Down on the Farm with an SAE Visit

Glen cleaning the barn before milking time.

Today I finally got to conduct an SAE visit with our FFA Chapter VP, Glen. After having to reschedule with this student for over a month due to snow days or delays, we finally find a sunny afternoon that fit both of our schedules. If I have learned one thing it is that snow postpones almost everything over the winter season and we must be flexible. I will say that it was much more pleasurable having to carry out an SAE visit with the temperatures above 32 degrees. Anyway I had the opportunity to learn all about Glen's SAE project by visiting him down on the farm.

Glen has shown exceptional progress in just the two months that I have been student teaching at my cooperating center. After a downfall in our officer team earlier this year, we elected Glen as our FFA VP to finish out the year. So far he has been doing an excellent job maintaining his responsibilities in this position. I don't think I have every met a student with such determined and creative ideas for our chapter to engage in. As I constantly tell my students, "the sky is the limit. You can accomplish it if you dream it," Glen takes his ideas above and beyond and has the willpower to see his ideas succeed. Glen is currently in the Ag Mechanics CTP program at school where he has been developing his shop skills. I am proud of the responsibilities that Glen has taken on this year and all the FFA events he has attended. I hope that he pursues his FFA degrees and goes on the receive his American degree at the FFA National Convention even after he graduates.

For this SAE visit with Glen my cooperating teacher and I traveled off the beaten path to a little farm in southern Chester County. Here was a dairy farm where Glen milks cows every day after school. He does the evening milkings during the week and both morning and evening milkings on the weekends. I surprised at all the hard work that this high school student put forth in this job. Glen did say that although it is hard work he enjoys the paychecks at the end of the month that helps him pay the bills. This small dairy farm that he works at is run by a father and son. Glen's older sister milked cows at the farm for many years and then the job was handed down to Glen when he was old enough. Glen has been milking cows at this facility for a little over a year. This placement SAE has helped him develop a good work ethic and a love for agriculture.

This farm uses shredded newspaper taken from local schools to prepare bedding for the cows.

In preparing for this SAE visit I gathered together specific questions that might be needed to better understand this SAE. In my AEE 311 class a developed an SAE visitation form and rubric. The students need to first fill out a form that describes their SAE project and hand it in prior to their visit. The students then receive a rubric that explains how they will be graded on their SAE project and visit. I also have been scheduling with Glen to try and get a date established that would work with Glen, myself, my cooperating teacher and Glen's employers. There were different parties that all needed to be on board with this SAE visit. Although it took some planning, I think we were all well more prepared for the visit.

In evaluating an SAE program I have developed an SAE grading rubric. The rubric awards points to the student for the completion of forms prior to the visit. The student needs to completely fill out the form and meet with the teacher to discuss the SAE program and planned visit. The student is also given points for the actual SAE visit which should the student's evidence enthusiasm for the project and progress in reaching goals. Students should also have all records relating to the SAE updated and organized. Students are evaluated on organization and well kept records. If these tasks are all well maintained I believe that the student has an active and progressive SAE program and should therefore be awarded the proper grade.

Glen has an established profile on AET. However, Glen has been seeking help with keeping records on his account. Although he has general information on his account, he needs some assistance in entering journal entries and financial reports. Glen and I established a time this week were I will work with him and show him how to enter this information using his AET account. Glen will be working with a placement record book to keep records on this SAE project. If I could make any recommendations

to Glen it would be to always ask his teachers for help with AET if he is unsure how to use any of the settings. I think Glen would have an outstanding record book if you kept up to date with his journal entries and financial recordings. I would suggest that he gets into a pattern writing on a chart what he does everyday at his job and then weekly sign into his account and enter this information. Although the record book keeping is not up to date, I think with some help we can get him on track again.

Overall, I was very impressed with Glen's SAE project. He seems to be learning a lot with the work that he is doing. When I asked him what his goals are after high school he said that he wasn't sure but definitely something in Agriculture. His SAE program has helped him develop an interest in Agriculture that will impact his future career goals. I was pleased to have conducted this SAE visit as it was a learning experience with for both myself and my student.