Changing Purposes of Agricultural Education

July August The Agricultural Volume 77 EDUCATION Issue 1 M A G A Z I N E Changing Purposes

of Agricultural Education EDITORIAL

What is Our Purpose?

By Jamie Cano I started to teach the “new” cur- the Understanding Agriculture: New riculum to my students immediately! Directions for Education, the ensu- WOW…what a difference it ing results at the local level as a direct Having never been a student of made...not only in my attitude towards consequence of The National Strate- agricultural education in high school, teaching, but also in my student’s atti- gic Plan and Action Agenda for Ag- and upon entering my first high school tudes towards learning. The agricul- ricultural Education is still debated teaching assignment, I was totally lost. tural education program, no excuse me, today. However, in no time at all, I was able the vocational agriculture program, at to “function” as a first year teacher of my high school was thus transformed Today, four years post the sec- agriculture. Granted that I had obtained to serve what I believed was the pur- ond national report on Agricultural Edu- my B.S. and M. S. degrees prior to my poses of my instruction. cation, one may wonder why the ques- first teaching assignment, I quickly re- tion of what is the purpose of Agricul- alized that what I had learned in col- Anyone who lived through and tural Education is still being raised. One lege was not really what I needed to or taught in the 1980s, 1990s, can tell you would venture to guess that the Smith wanted to be teaching. that the two decades were full of chal- – Hughes Act of 1917 created our pur- lenges and forces in education and ag- pose, and that subsequent legislation I clearly remember one late fall riculture. As a result, the first “revo- has further defined or refined our pur- afternoon sitting in my principal’s of- lutionary” report on agricultural edu- poses. fice complaining that the curriculum I cation was published in 1988 with the was teaching was boring, not only to National Research Council’s Under- However, why does Agricultural me, but most likely to my students. The standing Agriculture: New Direc- Education continue to let legislators dic- principal’s response was pointed, yet tions for Education. The purpose tate our purposes? If one takes a his- on target. My principal responded: of the report was to offer recommen- torical tour of legislation which has di- What are you going to do about it? dations regarding the goals for instruc- rectly impacted Agricultural Education, Great question! I had no answer to tion in agriculture; the subject matter it would be easy to conclude that laws provide as I was “expecting” my prin- and skills that should be stressed in cur- issued down from Congress have been cipal to tell me what I should be teach- ricula for different groups of students; the main vehicle for changes in Agri- ing; after all, he is the principal! and, policy changes needed at the lo- cultural Education. How much longer cal, state, and national levels to facili- can we as a profession allow others to During my holiday break that year tate the new and revised agricultural dictate what we believe ought to be in 1985, I began to think about what education programs in secondary our purposes? Perhaps it is time for a was the “purpose” of my classroom schools. cohort group of agricultural educators instruction. Yes, I did have a core cur- who share a common vision for a na- riculum to follow, and yes, I did have The ensuing results at the local tional scope and direction for agricul- the resources from the National FFA level as a direct consequence of the tural education to rise and shine! It is Organization, and the concept of SAE National Research Council’s report is always stated that the “third time’s the was still foreign to me. Sitting at home still debated today. Granted however, charm!” on my Apple IIe computer, I recall viv- the report did cause lots of discussion idly how I began to piece together and some changes within Agricultural “semesterized” courses to teach. Education programs in this country. Following the National Research After my holiday break, in Janu- Council’s report, a second report was ary, 1986, I approached the principal issued in 2000. The second report en- with what I perceived to be my solu- titled: The National Strategic Plan Jamie Cano is an Associate tion to the “boredom” that I was facing and Action Agenda for Agricultural Professor at The Ohio State in the classroom. I proposed eight dif- Education, was also widely dissemi- University and is Editor of The ferent semesterized courses. nated and discussed. Again, as with Agricultural Education Magazine.

2 The Agricultural Education Magazine CONTENTS Theme: Changing Purposes of Agricultural Education

Editorial: What is Our Purpose? ...... 2 By Jamie Cano, Editor Subscriptions Subscription price for The Agricultural Education Theme Editor Comments: Magazine is $10.00 per year. Foreign subscriptions are $20.00 (U.S. currency) per year for surface mail, and $40 The Blind Man, the Elephant, and Agricultural Education ...... 4 (U.S. currency) foreign airmail (except Canada). Orders By Gary Moore must be for one year or longer. We can accept up to a three year subscription. Refunds are not available. Please allow Theme Articles: 4 - 6 weeks delivery of first magazine. Claims for missing Questioning our Purpose ...... 6 issues cannot be honored after three months from date of By Rob Terry publication, six months for foreign subscriptions. Single copies and back issues less than 10 years old are available at $5 each ($10.00 foreign mail). All back issues are California’s Road to Defining the Purpose of available on microfilm from UMI University Microfilms, Agricultural Education ...... 9 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. UMI By Cary J. Trexler and Lisa A. Leonardo University Microfilms telephone number is (313) 761- 4700. In submitting a subscription, designate new or Agricultural Education....EOE? ...... 12 renewal and provide mailing address including ZIP code. By Jodie Moffitt Send all subscriptions and requests for hard copy back issues to the Business Manager: James H. Smith, Texas Tech University, Box 42131, Lubbock, TX, 79409, Phone (806) Dumping Grounds ...... 15 742-2816, FAX: (806) 742-2880. By Barry Croom and Gary Moore E-mail: [email protected].

Food to Me: A Farm-to-Table Program for Article Submission Middle School Children ...... 19 Articles and photographs should be submitted to the By Chris Cassel, Joseph Miller, Todd Biddle, editor or theme editors. Items to be considered for and Michael Benner publication should be submitted at least 90 days prior to the date of the issue intended for the article or photograph. All submissions will be acknowledged by the Editor. No Agricultural Education = Agricultural Literacy ...... 23 items are returned unless accompanied by a written request. By Kimberly A. Bellah, James E. Dyer, and Articles should be typed double-spaced, and include Glen R. Casey information about the author(s). One hard copy and one electronic copy of the article should be submitted. A recent, Do You Believe in the Future of Agricultural hardcopy photograph should accompany the article unless Education? ...... 25 one is on file with the editor. Articles in the magazine may By Tim J. McDermott and Neil A. Knobloch be reproduced without permission but should be acknowledged.

Editor Dr. Jamie Cano, Associate Professor, Department of Human and Community Resource Development, The Ohio State University, 208 Agriculture Administration Building, 2120 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH, 43210, Phone (614) 292- 6321, FAX: (614) 292-7007. Authors writing for the July - E-mail: [email protected] August 2004 issue of The Agricultural Education Publication Information Magazine discuss the ever The Agricultural Education Magazine (ISSN 07324677) is the bi-monthly professional journal of agricultural changing purposes of education. The journal is published by the Agricultural Agricultural Education. Education Magazine, Inc. and is printed at M&D Printing, 515 University Avenue, Henry, IL 61537.

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July - August 2004 3 THEME EDITOR COMMENTS

The Blind Man, the Elephant, and Agricultural Education By Gary Moore The sixth no sooner had begun The purpose of agricultural edu- About the beast to grope, cation is to prepare people for work. Than, seizing on the swinging tail The Smith-Hughes Act, the founding That fell within his scope, here were six men of Indostan legislation for our field clearly stated in T “I see,” quoth he, “the elephant To learning much inclined, Is very like a rope.” regards to vocational agriculture, “the Who went to see the elephant controlling purpose of such education (Though all of them were blind), And so these men of Indostan shall be to fit for useful employment.” That each by observation Disputed loud and long, Furthermore, this is the primary pur- Might satisfy his mind. Each in his own opinion pose identified in the national mission Exceeding stiff and strong, statement for agricultural education, The first approached the elephant, Though each was partly in the right, “Agricultural education prepares stu- And, happening to fall And all were in the wrong! dents for successful careers and a life- Against his broad and sturdy side, time of informed choices in the global At once began to bawl, The Blind Men and the agriculture, food, fiber, and natural re- “God Bless me! But the elephant Elephant, John G. Saxe Is very like a wall.” sources systems” (The Council, 2004). So it is very plain that the purpose of The Purpose of Agricultural agricultural education is to prepare The second, feeling of the tusk Education Cried, “Ho, what have we here, people for work. So very round and smooth and sharp? If one were to ask six guidance The purpose of agricultural edu- To me ’tis mighty clear, counselors, principals, or people on the cation is to reinforce academic skills This wonder of an elephant street corner about the purpose of ag- and prepare students for higher edu- Is very like a spear!” ricultural education, one might get as cation. In the opening section of the many answers as the men who felt of President’s plan for the reauthorization The third approached the animal, the elephant. Even those in the profes- And happening to take of the Perkins legislation, one finds the sion may have a difference of opinion statement, “…every U.S. student needs The squirming trunk within his about the purpose of agricultural edu- hands, to complete high school with a high level cation. Let’s explore some of the pos- thus boldly up and spake: of academic skills and be prepared to “I see,” quoth he, “the elephant sible answers we might get. take advantage of education and train- Is very like a snake.”

