Reflection #1 - Introduction

Happy Spring Semester! I am Eric Burton from Stratford, Texas located at the tip top of the Texas Panhandle. I grew up on a farm / ranch almost thirty miles from any town. I was very involved in high school academics, FFA, and 4-H. I graduated in a class of almost forty and knew everyone's first name in my high school. One stop light town is spot on when describing Stratford.  Currently I am involved with a couple of organizations on campus, including Student Government Association, Delta Tau Alpha (Ag Honor Society), and Angelo State FFA. I hold the position of President Pro Tempore in Student Government and enjoy the student student senate.The thing that most attracted me to Angelo State was the excellent Agriculture program which influenced my decision to attend higher education here. San Angelo also has everything I'm looking for in a smaller city. I am an Agriculture Science and Leadership major with a double minor in Professional Education and Animal Science. I will be student teaching at Wall High School in the Agriculture education department and will be working with freshmen through seniors. I hope one day to teach back in the Panhandle in a somewhat small town. My mother is a Family and Consumer Sciences educator and seeing her teach helped me realize what career I wanted to pursue. My love for agriculture and stock shows made it an easy decision to want to become an Ag teacher. I'm looking forward to showing young people what agriculture today is all about. I believe it is extremely important for everyone today to know where our groceries come from and how it gets from the farm to the table. Also, I plan to have a strong FFA program with numerous judging teams, SAE's, and scholarship winners. I believe the top three roles of a teacher to be are a resource provider, classroom supporter, and learning facilitator. As a resource provider, teachers enhance student's learning by providing students with opportunities and materials to be successful in and outside of the classroom. A teacher must also be a classroom supporter by always having and promoting a positive attitude, encouraging students, and helping them develop short and long terms goals for their learning. Finally, a teacher must be a learning facilitator for students at all times to promote students to take responsibility for their own learning and self evaluation in the classroom.



The picture above is one of my girlfriend and I in the mountains near Cuchara, Colorado.