New Teacher Survivor Series
Part #5 - What do I teach and when?
Introduction:
For years this has been the $1,000,000 question.
Most Ag Ed instructors teach exactly what they were taught when they were
in Ag. Others teach only what they feel comfortable with.
Some teach very little and some teach a great deal.
While some use CIMC curriculum, others use textbooks.
So what is right and what is wrong?
The answer to this
question is simple. They are all
right. With the exception being
teaching very little. It is the
responsibility of each instructor to offer courses and curriculum that will
benefit and compliment his/her community and school. Not every school or community is alike. Therefore, not every program will teach exactly the same
things or courses.
This guide is a
recommendation of options. The
options listed will help you outline and direct your classroom. Remember that
your way may be different from your neighbor's way.
1.
Most importantly, be able to explain what you are teaching, why you are
teaching it, and how you are holding the students accountable for learning.
You should communicate these three things to your principal,
superintendent, students and parents. People
feel very comfortable knowing what is expected and what their children will be
learning.
2.
You should begin by listing the courses you wish to offer.
More than likely, you won't have that option the first year.
However, be thinking about it for next year.
3.
Once your courses have been determined, outline each one by listing the
things you want the students to be able to do when they leave that course.
4.
This outline might include skills, knowledge, passing the state
competency test, or being able to participate and be competitive in a FFA CDE
event. Yes a FFA CDE event.
5.
This outline is your curriculum. It
is different from curriculum materials. Curriculum
materials are textbooks or CIMC materials.
Curriculum is the knowledge or skills taught in your course.
6.
The next step would be to construct a course syllabus for each course.
The outlines you developed will serve as the content portion of the
syllabus. You might want to check
the Ag Education Course Syllabus site for examples
of course syllabi.
7.
Once you have completed the course syllabi, you will need to select
curriculum materials for each course. Select
either a textbook or CIMC curriculum materials.
Your curriculum materials must help you teach what you want to teach.
8.
Don't let the textbook or CIMC curriculum dictate what you teach.
9.
There are differences between a textbook and CIMC curriculum materials.
A textbook will have questions at the beginning and ending of the
chapters. These questions can be
used for grades. CIMC materials are
guides that have information only. There
is very little fluff but the information is directly related to what we do.
10.
Look at both before making a decision.
Select the one that will help you meet your goal of "what you want
the student to leave your class with".
11.
Now that you have your course syllabi prepared for each course and you
have selected the curriculum materials you will be using, you will need to look
for supplemental materials such as videos, lab activities, or computer software
to help make your presentations better.
12.
Video tapes can be a great asset to any course.
In addition, a good video related to the topic you are currently teaching
can be used more effectively while you are gone on activities than worksheets.
13.
Remember that if you assign worksheets, you will be expected to grade
them. You can use videos for pop
quizzes when you return, discussion questions to enhance your lesson, or
research topics for papers or speeches.
14.
Build your video library each year. If you will purchase 2 or 3 videos
each year, before long you will have a very good video library to use while you
are away or to enhance your teaching.
15.
CIMC has a great selection of videos relating to all possible areas of
study. You might even look into the
other areas of vocational education such as Health or T&I for videos that
you might want to use. Check the
CIMC catalog or Web site catalog.
16.
Computer software programs are becoming more and more teacher friendly.
Always look at the curriculum materials catalogs you receive in the mail
for teaching software. Don't fall
for programs that are individualized. You
are looking for something to help you teach.
17.
Suggestion: Prepare for the first few weeks of school by selecting units
or topics that you have videos for. This
will allow you to teach when you are there and assign videos when you are at the
fairs.
18.
Suggestion: Assign building clean up or arrangement assignments for the
upper class (11-12th grade). If
you have a hort class, assign them work projects in the greenhouse.
19.
Never assign welding, cutting or shop projects while you are away.
(Liability concerns).
20.
If you assign worksheets, make sure you have them copied ahead of time.
You can leave an answer key for the substitute to allow the students to
grade their own papers.
21.
Throughout the year there will be times when you can teach a great deal
and times where it is necessary to do other things.
Outline your year so that you will not be flying by the seat of your
pants and you accomplish your goals.
22.
Suggested outline for Ag I: Introduction
to FFA - SAE, FFA Quiz, and FFA Creed (August);
Animal Science - Breeds of livestock (swine, cattle, sheep, dairy and
horses if you have time) {September & October}; SAE record keeping and
Parliamentary procedure (November & December); Public Speaking (December
& January); Soil Science and Crops (February); Plant science (March); CDE
Team training (March and April); Ag Mechanics (April & May)
23.
Each course should be associated with a FFA CDE Event.
The skills and knowledge you teach should prepare them to participate in
a CDE without them even knowing about it. When
you have taught the unit or units they will be prepared.
24.
There is nothing wrong with teaching the skills associated with a CDE
event. The wrong comes into play if
you are only teaching 4 students and the rest are playing tidily winks.
Final word: Remember
the key to being successful in the classroom is to teach knowledge and skills
that the students can use. Utilizing
the FFA CDE events, preparing them for a science course, or giving them
knowledge or skills they can take home and use will do the trick.
Many instructors
rely solely on a textbook or other curriculum materials to teach their class.
Following the textbook one unit at a time is a recipe for boredom.
Tell the students
what you are going to teach them, why you are teaching it, how it will help them
and then hold them accountable for learning and putting it to use.
Use the FFA CDE
events to enhance your teaching. The
skills associated with each event are academic and application in nature.
There is nothing easy about being an expert in Crops judging, Land
judging, Ag Communications, public speaking, parliamentary procedure, natural
resources, horticulture or any of the other areas.
Be proud your students can perform in these areas and that you taught
them.
Last but not least, be prepared early!!!