"Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach."

This is a fairly popular quote that floats around the education profession. I argue that especially career technical education teachers must be able to “do” a variety of things well. Not only will we present lectures in our classrooms, we will facilitate our students to learn by doing.

It’s been said that agriculture education teachers have to know a little bit of everything. That being said, as an Agricultural Education major, many thoughts cross our mind on a weekly basis.

Such as:

1. Yay, we’re working with fistulated steers in lab today!

Ruminants are cool. Sticking your hand inside the digestive tract of a ruminant is even cooler. Also, being five hours from the ranch that I grew up on results in mass excitement anytime animals are involved.

2. Yes, I am going to teach middle and high school students about agriculture.

I feel like I get asked who and what I am going to teach fairly often. While the name our our major sounds self-explanatory to us, we have room to advocate for our future professions!

3. I can still buy this FFA shirt because I can wear it when I teach.

Some of my friends have scoffed at me for continuing to buy FFA apparel, until I remind them that I will never be too old to wear it. Plus, I can wear it to work!

4. My schedule revolves around my welding class.

I haven’t taken welding yet, but I do know that it dictates a lot of students’ schedules!

5. I hope that some of my future students want to be engineers.

Dear future students, I hate math. I’m taking agricultural physics for you.

6. I’m using this curriculum in a few years.

All of those entry-level classes that we take have a goldmine of resources. If the material looks familiar, your ag teacher may have already taught it to you in high school. Add some activities from those education classes, and you are set.

7. Yes, we do take education classes.

Our practicums are different than “regular” education majors, but we still do them. We have lesson plan homework and methods classes, too.

8. Owls!

Since the FFA advisor is stationed by the owl, it makes sense for us to think of ourselves when we see owls.

9. That would be perfect for my future classroom!

If you say that you haven’t envisioned your future classroom before, you’re probably lying. If you’ve ever bought something for your future classroom, you’re not alone…

10. Wow, that sounds familiar.

If you didn’t learn FFA ceremonies and traditions in high school, you will learn them in college. Then, when you hear phrases like, “producing and marketing,” you will immediately think of the FFA Creed.

11. This class is not going to directly impact my students.

This may be me being sassy (I prefer to think of it as purposeful), but I can’t rationalize taking an art class when I can take floral design, which counts as art and will be taught in my classroom.

12. Ag teachers are cool.

I am fortunate to have grown up in a district where all of the ag teachers were close-knit, so I got to know them in high school. On a state and national level, I am reminded of how many amazing programs there are, thanks to the thought and work of ag teachers. Getting to network with current agriculture teachers is a great asset! Also, they are a great reminder of what is to come when we graduate college.

13. This is where I am meant to be.

I sincerely hope that every college student in every major feels like this. The thought of working with students every day to prepare them to be successful leaders in their careers, seeing their eyes light up when they finally grasp a concept and watching their personal growth while sharing my passion for agriculture is invigorating.

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Agricultural Education covers a wide variety of topics. We may not be excited about every single class that we take, but we know that it will help our future students. Combined with the excitement of our future careers and typical college student ponderings, our thoughts cover many topics.