Worried Germinate Conference is Stuck in the Past?
Here’s How We’ve Evolved
Lately I have spent some time off Instagram (my social media app of choice). Mostly for creation but I still sneak on there to check out what my friends are up to.
And if you are reading this and our team follows you/you follow us, there is a HIGH percentage that I am seeing what your chapter is doing and secretly fangirling.
I also see some familiar faces who have been around the G&G space since it began who have moved on from attending G&G events (no hard feelings, promise!). And I see you all getting married, growing your families, expanding your programs, excelling in your classrooms and chapters and I am HERE FOR IT.
At G&G we understand and CELEBRATE that their are seasons of life (and careers).
Seasons of abundance
Seasons of drought
Seasons of the status quo
With that, there’s a chance that Germinate Conference wasn’t what was right for you in the past. And if we’re being completely honest, Germinate 2019 or even 2022 wouldn’t fly for us in 2025 either.
Which is why I wanted to write a blog post all about how Germinate has changed and what you can expect when you register for the 2025 conference.
Think of this as a little love letter back to our G&G OG’s. We have had you in our mind for the past 7 months as we have been working to update, revitalize, and curate the best experience for attendees in July.
4 Reasons You Might Be Hesitating To Join Germinate Conference
1. Hesitancy for Virtual PD
I hear it all the time that in our “post-COVID” days we are stepping away from virtual. Now, as someone who taught before, during, and after the pandemic I sing “hallelujah” from the rooftops about not forcing students into virtual learning. But, for professional development I say “why are you hating”
How much time do we spend on social media gathering new tips/tricks for the classroom (or even catching up with your fav creators)?
How much time do we spend watching reality TV?
How much time do we spend facetime our family members across the US/World?
How much time do you spend scrolling Facebook Groups, Pinterest or TPT for lesson ideas?
How many webinars or townhalls have you attended for ____?
Everything I listed above is virtual.
And those avenues are valuable.
Why would we treat professional development differently than the other ways we enrich our lives and careers? Especially when we know these cold hard facts about virtual learning (for ADULTS)
Virtual Learning reduces training costs by 30 to 70% than in-person trainings
Virtual Learning requires 40-60% less time our of your busy schedule than traditional classroom settings
Virtual Learning can increase information retention by up to 80%
Germinate was created to break down travel and financial barriers to connect incredible agriculture teachers and professionals together.
No need to travel across the country for a couple day conference
No need to argue with administration about dropping $1,000+ on conference registration, hotel, ubers and food.
No need to sit in on sessions that aren’t relevant to your program
Germinate doesn’t replace your regional and national conferences for your teaching organizations. Those conferences have important legislative sessions and industry updates that are vital to the progress of agriculture education. And we support teachers attending them (we even offer a scholarship to help fund those trips for teachers once a year).
But, we realize it is a reality of many teachers that they will not get the opportunity ever or very rarely in their career to do that kind of travel.
Hence, why we have hosted 11 agriculture teacher organized, presented, and attended Germinate Conferences since 2019.
2. Hesitancy for the same conference over and over again
Hey, if you have been to Germinate before, we are so happy you decided to come in the past! And we also understand that you might wonder why you should attend again…
It’s kind of like going to see the same artist in concert over and over – will the show be any different? You’ve seen it once, is it worth it again? (Tbh, the only person I’d go see and over and over is our girl Taylor 🤣).
With this in mind, we actually decided that we need to reach outside of our circles and hired two new team members to SHAKE UP GERMINATE this summer. Jacklyn and Jason have been working their tails off to push the team to step outside the Germinate norm.
Case and point: At Germinate 2025 we have 23 new speakers AND 12 never before seen topics at Germinate!
There have been 296 professional development sessions hosted by G&G over the past 6 years. And we are jazzed to have some new ideas, new voices, and new takeaways that will help a teacher who is gearing up for a 2026 school year (and not re-teaching pre-pandemic content).
