Reverse Stereotyping

While I may be a “typical” American being a white, Caucasian female, the environment around me has taught me how society functions. As a Caucasian I have been stereotyped against, just not in the normal connotation. Being of my ethnic background I have a stereotype that works in my favor.

If I were to walk into a store I would be treated with the respect of a regular customer. However, if someone of a different decent were to walk in to the same store, they may be looked at as if they were possible criminals. This is just one example of how society acts toward Caucasians.

Another example of how I am stereotyped is in a work situation. While it is not always true, many businesses assume that people who are white are better suited for the position. Due to miss conceptions, it is inferred that people of different backgrounds are not as reliable or hard working as Caucasians.

A final standardization that allows me as a white American to roam “freely” is the media. Media calls attention to people of different ethnic backgrounds that commit wrongs in their lives. Even though the do point out wrongs of whites, they somehow overpower this with other items in the media.

These three stereotypes have helped me to realize that no matter what your culture, ethnicity, or tribal background you will be conventionalized against in one way or another. This has enabled me to prepare for my future. I now strive to resist standardizing all individuals. By doing this I am making it easier for those around me to not stereotype. While it is hard to imagine a world without stereotypes, it would greatly benefit society as a whole.

Essay written in response to a minority scholarship essay.

Livestock Judging

This past fall I had the unique opportunity to participate on the Ohio State University Livestock Judging Team. It was a great experience that I would not have had without the push of my high school ag. teacher. He kept expressing to me the opportunity that I had available to me at OSU. So, I took the class and made not the team. And, while we were the most successful in terms of awards and ribbons, myself along with my team made memories that will last forever. These are from both in contest and out of contest. But no matter what the context of the memories, they were truly life changing.

The Great Tractor Debate

The age old question, what tractor brand is superior John Deere or Case IH? Well, being a JD fan I would have to say John Deere all the way. I just like thier equiptment better. Yet, this video and many others on youtube stand to debate my selection in tractor color. So whether you are on the red side or the green side, here. is a video that shows who the "winner" just may be, in this scenario of course!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aGmvyY1d5A&feature=related

English In the Ag Class?

As agricultural educators we are always striving for new ways to make our curriculum attractive to potential students, administration and the community. With the attached link I think we are moving in the right direction.

http://www.agclassroom.org/directory/search_result_details.cfm?pid=489

The USDA's Agriculture in the Classroom initiative makes it possible to co-mingle core curriculum in the agricultural classroom, which is important for the future of agriculture in society.

OSU Beef and Sheep Farm

I have been an employee of the OSU Beef and Sheep Units for a year now. Through my experience I have learned so many new skills and much knowledge. I think that it is so amazing that opportunities like this are available to students at the University. More over, the skills that I have learned here not only will translate into my future ambitions of owning beef cattle, but in my teaching career as well. There is so much to learn and gain here.

Over the past year I have worked numerous hours with the animals as they were being prepared to breed, being bred, calving or lambing, and everything in between. This allowed me to see how a livestock operation runs and how to be successful at it. Additionally, just simply working with the animals feeding them on a daily basis provides a respect and knowledge of how animals think and respond to human interaction.

I cannot say enough about the OSU livestock facilities and I cannot wait to continue working at the farm over the next year. I have so much to learn in a short amount of time.

"Block '11"

It is sad to say that the Block is over, yet our future as educators is on its way. So, to all my fellow "Blockies" I say, life is short and times are tough, but what we do is not for ourselves, but for the lives of our students. Therefore, we must make the most out of every situation that we are faced with and provide a rich environment for our students to learn for their future and the future of agriculture.

Technology, Technology, Technology

Technology is ever present in our world. I mean you cannot turn your head without seeing someone on a smart phone, poking around on a iPad, or simply using a computer. Now, technology is not going to disappear nor will it stop evolving. So why not embrace it?

That is exactly what I plan to do in my future classroom. Realizing that I am not a huge technology buff, I still want to incorporate it somehow in the classroom. In general students are up on the latest technologies and by providing them with an opportunity(ies) to use it in the classroom will get them excited to learn.

Bottom line, technology it present all around us, so take advantage of it!

Believing In Me

Believing In Me

Inspire me to learn from you.

The gift that is so true.

Tell me of the time we had.

When you believed in me

I wa no longer sad.

Fill my mind with words of your soul.

Teach me to give and never let go.

I yearn to grasp your inner needs.

Be all that I can.

I shall never leave.

Sarah M. Hall

While reading this poem I began to think of my experience in agricultural education and the FFA. Then, it hit me. I believe this poem fits extremely well with the role of agricultural education for the students that needs to be nurtured by the educators. We, as educators should all strive to believe in our students in the aforementioned ways. It is our duty to make a positive difference in the live of students and belief is the first step in the process. If we can show our students that we believe in them and that we care, then we shall never leave them and they will never leave us. 

Agricultual Awareness Poem

Green-Thumb Boy

By Dr. L.H. Pammel

Hybridization, cross-breeding, evolution:

He takes to new theories

like a puppy takes to ice cream.