The fourth reached out an eager hand, THE PURPOSES OF And felt above the knee; AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION “What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain” quoth he, ♦To prepare people for work “’Tis clear enough the elephant Is very like a tree.” ♦To reinforce academic skills and prepare students for higher education The fifth who chanced to touch the ♦To serve speical needs students ear, Said: “E’en the blindest man ♦To promote agricultural literacy Can tell what this resembles most ♦To promote the development of leisure time Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an elephant ♦To provide an alternative for students who do Is very like a fan!” not do well in school

4 The Agricultural Education Magazine ing beyond high school.” (United and may use what they learn as a States Department of Education, hobby. This is certainly a legitimate Saxe, John G. The Blind Men and 2004) Clearly the administration be- reason for taking an agricultural the Elephant (1942). in Woods, Ralph lieves the purpose of secondary voca- course. L. (Ed.) Treasury of the Familiar, New tional education is to help teach York: Grolier. 1942. p. 8-9 academic skills and get students ready The purpose of agricultural edu- for post-secondary education where cation is to provide an alternative for Smith-Hughes Act. ON-LINE: they can learn work skills. students who do not do well in school. http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/sae/ Can you spell D-U-M-P-I-N-G G-R- smithugh.html. (2004) The purpose of agricultural edu- O-U-N-D? Unfortunately, there are cation is to serve special needs stu- some educators who believe that agri- The Council. http:// dents. The Carl Perkins Act of 1984 cultural education is a dumping ground www.teamaged.org/aged.htm (2004) called for 57% of the state allocations for the incorrigible, unmotivated, for vocational education to be spent troublemakers of the school. What United States Department of Edu- on special populations. Vocational edu- makes the matter worse is that some cation. (2004) The Carl D. Perkins cation was specifically directed to agriculture teachers operate agricul- Secondary and Technical Education work with the disadvantaged, handi- tural education programs that rein- Excellence Act Summary of Major Pro- capped, adults who need retraining, forces this notion! visions. http://www.ed.gov/policy/ single parents, displaced homemakers, sectech/leg/cte/04blueprnt.doc (2004) and the incarcerated. This legislation The real question is does Agricul- coupled with the IDEA Act (Individu- tural Education have to be one or the als with Disabilities Education Act) of other or should it be all of the above 1975, which brought about (with the possible exception of the last mainstreaming has shifted the focus of vocational education to serving spe- National Research Council. cial populations. (1988). Understanding agriculture: new directions for education. Wash- Gary Moore is a Professor at The purpose of agricultural edu- ington, DC: National Academy Press. North Carolina State University cation is to promote agricultural literacy. In 1988 the National Research Council’s report, Understanding Ag- riculture: New Directions for Edu- cation, suggested, “all students should receive at least some systematic in- November – December 2004 Issue struction about agriculture beginning in Theme: Professional Measurement kindergarten or first grade and con- As a teacher, how do I know that I am making a difference in the profes- tinuing through twelfth grade.” With sion? What can I use as a teacher to show that I am making a difference the changing demographics of America to the students that I teach? How can I as a teacher, verify to my admin- and the fact that less than two per- istrators, that my program is of high quality? How does a beginning teacher, cent of the population lives on farms, as opposed to a veteran teacher, begin to mange his/her time to ensure this is where agricultural education that all aspects of the program are carried out, yet still have personal needs to focus its efforts. time?

The purpose of agricultural edu- Theme Editor: MeeCee Baker cation is to promote the development R. D. #2, Box 2125 of leisure time interests (avocational Port Royal, PA 17082 skills). Some students enroll in agricul- Email: [email protected] tural education to learn more about Phone: (717) 527-2050 flowers, horses, agricultural mechanics, etc. They do not plan to pursue Articles Due to Theme Editor: September 15, 2004 careers in these areas nor study them Articles Due to Editor: October 1, 2004 in college. Yet, they enjoy the content

July - August 2004 5 THEME ARTICLE

Questioning Our Purpose

By Rob Terry students how to grow corn while a lit- prepare them for that career. Students eracy approach to agriculture teaches conducted a Supervised Occupational students how corn is grown and how Experience Program (SOEP) to pro- the growing of corn impacts them. vide more individualized, specific vo- “I’m not an answering machine, cational training. I’m a questioning machine. If we have How Did We Get Here? all the answers, how come we’re in I remember as a freshman in high such as mess?” — Douglas Cardinal, So, where did this agricultural lit- school having to identify an agricultural architect. eracy versus vocational training debate career path in my FFA record book. I, come from anyway? History tells us like almost everyone in that class, se- It seems that over the past few that when federal support for the teach- lected “production agriculture.” Dale, years professional Agricultural Educa- ing of agriculture in public schools was who sat down the row from me wanted tors and other interested parties have created with the Smith-Hughes Act, to know what to put if he wanted to be undertaken several efforts to define our vocational preparation was the focus. a race car driver. According to the purpose – Who are we? Who do we “vocational” model, my teacher should serve? What do we do? How do we have counseled Dale to select a dif- do what we do? What is our future? ferent career or a different class. So, after years of investigation, input from literally hundreds of people and Today, estimates During this same time period, the the expenditure of over a million dol- percentage of Americans engaged in lars, why do we need to have an issue of the number production agriculture was shrinking. of The Agricultural Education Maga- Today, estimates of the number of zine with a theme that asks, “What is of people in- people involved in farming and ranch- the purpose of Agricultural Education?” ing range from 1% - 2% of our popu- Don’t we know by now that the pur- volved in farm- lation. While a much greater pose of Agricultural Education is agri- ing and ranch- percentage of our workforce can be cultural literacy? counted in careers “related” to agri- ing range from culture, the relationship of those related What’s the Difference? careers to the curriculum taught in high 1% - 2% of our school agriculture classes is debatable. Let’s get this straight from the start …The “agricultural literacy” focus and population. On the other hand, there is no ar- the “vocational” focus are very differ- guing the fact that all of us interact with ent. With a vocational focus, the goals agriculture, no matter how narrowly or of the program are to prepare students broadly you define it, on a daily basis. for specific careers related to agricul- The abundant availability of agricultural ture. The outcome is a graduate who The act stated that it was for products for a multitude of purposes is is ready to go to work or continue his/ people “who have entered upon or who critical to our way of life today. A her education in a particular field in are preparing to enter upon the work strong case can be made for people agriculture. With an agricultural literacy of the farm.” Subsequent legislation understanding basic concepts of agri- focus, the educational goal is to expose expanded that vocational function to in- culture on the basis of consumer the learner to the symbiotic relation- clude “off-farm” agricultural jobs and awareness. Furthermore, considering ship they have with agriculture. The directed the training to students with the fact that in our system of gover- outcome is someone who has knowl- special needs. Strict adherence to the nance citizens have the opportunity to edge and accurate perceptions about vocational agriculture model calls for impact policy, it is in the best interest agriculture. Put another way, a voca- students to identify a career path in of agriculturists that people are agri- tional approach to agriculture teaches agriculture and then select courses to culturally literate. Even Dale, the fu-

6 The Agricultural Education Magazine ture race car driver, should take agri- Programs (SOEP) became Supervised than our past? Do we not already see cultural literacy classes! Agricultural Experiences (SAE). Just ourselves as something more than vo- as vocational agriculture is different cational education? from agricultural literacy, SAE is different from SOEP. In fact, SOEP is We have long touted the fact that vocational training while SAE is agri- many graduates of our program pur- cultural literacy exploration. sue higher education rather than entering the workforce. More and more The most recent quest of introspec- of the curriculum materials being de- “The focus tion by our discipline was the “Rein- veloped for Agricultural Education venting Agricultural Education for the comes from sources other than those of agricultural Year 2020” project. The outcome of used by other career and technical edu- that multi-year, national endeavor was cation programs. In fact, some of the education The National Strategic Plan and Ac- most popular new course titles that tion Agenda for Agricultural Education draw large numbers of students into must change” (The National Council for Agricultural local Agricultural Education programs Education, 2000). The vision articu- have a distinct agricultural literacy fo- lated in that document says: “Agricul- cus. tural education envisions a world where all people value and understand the vi- tal role of agriculture…” (p. 3). That vision is a vision of agricultural literacy! If our program Why is This So Hard to Figure is vocational, Out? Want More Clarity? then why do our Okay, in all honesty, I do under- In 1988, nearly 16 years ago, the stand that there are several reasons we professional Committee on Agricultural Education have not wholeheartedly embraced an in Secondary School of the National exclusive focus of agricultural literacy groups no Research Council’s Board on Agricul- for our discipline. Among these rea- ture concluded, “The focus of agricul- sons is our relationship with other “vo- longer hold their tural education must change” (p. 2). cational” education programs. conferences The report of the committee, Under- Divorcing our program from the voca- standing agriculture: New directions tional education family would have huge with other voca- in education (1988), went on to say, implications for us and the other ca- “Much of the focus and content of reer and technical education divisions. tional educa- many vocational agriculture programs Longstanding support and leadership is outdated.” (p. 3) structures would certainly be severed tors? and it would be inappropriate for us to Responding to the changes in popu- continue to tap into traditional, legislation dynamics and changes in agri- lated funding sources that have been culture, efforts were made to update provided to Agricultural Education for How many students who take wild- the labeling and even the content of decades. life management classes in high school various aspects of Agricultural Educa- plan to pursue careers related to that tion programs. For example, Super- On the other hand, is it not obvious area? How many will use the con- vised Occupational Experience that our future is something different cepts they learn in hobbies related to

