Field Day Breakfast

As I sit in a staff meeting, I can't help but think about this weekend... Yeah it's only Tuesday but I'm am stressing, losing sleep and racking my brain about this weekend. Now what the heck is this weekend? That would be Chico State Field Day!

For me and my kids, the first weekend of March is truly the kick off to the field day season. As an Ag teacher, it is the most aggravating, amazing, stressful, awesome ball of craziness. I absolutely LOVE field days!!! They are frickin awesome! Students learn new things, meet new people and really make an effort to be a winner. For me it is a reunion of Ag teachers who get together and chat (or complain occasionally) about how the year is going. It also serves as a source of rejuvenation and inspiration to get through the rest of the school year. To say I love these people, does not do enough justice.

One of my breakfast buddies! This weekend we will be working mostly on Master's homework-- yuck!

 

About this time each year, I am typically frazzled. Just because there are literally a million things going on and I'm getting pulled in a million directions. Simply, getting coffee and taking a couple hours on Saturday field days to catch up is AMAZING! It does wonders for the psyche and gives me hope to be effective and awesome in the classroom for the duration of the year.

Most of the people I spend these Saturday mornings with are those who I went through the credential program with. Others are those I met along the way. They are amazingly talented people, who make me want to be a better teacher, more successful coach and just flat good.

Perception of success lies within each of us... Believe you can and you will!

Believe you can and you're halfway there.

Theodore Roosevelt

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_inspirational.html#kkCfBSEdYlXWqD1x.99

Some PJ's and coffee...

Today is what you would call a...... Lazy day? Couch day? PJ day? Do absolutely nothing day?

Whatever it may be, for me it's a complete day of doing nothing. This last week has been absolutely nuts... From daily FFA activities and dress-up days to preparing speakers and regional officer candidates, I am completely exhausted!!! It was extremely successful week but at the same time when you have so many things going on there's bound to be fights, disagreements, upsets, sometimes tears. To say I'm proud of all of my students for their participation and dedication this week is an understatement. 

I mean let's be real I'm not a walk in the park but I tell my kids all the time that I would never ask them to do something that I wouldn't do myself and I would never ask them to do something that they are not capable of. After a couple conversations with various people I've decided that it best not to focus on the win. It's not about the ribbons, the plaques or the announcement of names. It's about the growth process to get you to a point. Teaching kids to work hard, put in the time and practice is my favorite part of being an Ag teacher.

Having moved from a school with three teachers, to a new school and being by myself, this year, I have had to learn what to pick and choose as priorities. One thing I promised myself this year, was that I would never do something for them. The amount of potential my students have is unreal-- getting them to realize their potential has been the struggle. Teaching kids about that process of hard work and dedication has been the test for me. Taking kids who have never been successful in the blue jacket and helping make them successful has been the best part of this year. I feel so fortunate to be able to continue this journey with the students next year.  Although it's only February, I know that my students are learning every day that it's about the process to the win that matters...

This last week has been stressful and time consuming with LOTS of coffee. But if I don't put the time for them and give them my 100%, they won't do the same for me.  They know I'm invested in them and their success and that gives them the courage to try new things and RISK BOLDLY....

All the kiddos at the Sectional Speaking Contest

Some ribbons and plaques! Even they were surprised with their success...

Regional officer candidates! They weren't  slated but they learned a ton from the experience! So proud of them for putting themselves out there!

Word to your mother

Manic Monday-- FFA Week!

Today starts National FFA Week! Have you hugged a farmer lately? In high school, I never really valued FFA week, mostly because I never fully understood the meaning or the purpose. Now that I'm a teacher I try to instill the importance of FFA history into each of my students. If we don't pay attention to the history of FFA how will we understand the importance of its future??

FFA seems to have had such an interesting past and crazy road to what it is today. Gone are the days of FFA, only being important when it came to students taking animals to the fair. FFA is creating leaders of tomorrow, future farmers, future scientists, future businessman and future consumers. 

I'm so proud to have been part of FFA in high school. While I never thought we did enough, competed enough or traveled enough, I'm grateful for all the opportunities that I was provided with. FFA helped shape me into the person I am today. Which is why I work diligently to make sure that my students feel the same impact, if not a greater impact from the FFA. 

In our crazy world it's really important to remember to stop and smell the roses. But at the same time, we need to remember that someone actually had to grow those roses... Embrace agriculture! Embrace FFA!  

