Megan's Crowning Moments

       Throughout my student teaching experience I had the opportunity to be a part of many classrooms but by far my favorite visit was to Cumberland Valley with my cohort member Ms. Nicole Guise.  Nicole's experience was much different than mine as she spent a chunk of her experience teaching student's virtually on an A, B day rotation.  I was fascinated by this schedule and thankfully Nicole was more than willing to share more!     During my visit I had the opportunity to watch Ms. Guise  maneuver virtual class, a variety of technology, student questions, and promoting engagement. From my experience, none of these things are easy tasks to accomplish especially through Zoom. But, would we expect anything less than greatness from Ms. Guise? I loved the interactive videos and websites Nicole used to engaged with her students to fill in as much content as possible in the short 30 minutes she had with each student.    I had a blast observing my cohort member and I learned a lot th

 Throughout this semester, I have had the opportunity to engage in International Agriculture through many platforms. First, was the 2021 GLAG conference where I engaged with on demand sessions and the GLAG Reads kick off event! It was awesome to gain content knowledge, a variety of perspectives as I started off my student teaching experience.     As I progressed in to my teaching experience I found some pretty awesome takeaways as I read further into the 2021 GLAG Reads book, Teach Boldly by Jennifer Williams. First, was to be the architect of your own learning. This truly resonated with me as I know I learn differently from how many of my peers and students learn. Making sure that not only am I finding ways to build my learning as I continue to grow my teacher tool belt but also finding practices in which my students can build their own learning. I put this concept into practice with my 9th period Introduction to Agriculture Sciences course, we discussed what the SDGs (Sustainable Dev

 14 Weeks ago, I walked into class terrified. Was I going to be good enough, could I do this, will my students even like me? These are some of the thoughts the swirled around my head when I walked in on the first day. As I walked out of Athens on Friday I quickly realized, I was good enough, I could do this, and my students loved me just as much as I loved them. I know longer was Megan, unsure of herself and her abilities but now Miss. Royer the agriculture science teacher who successfully navigated plumbing, the nervous system, animal agriculture, shark tank projects, speeches, and so much more in the past 14 weeks of student teaching,      In the beginning of this experience I struggled with time management and student engagement, by the end my students loved to share but I always made sure we were ready for that bell to ring. I grew in my ability to evaluate students both with formal and informal evaluations such a projects, tickets in and out, quizzes, tests, and 3-2-1s. Most impor

  Dear Athens,        If I would have been told that the student teacher who walked into the classroom on day one would be where she is right now, I would not believe you. We have laughed, we have cried, and we have had a lot of fun together. I have not only grown in my ability to speak in front of a classroom but through online engagement techniques, labs, evaluation, and building relationships. Each and every student that has walked into my classroom has left an impact on me and who I am now as Miss. Royer. I feel that to fully give Athens the thank you they all deserve I must go class by class.      Horticulture,                  You taught me how to find enthusiasm in the earliest of hours, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to work in the greenhouse. I will always be grateful for your honesty so early in the morning and allowing me to push you further as we all grew together. I will never forget the parts of the seed especially, the seed coat. I know some of you will miss me mor

        As I reflect on week 13, lessons in electrical wiring, SDGs, Biosecurity, and the Endocrine System all worked together to make time fly by! As I am now a week away from completing my student teaching experience I am asking myself, how is that possible?!          I began my week with Ohm's Law, Lock & Key analogies, and biosecurity! M Introduction to Agriculture, Ag Mechanics 1, and Veterinary Sciences courses all played a role in my final evaluation, and they created an action packed week. We addressed very complicated questions like "how are we going to feed a doubling population by 2050?" and "what role does Ohm's law play in agriculture?". These questions along with many others played a vital role in the comprehension and discovery that took place this week, not only for my students but myself as well.         On top of the variety of content covered in the classroom, I also had the opportunity to create my first bulletin board as an Ag Teache

  Week 12, though it was only 4 days, was packed with many opportunities to showcase learning! I also wrapped up my time in two courses as we transition to the end of my student teaching experience and finalized grades for a marking period.  It's slowly becoming real that in 2 short weeks I will be completing my student teaching experience. This week as I wrapped up two courses we worked to prepare ourselves for life beyond high school, creating cover letters and resumes! Students had the opportunity to reflect on many of the skills, experiences, and certifications they have acquired during their time in high school. After determining these skills we highlighted the aspects that best demonstrated how qualified each student was for the position they were "applying" for. Seeing the diversity of career interests, experiences, and skills was amazing and a very proud moment. I cannot wait to see what amazing things these students accomplish beyond high school hopefully with s

 Week 11?! How can it be! This week was shorter than most as we all had 3 days together but I can assure you we made the most of it! Starting the week off, we focused on any missing assignments and wrapping up projects since the end of the marking period is today! We also reviewed from our days on Zoom making sure we were all on the same page before we went on spring break! Yesterday we shifted gears to resumes, pituitary glands, wild boars, fertile eggs, and Shark Tank projects to continue our hard work with the little time we have left together! It was super exciting to hear my students discuss various invasive species found throughout the state of Pennsylvania and how they might differ from other states.     We also shifted gears in FFA/SAE focusing on preparing ourselves for life after high school, creating resumes to help with the job hunt. It was awesome to see all my students list out all of their accomplishments and focus what qualities qualify them for the job they are interes

  Week 10, how can it be?! It was a week full of new experiences, quick thinking, and a few selfies! Though the transition to virtual learning was new and unexpected, it made me realize how lucky I have been thus far in my student teaching experience to remain in person! It was new and uncharted territory but I like to think that we made the best of our experience by tackling egg evaluation, ear notching, and plant grafting. My Ag Mechanics courses also adapted preparing our Shark Tank pitches and electrical safety.  I learned the importance of flexibility and finding the silver lining in every situation, like chatting with my students and checking in even if we could only see each other through a computer screen.  I found new ways to keep students engaged whether that was through videos or playing Kahoot! It was awesome to see their excitement through the screen as we reviewed things like beef cuts and egg sizes! For next week, my goals are focusing on reflection and evaluation makin