So, if you have been to Germinate before I can attest to you that …
The format is similar to what you have seen in the past BUT…
You won’t be listening to the all the same speakers from the past
You won’t be hearing all the same topics from the past
The content has been reviewed and edited by current ag teachers to be in the best format for you.
3. Hesitancy on investment
Y’all I think everyone can agree that money is tight. I’ll be the first to say that teachers are NOT compensated fairly and I will continue to advocate for increased teacher pay to my local representatives.
While we at G&G cannot increase your local pay, we have created a few avenues to help lessen the financial barrier for you to attend Germinate.
Scholarships
(SCHOLARSHIPS CLOSED)
We love being able to connect with teachers who need support. Whether that is with finding the right lesson or getting assistance to attend Germinate. We offer scholarships every year prior to registration opening. Be on the lookout for applications at the beginning of the calendar year.
Payment Plans
I get it, dropping $100+ at a time can be a commitment. That is why payment plans are so prevalent in our lives from our mortgages, car payments or even using Klarna. Germinate also offers payment plans so you can break up the payments to your conference.
School Supported Payments
Yes, your school can pay for Germinate. Last year we had 13 attendees have their schools pay their way to Germinate with an invoice. If you are looking to do that, request an invoice using this Google Form. PLEASE be aware that Green & Growing Education can only accept payment for invoices using a credit card payment via QUICKBOOKS (No checks for Germinate).
Early Registration Discounts
The early bird gets the worm in nature and at Germinate. We have multiple registration discounts available and here is how they play out for Germinate 2025:
Feb 10-Mar 15, 2025: $109
March 16-May 15: $149
May 16-June 28: $199
4. Hesitancy on the content being right for you
How many times have you been to a local professional development conference and you scan the agenda and mentally are saying to yourself…
“That’s a lot of content for core subjects?”
“Is there even anything for just CTE teachers?”
“Why am I even going if the content isn’t going to help me or my students?”
WE HAVE BEEN THERE. And TBH we end up there every year. That is why we all started attending Germinate. Because we know the content IS RELEVANT to agriculture teachers.
While we admit that you might not have sessions that fit your exact case load, FFA chapter needs, or SAE issues, we can commit that every session is created around the three circle model WITH AG TEACHERS needs at the forefront.
So, while you might be HOPING for a Conduct of Chapter Meetings session, we can offer you a Parliamentary Procedure session from a 7th year ag teacher who has coached their teams to a GOLD ranking at nationals 4 times.
While you might be HOPING for some new ideas for field trips, we can offer you a strategic session that can help you stop sweating the small stuff in your trip planning.
While you might be HOPING to get some new strategies for assisting your IEP students, we can offer you a session on engaging multi-language learners that might inform ideas to assist all of your students with IEPs.
If you want to take a deeper dive on the sessions offered at Germinate this year, you can check them out here.
I am hopeful this new information can help you see how Germinate has changed with you in mind. And if you still aren’t ready to join in this season of life, know that we are behind the scenes still cheering you on. Why? Because we don’t care about your registration fee. We care about YOU, the teacher, and more importantly, you the PERSON, choosing what is right for them.
But if this version of Germinate IS what you are looking for, you can register HERE.
If you are looking for some other ways to connect with the G&G community, join us at our next Marigold Meetup.
If you are looking for resources that you can download today to help you in your classroom, check out the resource library.
4 Activities to Teach Employability Skills in Your Classrooms
You know one of the words I dislike the most as an educator?
SOFT SKILLS
Ugh, it makes my skin crawl. When did we decide that the skills that allow you to be productive citizens and highly employable people become less important than technical skills? I don’t know about you but I would much rather hire someone who was professional, timely, respectful and passionate that has developing technical skills over someone who is the smartest in their given area of expertise, but has worse work behavior than Michael Scott and George Constanza.
As a career technical subject matter, we as agriculture teachers are honored with the important task of providing instruction in employability skills. That means we get the best of both worlds; teaching the soft and technical skills.
