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Agriculture
is the number one industry in Alabama and the fastest-growing segment of
agriculture is the service/marketing sector. Agriscience teachers are
probably best known as FFA advisors, but their main job is preparing
students for entry into jobs in the careers of agriculture and
agribusiness. Thus, one of the greatest contributions agriscience
teachers can make is to our future - our youth.
Just
as there are years when there is abundant rainfall and years we
experience drought, teacher education programs at Auburn University and
Alabama A&M University also have cycles. There are times when a
great number of students are pursuing a degree in agriscience education
and others when only a small number of students earn a degree in
agriscience education. Agriscience teachers’ promotion for students to
pursue an agriscience teaching career and more recruitment by teacher
education programs are possible solutions to the agriscience teacher
shortage.
Years
ago money was considered a reason not to pursue a college degree.
However, that reason cannot be used today. The National FFA Organization
offers more than $2 million each year in scholarships to deserving FFA
members. A state-sponsored program aimed at teacher shortages is
offering interest-free loans to prospective teachers. The loans are
available through the Alabama College Loan Program, which is a nonprofit
student lender. Students pay interest that is rebated and applied to the
principal of the loan at the end of each year they teach. ALFA also
offers renewable yearly scholarships to students who major in
agriscience education and maintain certain criteria. Many agriculturally
related industries offer scholarships as well. And of course, Pell
Grants and the traditional student loans are accessible.
Another
problem is retaining Alabama agriscience education graduates who are
often recruited by neighboring states offering a much higher starting
salary and incentives such as a signing bonus, moving expenses, etc.
Alabama ranks below the national average in teacher salaries and someone
who has recently graduated from college with the debt attributed to
matriculation is probably seeking employment. School systems that are
aware of teaching vacancies or potential teaching vacancies and are
aggressive in hiring sooner are able to meet their systems’ need.
Thus, agriscience education graduates seeking a teaching position are
more likely to accept the teaching position offering the greatest
incentives.
An
additional challenge is the number of potential new teachers choosing
not to enter the teaching profession. Many service areas of Alabama
agriculture, such as feed, seed, chemical and fertilizer companies, as
well as those industries requiring "field" representatives and
salespersons are consuming graduates of agriscience education.
Why
do students enroll in and complete teacher education programs, then
decide not to seek teaching positions? As a profession and as an
industry, what needs to be done to make agriscience education more
attractive to newly qualified potential teachers? Is the curriculum
being taught in agriscience classrooms positively affecting prospective
teachers? Are local issues, such as discipline problems and being
overwhelmed by the "educational process," discouraging
agriscience teachers from the profession?
One
possible solution to the shortage of agriscience teachers is the
alternate baccalaureate certification (ABC) program for people who have
graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree or higher in some
field of agriculture. A school system has to hire the individual. The
local superintendent has to apply for the ABC certificate which is good
for one year, but can and must be renewed for three consecutive years.
The individual must show progress in taking four career/technical
courses after the second year and must have the courses completed by the
end of the third year. The four courses one has to take are a special
needs class, a development and evaluation class, a classroom laboratory
management class and methods of teaching, including resources and
technology class.
The
individual must also stay with the school system for three years. If the
individual leaves for any reason, the ABC process is considered null and
void. Sometime during the three-year period, the individual must take
the Praxis II General Agriscience Test and score at least 460, which is
the minimum score. At the conclusion of the third school year, the
superintendent approves all paperwork, which is the individual’s
responsibility to make sure is completed. The superintendent applies for
the permanent teaching certificate on behalf of the individual. Once the
permanent teaching certificate has been issued, the individual has to
meet all requirements to maintain the validity of the certificate.
The
traditional Alabama agriscience teacher has been male. However, Alabama
currently has 17 female agriscience teachers. The opportunity for
females to enter the agriscience teaching profession is available and is
encouraged.
The
agriscience education classrooms in Alabama are faced with a shortage of
teachers. Approximately 45 percent of the state’s agriscience teachers
can retire in the next five years. If this scenario occurs, what will
happen in Alabama agriscience classrooms? The need is present.
Encouragement of young people desiring to enter the agriscience teaching
profession is a must. |