July - August 2004 7 WEBMASTER

that area? needs? tional training or increased focus on agricultural literacy development? Want more examples of how we ♦ What if students could explore in Agricultural Education see ourselves the diversity of agriculture and To find answers, we must first ask as different from other vocational ar- experience it, individually, un questions. In my opinion, when we ask eas? If our program is vocational, then der the supervision of their questions about the purpose of Agri- why do our professional groups no teacher rather than just focus cultural Education, we will find the an- longer hold their conferences with ing on one particular career swer is agricultural literacy. other vocational educators? Why have area? Agricultural Education programs on several university campuses moved ♦ What could agricultural edu from divisions of career and technical cation become if we pursued education to new homes in colleges of funding and support for an ag agriculture? While the common thread ricultural literacy focus, inde that existed between agricultural edu- pendent of the stipulations that cation and vocational education has go with the current vocational become frayed, why do we continue education funding? to look for excuses to hold on? What would move our discipline Rob Terry is a Professor at the What could we be with an agricul- forward, increased focus upon voca- University of Missouri. tural literacy purpose?

At the start of this article, I quoted renowned architect Douglas Cardinal. While he has won much acclaim for his designs of buildings, he has also been instrumental in designing other systems. In fact, he developed the master plan for education in Alberta. He says his approach in architecture, as well as in life, is to identify the needs of humans and develop systems to best serve those needs. To discover needs and create systems, we must ask questions. Therefore, as we think about the purpose of Agricultural Education, I propose we consider these questions:

♦ Are we satisfied that the vast majority of all students have little or no exposure to agricul ture and how it impacts all of us in so many ways?

♦ What if we could create agri cultural education programs that appeal to a broader range Students working in an agriscience laboratory. How have the of students’ interests and purposes of agricultural laboratories changed over the years?

8 The Agricultural Education Magazine THEME ARTICLE

California’s Road to Defining the Purpose of Agricultural Education

By Cary J. Trexler and This tension is rooted in the history cellence in Education, 1983). Lisa A. Leonardo of agricultural education. In 1917 the Smith-Hughes Act provided permanent Across the nation a call sounded federal funding to the states that “cre- to reform public schools. California ated a system of vocational education adopted new graduation standards and There is growing debate about of broad scope” (True, 1929). Voca- across the state agricultural education the purpose and future direction of ag- tional agriculture was one of three ar- programs enrollments plummeted from ricultural education in California. The eas included in the original legislation. a high of over 50,000 in the late 70’s to University of California at Davis re- The Act intended vocational education a low 30,109 by 1988. Many argue cently conductd a survey of agricul- to provide practical instruction in agri- that decline resulted because students ture teachers, state department of culture, trade, industrial, and home eco- were no longer able to fit agriculture education consultants, and teacher edu- nomics subjects for the purpose of courses into their schedules. Agricul- cators about the future of agricultural preparing those of non-college age for tural educators were faced with tre- education. The study found mounting useful employment (Smith-Hughes Act, mendous pressure to reorganize their tension about the underlying purpose 1917). curriculum to meet the increased aca- of agricultural education, e.g. should demic requirements. Ag Ed focus on meeting college-prep Throughout the years, agricultural academic requirements or focus on education remained steadfast to its vo- Many programs faced elimination career-technical (vocational) prepara- cational roots until the report A Nation because of under enrollment. To tion. at Risk was released 1983. The re- counter the potential demise of pro- port claimed U.S. public education was grams, many in California agricultural in peril and used as evidence standard- education began to integrate academic ized test comparisons with other coun- requirements into their existing courses, ties (National Commission on thereby satisfying local graduation re- Excellence in Education, 1983). To quirements (e.g., an Animal Science The study remedy this “dismal performance” by course received science graduation U.S. schools, the report recommended: credit). This shift toward academics found mount- was further solidified as many agricul- State and local high school ture education courses were approved ing tension graduation requirements be strength- by the University of California (UC) ened and that, at a minimum, all stu- as admissions requirements. about the dents seeking a diploma be required to lay the foundations in the Five The UC is designed to accept only New Basics by taking the following the top 12.5% of the states graduating underlying curriculum during their 4 years of seniors and, as a result, has very rigor- high school: (a) 4 years of English; ous academic entrance requirements. purpose of (b) 3 years of mathematics; (c) 3 To meet these standards, courses like years of science; (d) 3 years of so- Agricultural Biology were developed agricultural cial studies; and (e) one-half year to satisfy UC laboratory science re- of computer science. For the college- quirements. As much of California’s education... bound, 2 years of foreign language curriculum has transformed (i.e., rein high school are strongly recom- ceive graduation credit and UC admis- mended in addition to those taken sion credit), agricultural education earlier. (National Commission on Ex- enrollments have moved upward, with

July - August 2004 9 an all time high of 54,055 students in ricultural Biology and Agricultural Sci- ning of this article. University of Cali- 2003. Certainly the move toward aca- ence Core I & II). Enrollment data fornia at Davis researchers asked demic credit for agriculture courses is provided in 2002 Table 1. sheds insight teachers do define the “top 10 most not the only reason for this upswing. into the enrollment and courses offered critical issues facing California agricul- Many industrial technology courses in statewide. tural education over the next 10 years.” have moved under the direction of ag- Over 80% of the teachers reported that riculture departments because there With these dual tracks, have meeting an academic requirement was are few shop teachers being creden- California’s programs begun to define a critical issue for them. Conversely, tialed in the state. In many schools the “two” purposes of agricultural edu- about 30%, were concerned about los- agriculture is the only viable career- cation? Conflict between these two ing the vocational orientation for which based elective remaining. purposes has become quite apparent agricultural education was originally in the study mentioned at the begin- designed. One teacher summarized the Even though agricultural education in the state appears to be in good stead, current legislation (Senate Bill 1795) seeks to make the stringent UC entrance requirements the standard for all California students. Such a move could further decrease possibilities in Table 1 a student’s schedule by allowing only two elective courses in a four-year high school career. This requirement would limit even further the average length Statewide Student Enrollment in Agricul- of time students spend in an agriculture program, currently those enrolled tural Education Courses, 2002 spend approximately one and half years in agriculture classes. Subject Area Student Enrollment % Periods Taught % As almost a myopic view of academics drives the California educational system, the days of a four-year se- Ag Mechanics 24 26 quenced course of study in agriculture appear to be over for most students. Ag Core I 24 21 To counter this trend, many schools Ornamental Hort 14 13 have designed course for first year Animal Science 7 8 agriculture students that satisfy either a graduation or UC entrance require- Other Ag 6 7 ment. As they progress further in the Ag Biology 8 7 program, however, the likelihood of Ag Core II 7 7 advanced courses meeting an academic requirement often decrease. Ag Bus Mgt 4 5 Plant/Soil Science 3 3 As California has moved to towards academics, many agricultural Forestry/NR 2 2 education programs now maintain dual tracks: a vocationally oriented course of study (e.g., Agricultural Mechanics Source: CDE, R-2 Report, 2002 and Ornamental Horticulture) and a college-prep academic one (e.g., Ag-

10 The Agricultural Education Magazine spirit of the group:

“We have the ability to be academic, but many students who take Ag are not heading for that 4 year university. If we are focused to become com- pletely academic, we lose a great group of kids that are truly vocational and benefit from those type of classes.”

This tension between meeting the academic and vocational needs of students is reflected in many agricultural education departments as they struggle to maintain enrollment and develop curriculum that meets academics standards mandated by the state’s legisla- ture. One agriculture teacher lamented: A preservice teacher talks to elementary students regarding I agree that Ag. Ed. needed to the agricultural sciences and agricultural literacy. What change and reflect more science and should be agricultural education’s role in agricultural literacy? improve on the use of all core subject areas [from the California Content Standards in e.g., mathematics, English, tural education has been able to adapt True, A.C. (1929). A history of and science]. However, in the increas- more readily to the changing world than agricultural education in the United ing climate of academics we appear to the other “traditional” vo-tech areas. States: 1785-1925. Washington, D.C.: be moving away from the vocational As we adapted, the tension between U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. training. the original purpose and now the dual Government Printing Office. purposes of agricultural education di- California has often reflected fu- rectly effect the future of the profes- Smith-Hughes Act. ON-LINE: ture trends in agricultural education. As sion. http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/sae/ the state moves toward academics, ei- smithugh.html (May 18, 2004). ther as a way to serve the college- References: bound student or as a way for agricultural education to fit into the in- California Department of Educa- creasingly academic public school, how tion. (2001). R-2 program enrollment can we continue to meet the needs of report. Agricultural Education Unit: all students? Or should we? Not all Sacramento, CA. ON-LINE: http:// Cary J. Trexler is an Assistant students will be best served by prepar- www.calaged.org/R2/index.htm (May ing for a four-year degree and most 14, 2004). Professor at the Universityo f careers today do not require a post- CAlifornia, Davis secondary degree. National Commission on Excel- lence in Education. (1983). A nation On the other hand, many of the at risk. United State Department of students who will help create a new Education. ON-LINE: http:// Lisa A. Leonardo is a Graduate agri-food system will require college. www.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/risk.html Student Researcher at the Univer- Much has changed since the passage (May 14, 2004). of the Smith-Hughes Act, but agricul- sity of California, Davis

July - August 2004 11 THEME ARTICLE

Agricultural Education...EOE?

