What do you love most about being an ag educator?  What I love most about being an agriculture educator is that everyday is a challenge, in a good way.  Some days I ponder what life would be like if I had a “normal” job.  I sometimes have conversations with friends that a job in education does not allow you to just have an “off” day.  As an educator, everyday is an opportunity to help students grow and grow with them simultaneously. Teaching agriculture gives me purpose, and in return I want to offer students the best experience I can provide them.  I also love that even on the toughest days, being a high school agriculture teacher is worth it all.

What is your biggest challenge as an ag educator? My biggest challenge as an ag educator is definitely feeling more confident in the classroom.  I wanted to be an agriculture teacher because I fell in love with everything that had to do with SAE projects and FFA, I believe like many other teachers.  So the fact that I was responsible for teaching these students a specific content area was very intimidating.  Everyday I spend extra time lesson planning or evaluating how I can teach a lesson better because I want to make the classroom experience for all students awesome.  I definitely have those days where I have to “get through the day” in order to do the things that I absolutely love but when I am groovin’ in the classroom, it feels pretty great.

What have you learned thus far in your teaching career that you wish you would have known when you first began teaching?  What I have learned thus far that I wish I had known when I first began is not to be so hard-headed and keep more of an open mind.  Being a confident individual stopped me from either asking for help or believing that the only way to accomplish a job was my way.  Teaching is a continuous journey and I constantly remind myself that there are many experts out there that I can utilize for advice and help.  Asking for help is not a sign of weakness or proving that you do not know how to do something.  It’s a sign that you are trying to not only improve yourself but improve your program and what you offer students.

What advice would you give a novice teacher entering this profession?  Go on an adventure!  Go teach somewhere outside of your comfort zone and experience a new area.  For those who know me, I now teach at my alma mater so saying this sounds pretty condescending.  Growing up in Orange County, attending Chico State was my adventure.  Attending school in northern California was a brand new experience for me and I regret nothing.  I fell in love with the area when student teaching at Oralnd High School and was 100% open to accepting a job anywhere in California.  My life just so happen to lead me back to Orange County after the credential program but I was ready to move anywhere the job took me.  Keep an open mind.

What personal qualities or abilities do you think are important to being successful in this profession? I believe an important quality everyone needs to be successful is adaptability.  There are so many roles in this profession that we as agriculture educators take on, so being able to change roles, especially roles of leadership is very important.  Adapt to the situation that is handed to you and do your best to either relieve the situation or make it a positive one.  We can spend so much time dwelling on the negative aspects in our lives and in our workplace that it becomes draining. Continue to have a positive vibe and energy.

What specific skills are important to being successful in this profession? A specific skill that is important to being successful in this profession is taking ownership.  Be responsible for the success of a/your program and overcome all challenges.  It can be so easy to point fingers and lay blame on others, but at the end of the day we need to take responsibility for ourselves, especially when it comes to making changes and getting the job done.

What most prepared you for being an agriculture educator? My experience at Chico State truly prepared me to be an agriculture educator.  The combination of the education, professors, environment and opportunities is the reason why I believe I am successful.

Describe ag teaching in one to two words. Gratifying.