During this first week of student-teaching, I have been observing my cooperating teacher, making a routine for myself, and learning the school "ropes" as much as I can. As a result, it was the perfect time to visit a science classroom to see how teaching a content area so intertwined in agriculture, but taught without the model of agricultural education, could give me a new perspective. And did it ever.
First, let me give you some background information. I observed the same teacher for two periods, Biology II and Anatomy. The students were from grades 10-12 and the teacher has 21 years of experience under her belt. The teacher also used to coach basketball, 20 years of doing such, and is now in her 2nd year of PIAA basketball officiating, which she says has helped her develop a successful classroom management strategy.
Some background information about the classes. In Biology II, the class was learning about natural selection, adaptations, and population genetics, which can be rigorous information for students to understand. In Anatomy, the class was learning about skin discoloration and skin cancer.
Here are some of the many things I learned:
1. Being tough is okay.
There is no prescribed way to teach a class, but there is also no manual for how you are supposed to do it. Thus, it is okay to be tough and have high expectations. Students will rise to the challenge if given the chance, and that is what I witnessed during my visit. The material being taught was tough and rigorous, but the students took it in stride, did not complain, and met the teacher's objectives and goals for the day. It is okay to be tough, expect a lot, and not tolerate behavior problems. This does not make you a mean teacher, it just shows how much you care about every student's future.
We have a saying at Penn State, "To whom much is given, much is expected." Thus, if a teacher gives a lot, shouldn't the students be expected of a lot, right?
2. Some days, your lessons will be entirely teacher-centered.
I have learned, during my time at Penn State, so many different teaching techniques. From problem and project-based to inquiry, there are so many different styles and methods that can help students learn material more effectively. However, there are instances where I believe I'm talking to much. But what I am realizing is that sometimes my lessons will be teacher-centered, and that is okay. For some lesson plans, it may be more appropriate for a teacher-centered approach, and other times a student-centered approach will be more effective. There is no shame when a lesson is more teacher-centered. It would be a disservice to our students if all of our lessons were student-centered because of frustration. After all, everything in moderation, right?
3. Using authentic problems will create interest in students.
We have all heard students say, "When will I use this again in the future or how is this relevant." It is so important to have real and authentic problems for students to study and use to make connections. It makes the material more meaningful and relevant. While I was visiting the science classroom, the teacher did just this. She provided a research lab packet with guided notes and questions about the research done on pocket mice and their relation to population genetics, natural selection, and adaptations. When in doubt, #KIR (Keep it Real).
4. Variability of teaching methods and materials is key.
Lastly, I was reinforced with the notion that teaching with different aids, materials, and activities will correlate to better success for students in the classroom. This includes auditory, hands-on, and visual aids, different activities that require students to get up and move around, and using alternative methods to engage students in a lesson. Additionally, making sure that a teacher is changing the activity every 15 to 20 minutes so that students can remain engaged. I was once told that if we, as teachers, are bored, than the students are 10 times as bored.
5. Collaboration
After visiting the science room, it is even more evident how science and agriculture connect. Whether it is environmental sciences, plant science, or animal science, there is a direct link to the content being taught in Biology, Earth Science, Physical Science, and even Chemistry. Thus, it would very beneficial for a collaboration to occur. This would provide agriculture students a chance to get instruction from an expert on the topic and for science students to see application of the content in a real-world setting, such as the greenhouse, aquaponics labs, etc.
This was a very rewarding visit and I learned so much during my time in a science classroom. There are some great techniques that I learned that I will absolutely be implementing as I student-teacher and beyond.