Reflections and the Future of Agricultural Education

As retirees get together, you often hear the statement, Agricultural Education isn't what it used to I concur, but that doesn't mean it is wrong. In fact more often it is better than it used to be. We must go through a transition from what it used to be by recognizing there will be is inevitable. In Leading Transition, William Bridges states, Change is nothing new to leaders, or their constituents. We understand by now that organizations cannot be just endlessly managed, replicating yesterday's practices to achieve success. Business conditions change and yesterday's assumptions and practices no longer work. There must be innovation, and innovation means change. Some of us have been around long enough to witness change in our profession and at the same time observe the pattern of transition over a period of time. Reflections The most expedient way to witness change in agricultural education is to visit with practicing teachers at their annual conference. I served as an administrator in the College of Agriculture for a few years, so for several years I have made it a practice to participate in the agricultural teachers' conference. It is here that I have had the opportunity to see, hear and learn of the changes going on at all levels of the profession. Inferences can also be drawn for what, how and who is being taught by the teachers and conclusions made about teacher education and state supervision. Gender The most obvious observation that I have made has been the rapid increase in the number of female teachers and the role of women in the profession. I have seen women in leadership roles, elected officers of the association, and named recipients of many different awards. In 2006, five of the six star district teacher award recipients in Iowa were women. This change has not required program adjustment, but an acceptance and the involvement of women within the profession. At some time the profession should honor those first women who stepped forward to earn their agricultural teacher degree and be recognized as the first to teach agriculture at the secondary school level. Single Teacher Programs In Iowa, there has been a decrease in the number of secondary schools and teachers with agriculture programs. We have reverted to mostly single teacher departments after a growth in multiple teacher departments. However, most of these programs are serving more students than ever before. Extended Contracts Most teachers are no longer on twelve-month contracts but have extended arrangements for employment. This impacts curriculum, in-service education, salaries, FFA chapter activities, and supervised agricultural experience programs. This is a major Relationships/Collaboration At the annual conference we also see the relationships that have been established between cooperating teachers and student teachers as well as with teacher educators and state department personnel. In the early 1950s we had multiple students per cooperating teacher center and student teaching was offered each semester. In recent years the numbers have declined, so usually one student teacher is assigned to a cooperating teacher. Student teaching, one of the oldest experience programs in all of higher education, has led the way for other programs to offer similar experience programs. Most teachers will say that their student teaching experience was the best part of their undergraduate education and they generated a close relationship with their cooperating teacher which lasts forever. If we only knew how much practicing teachers like to visit with their cooperating teacher, their favorite teacher educator or the state supervisor about their program, we would all take time and listen to a greater extent. Technology The teachers conference is also a good place to observe how teachers use technology. Laptop computers, cell phones, and i-Pods are abundant. …