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One of the many activities that agriscience teachers participate in during the summer months is workshops. The workshops provide much needed professional development and technical awareness for the teachers to help them with their delivery of instruction to agriscience students.

Most of the educational workshops are provided through Auburn University and Alabama A&M University in Huntsville. There are also cooperating groups and businesses that help in the delivery of the workshops. The topics for the workshops cover a variety of subjects, some of which are: computer applications, small engines, livestock nutrition and exhibition, irrigation, poultry science, FFA applications and programs, welding/metal fabrication, hunter education, and carpentry.

The teachers that attended the workshop were (from left) Gary Aycock, George Smith, Randy Shuffield, Donnie Goneke, Stacy Hatcher, Barry McCafferty, Scott Wigginton, Tony Watkins and Travis Nelson.

The teachers utilize the workshops to help them gain the skills needed to instruct students on the various topics. One of the challenges (and advantages) of teaching agriscience education is the variety of subjects being taught. An agriscience teacher needs to be knowledgeable of construction, livestock, poultry, horticulture, nursery/landscape, fruit & vegetable production, soil science, plant science, aquaculture, environmental science, small engines, forestry, leadership, FFA, business management, economics, agricultural mechanics… I think you get the picture. In order to be proficient at their jobs, teachers must continually research education subjects and have formal instruction related to the subject matter being taught.

One group of agriscience teachers recently attended an animal nutrition and exhibition workshop in Missouri. The teachers that attended the workshop were part of a group of 180 people from across the United States including agriscience teachers, agricultural extension agents, feed representatives, and producers. Presenters used a variety of hands on techniques, demonstrations, and written material to educate the audience.

While demonstrating the effect of roughage quantity in the diet of ruminants, the teachers had an opportunity to take samples from a fistulated Holstein steer. The samples were then placed under a microscope to examine the difference between normal microbial action and microbial action after large doses of concentrate feed was added. The addition of concentrate feed changed the pH of the sample and killed bacteria.

The group also saw seminars on fitting show cattle (by Kirk Stierwalt), rabbit nutrition and palpation, swine selection and showmanship, lamb selection and nutrition, poultry nutrition and management practices, and equine nutrition.

Information and photographs from the Missouri workshop were submitted by Tony Watkins, Agriscience Teacher at Slocomb High School.

Jacob Davis is the Executive Secretary of the Alabama FFA Association.