Commentary; Posted: 1/10/07
Growing with agriculture
Caitlin Sapa
Guest Columnist
When high school students forge through all of the change taking place in education and how that affects students at Forest Lake High School, the Agriculture Department needs some attention. By enrolling in agriculture classes, students are exposed to rigorous academics, experiences that support and relate to learning, scholarship opportunities, many friendships and a place to "fit in" during their high school years.
Educational reform is receiving a great deal of attention at state and national levels. No Child Left Behind federal legislation encourages increased student learning by improving school delivery systems, student learning and teacher performance.
Minnesota laws have changed to include new standards for student learning in core academic areas for all Minnesota students. Efforts to improve student learning and permit Minnesota high school students to be successful and competitive in a world employment market are driving the wave of change.
At the heart of educational reform is the student and how she/he learns.
I have discovered some things about my learning since I began taking courses in agriculture education. Students seem to learn better when the learning is relevant.
I understand when the learning is connected to my life. When learning is personal, the conceptual information will be valued to a greater degree.
The Association for Career and Technical Education report on Reinventing the American High School for the 21st Century; states "there is evidence that connecting rigorous academic expectations with the relevance of an interest-based system can help students connect to learning in powerful ways. Relevance is an essential motivator for individual effort."
Supervised Agriculture Experience Projects, or SAE's are an agricultural education program component that allow students to tailor learning to individual interests. SAEs are an opportunity to "try out" a career by job shadowing or even teaching a class at an elementary school.
I have been fortunate to teach elementary students embryology and forestry at St. Peter's Elementary and Columbus Elementary schools this year. I want to become a teacher.
The opportunity to teach young people about agricultural subjects while I am in high school gives me insight and experience toward my future career goal. This also gives me the chance to help young people understand the role of agriculture in Minnesota and across America.
Academic rigor is vital for students to maximize their learning. Reading, writing, and high level thinking skills become second nature to me when I understand why it is important. According to Dr. Willard R. Daggett, president of the International Center for Leadership in Education, the more students see the need for the learning, the more success they find at school.
Success in life is certainly dependent upon our relationships with others at work, at home and at school. A concluding statement from the document for Reinventing the American High School states "Students need to be taught in a way that is rigorous and relevant to their areas of personal interest and career aspirations. This creates a supportive environment of relationships."
Creating a positive high school environment emphasizing rigor, relevance, and relationships requires a talented and committed leadership team. An important relationship bond and program component is the Agriculture Education Advisory Committee.
They involve parents, teachers and businesses in the community. The Agricultural Advisory Committee suggests program and course changes to better meet the needs of the students.
The FFA is part of the class and provides students with a focus on premier leadership, personal growth, and career success.
Parents are involved with the program and its many activities.
Agriculture students are introduced to the University of Minnesota as a result of Career Development Events and other leadership programs. I will become connected to the agricultural community by meeting Minnesota business leaders, Minnesota state legislators and commodity group representatives at our Annual Agriculture Department Open House on May 4, 2007.
Agricultural Education is a vital and effective way to deliver educational opportunities to young people like myself.
It provides options and alternatives for students who learn in a different way.
It provides meaning for the learning in other areas of the school because of the context. Reinventing the America High School for the 21st Century report points out that in order for the educational system to adopt the new goal of getting every student ready for careers and college, we suggest a shift of focus to the underlying principles for what students learn and how we teach it.
We must not wait for a crisis to shake us out of our seats. Please consider becoming involved with your local school district by serving on committees and boards of education.
Support legislators and legislative action that will keep agricultural education viable in public schools.
Write letters of support to area newspapers and be willing to become involved in the promotion of a successful and proven educational delivery system.
I would like to encourage you to get back to the "basics" and offer future high school students a chance to make learning fun by providing relevance, integrating rigor and building relationships.
Caitlin Sapa is a senior at Forest Lake High School. She won the FFA Prepared Public Speaking Contest at the Regional level at the University of Minnesota and will compete in the State Contest in April. This column was adapted from the speech.
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