Old Yeller
Mdm. Advisor Edition
Serving students in
Agricultural
Education
O R E G O N
V O C A T I O N A L
A G R I C U L T U R E
T E A C H E R S
A S S O C I A T I O N
The Three Ring Circus
Fall Dates
by Kristin Kostman


November 28-Dec
1: NAAE, Atlanta
December 8: State
Ag Sales
Inside this
issue:
Ag Ed, By
Number:
2
President’s
Message
3
Region I
4
Resources
5
Tech Tip
6
Puppy in
6
the Window
Day in the
Life
7
It is 5:30am and the alarm is buzzing! I jump out of bed (okay maybe I hit snooze) and
go turn on the coffee. I get in the shower and begin to slowly wake up and as the fog
clears in my mind, I think of the day ahead. What am I going to teach today? Does Callie
have something I have to turn in for pre-school today? Does Brayden have clothes, diapers, and food for the babysitter? What CDE teams do I have practice with today? After
the shower I go wake up Callie so she can get dressed and ready for school (brush
teeth, fix hair, get breakfast). Then I proceed to finish getting ready before I wake Brayden to head out the door. I almost forgot! I
need to feed the dog and take her out for her
morning duties. Finally, we are all dressed with
breakfast in hand and walking out the door to
get in the car. After dropping Brayden off at the
babysitter I look at the clock and it is 7:10am, I
need to hurry and drop Callie off at pre-school
so I can make it to 7:30am Veterinary Science
practice. I pull into school at 7:25am and the
school day begins.
It is hard to imagine how an agriculture
teacher, mother, and wife could be sane after
trying to balance a crazy three ring circus. Many
would say just being an agriculture teacher and
FFA advisor is an incredible balancing act in itself, let alone adding in the kids and husband. I
would have to agree! Balancing a career in agriKristin Kostman, agriculture teacher at Crater High
cultural education is difficult, but not impossiSchool, stationed by the radio.
ble if you are willing to use the valuable resources available. I believe my success and longevity is due to the support of other agriculture teachers, support of my family, and the ability to prioritize my time.
Using other agriculture teachers as a resource in your district or state is a key component to saving valuable time when developing curriculum, training a CDE team, or
when you are looking for new ideas for fundraising. I will admit I have stolen many great
ideas from my fellow agriculture teachers, all in the name of survival!
My family is also supportive of my career and they help keep my life balanced and
centered when my school life has taken over. I strive to remember that my
family comes first and career second. Don’t get me wrong; this rule is bent
from time to time! However, this rule helps me maintain a focus on what
Continued on page 4
Pa g e
2
Women in Agricultural Education
by Bibiana Gifft
From the forests of the Willamette Valley to the
high desert of Eastern Oregon, agriculture classrooms across Oregon are being led by a growing
number of women educators. This once maledominated profession now includes extraordinary
women.
The number of female agriculture teachers has
slowly increased over the years. There are currently 42 (38%) female high school agriculture
teachers in Oregon out of 111 total teachers providing agricultural instruction. In 2006, 28% of
Oregon Ag Teachers were women.
The OSU Agricultural Education program has also
experienced an increase in the women to men ratio of graduate students pursuing careers in agricultural education. Over the past five years 78% of
student teachers have been female. The current
cohort consists of four masters students, all of
Bibianna Gift, Crane Union High School, with her 2012 National Agricultural Communications
team at the National FFA Convention.
which are females. In the 2010-2011 cohort, there
were eight females and four males. My cohort, in
2008-2009, consisted of four females and one
male.
Females are showing a high degree of interest in
agricultural education; however, why are there not
more female teachers in our industry if there are
so many pursuing it? This question must be nothing new, because in 1975, Gregg, Hampton, and
Juergenson published an article in The Agricultural
Education Magazine regarding myths about
women agriculture teachers. The results of their
study answered a few concerns I had when deciding on my career. The results of the study showed
that: “women do not have any more problems in
the classroom than men, women are accepted in
the community, personal problems involving students are the same for females as males, female
agriculture teachers are accepted by students, and
female agriculture teachers are as technically and
professionally competent as their male counterparts” (Gregg, Hampton, and Juergenson). So,
even after this study, it leaves the question: what
is causing women to end their teaching career, and
why do some careers end before they even begin?
Is it because there are less open positions for all
aspiring teachers? Is it because women are getting burned out faster than our male counterparts? Is it because women are starting families
and are unable to balance the requirements of
teaching and advising an FFA chapter with the
needs of being a mother? For some, it may be one
of these reasons, and for others it may be a combination. Women agriculture teachers in Oregon
(Continued on page 3)
“Perseverance is
failing nineteen
times and succeeding the twentieth.”
