HOW TO BEST UTILIZE PRACTICUM CLASSES

BY: LISA PIEPER CALDWELL HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE SCIENCE TEACHER

Learning to do. Doing to Learn. The FFA motto shows the continuous cycle of lifelong learning. With agricultural education programs growing throughout the state, creating opportunities for students to practice their foundational knowledge is essential for career success.

I have served as an agricultural science educator and FFA advisor at Caldwell High School for 29 years. Throughout that time, I have worked with students to give them opportunities to grow in the fields of study they are interested in by providing and mentoring them in practicum classes.

A practicum class is designed to give junior and senior-grade students an opportunity for a supervised, practical application of knowledge and skills from previous courses they have taken. Whether it's through employment, independent study, internships, assistantships, mentorships, or laboratories, the practicum experience can be designed to best fit the student's educational needs.

Before a student can participate in a practicum, students are required to have completed prerequisite courses. For example, if a student wants to have a practicum in floral design, they must have completed principles and elements of floral design and advanced floral. If a student wants to have a practicum in veterinary science, they must have completed principles of ANFR, livestock production, small animal management, and equine science.

Throughout the years, students at Caldwell High School have had practicum in floral design, research and agriscience, veterinary science, wildlife, ag mechanics, and animal science. Each practicum was specialized to the student's knowledge and overall end goal they have in mind.

Currently, there are two students at CHS with practicum in floral design. Throughout the year, they have been working toward earning their Level 2 TSFA certification, fulfilling monthly orders for the district's Bouquet of the Month subscription service, and assisting at contracted weddings with design and setup at the events. They are also planning an adult floral workshop from beginning to end. From marketing the event, ordering products, brainstorming possible designs, and facilitating the workshop, the students are implementing the prior knowledge from previous courses to practice what they have learned and applying it to real-life situations.

The major reason students take practicum courses is to provide additional time on tasks for learning specialized skills. A former student from A&M Consolidated High School completed a practicum in veterinary science where she had an internship at the Texas A&M Veterinary School which allowed her to walk in the shoes of a vet student, shadow various classes, and observe surgeries and daily procedures. She would write reports to practice veterinary terminology and academic writing in the classroom. For her final project, the student coordinated a public event where she taught individuals about basic pet care, including proper bandaging, vaccinations, and restraint techniques.

Practicum is for self-motivated and self-driven students as this class is often not teacher-led but student-led. The student is responsible for the project or portfolio's outcome produced at the year's end. The best experience a student can have is one where they put all their effort into making their practicum a success resulting in valuable and applicable knowledge they can bring into their future career.

AGRICULTURE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS