Stories From The Vault

Stories From The Vault—a collection of memorable, insightful, and occasionally humorous teaching experiences...that may not be herd book material but still need to be shared. If enough submissions are received, I aim to feature a new story each month.We welcome story submissions from educators. Submissions can be anonymous or credited, depending on your preference. If you wish to protect privacy, please avoid using student names, school names, or other identifying details. Submit your story here: https://forms.gle/XemnyxuXPiTJpKk8A

January

When Field Trips Go Sideways

Author: Anonymous

The moment when you realize you’ve made a mistake—often in front of students, often in public, and sometimes with flashing lights involved. Last year at State FFA, I got pulled over—I forgot to turn on the van lights while transporting the floral team. It had been a long day. We had left the school at 5:30 a.m. for livestock judging, and I had been with two particularly challenging students for over twelve hours. When I saw the lights, I told the students to be quiet and let me handle it. I calmly spoke with the officer and handed over the information. Thankfully, I did not receive a ticket.