Julie Andrews
Great Ideas...
...are rarely my own. Someone else has
them. They share. I run with it.
So is the case with this issue’s theme. An
early career teacher brought up to me
their interest in knowing how experienced
female teachers balance having children,
raising families, and being excellent
teachers.
Since I had no input on the subject, I
Editor’s Note
naturally put the word out to some people
smarter than me. And who would know
what they were talking about.
So with some input from a couple of our
female colleagues, I hope this issue offers
reassurance for some and insight for others. Sometimes, helping one another isn’t
just sharing lesson plans, but also sharing
experiences, challenges, and perspectives.
OR E G ON
V OC A T I ON A L
A G R I C U LT U R E
Continued from p2
need to be role models for each other. Ask for
advice, and share advice when asked. We have
some astonishing women in our field, who are successful teachers, FFA advisors, wives, and mothers.
These “superwomen” have it figured out – so ask
them how they did it…and how they still do it. I
know I will be asking, because I want to know the
secrets on being the best teacher I can be, while
not faltering as a wife and mother.
Bibiana Gifft is the agricultural science & technology teacher at Crane Union High School.
The Changing Times…
T E A C H E R S
A S S OC I A T I ON
Pa g e
3
Oregon Ag Teachers by Gender
2006
72%
2011
62%
28%
Male
38%
Female
Sam Herringshaw | OVATA President
Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine. ~Robert C. Gallagher
A field once dominated by men with many years’ experience, agriculture education in Oregon has certainly
undergone some changes in the past decade. Of those teachers with less
than ten years under their belts, women outnumber the men 37 to 28. There
are almost as many 0-5 year teachers as there are in the 10-30+ category.
This shift is neither good nor bad, it is just……change. Change is inevitable,
and the true strength of an organization is in how that change is facilitated
to capitalize on the strengths and improve the
PRESIDENT’S weaknesses of its members. Our new demographic
bring youthful enthusiasm and an ability to connect
MESSAGE
with students. Most haven’t been jaded by years of
battling students, parents, and administrators. The more experienced teachers amongst us bring to the table knowledge, wisdom, and…….well, experience.
Together with Team Ag Ed, OVATA has implemented a plan to facilitate ongoing change in teacher demographics to strengthen our profession through
our professional development programming. Young professionals can gain survival knowledge in workshops specifically designed for the 0-5 year professional. Round table discussions allow sharing of ideas
and best practices across genders and experience levels. Additionally, a mentorship program will help secure the bank of wisdom and experience for future generations of agriculture instructors.
Personally, I am excited about the changes I see happening across the board within our organization.
While I am ready to push on into the future, I cannot forget the time-tested knowledge and wisdom of
those who have brought us to where we are today. Their ability to persevere through the many changes
they must have seen inspires me. Dale Crawford told me when I was just starting out, “People can chew
my rear all they want. Its all scar tissue anyhow.”
I’m still working on mine.
Pa g e
4
NAAE Western Region I
Conference: April 17-20, 2013
This year, Oregon has the unique responsibility and opportunity to host the
NAAE Region I Conference. This professional development will be held in
Pendleton April 17-20, 2013.
SUMMER
CONFERENCE:
Save the Date!
OVATA Summer
Conference will
be June 19-21 ,
2013 in Joseph,
Oregon. Mark
your calendars
now!
This year’s conference will have an
added focus on workshops and tours
to help make sure you leave with
knowledge and skill you can use in the
classroom. In addition, networking
and action involving work on the national level will be included.
Registration and hotel information is
now available on the OVATA website.
We look forward to a strong representation of our state at this year’s event!
The Three Ring Circus (continued from p1)
Registration and
further
information will
be available in
March.
Information will
be available on
http://
www.ovata.org.
truly matters at the end of the day. Keeping this in mind allows me to be a happier, more
productive mother, wife, and teacher.
Prioritizing my time at work is also a valuable skill that I have learned over the past ten
years of teaching. I utilize every minute of every day with a routine that I have developed
out of habit. I start my day at school checking my email to see if there are any pressing matters, then I look at my “To do” list that I keep by my phone in my office, and then check my
calendar on my phone to see if I have any scheduled activities or meetings. Once I have
completed these tasks I usually have students in my office wanting a question answered until class starts. During my prep period I try to do all my planning, copying (if I haven’t already utilized my TA to do this task), grading, or other million miscellaneous tasks I may
need to do. One hard rule I set for myself it to never taking grading home. Of course, if I
find myself really behind I have been known to take some grading home, but this is not a
norm.
