What I seek in a Cooperating Center

 What I Want In My Cooperating Center

For the spring of 2025, I will have the opportunity to teach within a classroom at a Cooperating school where I will share a classroom with another teacher. Below are some specific things that I would like to see at the school I end up going to. I believe they will help me the most in molding myself into the teacher I would like to become one day.

All things listed here are narrowed down from my high school experiences and visits to other school FFA programs and environmental centers.

Besides what you will read below, a few things I would like to see would be a multi-teacher program, a program that is heavily supported by the district, and a program that encourages kids to do SAE projects that are more than just the minimum. 



1) A variety of curriculum 

One of the bigger things I am looking for in a Co-op center is that they have a variety of curricula that include environmental science, plant science, animal science, and mechanical science. I have a strong background in environmental and mechanical science, but by also having the opportunity to indulge in the animal science and plant science realms I feel that I will be able to comfortably teach the ES and MS classes and be able to put forth more effort into PS and AS so I can have experience with all throughout the year. I know that having the opportunity to teach at least one unit of each will give me the experience I need to later focus my curriculum on a few instead of all when looking for a job.

2) Strong background program

The Co-op I see myself at has a program with a strong alumni network, along with alot of support from the students. When I was a student I always enjoyed helping out as much as I could, but I wish more of my peers did the same. So, I think it would be neat to be a part of a program with students who are always around and trying to make the program better. I also believe being around a program with a strong alumni network would provide me with experience in utilizing and connecting with them. I don't have much experience in this area, so having this knowledge I feel would allow me to be a better advisor in my own program.

3) Opportunities for students

The classroom I would like to work in would have a woodshop, welding booths, a lab area, and most importantly a greenhouse. I feel having all of these opportunities not only teaches students the theory behind these topics, but also gets them to work hands-on with tools, lab equipment, and soil within the greenhouse. I feel this provides a much more concrete learning experience for them and it allows me the freedom to really explore the topics that these provide and create unique experiences for the students. If I had to pick one of these I would say I would not teach somewhere that does not have a greenhouse. I believe the greenhouse holds so many different learning experiences within its walls, and it creates an SAE environment for students who may want to also utilize its space.

4) Love for teaching

I want my co-op teacher to share the same love for teaching that I do. For me, it's allowing the students to explore on their own and create their own curiosity. I have always been a strong believer that teaching is more about guiding students along an exploratory path where they are going to learn more by trial and error than sitting in a chair and listening to me tell them only what's right. I want the teacher(s) to share a similar idea to mine so that we can work together and they can help show me how that can work within a classroom. 

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