I llive in a mainly agricultural community where every kid wants to take a class in agriculture. To take any agriculture class you have to take intro to agricutlure first. There are over a hundred kids in my school who want to take agriculture, but get this: they only make enough classes for fourty kids to take it every year for all grades. I want to join FFA but I have to take an ag class and the only ag class i can take is full with less than half the people who want to take it in it. And they have other classes like equine that only have 5 people in them. Nobody in our area can afford horses anyways! I just wanted to hear some other peoples thoughts on this because my mom had to force me in and and the school had to break a rule that no more than 20 kids can be in each class.
Ag class
- Thread starter krissy94
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DLD
Well-known member
Well Krissy, I'm glad you got in ag. I hope you get more out of it than you ever imagined. But to try to answer your questions...
Not sure where you're from, but I think most every place has class size limits. They may be smaller for ag, because most ag classes do some "lab" work - whether that's shop, or in a greenhouse, or at a farm or whatever, and I know 20 students is a pretty typical limit for a single teacher to have in such a setting. It may seem unfair, but it really is about both safety and quality of instruction - one teacher can only do so much. There's also typically a limit on the size of a program a single ag teacher is expected to handle (I think here it's like 60, give or take 10%, but I'm not positive of that number nowadays) - if the enrollment in the program gets any bigger, the state can require the school to hire a second ag teacher, and some schools may not want to do that, for a variety of reasons (expense, capacity of facilities, etc...). Some places enforce those limits more strictly than others.
If there are alot of students that really want to take ag that aren't getting in, I'd suggest getting them together, choosing a spokesperson or two, and asking for time on the agenda to address the next meeting of your local school board. Let them know your concerns, and ask them to consider offering more classes. At the very least, it can't hurt to try.
Not sure where you're from, but I think most every place has class size limits. They may be smaller for ag, because most ag classes do some "lab" work - whether that's shop, or in a greenhouse, or at a farm or whatever, and I know 20 students is a pretty typical limit for a single teacher to have in such a setting. It may seem unfair, but it really is about both safety and quality of instruction - one teacher can only do so much. There's also typically a limit on the size of a program a single ag teacher is expected to handle (I think here it's like 60, give or take 10%, but I'm not positive of that number nowadays) - if the enrollment in the program gets any bigger, the state can require the school to hire a second ag teacher, and some schools may not want to do that, for a variety of reasons (expense, capacity of facilities, etc...). Some places enforce those limits more strictly than others.
If there are alot of students that really want to take ag that aren't getting in, I'd suggest getting them together, choosing a spokesperson or two, and asking for time on the agenda to address the next meeting of your local school board. Let them know your concerns, and ask them to consider offering more classes. At the very least, it can't hurt to try.
well my main issue is our school has three ag teachers and my mom talked to the old head of the ag classes who was head when she went to school and he said that he kept telling them they needed a third class, but yea im just glad i got in
DLD
Well-known member
Ah, okay. So there are only two sections of the intro class each year, which limits it to 40 students a year - I gotcha now.
But still, the school board would be who you'd need to convince that another section of intro is needed. If the ag teachers have asked for it, maybe students and parents asking for it would help.
But still, the school board would be who you'd need to convince that another section of intro is needed. If the ag teachers have asked for it, maybe students and parents asking for it would help.
thats a great idea, i think i will probably say something to the school board about it. i know my mom wil have something to say, because well, shes my mom and very stubborn ;D. I'm really excited about it and about joining FFA.
simtal
Well-known member
sounds like a good problem, too many ag students?
That is hardly ever a problem here .
That is hardly ever a problem here .
the_cowgirl_in_me
Well-known member
- Joined
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that would be a bummer to not have an ag class. im a senior this year and ive had at least 2 every year. congrats on getting in and ya just pust that school board to let you have more. have fun an enjoy FFA!!! its one of the best things i have dont with my life.
I think mom would've died if i hadn't gotten in she had her heart set on me getting in ;D. I had a lot of class issues along with that like my stupid county has a policy that if you get a C average in algebra 1 part 1 that you have to take algebra 1 part 2 classes twice as often as everyone else and she thought that would interfere but we had no idea that i would run into this problem because when she went to school there were only 5 people in ag. but yea im really excited...
we live in a big agriculture community, but most of the kids just aren't into it 
i love FFA and i am my chapters vice president. we have two ag teachers and in our case the people who could care less are in ag and the ones that really want it didn't get it. but i hope that you get into it because it is truely a life changing club and it's awesome. i've been in it for 4 years and going on 5
good luck
i love FFA and i am my chapters vice president. we have two ag teachers and in our case the people who could care less are in ag and the ones that really want it didn't get it. but i hope that you get into it because it is truely a life changing club and it's awesome. i've been in it for 4 years and going on 5 good luck
i know some of the people who take it think its easy but they always end up switching out after the first week so even if i didnt get in now i would have next week. i get to meet the teacher tomorow hes supposed to be really cool.
I don't know if this has been brought up yet because I don't have the time to read this whole thread, so sorry if I'm repeating something.
Check with your ag teacher and see if he does an independent study program. Yeah you'll have to do alot of homework and studying at home, but It's worked pretty well at our school especially for those trying to graduate with honors, etc. and have to have some many classes of foriegn langauge, art, etc. Maybe someone with more agriculture teach knowledge could elaborate what I'm talking about.
Check with your ag teacher and see if he does an independent study program. Yeah you'll have to do alot of homework and studying at home, but It's worked pretty well at our school especially for those trying to graduate with honors, etc. and have to have some many classes of foriegn langauge, art, etc. Maybe someone with more agriculture teach knowledge could elaborate what I'm talking about.
linnettejane
Well-known member
good for you! you are very fortunate....the high school that i teach at...our whole county as a matter of fact, does not offer ag instruction or ffa....and we are a rural county....its very sad what our kids are missing out on....
Rocky Hill Simmental
Well-known member
When I was in high school, it was really hard to get into an ag class too. When I was a freshman, nobody in my class got into ag science 1 because they scheduled it the same hour as physical sceince and ALL freshman had to take that. I didn't get into FFA until my sophmore year of hs. I took ag sci 1 my soph year and ag sales/small engines my senior year. My ag science 1 class was packed but there were only 3 students in my ag class my senior year.
I'm going to be in FFA until I'm 21. I showed at an FFA steer and heifer show just the other day and it rocked. ;D
Congrats on getting into the ag class!
I'm going to be in FFA until I'm 21. I showed at an FFA steer and heifer show just the other day and it rocked. ;D
Congrats on getting into the ag class!
fluffer
Well-known member
We just had a situation like that as a school in our county. The Farm Beauro ended up getting envolved and they finally added another part time instructor and allowed all the kids in.
Fluffer
Fluffer
garybob
Well-known member
How deep is the level of instruction into the various subjects taught? The Board and Administration kept our Ag-Ed Teacher "in the shop", and tied his hands on EVERYTHING. Nothing but Ag Mechanics and a wee little bit of Animal Science ( Beef Producton & Nutrition & Genetics). Basically we had an "FFA on Paper"--no public speaking, parli-pro, etc.
Ours was basically a Trade & Industrial Ed class ran under Ag-Ed money. Was jealous of the experiences students in neighboring schools had within their FFA Chapters.
Anyone else have similiar experiences from High School? Was 20 years ago. Have things changed?
Not in THAT little, backward place.
GB
Ours was basically a Trade & Industrial Ed class ran under Ag-Ed money. Was jealous of the experiences students in neighboring schools had within their FFA Chapters.
Anyone else have similiar experiences from High School? Was 20 years ago. Have things changed?
Not in THAT little, backward place.
GB
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