By Jodie Moffitt abilities Act of 1990 ensures that disabled persons have access to all public accommodations, employment, trans- Career and portation, and other government services (Public Law 101-336). technical edu- When I was in my early teens, One of the most well known laws I began looking over the classified ads in education is the Individuals with Dis- in the local newspaper, always hoping cation has the abilities Education Act. This law was that perfect part-time job would be originally signed in 1975 as the Educa- there staring up at me. As I browsed potential to tion for all Handicapped Children Act. these job openings, most of which I was We are currently operating under the not qualified for, I became aware that give students law as it was amended in 1997. IDEA most of them were followed with the guarantees a free and appropriate edu- letters EOE. One day I finally got cu- concrete skills cation for everyone with physical or rious enough to ask my dad, “What mental disabilities. It helps fund the does EOE mean at the end of a job that they can extra costs of educating disabled people advertisement?” This was my first ex- and requires that each child being edu- perience with Equal Opportunity Em- use in the job cated using IDEA funds have an Indi- ployers. It seemed logical to me that vidualized Education Plan (IEP) that the same opportunities should be open outlines the goals of his or her educa- to everyone as long as they were ca- market and tion (IDEA’97). The Carl D. Perkins pable of doing the job. Does agricul- Act of 1998 provided more funds for tural education create equal opportu- hopefully have including special populations in all as- nity employees? Are we giving every- pects of Career and Technical Educa- one the skills they need to be a capable an equal op- tion (Public Law 105-332). employee? portunity at Despite efforts to make finding a As inclusion becomes more job easier, people with disabilities have popular, educators have been challenged employment. a hard time finding and obtaining em- with teaching students with learning ployment. If they do, it is often only disabilities in regular classrooms. These part-time and low paying. Only three students are noticeably different in out of ten adults with disabilities ages terms of their academic ability in rela- 18 to 64 are employed full or part time tion to their peers. They require more compared to eight out of ten adults planning and more transition services without disabilities (NOD 2000). Sixty- in order to have a productive life after for jobs after high school. seven percent of people with disabili- high school. It is our learning disabled ties who are not employed say they students who could possibly benefit There are four important federal would rather be employed, and one most from the things agricultural edu- laws that require us to provide an ap- study even found that less than half of cation has to offer. Career and techni- propriate education for our students their sample of disabled people who cal education has the potential to give with disabilities (Wonacott 2001). Sec- currently had a job was employed full students concrete skills that they can tion 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of time (Harvey 2001). Reviews of stud- use in the job market and hopefully have 1973 requires that any program that ies on the efficacy of career and tech- an equal opportunity at employment. receives federal funding cannot dis- nical education in helping disabled stu- Unfortunately, not all career and tech- criminate against anyone based solely dents successfully find employment nical education is created equal when on their handicap or disability (Public repeatedly showed that general career it comes to preparing disabled students Law 93-112). The Americans with Dis- and technical education was not enough

12 The Agricultural Education Magazine to improve job marketability (Wonacott Supervised Agricultural Experi- on-the-job training and could possibly 200 1, Harvey 2001, Shapiro and Lentz ence (SAE) is a great way to provide lead to a job after high school. And do 1991). special education students with indi- not rule out entrepreneurship SAE vidualized practice in real world agri- projects for special education students What can agricultural education culture. Since most agricultural teach- either! According to the National Or- do to improve the employability of our ers require an SAE project of their stu- ganization on Disability (NOD), people students with learning disabilities? dents anyway, this is an excellent op- with disabilities are twice as likely as Equal opportunity employers hire portunity to make sure students with the general population to be self-em- people who are capable of doing the learning disabilities have a chance to ployed. For example, a student in an job. Our disabled students are able and practice skills rather than simply re- urban area might consider starting a willing to do many things. We have to ceive classroom instruction. pet sitting business as an SAE project, teach them and allow them to practice which could continue as post school the skills that will make them a capable Placement SAE projects offer employment. employee. Students who had training in occupationally specific career and Wonacott outlines several char- technical education courses on aver- acteristics of successful career and age had better post school employment technical education that improves dis- outcomes, even if the job they acquired Research has abled students’ post-school employ- wasn’t related to the trade in which ment potential: proactive, individualized, they were trained (Shapiro and Lentz accommodating, driven by the student 2001). shown that par- and parents, and continued assessment (2001). Communication between stu- Research has shown that partici- ticipating in ca- dents, parents, and teachers is essen- pating in career and technical educa- tial to making sure the student’s agri- tion classes reduces disabled students’ reer and techni- cultural education program is what he risk of dropping out and increases the or she wants and needs. likelihood that they will be employed cal education after high school (Wonacott 2001). Be proactive by constantly Harvey concluded that career and classes reduces searching for Placement SAE oppor- technical education made a “significant tunities and businesses that may be difference in post-school employment more accommodating to students with for students with disabilities when it disabled stu- learning disabilities. Daughtry and Relf was occupationally specific and di- (1995) explain the importance of com- rected at labor market needs” (2001). dents’ risk of munication between educators and employers when finding opportunities Almost sixty percent of students dropping out for learning disabled students in the with disabilities have taken career and horticulture industry. This growing in- technical education classes, a much and increases dustry has many jobs that are minimum higher rate than non-disabled students skilled, manual labor. Many employers (Harvey 2001). We have the opportu- the likelihood in this industry are willing to hire dis- nity to see the same students return abled students but feel as if they need year to year in hopes of gaining more more information on training and work- knowledge in a particular area. This that they will be ing with those types of employees. gives students, parents, and teachers the chance to focus on what interests employed after Just as I did as a teenager, learn- the student most and where he or she ing disabled students often look through will fit best into those labor market high school. classified ads in the newspaper hoping needs. to find employment. And just as I did,

July - August 2004 13 THEME ARTICLE

they often find they do not have the skills that make them capable of applying for those jobs. It does not matter if the advertisement ends with the letters EOE. Equal opportunity employers will not hire someone who cannot do the job. Studies have shown that learning job specific skills, rather than just a general overview of job tasks, is more beneficial to students with disabilities when it comes time to find a job.

Giving them the opportunity to actually practice real world situations is more helpful in the long run. Even though many students find jobs unre- lated to their training in vocational classes in high school, they can still benefit from those job skills. We have a tremendous resource in all of our stu- A teacher works with a small group of students in a dents in agriculture education, includ- horticulture laboratory. Related to special needs students, ing those with mental and physical dis- what active role should agricultural education play in meeting abilities. With careful, individualized planning, agricultural educators can the needs of special needs students? give every student an equal opportunity to develop skills they will need to pursue a career in agriculture after high IDEA’97 http://www.ed.gov/of- d105query.html school. fices/OSERS/Policy/IDEA/index.html Shapiro, Edward S. and Francis References National Organization on Disabil- E. Lentz Jr. 1991. “Vocational techni- ity (NOD). www.nod.org. “Economic cal programs: follow-up of students with Daughtry, Lillian H. and P. Diane Facts About People with Disabilities in learning disabilities.” Exceptional Chil- Relf. 1995. “The Transition of Individu- the United States.” http:// dren 58, no. 1:47 (13) als with Disabilities from School into ww,w.nod.org/conteiit.cfm?id= 14 the Horticulture Industry.” The Agri- Wonacott, Michael. 2001. “Stu- cultural Education Magazine Vol. 67, Public Law 93-112. Rehabilitation dents with Disabilities in Career and February 1995, p. 20. Act of 1973, Section 504 http:// Technical Education.” ERIC Digest spot.pcc.edu/osd/504.htm no. 230. EDO-CE-01-230. http:// Harvey, Michael. 2001. “The Ef- ericacve.org/ ficacy of Vocational Education for Stu- Public Law 101-336. Americans docgen.asp?tbl=digests&ID=115 dents with Disabilities Concerning with Disabilities Act of 1990. http:// Post-School Employment Outcomes: A www.jan.wvu.edu/links/ Review of the Literature.” Journal of ADAq&a.html industrial Teacher Education 3 8, no. 3 (Spring 200 1). http:// Public Law 105-332. Carl D. scholar.lib.vt.edu/eiournals/JI’I’E/ Perkins Act of 1998 - Bill Summary Jodie Moffitt is an Agriculture v38n3/harvey.fitmi http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquerv/ Instructor at Griffin Middle z?d105:HRO1853:TOM/:/bss/ School, Concord, NC.