Balancing the life of an agriculture teacher and mother is challenging, I cannot lie. I am
not sure if there is a secret to being successful at both, but what I can say it is work and
some days more work than others. I hold on to what is important to me; family and career
success to guide me through the tough times. I also remember there is always tomorrow
and what doesn’t get done today will just have to wait. As I end my day after dinner, baths,
and bedtime stories I sit down in my recliner and reflect on all that I have accomplished in
the day, and know I have put in a good day!
Sigh…
Kristin Kostman is an agricultural science & technology teacher at Crater High School in
Central Point, Oregon.
Pa g e
5
Time Flies...
And we have already passed
the end of the first quarter, digested the Thanksgiving happenings, and can count the
days to Christmas break. With
Did You Know???
An ag ed virtual book
club has been started
on Communities of
Practice. They are
about to start with
their first book, and it
looks like it is going
to be (as a result of a
survey) Boring
Meetings Suck. Even
if you’ve never been
to a bad meeting...oh
who are we kidding.
Join the conversation
at http://
communities.naae.or
g/groups/virtualbook-club!
the year quickly passing us by
take a minute to check out a
new resource or post something for others at Communities
of Practice or ovata.org!
Resources Available!
Check out these top five natural-resource themed resources available now on
NAAE’s Communities of Practice.
1—Natural Resources and Biodiversity Lessons Part I and Part II—a
whole host of activities, lessons, and everything in between
2—Oregon Endangered Species Research Project—student-directed investigation looking at a variety of Oregon’s own endangered species
3—Learnforests.org—a project of OFRI (Oregon Forests Resource Institute),
this site is the ticket to a great deal of forest-related resources. Whether it’s
in your classroom or for Ag in the Classroom, this is a place to look!
4—Tree Age Worksheet—use photos of tree cross sections to analyze
growth
5—Soils Webquest—Use the Smithsonian website to investigate about soil
Shufflin’!
Catch up on the changes with the new school year as positions
change. Information provided by Oregon FFA:
OSU Ag Ed will again sponsor
the Early Career Workshop this
February. The dates are set for
February 8-9th in Corvallis, and
is open to all teachers in the 0-5
years of teaching range.
Contact Dr. Lambert for more
information.
Adrian - Anna-Marie Chamberlain
Central Linn - Brenda Phearson (added to)
Madras - Nichole Scholz
McLoughlin - Emily Holden
Monument - Laura Thomas
Prospect - Jason Miller
Rainer - Tristan Holechek
Rogue River - Kori Dundas
Roseburg - Rebecca Falihee
Stanfield - Mike Sanders
Tillamook - Max and Lynda Sherman
OR E G ON
V OC A T I ON A L
A G R I C U LT U R E
T E A C H E R S
A S S OC I A T I ON
Pa g e
6
“Getting information off the Internet is like
taking a drink from a water fountain “
- Mitchell Kapor
Tech Tip
So this one is outside the box. Which is impressive, because it’s a little white box.
Square is an add-on for a smartphone or iPad that allows you to accept credit
cards. The money is automatically deposited in your bank account, and the only
cost is a 2.75% transaction fee.
So why does this matter for an ag teacher? Imagine if your fundraisers (Alumni
auction, Greenhouse Sale, etc) could take credit card? How much more convenient
would this be for your customers—and therefore easier for them to financially
support you? Might just be worth the checking out!
As well, check out many Point of Sale check-out apps available for iPad—may be
a good tool to add to your plant sale for better tracking finances, as well as teach
students to use such applications.
Puppy in the Window!
When you ask Ashley Richards about her
agricultural background, you can tell why
she’s passionate about agriculture.
“I have been heavily involved with production agriculture on the farm. When I
was younger, I started out spot spraying
and moving pipe,” Richards says. “I
gradually worked my way up the ladder
to being a part of pre-harvest, harvest,
and post-harvest. I learned the value of
each part of production and was able to
see myself as a valuable asset to the
farm.”
Apparently that ladder has led to teaching the next generation of agriculturists.
Richards is the agricultural science &
technology teacher at Perrydale High
School. “Agriculture has always been a
passion of mine. Growing up on our farm
taught me the value of production agriculture; becoming an Ag teacher was a
way to combine my love for helping others as well as my passion for agriculture.”
And in the heart of the Willamette Valley,
few communities embody production
agriculture more.
Meet a new member of the ag ed community.
