National Convention

What happened?

This past week I was at the National FFA convention in Louisville, Kentucky with my cooperating school. This was the first time that I was acting as a teacher with my cooperating school. Throughout the week we spent time at the convention center, visiting local industry, and even going on a dinner cruise. 

Day 1:

The first day was actually very unproductive. We spent 12 hours in a bus driving down to Louisville. The students all grouped together in the back of the bus as expected us teachers and chaperons were in the front of the bus. 

Day 2:

This was the first day we spent at the convention center. In the morning when we got to the center, half the group split off and went to the Ag science fair to help set up 2 boards that West Perry had entered in the CDE. The other half of the group (about 7 students and myself) went into the shopping area to see what all they had. This was the first chance I actually had to meet and get to know some of the students. This was cut short though when half of the students had to leave to go take the Parlia Pro test.

Day 3:

  Once again, half of the group was gone for most of this day. That half of the group was at the practical part of the Parlia Pro CDE. The rest of us were at the convention center. Most of the students that were at the convention center were off doing their own thing. I  took a group of students around the Career fair to visit different colleges and help them decide where they  might be interested in going to school at. All 3 of the students that were with me were interested in working in the veterinary sciences.

Around noon I had to leave the convention center to go be a part of the ATA quiz bowl. This quiz bowl was very competitive and Georgia ended up knocking us out in the first round.

At the end of the day we went to the Belle of Louisville for a dinner cruise on the Ohio River.

Day 4:

Today we went on industry tours, first we stopped at the Louisville Slugger factory and got to see how they make different bats, the entire processs from start to finish. After that (and losing the bus) we went to the Kentucky Derby to visit the track and the museum. 

At the end of the day, We all got together and we played cards in the hotel for a few hours. the students taught me how to play a few games, and I tried to teach them how to play cinch. which was a little more complicated than they are used to. 

Day 5:

 Another long day of driving, Today we were on our way back to PA. nothing really interesting happened today. When we got back I really got to talk to some of the students about student teaching in the spring and what I was excited about to see what was interesting to them.

Overall:

This was a great trip, especially since it was my first time acting as a teacher and getting to know these students. I would always recommend this trip to anyone considering teaching in a high school. given the opportunity to meet and interact with you students for the first time as a teacher is something that everyone should be able to do, and its something that I will never forget.