The Core of Teaching

I had the opportunity to read some amazing articles this week that taught me the principles and strategies for being an effective teacher. As many of you know, I am striving to obtain a teaching degree in agriculture. This was the first step of crossing the threshold from student to teacher. I am beginning to see what the teacher sees.

There are 16 principles that go into becoming an effective teacher. I learned from reading many more articles that these all flow together into creating the effective teacher I need to be. The following web address sends you to a journal article I found that ties these principles and characteristics together. The articles calls them the "Four Aces of Effective Teaching."

• Ace 1: Outcomes
• Ace 2: Clarity
• Ace 3: Engagement
• Ace 4: Enthusiasm

Some of these readings also talked about growth vs fixed mindset. In class, we learned that anybody has the capability of becoming a teacher, but it may take more effort for some than others. This is reiterated in the textbook reading we had about both students and teachers having these mindsets. It was also in our summer reading book of "Teach Like a Pirate."

These have given me the great start into learning how to become the most effective Agriculture Educator that I can be. These readings are a great lead into what the following week of classes have in store for me.

~Erin Yoest~

Reflecting on my first "mini" lesson

The other day I had the challenge of teaching a lesson that was given during the first day of class. These lessons were anonymously chosen. I had one of the harder lessons try and teach. As I look back on my video from the 15 minutes, I realized that there were many things I did wrong. I thought I had it planned out very well, until it was actually put into play with a live audience. The three things i picked up on right away were:

1. I had no objectives! :(
2. two minutes into the lesson I realized that my method was NOT working
3. I took too much time on revealing the symbol's matching word 

Now let me back it up a little because you are probably wondering what my lesson was. I had the task of teaching 31 symbols with a matching word to each. The end assessment was to decipher a paragraph and have the students fill out a learner satisfaction form.

After the lab was over, I read those learner satisfaction forms. About half of them said they were unsatisfied with the learning they received. I compare the comments to what I saw in the video and they were all right. I needed to put more enthusiasm into what I am teaching. I also needed some sort of learning activity to go with the symbols. As I was half way through the lesson, it dawned on me that I was boring them.. a lot. But I couldn't stop then. I kept on going, and I feel like that was one good thing I did during the lesson. I learned a lot from this one experience and it can only go uphill from here!


Until next time, "Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer."   -Denis Waitley

~Erin Yoest~

Supervised Agricultural Experience Student Visits #1 & 2

June 23, 2015

On this day I had the privilege of conducting SAE home visits with Mr. Wallace. I got to meet two of the most active students SAE wise. The first student we visited Brandon. He works with his dad on their large farm. They have about 20-30 dairy cattle they still milk. The farm is mainly crop and hay production. Brandon works on the farm full time to help his dad. They had just bought a new tractor. Mr. Wallace was asking him questions about the engine, where they bought it, and what it will be used for. The family had just went through a hard time with one of their larger producing dairy cows had just died earlier that morning. For just that half hour that I was at Brandon's farm, I saw how this SAE was important to him and his family.



The second student we visited that day was Hanna. She was raising beef projects for the county fair. At this SAE visit I got to see the importance of community to the students and their projects. Her neighbor that owns a beef cattle farm let her keep her steers in their barn. Their families helped each other out. The set up was amazing at the farm. There was a wash rack, scales, and a large pen the steers had to grow in. I got to meet the owner of that farm. They also showed me a little more of their calving set up.










In the end, I enjoyed these SAE visits. They got cut short because of the huge storms rolling it, but they still served their purposes. I saw the importance of home visits, community, and family commitment to these students' projects.



August 19, 2016

This was my second SAE visit. This time it was at the county fair. I got to see more projects. Even though the students weren't there at the moment, Mr. Wallace knew a lot about them and answered all the questions I had. There was a mixture of animal projects at the fair. I had the opportunity to watch the hog show and visit with Hanna again. I got to see the final outcome of her project.

I learned that visits outside of school are important. The teacher can get to know the students and parents on a different basis than in a school setting. The teacher can learn from the students, just like the students learn from the teacher.


Until next time, "The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs you and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a shark stick called 'truth.'"

~Erin Yoest~

Mallorie showing her market hog project.

Cara and Jamie with their prize winning dairy cattle.

Where it all began...

... was about 12 years ago when we moved out of the suburbs and to the country. My family decided to start a Texas Longhorn herd of about 12 cattle. I slowly got more involved in showing livestock over the past 10 years through 4-H and FFA. One of my favorite things to do each summer was raise and show livestock at the county and state fair. I have been successful with many 1st places, 2nd places, and a division champion and reserve champion. My personal favorite animals to raise are hogs and goats. This summer was my last year to show market livestock. It was a bittersweet moment being in that sale and show ring for the last time. Hopefully I will carry on the show stock legacy with my future children.













I also have a horse named Kat. He's a 14 year old quarter horse who loves the barrel pattern. I've owned three horses in my lifetime of riding and I finally found my forever horse. When I settle down with a home and my own property, I plan to run a horse farm with two quarter horses and a team of Belgians.








I was an active member of both programs and LOVED every minute of it! I found a passion of mine: teaching agriculture. I have spent the past three years of my life at Penn State University studying Agriculture and Extension Education. I have just begun my senior year. I will be a student teacher at Mohawk High School in spring semester. Throughout the last couple of years at college, I have been active in Altoona Ag club, Altoona Collegiate FFA and Teach Ag! Society at University Park campus.




So... many of you may be wondering, "Why is her blog titled so?" Well, there is a story behind that. I am proud to say that I have enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves. It took months of thought to make my decision. I am excited to be leaving in 10 months for my next journey. Who knows where the next road may lead, but I know it will be a good one.

Along with signing for the Marines, I recently got engaged. I am excited to live this crazy journey called life with my best friend.




I hope you continue on this amazing journey with me!

Until next time, 

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."   

  -George Bernard Shaw

~Erin Yoest~