STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: INVOLVEMENT, AND BUILDING QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

INVOLVEMENT, AND BUILDING QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS

BY: SHANNON MCCUISTION, DENTON HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE SCIENCE TEACHER

Agricultural scientist, farmer, and celebrated philosopher of natural farming, MasanobuFukuoka said, “The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”

These words have never been more valid. In agricultural science education, we don’t solely focus on educating students; we focus on building character and creating a well-rounded young human being. How do we accomplish this?

We search for the individual’s core that we all share. Every person wants to be seen, heard, valued, and respected. These are all essential in knowing oneself and being a part of the “bigger picture.” Grasping this concept and honing in on the students’ individualities will help you create meaningful relationships, which is imperative when engaging them in the classroom.

Building relationships is the number one reason why students come to your classroom. It’s why they want to learn from you, why they trust you, and why they will listen to you. You can have the coolest, Pinterest-inspired classroom education has ever seen, you can wear the funniest of costumes on spirit days, you can have the most beautiful, elaborate lessons planned out, but if you don’t generate a positive classroom culture by building relationships with students first, you will never have total buy-in.

I know that most of us in agricultural science education struggle with time. There are always deadlines, hard due dates, LDEs, CDEs, stock shows, and everything else that goes along with this crazy job that we all love. It is consuming, mentally and physically draining, and most of all it takes a toll on ourselves and our families at home. But, we must remember our “why.” Why do we do this job? Why did we choose this path? Why are we always willing to put our students first before ourselves? It’s because of the relationships we build with our students that will last a lifetime.

How do we even begin to build these relationships? What does it take? How do we get students engaged? If you are like me, I can have anywhere from 200-250 students walk through my classroom every year. Will you build quality relationships with every single student? No, but you can try. Some of the most active, involved students have just got “thrown” into my classroom. They didn’t know they wanted to be in ag, they didn’t know what we had to offer, and they were unsure how their peers would perceive them.

Teaching in a suburban area of North Texas, we see all kinds of students. We have several different demographics; we have wealthy, affluent students, low socioeconomic students, and a melting pot of cultures all right here. So the pertinent question is, “How can I create a positive classroom environment for this mixture of people?” I get to know them. I show up for games, band recitals, plays, even chess tournaments. I make sure they are seen, heard, respected, and valued as a person every time they walk into my classroom. There are multiple strategies to help start knowing your students, but the biggest thing for them is knowing that you care for them and about them.

Once you have shaped this bond with your students, you will see them become more active and involved during class. They will invest in you and the material that you have to offer. Begin to teach them about FFA, agriscience fair, LDEs, CDEs, and start getting them involved. Incorporate the three-circle model. Show them that there is more to ag than just classroom instruction.

Students will be more apt to connect and relate to others who are already impacting your program. They will start to generate their thoughts and ideas about what FFA is and how taking a simple ag class can completely change their lives and open their future into something they never thought they needed or wanted.

I firmly believe that building connection before content is vital when creating your chapter’s culture. It’s also the best way to get students actively involved and engaged in the classroom and FFA. We all have unique chapters built with different students who all have different needs. A large chapter in a small community will have vastly different needs than one from a large suburban or urban district. But, we all share the same common core. We all want to be seen, to be heard, and to be valued and respected.

There is no better way to “make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success.” Building relationships in ag just might be the key to unlocking a student’s potential, getting them involved in something great, and engaging them inside and outside the classroom.