The Search Is On...

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As the semester moves along, I am searching for my ideal cooperating center to complete my student teaching experience! But what is the ideal program for me? Here is “Ms. Cusate’s Top 5 Want’s in a Cooperating Center” (in no particular order) as I am searching for the perfect fit for me! 

 

A Comprehensive High School 


I attended Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School in Bloomsburg, PA, where I studied Agriculture and Plant Systems Technology. Since I attended a Career and Technical Center, I would like to see how agricultural education is taught in a comprehensive high school, where students take agriculture classes as an elective instead of as a vocation. Teaching a 90-minute block or 45-minute class period will be a tremendous learning experience from what I saw as a student, which was 3 hours in my agriculture classes a day.  

 







Offers Classes I Do Not Have a Lot of Experience In 


As a student fm an Agriculture and Plant Systems program, I have experience in horticulture, floriculture, and greenhouse management. However, I would like to gain experience student teaching at a school that offers animal science, agricultural mechanics, and wildlife and natural resource science. Ideally, the perfect program for me would offer classes that cover a little bit of everything! 

 



Community Involvement and Engagement 


There’s no better way to put it, I want to student teach at a cooperating center that is “Living to Serve.” I want to be able to help organize and participate in volunteer opportunities and community service activities. I am a very service and community-oriented person and I value connectedness and community relationships both within the school and the surrounding community!  

 



Strong FFA and SAE Involvement 


As it makes up two-thirds of the agricultural education model, I would really like to student teach at a cooperating center that has strong FFA and SAE involvement. I want to experience conferences, Career and Leadership Development Events, chapter meetings, and Supervised Agricultural Experience visits while student teaching to grow in my ability to guide my students through those opportunities as an educator! 



Authentic and Honest Feedback


As I grow as a professional, I am seeking a cooperating teacher that will provide me with honest feedback as I become a better teacher for my students. I know I am going to make mistakes and that becoming a good teacher takes time, and I hope that I can student teach with an agriculture teacher that is willing to show me where I can improve and is not afraid to be honest with me about my performance in the classroom.







What's Next?


Very soon I will be completing my student teaching application and placement interview to move further into the process of being a student teacher! I am so excited to continue visiting School-Based Agriculture Education programs in Pennsylvania in hopes of finding my perfect fit!



Thank you for your endless support,


Ms. Cusate


 

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