Owl Pellets: Tips For Ag Teachers

Am I an imposter? Whether coming into teaching or trying to establish a researcher's identity, this question is prevalent. We find ourselves prepared really well only to feel unprepared when we enter a career away from the support we had in preparation. Nicole Stedman, Jarred Shellhouse, and JC Bunch at the University of Florida explore these ideas and more as they help normalize developmental processes for everyone.   Journal Article: https://agdevresearch.org/index.php/aad/article/view/335

What do Oklahoma ag teachers need? Turns out, it's more than professional development; it's curricular resources, admin support, and respect. These needs span the ag program and the career, so Kayla Marsh and Kris Rankin (Oklahoma State University) challenge us to think about how we can balance professional development with reality, build networks through professional development, and garner respect from administration, all while challenging us to think about the teaching career as a hierarchy of needs.   Journal article: http://jsaer.org/2023/09/12/determining-the-needs-of-school-based-agricultural-education-teachers-in-oklahoma/

In this episode, the Owl Pellets Crew wrap up their mentoring mini-series. What better way to conclude a series than to add recommendations? Brain, Becky, and Mike discuss seven recommendations for mentoring programs. 

Have you ever heard of 8th graders enjoying accounting? In this week's episode, Neil Knobloch and Andrea Brown talk with the crew regarding their success in integrating an agricultural business management simulation into an eighth-grade classroom. They make double-entry accounting sound fun!    Journal article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/1965

Alternatively certified teachers bring a variety of experiences to their practice of agricultural education that add value to their schools and benefit their students. Kellie Claflin (The Ohio State University) asks us to think about how we can better support teachers, but especially those new to the profession. She encourages us to be connectors; looking to understand the experience others bring to the table before jumping in with assumptions about what may be needed.   Journal Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/110

Virtual professional development is a reality of the post-pandemic world, and it's changed how we deliver and expect to interact with PD. Amber Rice (University of Arizona) shares great insight from CASE participants to help us think about what professional development participants have access to in terms of community development, content, and delivery modality, and the intentionality behind providing that access.

With a decline in the teaching workforce and a decline in teacher diversity, Matt Wood and Michelle Burrows at Utah State University wanted to know: what's the effect on ag programs? In exploring attitudes and professional development around Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (IDE), they found teachers were looking for PD to help them tap into students' lived experiences, curricular resources around IDE, and support advocating for minorities.

What are we recruiting to? Tiffany Marzalino and Aaron McKim at Michigan State University share how Michigan ag teachers are recruiting students to their programs--and it might be more straightforward than you think! Tune in as we talk about authenticity, inclusivity and belonging, empowering students to share their experiences, and the different learning experiences Ag Ed is situated to provide!   Journal Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/49

How can we evaluate mentoring? Do you know what purpose you are serving as a mentor or mentee? In this week's episode Brian, Becky, and Mike discuss how to assess and evaluate mentoring. Tune in as the crew continues their mentoring mini-series. 

Establishing integrated school gardens takes a champion to start, but a team to maintain. Jade Davidson (Oregon State University) and Jason Peake (University of Georgia) share a framework and the components necessary to integrate sustainable and integrated school gardens that are part of the school culture.   Journal Article: https://agdevresearch.org/index.php/aad/article/view/281 Resources: https://bit.ly/3t8OxFI

Geocaching is a treasure hunting community teachers can leverage as an instructional tool. Rachel Hendrix (West Virginia University) and John Rickets (Tennessee State University) join the crew to help us learn how to use geocaching to promote critical thinking, teamwork, and communication and to use geocaching as an instructional tool.   Journal article: http://jsaer.org/2022/10/12/gps-and-geocaching-integration-in-agriscience-the-impact-on-critical-thinking/

Understanding and experiencing culture is critical for young agricultural leaders, but there's often some anxiety around having culturally competent conversations. Never fear--Janiece Pigg (Tennessee Youth Development) is here to help us think about opportunities to expand our cultural lens.   Journal article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/1952

Prepare to enter mentoring! Mentoring is a huge undertaking, and in this episode, Brian, Mike, and Becky explore what we need to enter mentoring and point to tools to support that process in formal mentoring relationships.

There are hundreds of ways to measure success in SBAE programs, and Haley Traini (Oregon State University) joins us to talk about them all! We'll chat about teacher and program performance, overwhelm, and career expectations in the jam packed episode!   Journal article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/29

We all have students with special needs in our classes. Unfortunately, many of us also need additional training to support our SPED students. Tune in as the OP team chats with Raegan Ramage (Louisiana) as she shares tips for opening communication with SPED teachers, working with students, and involving SPED students in Agricultural Education.    Journal Article: https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/29

We rely on a toolbox of instructional methods as agricultural educators. Blake Colclasure (University of Tennessee) and Jack Dempsey (University of Illinois & Cascade Reading) share how our belief in a method's effectiveness affects our use of that method. Spoiler alert: you've got to believe!   Journal Article:  https://agdevresearch.org/index.php/aad/article/view/235

Growing as an effective educator is a skill to practice, especially as we work to engage students. Tune in as we talk with Tre Easterly (University of Florida) about how to improve our teaching by improving instructional clarity, increasing variety, demonstrating enthusiasm, using task-oriented behaviors, and providing opportunities for students to practice what they learn.   Journal Article:  https://jae-online.org/index.php/jae/article/view/1959

Identity is the composite of who a person is, including their thoughts about themselves, how they're viewed by the world, and the characteristics individuals use to define themselves. Join the OP crew for the next installation of the mentoring mini-series as they talk about supporting people in finding their fit and acknowledging contributions.

Mentoring, coaching, advising, role modeling, sponsorship--what's the big deal? Aren't they all kind of the same thing? Join the Owl Pellets team as we work through the difference, and value, of each different type of relationship in our personal and professional lives.

Being involved in agriculture connects kids to their communities. Rebecca Mott and John Tummons (University of Missouri) share how we can use youth livestock experiences to encourage deep reflection and growth toward independence.   Resources: https://bit.ly/41h9lYl