Agvocating for the Future : What's an Ag Teacher?

This week’s blog comes to you after experiencing the typical week of an ag teacher. When I say typical I mean nothing like that of any other teacher in a high school setting. I spent my Friday last week preparing sub plans for I would spend Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at the State Legislative Conference in Harrisburg with seven of my students and cooperating teacher Mrs. Miller. I then taught Wednesday and Thursday but then took 6 of my students Friday to take the Safe Applicators Pesticide exam at the local extension office. After this week here are my reflections

Ag teachers are hard workers! Teachers don’t get free time at conferences like you would think. Ag teachers grade proficiencies, attend professional development workshops, and engage with the students. While students are attending conferences the teachers are also working together to ensure that Ag programs in PA are the best they can be! Returning to classes after missing days is like never skipping a beat. Expecting the most from their students while they were away we dive right back into the current topic.

Ag teachers get little sleep! We stay up late at conferences to chaperone students, wake up early to save breakfast tables, Go to school early for parliamentary procedure practice, and stay after school for workshops. Then after all this we still have to prepare lesson plans, grade papers, read speeches, and look over proficiencies. Sometimes falling asleep happens in odd places….maybe even at the conference dance.

Ag teachers are caring! I would bet that Ag teachers know their students better then any other teacher in the high school. Why…because we spend so much time with our students. We take them to conferences, see them at FFA meetings, visit their house to check up on SAE's, and help prepare for contests outside of class. Spending so much time outside of school with students you get to know them. Ag teachers know their students interests, career paths, and problems. They know their students better then some of their students parents.

Ag teachers are all of these things and so much more. This past week I did more then teach. I was an FFA advisor, role model, problem solver, and educator. I'm so happy to be part of great organization.

I think what I'm trying to saying is ag teachers are pretty freaking awesome!

Here's to some AWESOME Ag teachers…and all those I don't have pictures of your awesome too!!