What do you love most about being an ag educator? Providing an opportunity for non-traditional kids to excel in a laboratory setting.  You get the chance to see a side of students that most teachers don’t,  others teachers “worst kids” are my best kids.

What is your biggest challenge as an ag educator? Kids are not the challenge, they are the perk.  I believe the challenge for most of us lies in what you do outside of the classroom, dealing with the community, parents, administration, budgets, field trips, etc.

What have you learned thus far in your teaching career that you wish you would have known when you first began teaching?  I think one of my ag educators at SLO said it best one day when he commented to me: “You know if I could only dedicate all my time to teaching…"  When you become a Ag teacher you are a politician, diplomat, peace keeper, book keeper, and countless other things.  Cal Poly did an excellent job preparing me for the classroom / shop / FFA it was the political side of the job that caught me off guard.

What advice would you give a novice teacher entering this profession in 2015? Don’t make waves your first year teaching.  Work hard long hours to learn all the facets of your department and school.  Then in the following years, once you get a handle on things, you can start to rock the boat a little and make gradual changes.

What personal qualities or abilities do you think are important to being successful in this profession?  Patience, passion, and willingness to compromise, but also being able to stand your ground say “No” when needed.

What specific skills are important to being successful in this profession?  You have to know how to work with your hands, be a people person and know how to compromise.

What most prepared you for being an agriculture educator?  Dealing with corporate people in the manufacturing industry taught me when to pull punches and when to go to bat.

Describe Ag teaching in one to two words.  Fun & Rewarding