Important Teaching Struggles and Lessons Learned

Overall, this was a very positive experience for me to undergo. I think there is a great deal to be gained from sharing your knowledge with others, and helping kids to grow into more sustainable practices. However, this is not to say that I did not run into significant struggles along the way. Almost immediately from day 1, I realized that the kids we were teaching were significantly intelligent. They asked many questions that provoked a lot of thought and insight into the horticulture realm. The problem was that I felt highly inadequate; I did not feel like I had the answers that they deserved. This sent me into a bit of a tail-spin. By the second class, where I tried to do the majority of the conducting, I was completely out of sorts. I had done a significant amount of research on the topic that I planned on teaching about, but I kept finding myself unable to answer some simple questions they proposed. I was flipping through documents and rushing through the memories in my head, but nothing helped. I completely froze. Luckily, I had a great partner (Abby) and teacher (Mary) to help me through the process. Their encouraging words allowed me to come back for the last day of class refreshed and ready to give it another shot. Without their encouragement, I do not know how I would have gotten through it. By the last day of class, I lowered my nerves a bit and realized that things don't go as planned as a teacher and you can only do the best you can with what you have. I would be lying if I said that I see horticulture teaching in my future, but it is something that I am grateful that I did. I was pushed and inspired along the way, and I am a more fully developed person because of it. Thank you, Mary and Abby!