  This week we got down to business learning about cattle in Intro to Ag, soldering in Ag Mech 1, and beginning the construction of our Shark Tank projects in Ag Mech 2!  We also spent some time in Vet Science building neurons out of candy! It was action packed with hands on learning for all of my classes. Some student inquiry I received this week throughout my classes were questions like, "why did we add salt to the ice when making our ice cream?" or "How do I solder two fittings on at a time?" It was an awesome moment seeing the students take control of their own learning and staying engaged throughout the lesson!  In one of my Introduction to Ag courses we discussed relevant terminology to the agricultural industry as well as practices used such as GMO, castration, animal rights, animal welfare, and Organic production. Students learned about what antibiotics are and how they played a role in production, and they played Bingo as a review. The intensity rose as stu

 The week was full of marshmallow launchers, brain caps, speeches, and DIY projects to round out my 7th week of student teaching! We began the week building brains in my Veterinary Science class as we continued our investigation into the Nervous System. The students though reluctant at first, had more fun than they anticipated putting together their brains and visualizing how not only their own but also how pets' brains look! In Ag Mechanics 1 we also were hands on spending time in the shop identifying plumbing materials and tools as well as building marshmallow launchers to practice our PVC skills.  Along with spending my days in the classroom I had the opportunity to go across the street to the new Middle School program where students worked to design and build their own their own greenhouses. It was awesome to see the students and Ms. Elsbree work together as they discussed the different types of greenhouses such as lean-to, Single Gable, Gothic, and Free Standing Quonset. They

       Blue and Gold, Boots vs. Crocs, Drive Your Tractor to School, Pancake Eating Contest, and a Petting Zoo were just a few of the ways the Athens FFA chapter celebrated National FFA Week. Each day was a different adventure as I navigated wearing my Advisor hat and Teacher hat all at the same time all while teaching a full load for the first week!       It was a crazy adventure from seeing student's excitement as we counted up how many pairs of crocs vs. boots were in the room, then followed by a very heated debate. To completing a Rate of Flow lab with my Agricultural Mechanics 1 class. One of my students was even the champion of the pancake eating contest! Others were super excited to show of their pets at the petting zoo. The excitement and laughter that filled the school this week was infectious and made the stress of teaching 7 classes much easier.            As I began the week I quickly learned that I would in fact be getting quite the workout each day, as my CT and I c

  This week marks 4 weeks into this great adventure we call student teaching, from Horticulture Crime Scene Safety Lab, to Exploring SAEs, and rounding our week out with an awesome heart dissection. This week was nothing but adventure! I started my week with horticulture as we worked to identify the safety hazards that played a role in Tom's unfortunate accident. We also had a greenhouse scavenger hunt and created our own pesticide in some pretty crazy snow. We also worked in identifying the pH of three mystery samples. I implemented lots of quick thinking on my feet as we overcame a little snow, moving from the greenhouse, to the shop, and then finally ending class back in the classroom. It was a big step for me but, I learned so much along the way.       As we moved through the week I had the opportunity to observe not 1 but 2 science classrooms, attend my first chapter meeting (an officer meeting), and help with processing strawberry orders. It was exciting to not only wear my t

  As the snow fell and our in person school days quickly turned into virtual, the school week went from 5 days to 2! Though the school week was shorter, so many opportunities to learn occurred over those short two days I had in person. I had the chance to sit down with my CTs and discuss my first week of student teaching which was exciting and nerve wrecking all at the same time! I also had my first visit from Dr. Curry, my university supervisor and spent Friday evening with the Seniors at the chapter's third and final FFA Lock In.       Navigating the ever changing dynamic that is teaching in a COVID world, was quite the challenge this week. Finding ways to promote student engagement when we were not meeting in a formal school setting as well as move forward with content was a new and unique obstacle within itself. I learned A LOT from this experience navigating the varying levels of access and internet capabilities each student faces as well as their ability to learn in a digita

  In to the jungle I go as I began my first week of teaching at Athens Area High School, and like any jungle, it was full of challenges, new experiences, and so many opportunities to learn! I started my week with my Horticulture first period, as we investigated greenhouse and pesticide safety! We discussed safety symbols and identify the 10 important components of a pesticide label.  Third period I began my public speaking unit with my FFA/SAE course as we discussed speech topics, citations, and reliable sources. Students also worked to create a T-shirt design, plan the Sophomore and Junior Lock In, and began to fundraise with their annual Strawberry Sale.   Although my week was briefly interrupted by a snow day, it gave me a chance to collect my thoughts and reflect on how excited I was to continue my semester at Athens.   One pivotal moment of my first week of student teaching was the moment when I realized I was now in charge of 15 students and the nerves that filled my body. Thank

  As I began my student teaching internship, I was welcomed with open arms by my cooperating teachers, the other educators, administrators, and of course my students! My first full week included observing, In-Service days, a State Officer Visit, FFA Lock In, and a meeting with the middle school Ag Teacher. It has been an incredibly busy week as I have slowly gotten the swing of things. I worked to master the schedule for the day and finding my way around the building. My students have been so kind and helpful, showing me around, explaining to me the bell schedule a couple times now, as well as sharing with me what they are most excited about learning in the upcoming months. A highlight of my week was when 3 students asked Mrs. Alderfer when she was done teaching Intro to Agriculture because they wanted Miss. Royer to teach! :)  As I enter the weekend I am focusing on finding an organizational system that will work best for me as I begin teaching my first two classes next week, Hor