One thing I do know is that we might not put much emphasis on these standards. Maybe even saying “well, they will get sprinkles of this throughout the curriculum so I am not going to teach it.”
And that is the WRONG answer my friend.
This statistic from a recent Deloitte survey says that “92% of companies report that human capabilities or soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills in today’s business world.” This article even mentioned that people are starting to catch on to the significance of these skills, rebranding them as “durable” skills. I am here for that!
Companies are looking for employees with skills like empathy, collaboration and adaptability. With the emergence of artificial intelligence barring some of the technical skill load of many careers it is imperative that our students are well equipped in the skills computers/bots can’t replicate like empathy, collaboration, emotional intelligence, intuition and complex problem solving.
And that is why we at G&G believe that your employability unit should be of utmost importance in your classroom. I know for certain that my biggest wish as an educator is to make certain why kids could succeed in life as a good citizen and employee. And this is your chance to do this for your students too.
We have compiled some resources that you can grab-and edit to your liking that can help you focus on employability skills at a deeper level in your classroom this year.
3 ACTIVITIES TO TEACH EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS IN YOUR CLASSROOMS
In the newest G&G resource, students participate in a tournament-style career exploration where they compare agricultural careers head-to-head across three rounds. They start by reviewing career pathway information, then evaluate pairs of careers based on key factors such as job satisfaction, work environment, and growth potential. As they progress through the rounds, students select winners and provide three well-reasoned justifications for their choices. The activity concludes with a final matchup to determine the "ultimate" agricultural career. This engaging format encourages students to think critically about career paths in agriculture while refining their decision-making skills.
Durable (Soft) Skills this Battle of the Ag Careers lesson focuses on: Critical thinking, decision making, analytical skills and self-awareness.
Here is what is provided to teachers to help implement this activity into your classroom seamlessly:
Structured Lesson Plans: Detailed guides to navigate each phase from idea generation to final presentation.
Timelines: Suggested schedules to manage project milestones efficiently.
Assessment Rubrics: Clear criteria for evaluating student work and presentations.
Business Plan Templates: Pre-formatted documents for students to outline their business ideas.
Pitch Outlines: Templates to help students organize their presentations.
Panel Evaluation Criteria: Guidelines for "investors" to assess pitches and provide feedback.
Guidelines for Presentation: Tips and strategies to help students prepare for their pitch delivery.
2. Shark Tank Entrepreneurial Skills
Shark Tank Entrepreneurial Skills
Shark tank type lessons are a great way to get kids thinking outside the box. This lesson would be awesome not just for an employability skills unit, but also to be sprinkled throughout content units to encourage students to solve problems related to the content you are teaching.
In this activity, students begin by brainstorming and developing an innovative product or service idea. They then create a comprehensive business plan, detailing aspects such as target market, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operational plans.
Once their plan is formulated, students prepare a persuasive pitch to present to a panel of "investors," simulating the format of the "Shark Tank" television show. This presentation involves defending their business idea, answering questions, and potentially negotiating terms, providing a practical experience in entrepreneurship.
Durable (Soft) Skills this shark tank lesson focuses on: Innovation, presentation skills, critical thinking
Here is what is provided to teachers to help implement this activity into your classroom seamlessly:
Structured Lesson Plans: Detailed guides to navigate each phase from idea generation to final presentation.
Timelines: Suggested schedules to manage project milestones efficiently.
Assessment Rubrics: Clear criteria for evaluating student work and presentations.
Business Plan Templates: Pre-formatted documents for students to outline their business ideas.
Pitch Outlines: Templates to help students organize their presentations.
Panel Evaluation Criteria: Guidelines for "investors" to assess pitches and provide feedback.
Guidelines for Presentation: Tips and strategies to help students prepare for their pitch delivery.
