The Career I Chose as an Agriculture Teacher

I chose this career because, I believe that agriculture education is important for people of all ages to know. The agriculture industry clothes, feeds, and shelters us, we as consumers have the right to know at least the basics of the industry that provides the necessities of life to us. Contrary to belief, farmers and producers are not out to hurt anyone.With some simple education people would be able to understand that some things they are told to fear by the media are actually harmless.

We need agriculture teachers to help students understand this now so they aren't confused or worried about what to buy in the future. This career is interesting to me because I want to be able to help highschool students find their place, like my ag teachers did for me.

Agriculture teachers do a lot for students, and the community. Ag teachers have more responsibilities than a regular teacher does. Teachers create lesson plans and teach those plans to the entire class, they track student progress, create tests, enforce classroom rules, work with school administration as well as prepare students for tests and teach them any knowledge they need.

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An ag teacher on the other hand does all of the same but more, they are on an extended contract and maintain a summer program that includes FFA activities, teacher in-service, program development and educational activities, they also motivate students to do projects and research that would help them be more knowledgeable in the agricultural field. Ag teacher have a more hands on approach to different things in the classroom as well as outside of it.

The work condition for ag teachers aren’t bad, most agriculture education teachers work in middle, high, and postsecondary schools, such as 2-year colleges. They generally work during school hours and work on an extended contract so they work in the summer for fairs and any other summer activities or events going on. AG teachers also need to be able to go to houses and check on projects.

Physical requirements for ag teachers are not hard at all. A teacher needs to be able to Use their stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods of time without getting tired. Some teachers can even be in wheelchairs, it is not a necessity to stand up. If you want to be a more hands on teacher you need to be able to move around the class speedily. An ag teacher needs to be able to speak clearly so listeners can understand, they also need to use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects. Teachers need to be able to do these things so that they can be the best they can at what they do. A teacher needs to be able to speak clearly so that there point can be heard throughout the classroom, they need to be able to pick things up so they can do hands on activities with the classroom. Ag teachers need to be able to drive so they can take their teams out to there competitions, an ag teacher travels many times throughout the year.

Agriculture teachers are paid differently than regular teachers. Ag teachers work on an extended contract, while regular teachers work 180 days a year an ag teacher will work. Ag teachers need these extra days to work on workshops and skill development programs, many times offered by the high school. These can range from agriculture mechanics to training CDE teams more effectively. They also need weekends to go to competitions, and team practices after school. There are a variety of FFA camps for students during the summer. Some require you to be an officer, while others are interest specific, like livestock show camps. Most of these require a teacher supervisor. Ag teachers are paid as of Dec 10, 2018, $47,290 a year. Nationally agriculture education teachers made a median annual salary of $56,130 as of May 2015, while the top-earning teachers made $83,180. Most college agricultural science teachers earned between $46,680 and $149,960. Ag teachers get paid more because they need to be available more.

Overall employment of agriculture education teachers is projected to grow about 4 percent from 2016 to 2026, slower than the average for all occupations. The demand for agriculture education teachers will be driven by a continued need for programs that prepare students for agricultural careers. There is a chance for advancements in an ag teaching career. Some teachers who exhibit leadership qualities and a strong command of their subject areas may become heads of their departments. Some schools hire individuals who serve only as administrative department heads, but many school districts select teachers to serve in dual roles as teacher and department head. As an ag teacher there isn’t a career ladder you don’t get higher than a teacher unless you become department head. If you are department head you are at the highest you can be. If I become a teacher I would like to stay a regular ag teacher I wouldn't want the responsibilities of a department head.

To become an agricultural teacher, you must have at least a bachelor's degree in agriculture science or a closely related field of study and complete a teaching training program. Typically, the degree should be in the field of agriculture with coursework in subjects like agricultural mechanics, floral management and agriculture management. An ag teacher needs a bachelors in an agriculture class because that is what they will be teaching to students. Ag teachers will also need a teaching credential if they want to teach at a high school.