are teachers because we want to see students achieve and grow. The road will most definitely go in different directions, but the destination remains constant. TOTAL STUDENT SUCCESS
Friday, February 7, 2014
The Full Load
Considering this was my first week of having a full load, it went very well, but the snow days definitely threw me for a loop. My Horticulture class is going great. This week we learned how to test for N-P-K in the soil using soil fertilizer tests and moved into the green house with their plant project with a topic of their choice. Some of the topics were very well thought out and will be interesting to see the out come....I wonder how well plants grow if fed nothing but Gatorade and soda???
For my first day in my freshman Introduction to Agriculture, they were every where and got distracted easily. They will be my real test and growing point for this internship. They demand more activities to keep their interest and need to be always moving, which is hard to plan for but easy to teach.
Advanced FFA Leadership is going well with speeches. The topics that the students are working on will be very interesting to hear and watch them grow as public speakers. However, I am still transitioning slowing with the "work days" that are designated for developing FFA activities. This week was very stressful since we did not have the near the time to work on the National FFA Week due to the snow days. Some of the students are really stepping up to the plate and others are confused with what to do. I am currently in the process of making a "To-Do" list for the committee so they can really focus on the objective.
Introduction to Welding is almost to the shop, but are in the process of trying to complete the safety exams to enter the shop. It was a great joy to over hear one students say "Mr. McMillen, you really care about us" which is more true than they think. I really want them to succeed and do well!!
For my first day in my freshman Introduction to Agriculture, they were every where and got distracted easily. They will be my real test and growing point for this internship. They demand more activities to keep their interest and need to be always moving, which is hard to plan for but easy to teach.
Advanced FFA Leadership is going well with speeches. The topics that the students are working on will be very interesting to hear and watch them grow as public speakers. However, I am still transitioning slowing with the "work days" that are designated for developing FFA activities. This week was very stressful since we did not have the near the time to work on the National FFA Week due to the snow days. Some of the students are really stepping up to the plate and others are confused with what to do. I am currently in the process of making a "To-Do" list for the committee so they can really focus on the objective.
Introduction to Welding is almost to the shop, but are in the process of trying to complete the safety exams to enter the shop. It was a great joy to over hear one students say "Mr. McMillen, you really care about us" which is more true than they think. I really want them to succeed and do well!!
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