A Day at Mifflinburg

Every single agriculture program is extremely unique- they are all different- because every teacher is different and every student is different.  Today I went to visit Mr. Matt Snyder at Mifflinburg High School.  Mifflinburg has a general agriculture and agricultural mechanics program- the same as what Pequea Valley has, but it was neat to see how things are run so differently. 

The highlights of the day:

• Individualized Projects
• Spending time with a peer that is working through similar challenges and joys
• Time to reflect and watch

Independent and project-based learning are things I desire to do in the classroom, but are sometimes harder to implement.  This is done well at Mifflinburg and I it was cool to see it in action.  There was a tractor restoration project going on at the same time as the sandblaster and a carburetor disassembly along with a wagon project.  The students know their routine- they know what to do when they get in and both Mr. Kessler and Mr. Snyder help manage and assist where needed.  One of the coolest projects I saw was an electrical wiring project that would be the same set up put in a chicken barn- which is popular in Pennsylvania. When I asked a few of the students what they were doing they were all willing to share what they’re doing.  His students get to work and he let’s them know

One other cool part about visiting was seeing things that I probably don’t notice when I am the one teaching.  Matt interacts with students in cool ways- through their projects, through making sure they are on task- and he does this differently with different groups and it was really cool to see how he connect with individual students.  This was cool not only to reflect and see what someone else is doing but to think about what I am doing as well and think about how I can continue to adapt, change and grow. Overall the visit today was beneficial to reflect on teaching along with catch up with a peer that I know will be one I can call when I need help in the classroom too! 

Thanks for a great visit Mr. Snyder!