3. Purple Plow
Engineering, Design Thinking and Agriculture are combined in this Purple Plow program. I’ve used a lot of the resources on this website to include their short puzzlers and semester long projects to teach important soft skills like critical thinking and collaboration.
In Purple Plow challenges, students engage in a variety of activities designed to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They begin by researching complex agricultural issues, such as food security and sustainability, to understand the challenges at hand. Using the engineering design process, students design and develop prototypes that address these challenges, followed by testing and refining their solutions through iteration. The process culminates in presentations where students articulate their design journey and the effectiveness of their solutions, promoting strong communication skills and collaborative learning.
Soft Skills this lesson focuses on: creativity, problem solving, teamwork, communication
Here is what is provided to teachers to help implement this activity into your classroom seamlessly:
Educator and Volunteer Guide: Offers detailed information to help teachers understand and facilitate the challenges, including guidance on the engineering design process.
Engineering Design Process Guide: Introduces students to the systematic approach used by engineers and scientists to solve challenges, which they can apply during the activities.
Engineering Design Rubric: Provides criteria to evaluate student projects, aiding in assessment and feedback.
Supply List and Budget Sheet: Assists teachers in planning and organizing materials needed for the activities, ensuring efficient preparation.
Task Cards: Help students stay organized and on track throughout the challenge, outlining specific tasks and objectives.
Why not blend your FFA and employability skills units together? I specifically did this activity with my second, third of fourth year students so they didn’t have to do that whole FFA Unit song and dance since they already knew the basics. This allowed them to dive deeper into the meaning FFA had in real people who went through the program before them.
In the FFA Interview Project, students are assigned to interview a former FFA member or educator to explore the long-term benefits of involvement in FFA and agricultural education.
They connect with their interviewee via phone, video call, or in-person meeting, asking prepared questions to gather insights about the subject's experiences and professional growth. After conducting the interview, students synthesize their findings by creating either a written report or presentation that captures key responses and reflections.
The project includes class time for preparation, but students may also work independently. To conclude, students craft and send a formal thank-you note to their interview subject.
Soft Skills this lesson focuses on: communication skills, interpersonal skills, active listening, organization, time management, reflection
Here is what is provided to teachers to help implement this activity into your classroom seamlessly:
Contact Information Template: Fields to document interviewee details.
Resource Links: Tips for interviewing, starting conversations, email etiquette, and thank-you notes.
Interview Question Section: Space to list at least 10 thoughtful interview questions.
Rubric: Clear criteria for evaluating student work, including components for introduction, body content, conclusion, organization, and thank-you card submission.
Assessment Examples: Guidance on how to effectively quote or paraphrase interview content in reports or presentations.
Overall, soft skills are DURABLE skills that are equally important for your students to learn in your classroom and there are lots of fun ways to help you incorporate this type of skill building into your lesson plans.
If you are someone who loves teaching soft skills in your classroom we would love to hear about it! Send an email to greenandgrowingedu@gmail.com to share your idea.
Mastering CDE Practices: A Step-by-Step Guide for Agriculture Teachers
Coaching Career Development Events (CDEs) is a cornerstone of every FFA chapter. I distinctly remember my first time taking a load of kids on a 2+ hour drive to a dairy evaluation competition where we placed second to last and yet it was magical.
I can remember the triumphs and the defeats and know with my whole heart that regardless of the final placing it was a beneficial experience for my students.
These events are where students take what they’ve learned in the classroom, apply it to real-world scenarios, and compete with peers across the nation. With 26 nationally recognized CDEs (and even more at the state level), it’s no wonder teachers feel the pressure to deliver high-quality coaching experiences.
But let’s be real: no one can be an expert in everything.
But what we know here at G&G is that you want to provide opportunities to a wide variety of students with varying interests even if you truly cannot tell a lame horse from a world champion.
And while we can’t give you all the content to make you masters at all the CDEs. We can help you create a repeatable process for all of your CDE practices regardless of content area.