14 The Agricultural Education Magazine THEME ARTICLE

Dumping Grounds

By Barry Croom and Gary Moore One of the worst things that can We must serve all students who enter happen to an Agriscience program is our classrooms. Instead, the purpose for it to become a dumping ground for of this article is to attack the premise incorrigible and lazy students in a that Agriscience programs are suitable school. Agriscience programs are not “dumping grounds” for the incorrigible The stories about Mr. Watson1 some type of in-school suspension pro- and lazy students within a school. are legendary. gram that happens to have an agricultural motif. Agriscience is a bona fide While some students are placed During the unit of instruction on part of the curriculum in many schools in Agriscience programs by some ad- welding, students in his class welded and should be treated as such. ministrative action, the majority of stu- the tines of the garden tiller to a sup- dents are in the classroom because of port post in the agriculture shop. When Certainly the framers of voca- the reputation of the agriculture instruc- Mr. Watson tried to take it outside for tional education had strong concerns tor. Even if the Agriscience teacher use by his horticulture classes later, he about who should be enrolled in voca- who served in the program before you found that he couldn’t budge it. On tional education courses. did not do a good job, there comes a another occasion, students took the point when the responsibility for the agricultural mechanics textbooks in his “The Federal Board desires to classroom and sawed them up using emphasize the fact that vocational the table saw in the agriculture shop. schools and classes are not fostered Students also locked him in the horti- under the Smith-Hughes Act for the cultural storage shed, and he was fi- purpose of giving instruction to the We must nally released after two hours when a backward, deficient, incorrigible, or passerby heard the sound of him beat- otherwise subnormal individuals; by serve all ing on the doors of the shed. that such schools and classes are to be established and maintained for students who Somewhere along the way, stu- the clearly avowed purpose of giv- dents gave him the nickname “hubcap”. ing thorough vocational instruction enter our The origin of this nickname comes from to healthy, normal individuals to the students placing rocks inside the hub- end that they may be prepared for classrooms. caps to his personal automobile. You profitable and efficient employment. can imagine what this sounded like driv- Such education should command the ing down the highway. Eventually, best efforts of normal boys and “Hubcap” Watson couldn’t cure this girls.” (Federal Board for Vocational obvious mechanical problem, and even- Education, 1917, p. 17) program becomes your own. As a col- tually sold the car because of it. league of ours often says, “After four Much has changed since the Fed- years as an agriculture teacher, you get Old Hubcap had acquired a eral Board for Vocational Education the type of students you deserve.” unique reputation at his school. Many published those guidelines in Bulletin students took his classes because it was Number 1. In most cases, career and Incorrigible students are exasper- an easy period during the day when technical education programs have ating to the teacher and other students, they could kick back and avoid strenu- adapted readily to include special popu- and can often be a danger to them- ous mental activity. Conversely, some lations in education. The purpose of this selves and others in the class. Student students avoided his classes because article is not to focus on the education misbehavior becomes very important they did not offer the challenge and of students with special needs, for they when one considers the type of envi- rigor they desired. “Hubcap” Watson’s should be welcome in every ronment in which instruction occurs. classroom had become the dumping Agriscience program. To exclude them The Agriscience program in a school ground for the students who would not is a grave injustice and not in the best is unique from other academic pro- behave appropriately in other classes. traditions of the teaching profession. grams because there are multiple learn-

July - August 2004 15 ing environments such as classrooms, ing skill and actively research new and individual student learn the material in laboratories, and greenhouses. Students better ways to help students learn. Good a manner consistent with their learn- are taught the use of power tools that teachers know how to teach students ing style. The best teachers respect and can cause serious injury if used improp- and are restless with methods that do care about their students. (The South- erly. Agricultural chemicals and pesti- not yield results. Good teachers know east Center For Teaching Quality, 2004) cides that are used in the instructional the content they teach, and design in- program and can cause injury if stu- structional activities that teach this con- Challenging and Rigorous Instruction dents fail to heed safety warnings. Stu- tent in an interesting and relevant man- dents enter the program with varying ner. (The Southeast Center For Teach- The best teachers attract students degrees of skill in using power tools and ing Quality, 2004) who are motivated by challenging and agricultural equipment, and in handling rigorous learning experiences. Students livestock. who are looking for a free ride instead of a high quality learning experience In most cases, the Agriscience either drop the class or conform to the courses are electives. While many stu- teacher’s standard of academic per- dents take courses because of a seri- “The best formance. Young people are quite ca- ous interest in agriculture, some stu- pable of rising to a reasonable level of dents take the course hoping to avoid defense against academic expectation. Accordingly, a rigorous academic experience. In the teachers should implement strategies unique environment of the Agriscience student misbe- that attract serious students of agricul- program how does a teacher become ture. insulated from the risk of becoming a havior is a dumping ground for every social prob- Some teachers start each year lem in a school? well-planned with a “tough love” type of lecture that goes something like this: A short-term solution to the problem is become involved politically within and well-ex- the school. Agriscience teachers who “This course is not re- ingratiate themselves to the adminis- ecuted lesson quired for graduation. This tration and work to establish relation- means that you should be in ships based primarily on personality are presented by an this course because you have doomed to eventual failure. Today’s an interest in agriculture. If school administrators are focused on enthusiastic you don’t have an interest in measurable accountability, and teacher agriculture, you should go see performance is valued more than the teacher.” Roy your guidance counselor im- “good old boy” network. mediately and get out of this Eubanks, Retired Agriculture course. This course is going The Teacher Is The Key Teacher, North Lenoir High to be fun and exciting, but it School, Kinston, NC will be lots of work. We will Good Teaching have homework, papers to write, projects to complete and rigorous tests.” There are a number of things that Individualized Instruction can effectively insulate the agriscience program from “dumping ground” sta- The best teachers also recognize The teacher then follows this up tus. One of the methods by which a the importance of individualized instruc- by passing out a rigorous course sylla- teacher can reduce the risk of dump- tion and are successful in teaching a bus with a list of topics to be taught, ing ground” status is to be the best diverse population of students. Learn- assignments and grading procedures. teacher possible. The best teachers ing is an individual process, and good Homework is then assigned for the next work constantly to improve their teach- teachers try to find ways to help the day. Students with a tendency to goof

16 The Agricultural Education Magazine off get the message very quickly that the teacher’s expectations of the stu- responsible behavior, commitment to a agricultural education is not a dents are too low. common goal, effective communica- cakewalk. tion, and cooperation. Establish and One of the most important things maintain a high quality supervised ag- Attracting good students means that a teacher can do is to show the ricultural experience (SAE) program providing a high quality lesson for each students that he or she respects them that addresses the aspirations and ca- class period. Teach from “bell to bell” enough to give 100 percent effort ev- reer goals of students. Visit students in every class. Five minutes of free time eryday in the classroom. Students rec- as part of the SAE program and de- in a class period will yield almost eight ognize good teaching when they expe- velop good working relationships with hours of free time in that class by the rience it. Once students recognize that parents and students. end of a semester. Research tells us the agriculture teacher is serious about that the best teachers are task-oriented. providing a quality program, students Recruitment (Rosenshine and Furst, 1971) Focus interested in agriculture careers will on student learning. Give the impres- enroll in courses. If the teacher is lazy, The prudent agriculture teacher sion that the most important thing in the students will soon model this be- will not leave future enrollment to the world is that the students learn what havior. chance, and will aggressively recruit you are teaching at that moment. Stu- good students. Students who are inter- dents can tell when the teacher is bored ested in agricultural careers or who or disinterested in the lesson. have a sincere interest in improving their agricultural knowledge and literacy Don’t apologize or make excuses are fair game for the agriculture for giving homework or requiring stu- teacher’s recruitment efforts. Not all dents to take notes. Schools aren’t “Have some- students are academically gifted, but amusement parks, they are places for that should not be the determining fac- learning, and learning takes effort. thing for the tor in recruiting the student. Some Agriscience teachers do not give homework, coordinate meaningful lab students to do, Communicate with the Guidance activities, or administer many tests. Yet, Counselors these same teachers wonder why their or they will program is a dumping ground. Develop a good working relation- do something ship with guidance counselors. Show Use laboratories for learning, not them examples of the rigor in the production assembly lines. The primary to you.” courses you teach. If guidance coun- focus of Agriscience laboratories is to selors do not know that the Agriscience teach students. Too many labs have Walter Jones, Veteran program is a quality learning experi- become production facilities where Agriculture Teacher at ence for students, then the teacher has monetary income is generated for the Southwest Edgecombe High no cause for complaint about the influ- Agriscience program, but very little stu- School, Pinetops, North ence of the guidance department in student learning is generated. Carolina. dent enrollment. Effective teachers are proactive in working with guidance In keeping with a rigorous aca- counselors. demic schedule, it is important that student be accurately graded on the work Set the Tone Early they do. Grade inflation is a huge problem in schools; so do not hesitate to Effective teachers send a letter give students the grades they earn to incoming students to welcome them through their efforts. Do not hesitate Develop high quality FFA expe- into the program. This letter should to flunk students who fail to meet ac- riences for students. Engage them in send the message that the Agriscience ceptable academic standards. If lazy leading the FFA chapter through ac- class will be interesting and exciting, students can easily pass a class, then tivities that teach the importance of

July - August 2004 17 but will require the very best efforts Research in Teacher Education. PP Footnote of students. This letter should also 27-72. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. point out that FFA membership and par- 1 This is an actual teacher whose ticipation in the SAE program are also name has been changed to protect his The Southeast Center For Teach- expected of every student. Parents will identity. see this letter and most likely will be ing Quality. (2004). Every Child’s more willing to be partner with you in Teacher Core Standards for North their child’s education. Carolina’s Teachers. Retrieved June 2, Barry Croom is an Assistant 2004 from http:// Professor at North Carolina State How We Are Measured www.teachingquality.org/resources/ html/blanford.htm University A former principal of one of the Gary Moore is a Professor at authors once said, “Agriculture teach- North Carolina State University. ers are only as strong as their weakest link.” We are often measured by the actions of a very few poor teachers in the profession. Legislators, school board members, policy-makers often point to the few teachers who do not perform adequately in the classroom and use them as examples of how agriscience programs fail to Avoiding Dumping achieve their purpose. They use our “weakest links” to describe who we are. The principal whose current Ground Status Agriscience program is a dumping ground for every misbehavior problem in the school might just expect the 1. Provide good teaching same from your program when he or she becomes your principal. We are in the age of accountability in educa- 2. Individualize your in- tion. It is the challenge of the Agriscience teaching profession to struction encourage every teacher to establish a legacy of quality instruction and a 3. Use challenging and rig professional and responsible attitude toward the students we serve. orous instruction References 4. Recruit good students Federal Board for Vocational 5. Communicate with Education. (1917). Statement of policies. (Bulletin Number 1). Washing- ton, DC: U.S. Government Printing Of- guidance counselors fice. 6. Set the tone early Rosenshine, B. and Furst, N. (1971). Research on teacher performance criteria. In B.O. Smith (Ed.).

18 The Agricultural Education Magazine THEME ARTICLE Food to Me: A Farm-toTAble Program for Middle School Children

By Chris Cassel, Joseph Miller, ♦ Explicit connections to other Curriculum Design Todd Biddle, and Michael areas of the middle school Benner curriculum, Learning goals are threefold: 1) students will learn that even if they ♦ Partnerships with middle don’t live in a rural environment, they school teachers. are linked to the land and agricultural With the publication of the Na- practices through the food that they eat, tional Research Council’s report Un- About Milton Hershey School and 2) students will learn that our society derstanding Agriculture: New Direc- the Agricultural and Environ- utilized a wide range of modern agri- tions for Education1, national, state, mental Education Program cultural practices for food production and local K-12 initiatives have forged a and that these practices have an im- new vision of agricultural education2. Milton Hershey School (MHS) pact on our environment, and 3) stu- This new vision embraces a mission that is a private, residential, pre-K-12 dents will learn that there are several is broader than traditional vocational school founded in 1909 by chocolate steps and numerous people involved in programs and includes systematic in- industrialist Milton S. Hershey the production process of getting food struction at all levels of the school sys- (www.mhs-pa.org). MHS now serves from the farm to the table. tem. almost 1,300 racially diverse boys and girls and provides a home and an edu- The Food and Me curriculum is Critical to the success of this mis- cation free of cost for these children designed as a series of program-long sion is the creative integration of food/ whose families are in financial and strands (horticulture, animal science, fiber production, processing, nutrition, social need. dairy & foods processing, environmen- marketing, and other related topics into tal science, and general agriculture) pre-secondary curricula.3,4 To help ad- Through the Agricultural and that integrates concepts defined by the dress this need, we designed and imple- Environmental Education (AEE) Pro- MHS AEE standards and benchmarks. mented a nine-week (one marking pe- gram at MHS, students engage in ap- Each week of the program, students riod) program to engage middle school plied and experiential learning projects are engaged in projects and/or activi- students and to foster an understand- that address not only agricultural and ties in each of the vertical strands. This ing of the interdependence of agricul- environmental literacy, but all aca- rotation is intended to maintain a high ture, the environment, and human demic subjects. In addition, the pro- level of student interest while allowing needs. Characteristics of the program, gram provides a context for student students to see connections between Food and Me, include: home activities and therapeutic inter- our AEE Centers and “the bigger pic- vention. Students, teachers, and staff ture” of agricultural systems. ♦ A focus on first-hand, experi have access to resources managed ential learning that utilize the through four centers: Horticultural In addition to these vertical School’s rich agricultural re Center, Environmental Center, Animal strands, we designed horizontal themes sources; Center, and Dairy & Foods Process- to engage students in a learning cycle ing Center. Each of these centers, that includes lessons to help students ♦ A curriculum that stimulates coupled with the general agriculture focus, explore, reflect, and apply their students’ interest and creates operations that support them, utilizes knowledge (Figure 1). Lessons ad- a high level of motivation; a dedicated staff, facilities, and land dressing food processing were designed laboratories to educate children in a as one of these horizontal themes and ♦ A storyline that builds concep standards-based system. are intended to show students that 1) tual understanding over time there is a wide variety of processing through a logical sequence of Enduring Understandings and mechanisms (e.g. heat, chemical) and, related activities; 2) agricultural commodities are used for the production of both food and non-

July - August 2004 19 food products. In addition, lessons on hydroponics/aquarium systems by con- a four-five week growth period. Dur- food processing are linked to a lesson ducting chemical tests to determine the ing the four-five week period, students on food safety, emphasizing that the relative concentrations of nitrogen, po- are engaged in additional activities that process by which foods move from tassium, and phosphates in soil and relate to their research project. In one farm to table must be safe and reliable. water. Multiple test days allow students lesson, students become familiar with to see changes over time and to dis- the constituents of a chicken’s diet and Horticulture Strand cuss ramifications with respect to pre- eating behavior of the bird. Other ac- dicted plant growth. These activities tivities continue to highlight parallels in The Horticulture strand provides connect to lessons in other strands that human and livestock diet and nutrition the context for students to investigate address soil fertility and nutrient man- by examining the digestive system. Stu- the origin and processing of fruit and agement. Additional classroom-based dents review system relationships vegetable crops, as well as the cycling environmental strand activities include: through discussion, models, and dissec- of matter in ecosystems. Students con- tion. In addition, students explore: sider: nutrient cycling in the field, the ♦ sources of common foods interdependence of organisms, the life (plant vs. animals) and the in ♦ the nutrient value of chicken cycle of plants, the path from field to terdependence of plants, ani fecal matter and how farmers table, and processing of agricultural mals and people5; utilize these nutrients to in products for increased shelf life. Dur- crease soil fertility; ing the introductory horticulture lesson, ♦ building connections between students construct a hydroponics/ raw and processed food items; ♦ the pathogen Salmonella and aquarium system designed to accom- its prevention when preparing modate germinating seeds, as well as, ♦ origin of agricultural commodi a cooked egg using food indus freshwater fish. ties used in food processing: try standards;

In subsequent lessons, students ♦ the impact on transportation ♦ how to objectively evaluate plant seeds in the system and discuss a requirements and energy con propaganda regarding farming wide range of seed-based agricultural sumption. practices and animal rights. products (e.g. cereals, oils, chocolate, and coffee). During the weeks in which Animal Science Strand In this final lesson, students seek the seedlings are developing, students to “win the mind and not the argument” visit the AEE apiary to explore the re- The animal science strand is de- by responding to a hypothetical critic lationship between insects and plants, signed around a research project in in an emotionally-charged dialog. as well as, the AEE orchard to harvest which students investigate the rate of apples and discuss marketing strategies. weight gain in two groups of chicks: Dairy & Foods Processing Strand Lastly, students focus on food preser- one group is raised on a medicated vation as they prepare peach jam from chicken feed while the other group is The Dairy and Foods Processing fruit harvested in the orchard. This les- raised on an unmedicated feed. Prior strand provides the context for students son is intended to link directly to activi- to utilizing a traditional scientific to investigate not only the origin and ties in other vertical strands that address method model, students learn breed processing of dairy products, but also food processing, e.g. milling and mak- characteristics of the birds, health re- food chemistry. Specifically, this strand ing butter. Projects and activities in the quirements, housing requirements, helps students to develop a deeper un- horticulture strand are tightly connected equipment used for chicken care, and derstanding of how matter cycles to topics explored in the environmental how to handle and sex the birds. through ecosystems by giving them strand (described below). first-hand experiences with the major After students generate a hypoth- biological macromolecules. An intro- Environmental Science Strand esis, they randomly assign twenty birds ductory tour of the MHS dairy allows to one of two treatment groups (with students to see the characteristics of In the environmental science equivalent cumulative starting weights). dairy cows and the operation of a milk- strand, students further explore their Rate of weight gain is calculated after ing plant. In subsequent lessons situ-

