New Teacher Survivor Series
Part #9 - FFA
Pitfalls (Introduction, FFA Dues, and Officer Elections)
Introduction:
The FFA chapter is the heart and soul of the Agricultural Education
program. You can do wonderful
things in the classroom (which you should) and still have limited support for
the program. However, if your FFA
chapter is active in the community and successful in contests and leadership
activities…look out. Not only
will your program have great support but you will also have many obstacles that
will come out from behind the bushes. These
obstacles or pitfalls will be the topic of discussion in this pamphlet.
The
Purpose of the FFA Chapter
1.
The FFA Chapter and its activities are an integral part of the Ag Ed
program. This means that almost everything you do should include or
relate to the FFA. By doing this,
the FFA can work with you to teach and practice a specific skill or group of
skills and knowledge. You should
not be afraid to relate to the students, administrators, counselors, and/or
parents that what you are teaching will be practiced through the FFA activities.
Therefore if a student does not want to be a member of the FFA chapter,
you should pose the question to the student, parent, and counselor or
administrator, "Why is the student enrolling in Ag Ed?"
2.
Another purpose of the FFA is to build community.
The FFA chapter is your link to the community.
The blue and gold jackets are wonderful advertising.
Activities throughout the community will associate you and your students
with a sense of community spirit. Your
FFA chapter should be involved in improvement projects around the school and
community. These projects will be
looked upon as beneficial to the town. As
a result, the chapter as a whole will be perceived as an important part of that
community.
3.
Realistically, the FFA activities recruit and retain a large majority of
the students enrolled in agricultural education.
You should capitalize on this information and use it to build a program
that is virtually untouchable in budget and financial crunches.
4.
Do not let the FFA dictate what is done in the classroom.
The classroom should be focused on specific knowledge and skills.
The FFA should be a tool for you to practice and improve upon a block of
information that you are teaching in the classroom.
Food
for thought. There is a fine line
between using the FFA as a tool and the FFA driving the train.
A rule of thumb would be that if you have students in your class that are
sitting in the shadows doing nothing while you are working with 4 other students
on FFA activities, you have missed the boat.
FFA
Dues
1.
The first rattle out of the box, you will be informing students about
their responsibility to pay their FFA dues.
This will result in actions that you may or may not be ready for.
Some of these actions are:
ü
I
don't have the money.
ü
We
can't afford it.
ü
I
didn't know we had to be a member.
ü
The
parents will call the principal and complain their student doesn't want to be a member
ü
The
principal might tell you that you cannot make them be members
ü
The
state dues are only $8.00 why do we have to pay $10?
ü
I'll
pay you next week. (This is in
November)
The truth is
you can't make them pay their dues. However,
remember to always pose the question, "If you don't want to be a member of
the FFA, why are you in the class?
2.
There are several options in situations where dues are a problem.
ü
You
should announce that if there were some reason a student cannot pay his/her
dues, you would work with them on other options.
ü
Some
chapters pay for everyone's dues through fundraisers.
ü
Make
sure that everyone knows ahead of enrollment that FFA membership is a part of
the class.
ü
Include
the information in your syllabus.
ü
Assign
FFA participation a portion of the grade in your syllabus
ü
Arrange
for the student to work off the dues by doing projects for the chapter after
school.
ü
Propose
that if the student sells so much of a fundraiser, their dues will be paid for.
These
are only a few options. The first
level of defense is to stay strong in your argument that the FFA is not extra,
it is a part of. Therefore dues and
membership should not be an option if they want to take your class.
FFA
Officer Elections
1.
Chapter officer elections can be a thorn in your side.
As an instructor, you know who you feel would make the best officer team
and at what position. However, most
of the time it doesn't turn out that way. In
addition, it is almost a certain that if "you" somehow manipulate the
system to get what you want it will come back to haunt you.
2.
The chapter officer election process should be one that requires officer
candidates to go the extra mile. If
your requirements to apply for office are rigorous, you will only have students
who are active apply. You have a
responsibility to set these requirements. Be
careful to not make the requirements so rigorous that you do not have members
apply for office.
ü
Must
attend FFA Alumni Camp
ü
Must
give a speech prior to application year
ü
Must
have attended certain activities
ü
Must
be academically eligible
ü
Must
complete an application
3.
Interviews are acceptable. However,
my advice is to not let the interview panel select your officer team. The members are who have to work with and for the chapter
officers. It should be their
decision to select the team from those who have met the criteria to apply.
Be careful that personalities and community politics do not play a role
in the officer selection process. If
you leave it up to the members in the end, you are off the hook.
Remember that they are selecting officers who have met your criteria.
4.
The voting process is another pitfall in officer elections.
Secret ballot is the best method. It
will eliminate "big brother" persuasion.
In addition, you can even model the State Officer election process used
at the State FFA Convention. This
allows the students to feel a sense of importance.
5.
When voting by secret ballot and counting the votes, it should be done
professionally. The Officers in
charge of the election should be assigned positions and duties in relationship
to the election and voting process. Do
this ahead of the meeting. Also,
you should only supervise the activity. Allow
the designated person(s) to count the ballots.
Double check the count and verify the results in front of witnesses.
6.
"If"
you use an interview panel, have them select a slate of officers.
The slate can then be voted on by the chapter. This will allow them to select the person for the position
that they want.
7.
Be very careful how you undertake officer elections.
I suggest that you have the entire process in writing, voted on by the
chapter and a copy in the principal's office.
Final
Thoughts: The FFA pitfalls are many. Continue
reading in Part 10 for more information.