(Note: You can grab a Germinate Hall of Fame session from experts in Ag Sales, Horse Judging, Parli Pro and Poultry Judging over on the resources page)
That’s where our CDE Coaching Guide comes in. This guide is designed to simplify practice planning and help teachers focus on what really matters—supporting students—this guide offers a repeatable structure for every type of CDE. Whether you’re an experienced teacher looking for a refresh or a newbie wondering where to start, this resource is here to help.
In the past 7 years of serving agriculture teachers we’ve heard it all from teachers:
How do I even begin coaching a contest I’ve never competed in?
How do I get students to take ownership of their learning?
How do I juggle multiple teams practicing at the same time?
Spring is often peak CDE season (which is RIGHT around the corner), and with schedules packed tighter than a freshly baled haystack, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why we’re all about working smarter, not harder. The CDE Coaching Guide gives you a solid foundation to run consistent, effective practices without reinventing the wheel every time.
What’s Inside the Guide?
Our guide is packed with practical tips, structured practice outlines, and bonus resources to streamline your coaching. Here’s a sneak peek:
Practice Outline
A repeatable structure for 90-minute practices (with suggestions for shorter sessions):
1. Teaching Time (15-20 minutes): Introduce or review key contest materials.
2. Individual/Partner Study (15 minutes): Let students dive into one specific area—like specimen ID or test prep—to keep their learning focused.
3. Quick Review Game (10 minutes): Reinforce learning with fun, competitive activities like trash can basketball.
4. More Teaching Time (15-20 minutes): Move on to the next topic or contest section.
5. Wrap-Up (5 minutes): Assign quizzes or study tasks to prep for the next practice.
We even added some bonus resources to the guide…
- An attendance sheet to track student performance.
- A practice outline slide with a timer, so everyone stays on track.
This format is flexible and can be adapted for contests with multiple components, like Floriculture or Livestock Judging.
The key? Focus on one or two areas per practice to avoid overwhelming your students (or yourself).
Now, I know you can grab that CDE Coaching Guide and start using it to format your practices to be fun, easy to plan for and effective. But we aren’t going to leave you with that. With 54 years of combined experience we compiled out G&G Team Pro Tips for CDE Success.
👥Tap into your network: Find someone with experience in your contest area and ask for advice.
🔀Alternate strategies: Always have backup team members ready to step in.
📊Analyze data: Use practice test results to focus on weak areas instead of re-teaching what students already know.
🧑🏫Learn together: If you’re unfamiliar with a contest, make it a competition between you and the students—it’s a great way to model growth mindset.
We know every teacher’s situation is different, so we’ve addressed some common questions that you might be asking yourself as you read this…
How do I structure practices when student schedules don’t align?
Use our flexible format and encourage independent work outside of practice. Utilize your learning management systems to assign practice work throughout the week so students can practice when they have time.
How do I get students to show up prepared?
Assign pre-work, like quizzes or readings, so practice time is focused on coaching, not catch-up.
So are you ready to elevate your CDE practices?
Coaching CDE teams doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the CDE Coaching Guide in your toolkit, you can streamline practices, focus on what truly matters, and help your students excel. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this guide is designed to take the stress out of planning and bring consistency to your coaching.
Looking for even more support? Join us at our Marigold Meetups, where ag teachers from across the country connect, collaborate, and grow together. These free monthly events are the perfect space to share ideas, ask questions, and gain inspiration.
If you feel like your CDE practices are rocking and rolling and you need more help in the other areas of the three circle model (SAE and Classroom Instruction) don’t forget to explore the other free and paid resources on our website!
3 Practical Tips for Agriculture Teachers to Actually Rest Over Winter Break
Let us start off by saying, you did it. You are halfway through the school year (or almost halfway). That is a huge accomplishment.
You made it through the start of school, FFA recruitment, that pesky first field trip, your first competitions, probably a fruit fundraiser, and maybe even National Convention. Phew, that is a lot and I didn’t even mention your class load and teaching hundreds of students daily.
