Narrowing down a list of possible cooperating centers has been much harder than I initially expected. The main reason that I think I've been struggling is that I wasn't quite sure what I even wanted in a cooperating center. When I started to actually visit programs, it made it a lot easier to determine what I did and didn't like.
1. A one-teacher department:
The ag program at my home high school was a two-teacher department. I always just saw this as a "normal" situation, as it's what most schools in my area have. I like two-teacher programs because it helps to spread the work load without having too many cooks in the kitchen. Though I like two-teacher departments, I think that learning how they operate with just one teacher will help me grow as an educator. It will force me to stretch myself and see just how much I can handle.
2. Community support:
It's very clear that having full support from the community for a program can make a world of difference for the kids. It's extremely important to me that I end up somewhere that I can turn to community members for outside knowledge and resources for my students.
3. A "traditional" schedule:
My home high school had a block schedule system, which means we had four separate hour and a half periods a day. I think it would stretch me as an educator to student teach at a program that has a traditional eight or nine periods a day. I would have to prep for more classes each day and would also have to figure out how to effectively lesson plan for 45 minute periods. I think this will be especially challenging for classes that include labs or working in the shop.
4. Ag mechanics courses:
I haven't been the most mechanically inclined person and unfortunately never took the opportunity to take ag mech courses in high school (which I'm kicking myself for now). I would be doing a disservice to myself and my future students by not seeking out the opportunity to grow my ag mechanics skills.
5. A greenhouse:
Try as I might, I was never able to fit horticulture classes into my schedule in high school. I have a fair amount of content knowledge for plants, but not a lot of hands-on experience. I hope to grow my practical horticulture knowledge during my time student teaching.
1. A one-teacher department:
It's very clear that having full support from the community for a program can make a world of difference for the kids. It's extremely important to me that I end up somewhere that I can turn to community members for outside knowledge and resources for my students.
3. A "traditional" schedule:
My home high school had a block schedule system, which means we had four separate hour and a half periods a day. I think it would stretch me as an educator to student teach at a program that has a traditional eight or nine periods a day. I would have to prep for more classes each day and would also have to figure out how to effectively lesson plan for 45 minute periods. I think this will be especially challenging for classes that include labs or working in the shop.
4. Ag mechanics courses:
I haven't been the most mechanically inclined person and unfortunately never took the opportunity to take ag mech courses in high school (which I'm kicking myself for now). I would be doing a disservice to myself and my future students by not seeking out the opportunity to grow my ag mechanics skills.
5. A greenhouse:
Try as I might, I was never able to fit horticulture classes into my schedule in high school. I have a fair amount of content knowledge for plants, but not a lot of hands-on experience. I hope to grow my practical horticulture knowledge during my time student teaching.
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