Happy National FFA Week!

One of my senior pictures... In my FFA Jacket of course! 

Monday Motivators

Thank baby Jesus for a 3 day weekend! 

I spent the last two days working with students and I am fried. I took a few students to work with a dear friend who is essentially a BAMF! (Bad a$$ Motha F*****) She is one of my teacher role models because she is literally amazeballs!! She's a rock star in the ag teacher profession. I knew when I was considering tackling a new CDE (career development event), she would be the first person I would consult with. She has won multiple state and national championships with students and is one of the most effective coaches I've ever had the privilege to work with. 

Soooooo.... What is this new CDE I'm crazy to try? Marketing Plan... It's without a doubt one of the most difficult contests students can participate in. It combines real business, sales, accounting, marketing, agriculture, speaking, professionalism and collaboration among other things. It requires smart kids, who can speak with a general interest in business and agriculture... That's kinda a tough combo... 

To say I'm nervous is an understatement. But after a day of working, my kids created goals about this season. It was kinda awesome that each of them put "Win State Finals" as a team goal! I guess they say go big or go home, right?! 

CDE's are my favorite part of being an Ag teacher... Spending countless hours with students practicing, practicing and yeah, more practicing. They all pay off in May at State Finals, it's a crazy roller coaster type of experience. I give them every bit of knowledge I have to make them successful and somedays I literally I have to take a walk because of the exhaustion. But every part is completely worth it! Watching the transformation of a student from January to May, is a small miracle. CDEs forever change kids.... For the better! 

Happy Monday!!!

Wednesday Wisdom from a Young Owl

Recently I've been helping some of my chapter officers apply for being regional FFA officers. There's a question on the application that has had my kids perplexed for about a week. What is your greatest struggle and how have you overcome it? 

The wording of the question had my kids completely at odds. I finally said "what is your weakness?" That made more sense to them but then they said a weakness isn't the same as a struggle? I guess I never really thought about it like that. Not everything that is a weakness is a struggle, not everything that is a weakness has to be conquered. So I asked the kids to think about what they've struggled with in their life. What really gets to them, what do they really see as something they've struggled with. 

Their answers were amazing to me. One student put her struggle was being overly confident. And how people perceive confidence as being a snob or a know-it all. How can something so amazing like confidence be a bad thing? With every speaker I have ever coached, one of the first things that I tell them is "say it like you mean it!" Like in MadTV's video- "Do not be insecure! Own that ponytail! WORK THAT UPDO!" 

So how could this be a struggle? It's a struggle for high school girls when they're confident because there are literally judged daily. Judged by what they do, what they wear, what they say, who they're friends with and so on. Now I don't mean we should have a whole bunch of arrogant kids walking around, just that we should be teaching kids to channel their confidence in positive directions. Confidence is something that most high school students lack, so why is it that kids degrade each other when one is confident? Insercurities-- plain and simple... 

Insecurities are something far too common in high school. Comparisons about everything and everyone. Judging each other based on anything and everything. Using stereotypes to breed hatred and never being open-minded, about anything. This folks, is far too common what happens every day high school.

We need more tolerance, real quick like. It's not even an issue of acceptance. We can agree to disagree and I don't have to accept what you believe in. But I do have enough to respect to tolerate you and be respectful and kind regardless of your beliefs and differences.
Confidence in myself and tolerance and respect of others is what make successful people. People who will do good not only for themselves but for others and work to make a difference.

Confidence is key, the struggles are many and tolerance is invaluable... 

Changing to a blog from a website

Sooooo I've been thinking for a while about ditching the website format and switching to a blog. I think a blog allows me to be more interactive while documenting the crazy trips, conferences, adventures that I occasionally partake in as an Ag Teacher. My goal is to not focus on talking about curriculum or dwelling on education as a whole. I would simply like to make it more accessible for community members, students and parents to keep track of all the activities we do.

Being an Ag teacher is much more than being in a classroom each day and grading homework and tests. On a typical day, I feel like I am a teacher, colleague, mom, dad, doctor, artist, social worker, therapist, best friend, sister, brother, fashion police, hygiene official, bus driver, cosmetologist, hair stylist, secretary, grammar police among many other things.

I love what I do and the kids I see each day. Being an Ag Teacher is....... my life.