You are doing it and it is almost time for a well-deserved break.
And when we say break, we mean it. Like actually shutting the work computer, locking the classroom door and saying goodbye until the new year.
If you are shaking in your Hey Dudes just thinking about the prospect of leaving work behind for a week or more, this blog is FOR YOU.
You, my friend, deserve a break. And to be honest, I think you know that. You know you work hard, you know you put your heart and soul into your job day in and day out. But, the thought of truly stepping away seems daunting, why?
The never-ending to-do list
The looooong list of activities that start up in early January
The competition teams that need practicing
The shop/greenhouse that needs cleaning
We get it. We have all been there or are staring at the same long list of to-do’s with you.
What we have learned over the years is that taking a break doesn’t actually put you behind. A break gives you the fuel to move forward faster.
You’ve probably heard an example like this before. You are like a car, the more you drive the car the less the fuel you have and the more wear and tear on the engine. To keep the car moving you have to frequently add gas and periodically take it in for servicing like a oil change, tire rotation or balance. You cannot just drive the car over and over and over again without frequent and periodic maintenance.
The same is true for you. You must provide yourself with frequent maintenance, that is like getting good sleep, eating enough, and doing daily/weekly activities that you enjoy (that aren’t work related). And then periodically, you gotta stop moving, stop that forward progress, and take a little bit to get re-energized.
You taking this break and deciding to put the work down and do things you love and enjoy with your family and friends is well deserved and NEEDED so you can continue to thrive (and survive) in the new year.
Now, this wouldn’t be a helpful blog if it was just motivational and gave you no tips to actually achieve this. So here are our 3 Tips to ACTUALLY Rest this Winter Break
3 Ways to ACTUALLY Rest this Winter Break
1. Don’t Reinvent The Wheel Before Break
Holiday break is right around the corner. Now is not the time to shake things up and rewrite your curriculum, try too many new activities and put a lot more on your already full plate. Some of you may be winding down the semester and some of you will be in January. There is no need to pull out so many bells and whistles just because break is around the corner.
That doesn’t mean we suggest watching Elf on repeat citing that it is an agriculture movie just because of Mr. Narwhal.
We mean that you can just stay the course. Keep teaching what your curriculum plan has scheduled up until the final bell. You don’t have to make your curriculum cutest just because of the holidays.
We also think this is a great time to use your resources. There is a plethora of free resources out on the internet that could provide some spice to your lessons if you so choose.
At G&G we are happy to provide you with free resources for the three-circle model of agriculture education. Here are some that might be helpful as you wind down 2024 and step into 2025:
Classroom Instruction
Holiday Hazards – I recently got a new kitten and navigating the holiday decorations this year is quite a challenge. We want to keep her safe! If you have a small animal or veterinary science class it might be fun to let your students explore the hazards of the holidays. Use this simple resource to get your kids going.
One Word – The start of the new year is a great opportunity to set some goals. With this One Word resource, students create pennants with their chosen words for the year (or semester). This activity doubles as classroom decor. Win-win!
SAE
Teacher Conference – You are about halfway through the school year. Have you checked in on those Supervised Agricultural Experiences you assigned the kids back in September? Now is a great time! Set aside a day to have a 1 on 1 meeting with each student using the Teacher Conference resource.
FFA
It’s ALWAYS a good time to open up the FFA New Horizon magazine and teacher guide for some activities. The Fall/Winter 2024 edition has SIX different activities including downloadable Google Docs.
2. Don’t Bring Work Home
I vividly remember my Walmart Pink milk crate that I lugged interactive science notebooks home over breaks. She went into my trunk and most of the time never saw the light of day until I went back to school.
Now you might be thinking, well you didn’t actually do work!
While that is right, do you know what is in the back of my mind the entire break?
I should go get those notebooks and grade instead of watching football with my husband
I should go do some work instead of watching the kids play in the backyard
I should probably try and get ahead before this break is over
And that overthinking and worrying is WORSE in my opinion than just setting aside work for a few weeks and being fully present during the break.
