So, I came to the realization today that I only have 13 days left of actual student-teaching at Tri-Valley High School. Only 13 more days to make the most of this experience, 13 days left to be with "my kids," 13 days left before I am no longer a student-teacher, but an agricultural educator.
Wow. Just wow.
If you know me, this is a huge deal. I will be the first person in my immediate family, as well as both sides of my extended family to graduate with a 4-year Bachelor's degree. This is a big deal for me. Such a big deal that I guarantee tears will flow on the last day of student-teaching and on graduation day. My entire life has been leading up to this moment. I know that seems like an over-reaction, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. This, for me, is a culmination of all the blood, sweat, and tears I have shed over the past four years. This is proof of my persistence, resilience, and passion for agricultural education, a testament that I am where I need to be.
13 day left. 13 days to make a maximum impact.
So what did I learn in week 12? That teachers need to be AUTHENTIC at all times.
My university supervisor came last week for my second official visit and I was really stressed out about it. Not because I was worried about my teaching, but because it was someone evaluating me and providing a professional opinion of what I was accomplishing at Tri-Valley. I know I was over-reacting, but if you know me, I want to push myself to be the best I can be, even if that means I am hard on myself. Here are some specific things that I noticed about authenticity.
1. You do not have to make a big, fancy lesson whenever you are evaluated
Whenever you are being evaluated, whether by a peer, mentor, or administrator, you do not have to create something "extra" special. Administrators need to see every part of our job, even down to the days where we are doing review for a quiz or providing students a structured workday for a project. Creating something fancy does prove anything about yourself. Most of the times, if your students are not used to it, a special lesson will not go as well as planned.
This is something I have to work on because I am my own worst critic. But, just as #psuaged18 discussed in our last conference call, administrators are not evaluating use to play games or pull our chains, they are here to help and make us better educators.
2. You cannot completely control what students do, only how you react.
Every student-teacher, new or beginning teacher, or veteran teacher wants a lesson when they are being evaluated to go perfect and as planned. But we all know that this is not real-life. We can create a lesson with great activities, but the one variable we can never truly control or account for are the students. And you know what, that is okay. It is how we respond to these road blocks that count. It is how we stay on track, even when we might get temporarily derailed. In these situations, our administrators will be able to see how we handle the bumps and still accomplish our learning objectives and outcomes.
I am extremely excited to be graduating and am confident that I am ready to move on with the next chapter. But this important lesson from week 12 will absolutely serve me well in the future.