Teach Ag Recruitment and Retention Resources
The mission of the National Teach Ag Campaign is to raise awareness of the need to recruit and retain high quality and diverse agriculture teachers, encourage others to consider a career teaching agriculture and celebrate the positive contributions that agriculture teachers make in our schools and communities.
The goal of the National Teach Ag Campaign is to ensure an abundant supply of high quality and diverse agriculture teachers who will cultivate the next generation of problem solvers, leaders, entrepreneurs and agriculturalists.
Monthly Newsletters
General Resources
Recruitment Strategies
- Teach Ag Workshop
- Signing/Declaration Event
- Mobile Career Fair Booth
- Teach Ag state webpage
- Campus Engagement
- Collegial partnerships between Ag Ed clubs and other related organizatons
- MANRRS
- Ag Engineering
- Block and Bridle
- Future Educators
- Parent-Directed Programming
- Luncheon/Reception
- I am one for the future luncheon - Colorado
- Signs at session for all phases
- Put Teach Ag paraphernalia out at proficiency and award luncheons - Nebraska
- Teach Ag Lunch and Learn during another conference - New Jersey
- Geaux Teach Meals - Louisiana
- Cullison Scholarship luncheon - Arizona
- Job Shadow
- Ag teacher keynote addresses
- Utah
- California
- Nebraska - TedTalk Style
- Teach Ag Campus Event
- Purdue University
- Colorado State University
- Michigan State University
- Scholarship distribution at regional events by Ag Ed faculty
- Ag Teacher Switch
- Tag A Student - provide something to teachers to give when they Tag A Student
- Collegiate Teach Ag Ambassadors
- Ag Ed CDE
- Teach Ag Speech contest - Missouri
- Teach Ag Day lesson plan contest - Missouri
- Ag Ed Institute
- Marketing and Promotional Materials
Ag Ed Major Retention
- Collegiate collaboration and exchange
- Ag Club exchange - Purdue University
- Targeted professional development (on campus & ag teacher conferences)
- Ag Ed Program tours
- Weekly Master teacher chats
- Current teacher mentor for seniors
- New teacher presentation (skit) at summer conference
- Work/life balance professional development (prioritization, delegation, administration)
- Activity-based Ag Ed Club
- Student teacher scholarships
- Summer Ag Ed Internships
Current Agriculture Teacher Retention
- Inclusion of activities at conferences, meetings, events - see idea list below
- Celebration of the profession
- Family Tree
- Ag Teacher trading cards
- University of Idaho - inventor
- Oregon
- North Carolina
- Teach Ag
- Welcome baskets
- Student Teachers
- New Teachers
- Fill the bucket - North Carolina
- Recognizing award winners at State FFA convention
- Award winner banners for display at school
- Teacher recognized based on years of service with small token and inspirational statement. Bronze, Silver, and Gold
- Reward and gift card for meeting certain criteria like hosting a student teacher or being a teacher mentor. - Indiana
- Professional attire for all teachers (unity and team)
- Ag Teacher Swap Shop - New teachers get early access
- Formal or informal mentoring
- Teacher Induction programs
- Early Career Support
- New teacher presentation (skit) at summer conference
- Work/life balance professional development
- Wellness speakers - Wisconsin
- Coaching program - Wisconsin
- Retreat - West Virginia
- Paint Night Activity - California
- Alternative license professional development
- Day-long boot camp - Colorado
- Loan Forgiveness
- Growth opportunities, teachers as leaders
- Professional Development scholarships
- 10 for 10 to NAAE Convention - Tennessee
- Ag Mechanics training - Virginia
- XLR8 institute - Ohio, Arizona
Inclusion
- Develop conference mentors for new and alternatively licensed teachers
- Use audio projection in meetings and workshops
- Offer sign language interpreters at meetings
- Inclusive language guides for teachers and students
- Unconscious bias training at the preservice and current teacher levels
- Ensure facilities are ADA compliant and functioning
- Diversify options
- Food
- Music
- Entertainment
- Speakers
- Reflections rather than prayer
- Equal representation on committees, panels, promotional materials, and leadership teams
- Offer unique experiences at conferences
- Tour an ethnic agriculture industry
- Work with various faith-based organizations on service projects
- Culture night
- Workshops around diversity and underrepresented populations
- Marketing
- Representation matters
- Gender neutral giveaways or options
- Engage all teachers and look for ways to include teachres not usually active
- Stay away from events on all religious holidays
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Thank you to the CHS Foundation for making NAAE's teacher recruitment and retention initiatives possible.