20 The Agricultural Education Magazine THEME ARTICLE

ated at the dairy laboratory, students understand food processing.” grams designed to offer a more com- gain concrete experiences with chemi- prehensive approach to learning cal tests6 that are used to determine The culminating activity for Food through land use, animals, plants, and the presence of macronutrients (car- and Me participants is a celebratory related resources for all students, from bohydrates, fats, and proteins). These luncheon prepared by the school’s chef pre-kindergarten through grade 12. In activities connect to the animal science and designed to include ingredients for addition to meeting agricultural and strand by expanding the conversation which the students had gained first- environmental standards and bench- about the chemical composition of food. hand knowledge. This meal – together marks, our integrated and experiential In the final activities in this strand, stu- with the chef’s overview of ingredient programming supports learning in all dents learn how processing of agricul- origins and preparation – completes the disciplines and is consistent with our tural products exploits our ability to farm-to-table program. understanding that knowledge is con- manipulate food components by: 1) pre- textually situated and is fundamentally cipitating casein for the production of Program Assessment and Conclu- influenced by the activity, context, and white glue and 2) removing fats from sions culture in which it is used8. This ex- a cream emulsion for the production panded purpose of agricultural educa- of butter. The Food and Me program was tion – to provide an applied and authen- designed to be implemented during our tic context across content areas – sup- General Agriculture Strand middle school “activity period.” Al- ports gains in student achievement, though students enrolled in activity pe- motivation, work habits, and responsi- The general agriculture strand riod programs are not individually as- bility.9 provides the context for students to in- sessed or graded, we were interested vestigate: in documented student learning for use References in informal program assessment. To- ♦ the sequence of production wards this end, we developed a num- 1 National Research Council. steps and the necessary re ber of classroom assessment strate- 1988. Understanding Agriculture: sources (and careers) re gies, including: New Directions for Education. Wash- quired to take a raw food from ington, DC: National Academy Press. the field to the consumer; ♦ background knowledge probes to serve as pre- and post-pro 2 The Council. 1997. Reinvent- ♦ historical and projected world gram assessments ing Agricultural Education for the populations and implications Year 2020. Washington, DC: The Na- for our finite agricultural re ♦ daily “one-minute papers” in tional Council for Agricultural Educa- sources, and; which students respond to the tion. question, “What was the most ♦ the processing of grains to important thing that you 3 Brown, W.B. and R. Stewart. make flour. learned during this class?” 1993. Agricultural Education in the Middle School. Journal of Agricul- By combining classroom-based7 ♦ direct observation of student tural Education 34: 17-23. and field-based activities, students activities and dialog learn that components of processed 4 Frick, M.J. 1993. Developing a food come from a wide range of com- This documentation has allowed National Framework for a Middle modities and represent a world-wide us to chart progress towards agricul- School Agricultural Education Curricu- food system that is addressing the tural literacy, as well as towards more lum. Journal of Agricultural Educa- needs of an exponentially growing positive attitudes regarding agricultural tion 34: 77-84. population. Activities addressing gen- and environmental education among 5 eral agriculture are integral to two middle school children. Project Food, Land, and People. Food and Me horizontal themes: 1) 2000. Resources for Learning. San “How can we sustain our harvests?” The Food and Me program rep- Francisco, CA: Food, Land & People. and, 2) “Applying what we know to resents only one of many AEE pro-

July - August 2004 21 Figure 1: Vertical strands and horizontal (i.e. learning cycle) elements that connect Food and Me student activities and projects.

6 National Science Resources eds). 2000. How People Learn: Center. 2002. Food Chemistry. Wash- Brain, Mind, Experience, and ington, DC: National Academy of Sci- School. Washington, DC: National ences. Academy Press.

7 Project Food, Land, and People. 9 Conroy, C., et. al. 1999. Agri- 2000. Resources for Learning. San culture as a rich context for teaching Francisco, CA: Food, Land & People. and learning, and for learning mathematics and science to prepare for the Chris Cassel, Joseph Miller, Todd 8 Committee on Learning Re- workforce of the 21st century. Pro- Biddle, and Michael Benner are search and Educational Practice, Na- ceedings of the Transitions from Child- teachers at Milton Hershey tional Research Council (Bransford, hood to the Workforce Teaching and J.D., A.L. Brown, and E.E. Cocking, School, 503 Meadow Lane, P. O. Learning Conference, Ithaca, NY. Box 830, Hershey, PA 17033

22 The Agricultural Education Magazine THEME ARTICLE Agricultural Education = Agricultural Literacy

By Kimberly A. Bellah, James E. backgrounds, lack understanding of developing those skills was one that Dyer, and Glen R. Casey agricultural concepts concerning food employed agriculturally oriented, expe- products (Meischen & Trexler, 2003). riential activities (Mabie & Baker, While Northwestern elementary teach- 1996). Interestingly, much of the body ers appreciate agricultural curriculum, of research in agricultural literacy is In early America, settlers were their perceived lack of time to imple- focused at the elementary and middle totally dependent upon their food ment it tempers their enthusiasm school levels – not the secondary level. source. If they produced their own (Balschweid, Thompson, & Cole, food, they knew how to grow it, where 1998). In the late 19th century, and for to sell it, and how to process and pre- over three-quarters of the 20th century, serve it so that it remained safe for Trexler and Suvedi (1998) dem- agricultural education was primarily consumption. If they did not produce onstrated that principals were initially targeted at students who were already their own food, they knew where to more positive about utilizing agricultural presumed to be agriculturally literate – find the most reliable source, both in literacy programs as a method for those who already had an agricultural quality and quantity. They knew be- teaching scientific concepts than were background. In the latter part of the cause their lives depended upon this their teachers. When urban elemen- century, however, education in agricul- knowledge. ture shifted to include students with no previous agricultural experience. With Although most agriculturalists the release in 1988 of the National would argue that little has changed in Research Council’s report, Under- our dependency upon a reliable source The agricul- standing Agriculture: New Direc- of quality food, most would also agree tions for Education, the need was that the vast majority of Americans tural educa- pronounced that “all students should know very little about today’s food and receive at least some systematic in- fiber system. Simply put, the majority tion profession struction about agriculture beginning in of Americans seem to be agricultur- kindergarten or first grade and continually illiterate. has been slow ing through twelfth grade.” As a profession, we are making some progress Webster defines literacy as be- to embrace ag- toward this goal, though some would ing knowledgeable in a particular sub- argue that it is only a fraction of what ject or field, in this case, agriculture. ricultural edu- is possible. Webster also defines education as the process of developing that knowledge. cation as an The program Reinventing Agri- IF we accept those definitions, what cultural Education for the Year 2020 we do in agricultural education at the agricultural clearly indicates that not only should middle and secondary levels is to de- agricultural literacy be part of every velop students into agriculturally liter- student’s education from kindergarten ate citizens. If so, agricultural educa- literacy pro- through high school, and beyond, but tion equals agricultural literacy. How- also that agricultural education must ever, the agricultural education profes- gram. serve as the torchbearer in that effort. sion has been slow to embrace agri- However, many would argue that we cultural education as an agricultural lit- fall far short of accomplishing that goal eracy program. – at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels. Research indicates conflicting tary students were observed learning results in the level of agricultural lit- science process skills, the method In elementary schools, the agri- eracy. Rural students, despite their shown to have the greatest effect on cultural literacy role has been largely

July - August 2004 23 relegated to the Ag in the Classroom and awareness projects are recognized cultural Education, 39(4), 1-10. program. At the secondary level and for their value to the university as a post-secondary levels, little to no ef- whole, and are then institutionalized Mabie, R., & Baker, M. (1996). fort is expending in teaching students with state and industry support. A comparison of experiential instruc- about agriculture as an agricultural lit- tional strategies upon the science pro- eracy program. Most agricultural edu- Should the primary focus of ag- cess skills of urban elementary students. cation departments at colleges and uni- ricultural education be agricultural lit- Journal of Agricultural Education, versities still focus on the traditional role eracy? If agricultural education equals 37(2), 1-7. of preparing high school agriculture agricultural literacy, the answer seems teachers, with agricultural literacy ef- clear. In this day and age, the two are Meischen, D. L., & Trexler, C. J. forts as a fringe activity supported by one and the same. If high school ag- (2003). Rural elementary students’ un- grants and not yet institutionalized. ricultural education programs, along derstanding of science and agricultural with teacher education institutions, fail education benchmarks related to meat Agricultural literacy must be to incorporate literacy components at and livestock. Journal of Agricultural viewed as lifelong learning and regu- all levels of education, the need for re- Education, 44(1), 43-55. larly partner with both campus educa- authorizing Carl Perkins funds will be tors and industry. However, to do so a null issue. National Council for Agricultural means a conscious effort must be Education. (2000). Reinventing agri- made to focus educational efforts into References cultural education for the year 2020: a literacy-producing program. This Creating the preferred future. Alex- likely means that permanent funding Balschweid, M. A., Thompson, andria, VA: National Council for Agri- must be in place, especially in the form G. W., & Cole, R. L. (1998). The cultural Education. of faculty to coordinate this program. effects of an agricultural literacy treat- National Research Council. Likewise, the repackaging of agricul- ment on participating K-12 teachers (1988). Understanding agriculture: tural education will likely only materi- and their curricula. Journal of Agri- alize as successful agricultural literacy New directions for education. Wash- ington, DC: National Academy Press.

Trexler, C. J., & Suvedi, M. (1998). Perception of agriculture as a context for elementary science teaching: A case of change in Sanilac County, Michigan. Journal of Agricultural Education, 39(4), 28-36.

Kimberly A. Bellah is a Graduate Associate at the University of Florida

James E. Dyer is an Associate Professor at the University of Florida

Agricultural education must be viewed as lifelong learning and Glen R. Casey is a Professer at regularly partner with all agencies within the community California Polytechnic State in an effort to serve all people. Universtiy, San Luis Obispo

24 The Agricultural Education Magazine THEMTHEME ARTICLEE ARTTICLEGENERALTHEME ARTICLE ARTICLE Do You Believe in the Future of Agricultural Education?

ducted in Washington, D.C., and strat- strategies to conduct congressional vis- By Tim J. McDermott and egies that can be carried out in local its while policy makers expressed a need Neil A. Knobloch communities to invest in agricultural to know more about agricultural edu- education’s future. cation activities and proposals.

The Promise of Better Days Finally, literacy and awareness of agricultural education are the main o we dare say that every one Through Better Ways D issues that national stakeholders viewed who subscribes to The Agricultural Revitalized efforts are underway as important for the future of agricul- Education Magazine “believes in the on the national scene to combat the tural education. Stakeholders can be a future of agriculture” (National FFA challenges facing the profession. The powerful influence for agricultural edu- Organization, 2004), yet agricultural National Council for Agricultural Edu- cation. The presence of the stakehold- education’s future will be determined cation (NCAE) is taking the first steps ers can help in building relationships as you read this article. Agricultural to inform key leaders on Capitol Hill with policy makers on Capitol Hill. education is facing difficult challenges of the value of agricultural education. However, if agricultural education does as the United States focuses on its na- This is encouraging to see because a not continue to build the knowledge tional education system. The profes- recent study (McDermott & Knobloch, base and relations with stakeholders, sion is at a crossroads in planning 2003) found that national leaders, the support of stakeholders could be in where the future will take us. It is criti- stakeholders, and policy makers did not danger. cal that the profession chooses a path match the national strategic initiatives that will help ensure continued and fu- for program and policy opportunities Leadership From Ourselves and ture success. in agricultural education. Respect from Others

Not of Words, But of Deeds? In visiting with key informants, Interestingly, the findings of what three conclusions emerged from a leaders, stakeholders, and policy mak- In 1988, the National Research four-month study in Washington, D.C. ers in Washington, D.C. thought about Council called for reform in agricultural First, programmatic changes are agricultural education have striking education based on innovative pro- needed at the state and local levels, similarities with what needs to be done grammatic leadership at state and na- and more focus is needed on policy in local communities throughout the tional levels to address the concerns changes at the state and national lev- U.S. Implementing the recommenda- about the declining profitability and in- els. National leaders, stakeholders, and tions from the national research study ternational competitiveness of Ameri- policy makers highlighted changes at the local level will present exciting can agriculture, as well as concerns needed in programs, policies, and bud- opportunities for agricultural education. about declining enrollments, instruc- gets at the state and federal levels re- tional content, and quality in agricul- garding agricultural education, yet little First, leaders, stakeholders, and tural education programs. Today, many has been done regarding these needs policy makers that influence education of these same issues continue to exist in the profession’s strategic plans. in local communities should be identi- like a plague on agricultural education. fied. A school and community analysis Current educational policy makers have Second, communication and can help identify formal and informal questioned the value and necessity of funding initiatives need to be estab- leaders who have a stake in the local agricultural education. The future of lished using clear channels of commu- educational program and likely influence agricultural education rests in the hands nication between national leaders in the policies that help shape local edu- and minds of its stakeholders, teach- agricultural education and policy mak- cational programs. Communications ers, and leaders. In this article, we ers in Washington, D.C. At the time and relationships will need to be estab- share three findings from a study con- of this study, the NCAE organized lished to develop mutual respect and

July - August 2004 25 understandings. Local leaders of agricultural educators need to examine the need for cation programs are easier to identify. programmatic changes at the local It is important to identify local Student leaders in the program along level that will benefit the agricultural policy makers. Local school board with the agriculture teachers are the program, initiate communications members and administrators influence main leaders of the local program. among all those connected to the pro- local policies, and they should be in- The leaders are ultimately responsible gram, and build literacy and aware- cluded in planning of an agricultural for seeking, understanding, and utiliz- ness of agriculture and agricultural edu- education program. In a time when ing the initiatives of the local policy cation in the community. Agricultural school budgets are being stretched, it is makers and stakeholders. In each educators should act on the challenge essential for a program to understand program, the leaders are those who to reach new audiences and build rela- the expectations of the policy makers must bring all the components together tionships with diverse groups of policy and what will influence their funding for a successful program. At times, makers, stakeholders, and leaders in lo- decisions. Local school policy makers this will require extra effort from the cal communities. will be the individuals who have the first leaders but this effort is becoming decision if agricultural education pro- more important as the policy makers Will Stand Solid for My Part grams will continue to be viable. and stakeholders are critically evalu- ating every program in the school dis- The responsibility for program- Stakeholders of the local agricul- trict. matic changes rests on the shoulders of tural education programs are far reach- local leaders in agricultural education. ing. Nearly anyone in the local com- I Can Exert an Influence Agricultural educators who believe in munity can be considered a stakeholder the National Association of Agricultural in the local agricultural program. This A unified voice from the local Educators teacher’s creed “will work group can be difficult to identify and level to the national front is critical for for the advancement of agricultural edu- include in planning, managing, and mar- the future of agricultural education. cation and defend it in their community, keting the local program. However, it While the NCAE is making strides at state and nation.” The responsibility for is necessary to consider the numerous the national level, there is much more policy changes rests on the shoulders points of view that stakeholders have that must be accomplished. If the of state and national leaders in agricul- of the agricultural education program. profession solely relies on the efforts tural education. A unified team effort is On the national level, stakeholders are of a few on the national front, agri- needed across the local, state, and na- lobbyists and directly impact where cultural education will face a grim fu- tional levels change programs and poli- funding federal dollars are spent. At ture. The messages and initiatives that cies in agricultural education. the local level, stakeholders are just as are being presented by the Council important to agricultural education. The must be echoed in practice at the lo- Agricultural educators should not stakeholders can be a program’s best cal levels in order to ensure that the assume that someone else will fight to allies as long as they are included in the news and needs of agricultural edu- keep agricultural education in America’s organization and activities of the pro- cation are being heard at several educational system. Leaders in every gram. On the other hand, stakeholders points of contacts. community, state, and national office can be against a program if they are need to unify their efforts in addresses not informed or are not considered in The future of the profession will the challenges facing agricultural edu- the direction of the program. An advi- be strengthened if each agricultural cation. The first responsibility starts in sory council or a support group can be educator takes the time to identify every local agricultural education pro- used to organize a representative group those individuals who are policy mak- gram. There will be a new era in agri- of key stakeholders in a local commu- ers, stakeholders, and leaders in their cultural education if all agricultural edu- nity. The formation of a diverse advi- community to include in the planning cators exert an influence and do their sory council will facilitate a wide vari- and work of the local agricultural edu- part in the inspiring task of educating ety of different stakeholders’ views and cation program. Once these groups people about agriculture. Local agricul- will serve as a key component of the of people are identified, the same is- tural education programs working with future planning of the agricultural edu- sues facing the national challenges the NCAE in changing programs and cation program. must be addressed. Agricultural edu- policies will help agricultural education

26 The Agricultural Education Magazine GENERAL ARTICLE

pass through the current crossroads for National Association of Agricul- Tim McDermott is a 2004 gradu- a successful future. Do you believe in tural Educators. (2004). The agricul- ate of the University of Illinois at Ur- the future of agricultural education? ture teacher’s creed. Retrieved on bana-Champaign and is in his first year May 14, 2004, from: www.naae.org/ as an agriculture teacher at Waterloo References High School in Waterloo, IL. National FFA Organization. McDermott, T. J., & Knobloch, (2004). The FFA creed. Retrieved on Neil Knobloch is an assistant pro- N. A. (2003, December). Policy op- May 14, 2004, from: ww.ffa.org/chap- fessor at the University of Illinois at portunities and agricultural ters/html/creed.html Urbana-Champaign. education’s strategic initiatives. Pro- ceedings of the annual meeting of the National Research Council. AAAE National Agricultural Educa- (1988). Understanding agriculture: tion Research Conference, Orlando, New directions for education. Com- FL, pp. 513-525. A full report of the mittee on Agricultural Education in Sec- research study is available at ondary Schools, Broad on Agriculture. www.aaaeonline.org Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

The teaching of agriculture has changed. Therefore, the purposes of agricultural education must continue to change. As a profession, we must continually question what is our purpose.

July - August 2004 27 28 The Agricultural Education Magazine