January 2020
In This Issue
Sacramento Scene:
- CalAgPlates and FFA Jackets
California Department of Education Update:
News & Views:
- Get Fired Up
- Supervised Agriculture Experience - Is it worth the time and energy?
- Beyond New Professionals
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Get Fired Up
B
y: Erin Gorter, CATA President, Cal Poly SLO
The word “burnout” brings several definitions to my mind. First, Jeff Spicoli—the quintessential surfer with disregard to authority in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (I just dated myself, but I will get over it). Second, the act of keeping a vehicle stationary while spinning the tires to create friction. Anyone who has ever visited my old Atascadero home has probably left his or her own tire marks in my incredibly steep drive. Next, the reduction of fuel to nothing through combustion. My grandma lives on a ranch in Pozo where it is critical to keep the wood stove lit during the winter. When that thing burns out, it gets cold! Last, burnout has been described as a physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress. Although we probably all have experience with each of these definitions, the one most frequently used concerning teaching agriculture is the last.
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Sacramento Scene: CalAgPlates and FFA Jackets
B
y: Matt Patton, CATA Executive Director
California FFA will receive $21,000 less this year from the CalAgPlate program than it did last year. Overall, the program is down nearly $40,000 from its highest point in 2017. This year’s reduction in funding will result in less money going towards offsetting student costs for the State FFA Conference and the Sacramento Leadership Experience. These reductions will directly result in increased expenditures for students, which equates to reduced access for some.
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January 2020 Update
By: Charles Parker, California Department of Education, State FFA Advisor
Before I delve into my article for the new year, I want to formally welcome JessaLee Goehring as the North Coast Region Supervisor. JessaLee is a product of the FFA, having earned her American FFA Degree as a member of the Lodi FFA Chapter. She completed her credential work at Fresno State and her master’s at Chico State. JessaLee has taught at Patterson HS, Lodi HS and most recently at Galt HS. She received her Teacher of Excellence in 2013 and served as the Central Region President in 2017. Please join me in welcoming JessaLee as the North Coast Region Supervisor.
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Supervised Agriculture Experience – Is it worth the time and energy?
By: Shay Williams-Hopper, California Department of Education, San Joaquin Region Supervisor
The National Ag Council is currently pushing the “SAE for all” concept. As I pondered “SAE for all,” my original thought was, “I did this.” But, as I sat back and reflected on my career in the classroom, I can honestly say I did not value Supervised Agriculture Experience Projects for all. I valued it for those students who chose livestock projects, or who had ready-made projects at home because of family interests or businesses. Yes, I graded SAE projects as a part of my student’s grades. Yes, I taught about SAE’s and what they could be. Yes, I required every student to write a reflection on their project each year. What I did not do successfully however, was make the connection for my students as to why SAE projects are valuable.
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Beyond New Professionals
By: Jackie Jones, California Department of Education, Southern Region Supervisor
When I was in my 6th year of teaching, I participated in a particularly memorable Vision 2030 breakout session at our CATA Summer Conference. Everyone was divided into groups based on the number of years they have been teaching. I was in the 6 to 10-year group and in the same room were the 1 to 5-year teachers. The facilitators split the group in half; one side 1 to 5 and the other 6 to 10. Looking around the 6 to 10 year tables I saw that many of them were empty or were half full. Finding a group of people to sit with was not hard, but it made you wonder where everyone else was at.
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Gavin Newsom's 1st-year K-12 scorecard: good grades on priorities and some incompletes
Courtesy of John Fensterwald, EdSource.org
Gavin Newsom wasn’t pressed during his 2018 campaign for governor to be specific about his education goals or how he’d raise taxes for the additional revenue that he agreed schools need. Well-assured of election, he didn’t have to. He faced a weak opponent in Republican John Cox after vanquishing opponents in the primary. Plus, K-12 education wasn’t a central issue in the election.
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