Observation: Check!

This past week, I had the opportunity to observe Mr. Deysher and Mrs. Rice at Oley Valley in preparation for teaching classes during my student teaching internship. They are doing a great job of getting me involved with the lessons to engage with students on a daily basis. With a fire drill, professional development events, and an early dismissal, I was truly given some great experiences this week.

After observing Mr. Meals in Anatomy and Physiology on Monday, I was able to see how teachers utilize the piece of equipment in their lessons. I posted an additional blog about this earlier this week, so be sure to check it out!

On Tuesday, the high school teachers had a professional development presentation about students and trauma. Much of the information taught in the presentation gave me a better understanding of some of the difficult situations our students may be going through and experiencing at home. The biggest takeaway I had from the speaker was remember that when students act out, it is most likely from a larger issue. At this event, I had the opportunity to meet some of the other teachers from around the building.

What is one thing that a student teacher will be caught off guard by? Answer: a fire drill. Thankfully, I was in Mrs. Rice's animal science class when the alarm started to ring for a fire drill. I followed along with Mrs. Rice to go through the correct procedures. After standing outside in the beautiful weather, we headed back in for the remainder of the class. Once we returned to the classroom, students continued working on their packets in preparation for the chicken dissection.

Overall, my final week of observation went great! I am getting to know my students better, what is expected in their classes, and how the school day runs. Everyone is looking forward to a long weekend for Martin Luther King Day. When we return, I will start teaching with Natural Resource Management and Biotechnology. What a great week and I cannot wait for more!