I know some of you reading this are ADAMANTLY opposed to this opinion, and I get it. As you can tell I was there with you too. And you have the autonomy to do exactly what you want.
From our daily interactions with teachers, we have found that overwhelm, burnout and not enoughness are three of the biggest pain points for teachers in the classroom. And I bet we believe that working over break to get “caught up” is all a good intention.
But, what is the purpose of the break if you aren’t actually breaking from work?!
One thing we know that is absolutely true is that your to-do list will NEVER be done. There is no way to be “all caught up.” That is a myth. To decide that working will get that to-do list done before the new year instead of taking a breath and enjoying time off could be counter productive in exacerbating those feelings of overwhelm and burn out because you are continuing to work non-stop.
If you feel so moved to work over break, one way to step into this gently is to create strict boundaries with yourself. Maybe you only work in the mornings of break or only 2 days during break. And then leave it alone.
Challenge yourself this break to limit the amount of work you bring home or don’t bring it at all. Then when you step into school on January 2nd see how you feel. We hope you feel refreshed, reinvigorated, and ready for the next year.
3. Don’t Schedule School Events/Practices Over the Break
Hate to break it to you friend, but it isn’t just you who needs a break. Those hard working kiddos do too.
Don’t you remember the joy you felt back when you were a student before break? The anticipation waiting for that final bell to ring so you could confidently lock your locker, grab your keys and high tail it out of the student parking lot?
Your kids should be able to feel that too.
Yes, even those who are preparing for a competition in the new year.
Yes, even those who are behind on school work.
Yes, even those who have scholarship dues dates looming around the corner.
Yes, even those student leaders who are motivated to get work done over the break
Allow those students to rest and relax. Not just because they should, but because it will start teaching them a habit I barelyyyyyy feel like I have grasped as a fully functioning adult… the habit of resting.
If you are a high achieving person, you might have trouble resting too. Your brain is hardwired to be moving at all times. Sitting down, taking a load off, doing some things just for funsies makes guilt creep in.
And let’s be honest, that is NOT a healthy way to live. We want to be good role models for our students and this is one space where you can tell those students “no worries, we will pick this up in two weeks.”
Now, if you are reading this and want to implement it but feel like this isn’t the “norm” around you because maybe it wasn’t how your ag teachers operated, how your college professors taught you to treat breaks or the ag teachers around you preach a 24/7/365 career…
We want you to know there ARE agriculture teachers who believe in resting, believe in taking breaks, and indulging in their passions outside of teaching.
And you can easily connect with them regularly through Green & Growing Education events. Find out more on our instagram.
Leading when you aren’t in charge
As an agriculture teacher, you are the leader of your classroom, chaos coordinator, captain of the ship, and the CEO of learning to do.
But, what if you wanted to lead MORE than just your classroom? Now, there isn’t anything wrong with wanting to lead kids. HELLO THE YOUTH IS OUR FUTURE. And leading them to be productive citizens and exceptional employers/employees is paramount.
But, sometimes we want to be able to lead our peers at a professional level. Maybe that looks like moving to administration, supporting student teachers, being an adjunct education professor, leading on a committee/non-profit, or heck starting your own thing.
Unfortunately, we know that specifically in education, those leadership positions might be limited by specialized degrees, longevity in the system, and (hate to say it but it's true) favoritism sometimes weighs heavier than skill.
And you might find yourself in a situation where you wish you could do more but there isn’t a position available for you.
We get it and know that you have it in you to lead. And we also know that leadership isn’t bound by a position on your email signature. Leadership is determined by action and there are a few simple things you can do to lead even if you don’t have a Dr. Ph.D, EDS, Department Head or State Director as your title.
And the answers have been here all along. I just needed to reach into the interwebs, and dust off some digital dust from our Green & Growing values to help you find actionable ways to lead when you aren’t in charge.