Mrs. Richards credits her student teaching mentors with properly preparing
her for success. “I had great mentors…
Mackenzie Behrle and Danell BlairOcheskey [at] Molalla. I learned several
valuable classroom and FFA aspects...I
think the most valuable of those are
the classroom structure and management styles that I gained.”
We look forward to seeing her succeed
putting that to good use. Welcome to
the profession Ashley!
“When one door
of happiness
closes, another
opens; but often
we look so long
at the closed
door that we do
not see the one
which has
opened for us.”
-Helen Keller
“My favorite thing about
teaching is seeing students
succeed. I love when concepts click for students
and when they are really
interested in what I am
teaching. Having engaged
students is a great feeling.”
- Ashley Richards
Ashley Richards, early
career teacher at
Perrydale High School
A Day in the Life of an Ag Teacher:
“Award Winning R&R”
By Wes Crawford
2012-2013 OVATA Leadership
President
Sam Herringshaw
President-Elect
JD Cant
Hermiston High School
600 S First Street
Hermiston, OR 97838
541.667.6100
Imbler High School
PO Box 164
Imbler, OR 97841
541.534.5331
[email protected]
[email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer
Nichole Scholz
Past President
Nick Nelson
Madras High School
390 SE 10th St
Madras, OR 97741
541.475.4265
[email protected]
Blue Mountain CC
PO Box 100
Pendleton, OR 9733
541.278.5846
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Wes Crawford
Sutherlin High School
500 E Fourth Ave
Sutherlin, OR 97479
541.459.9551
[email protected]
http://www.ovata.org
First quarter of the year is in the books...well, at least most of the grades that are supposed to
be there are. Back a couple weeks now since National Convention. Rolling the clocks back was
the insult to the injury of jet lag. About to certify 50 freshmen in the safe operation of agricultural equipment. Gearing up to host a district ag sales event. T-shirt order is wrapping up
Round 1. Probably should get that plant order in...
With this sort of line-up staring you in the face, there is but one recourse: College Game
Day. Road trip. Tailgater.
Since our great state has one agricultural education teacher preparation program (and a darn
good one), it's no surprise the great majority of our ag teachers are Beaver Believers . Our
district's cohort of teachers decided earlier this year (read: the first weekend after school
started) that an adviser retreat was in order for the fall. We made that happen a couple
weeks back with a great day of get-out-of town with a visit to the Alma mater and a day of
barbecued beef and socializing. It ended up we couldn't all make it, but those that did made it
a good one.
Sometimes we can get wrapped in the day-to-day and forget about the long haul. And if you
want to keep everyone on the bus with you positive and working well together, then making
the time to take the time to reinvest in the personal as well as professional relationships you
have with your colleagues is key. And clearly, all you need is the right orange-black attire, a
pop-up tent, and a rusty barrel smoker and you are in business (props to Braden and Charlie—
Kate and I just showed up). But the good times didn't end there on that Saturday. Allow me
to to quote our very own Dr. Thompson from the email he sent out over the OVATA listserv a
couple weeks ago:
"During the Arizona State game, I looked up at the jumbotron at halftime and there were
some rough looking rascals from the Umpqua District with Benny the Beaver. It was Kate
Crawford, Braden Groth, Charlie Vandehey, Wes Crawford and Brian Arp, proudly displaying
the Oregon Beef Council's Tailgater of the Game Award. It sounded and looked like a true
Beaver Classic Tailgater. Congratulations to the Umpqua 'Ag Teacher Tailgater' for their display and salesmanship in Tailgating." And then he said something about OSU Ag Ed receiving
prestigious awards, etc. etc.
Haha yep. So there we were enjoying the extremely pleasant not-rainy weather in Corvallis,
and had accumulated a bit of a crowd of friends and visitors, when a group from the Oregon
Beef Council came by looking for tailgaters serving beef. They said that if we let them sample
some of the cookin' they'd consider us for the OBC Tailgater of the Game Award. We retorted
that if they could identify the primal cut, they could have a sample.
We're ag teachers. What do you expect?
But in the end, some great smoked Beef - Chuck - Clod Heart (yeah we didn't recognize it either, but it was cheap; again - we're teachers) prepared by Braden Groth (ask him how) with a
bring-it-on attitude won the day, as did the boys on the gridiron, and indeed it was a bunch of
ag teachers mugging on the big screen in Reser Stadium. Just another day of camaraderie,
CAPTION CONTEST!
Send in your best caption for this photo and we’ll good friends, cooked beast, and a story to tell afterwards. Can’t beat that.
include it in the next Old Yeller!
Last Month’s Bests:
“D-Oh!”
“Does this mean I fail my state test?”