By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

Agricultural science teachers early in their career spent two days with educational and agricultural experts to gain knowledge and resources for their classrooms through Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Early Ag Teacher Professional Development workshop.

“Texas Farm Bureau is committed to investing in ag teachers,” said Jordan Bartels, TFB associate director of Organization Division, Education and Outreach. “This workshop is designed to give them the tools, knowledge and confidence they need to be successful in the classroom, FFA contests and Supervised Agricultural Experiences.”

Teachers toured W4 Ranch in Morgan, where they learned about electronic identification tags, ultrasounds and cattle management. The group also learned about the threat the New World screwworm poses to livestock.

They also attended a meat cutting demonstration led by Eric Harwell, manager and instructor at Tarleton State University Meats Lab.

“The farm to plate lesson on the cattle industry was interesting. I grew up around it and was familiar with the process, but it’s great to see it and then teach it to my students,” said Charli Dickson, a second-year agricultural science teacher at Jacksonville High School. “Some of my students are mainly inner-city kids who have limited exposure to agriculture. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of my job. It’s fun to watch them get excited about things they don’t know about.”

Workshop equips ag teachers with skills, resources Agricultural science teachers across Texas gained knowledge and resources for their classrooms through Texas Farm Bureau’s Early Ag Teacher Professional Development workshop.

The two-day workshop included presentations from Ray Pieniazek with the Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas, keynote speaker Dr. Tobin Redwine and various university speakers.

Educators also heard from a panel featuring agricultural science teachers at various stages of their careers, offering advice on lesson planning, classroom management and navigating the challenges of teaching.

A presentation on Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) provided detailed information for the participants.

“I didn’t know anything about SAEs before this, and that session was incredibly valuable to me,” Dickson said. “Now, I feel more prepared to guide my students through their SAEs.”

Teachers took home classroom materials, including information on TFB contests, student leadership programs and resources designed specifically for agricultural science teachers.

“Workshops like this are great for ag teachers early in their career,” Dickson said. “The first year can be overwhelming. It’s nice to connect with others who are going through the same thing and get your questions answered together.”

Nearly 40 teachers were in attendance for the workshop.

The free professional development event was held June 2-3 in Waco.

Additional information on other education opportunities and resources can also be found at texasfarmburea.org/aitc.

Workshop equips ag teachers with skills, resources Agricultural science teachers across Texas gained knowledge and resources for their classrooms through Texas Farm Bureau’s Early Ag Teacher Professional Development workshop.