We whisper that our Green-Thumb Boy

is the black Mendel, that Darwin

would have made good use of Carver.s eyes.

So clear his gift for observation:

the best collector I.ve ever known.

I think we have an entirely new species

of

And always in this threadbare lapel

a flower, Even in January.

I.ve never asked how.

We had doubts

about giving him a class to teach,

but he.s done a bang-up job

with the greenhouse. His students

see the light of genius

through the dusky window of his skin.

Just yesterday, that new boy,

what.s-his-name, from Arkansas,

tried to raise a ruckus when Carver

put his dinner tray down.

He cleared his throat, stared, rattled

his own tray, scraped his chair legs

in a rush to move away. Carver

ate on in silence. Then the boys

at the table the new boy had moved to

cleared their throats, rattled their trays

and scraped their chair legs as they got up

and moved to Carver.s table.

Something about the

man does that, raises the best

in you. I.ve never asked what.

I guess I.ll put his name next to mine

On that article I.m sending out.

Pseudocercospora.

Endings

So after 9 weeks of the "Block" it is all coming to and end. Today I finished my exam for 530 :(  Now, all I have left to do is complete my final projects for the remainder of the quarter. It seems to be bitter sweet that this school year is coming to an end. I have made such wonderful friends and it will be sad tobe away from them for the summer and most of the fall. However, I have learned a lot and am ready to embark on my student teaching experience.

CSU

Today was a unique opportunity to visit Central State University. And it was an AMAZING trip to say the least. We heard from two amazing speakers today Dr. Moses and Dr. Jeter. They were both very inspirational, but in very different ways. Additionally Mike and Christian, two of the student teachers that we met today, shared thier experiences with us and now we are striving to make collaborative events with the education students of CSU and Block students. All in all it was a FANTASTIC day!!!!

Here are some quotes spoken today that were of great inspiration to me:

"Weeds in the classroom are just flowers that need a lot of attention." Dr. Jeters

"Nothing is so sophisticated that it cannot be made simple by hard work." Dr. Moses

"Attitude is your mental position. If your mental posture is not correct, you feel as though the weigh is going to kill you." Dr. Moses

Leadership

To lead is to live dangerously because when leadership counts, when you lead people through difficult change, you challenge what people hold dear--- their daily habits, tools, loyalties, and ways of thinking--- with nothing more to offer perhaps than a possibility. Moreover, leadership often means exceeding the authority you are given to tackle the challenge at hand. People push back when you disturb the personal and institutional equilibrium they know. And people resist in all kinds or creative and unexpected ways that can get you taken out of the game: push aside, undermine or eliminated.
                                       Leadership on the Line--Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading      
                                                                                                            Ronald Heifetz & Marty Linsky

While trying to de-stress from a terrible day yesterday I sat down to go to bed and picked up the aforementioned book and began to read. And, while I really should have been doing other things, there must have been a reason that I decided to start reading. Then when I reached page 2, I discovered it. This excerpt says it all. Through my time as a leader and teacher I will live dangerously. But more importantly, it is how I will deal with the danger that comes my way that will determine my success and ultimately the success of my future students. So I am challenging myself, and everyone else to live dangerously, push harder, and be a good leader, mentor, and educator.

"Take a Deep Breath"

It has become painfully clear that school can be overwhelming sometimes, well, most of the time. It is a constant struggle to find the balance between what you want to do and what you should do. But, it is with the aid of peers, faculty and family that I have been able to make it through every battle that has come my way. Yes, I may get emotional and hysterical, but by taking a deep breath and thinking through my options I am able to come to a rational decision. And, eventually the choices become easier and easier as the things that I want to do become the things that I should do. Which I believe is a step in the right direction.

"Take Home Today and Use Tomorrow"

What a unique opportunity that I was provided with late last week. Myself along with the members of the Block made a trip to Green County Career Center in which we spent two days. During our time there we met many phenomenal educators who truly inspired us to continue in our educational experiences.

I loved being able to see a different side of education. Having come from a comprehensive high school I never truly experienced that wonder of what a career technical education can provide for students. All of the high schoolers at GCCC had a passion for their education. Not only that, but they are being provided with a plethora of opportunities to advance in their fields of interest.

Because of this experience I have seen first hand that benefits of career technical education. I have also been given the tools and resources to enhance my teaching. The information sessions that were provided by the career center were very helpful in understanding how a  school system operates; everything from interviewing to everyday teaching to testing, there is so much to understand. But, know I can say that I have tools that will help me through my teaching experiences and I am very blessed to have had this opportunity.

Weekend Adventures

It is always great when you gain new expereinces. This weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to share Friday and Saturday with my fellow '11 Block memebers. We had our first bonding experience at the wonderful FFA Camp Muskingum. It was a weekend full of fun while still learning a great deal. I could not have asked for a better experience and cannot wait to do it again at Green County Career Center later this week.

Test

Yah!