While yes these are values for our organization, we want you to know as an agriculture teacher that our whole organization was created to help support and encourage agriculture teachers. Sounds like a leader right?
To be honest, this is what G&G did. We went rogue back in 2017. We decided there was a need for agriculture teacher support in a new and different way. Nothing to take away from other support organizations but to add in addition to because we believe there is space for everyone here. There was no position or place for an organization like us, we just did it anyway and stayed committed to our values every step of the way.
And if you are someone that feels that itch to lead but knows that based on zip code, school hierarchy or family dynamics that now isn’t the time or place to be in a leadership position know that 1. You ARE a leader already and 2. You CAN lead when you aren’t in charge.
4 Ways for you to Lead Even when you aren’t in charge
Share Abundantly
This might be the most obvious connection to leadership, sharing abundantly. This was one of the first values our team landed on. We knew that we couldn’t serve others well without being able to open our hands to share abundantly.
A lot of times this might be mistaken as “let’s give everything away” which is usually met with the statement “I worked hard for this, you should have to as well.”
And TBH I kinda hate that mentality although I sometimes catch myself in that trap.
In education we aren’t meant to do it alone. Heck in LIFE you aren’t meant to do it alone. You are made for community. And sharing abundantly is part of that community.
When sharing abundantly we don’t mean that you need just open up your Google Drive to the world. We mean lending your expertise to enrich the profession.
That might look like:
-Having coffee with a teacher who wants to learn the CDE you absolutely dominate
-Sending some example scripts or training materials to a fellow teacher
-Doing a joint-practice with a closeby school for the same CDE
-Having a phone call with a teacher who needs help with their lesson for tomorrow
-Sharing a teaching tip that has saved your butt multiple times via social media
-Being a speaker at a conference like Germinate
The list can go on and on and on because sharing abundantly doesn’t look the same in every situation.
I remember (tearfully) one day at a teachers conference that I was presenting at and my son (he was a couple months old) was not having it. And a few teachers took him so I could finish presenting. While you might not classify that as a “typical” sharing abundantly they selflessly gave me their time so I could lead others. And I will never forget that.
None of these examples are true leadership positions, just ways that you can take what is in your brain and lend a helping hand to others.
Observe Others
Being a leader means being at the top right?
Welllllll, I would like to say I don’t think so. There have been MANY times I have been in leadership positions and learned more from those I was leading and vice versa.
Being a leader means that you are willing to continue to learn so you can serve better. And one of the best ways is to observe others.
And I am not going to say the typical “be in a room with 5 people better than you.” While I think it is important to learn from those ahead of you, I think it is just as important to learn from those a few years behind you.
I can't even tell you how much I learned from the multiple student teachers I’ve had in my classroom or even interns we have had on the G&G team. While these 19-22 year olds might not know EvERyThiNg a veteran teacher knows they sure as heck have a different perspective and pulse on basically every situation you will be in. And learning what they see can open your eyes to new possibilities.
It is your responsibility, even if you aren’t in a leadership position, to learn from others. And that can be by attending conferences like NAAE or Germinate, auditing another teacher's class, doing some higher level courses/PD, attending tours/trips, meeting with community members etc.
Also, pro tip: learn from people OUTSIDE of your profession. While diving into content specific learning is valuable, sometimes you need to step outside of your day-to-day to see new realms of possibilities.
Keep connected and observe others with those who inspire you regardless of their age, title, experience, or position. You never know what you can learn from someone who doesn’t see the world exactly like you.
Unite Regularly
2020-2022 kinda screwed this up for us. Those years were trying and anyone who says the impacts are gone obviously aren’t spending 5 days a week in a classroom.
We know that things twisted and changed in the pandemic and now post pandemic world that is still trying to mend itself back together.
The biggest takeaway I’ve gotten from those two years is how vitally important uniting regularly with your people is.
And I am not just saying your ag teacher friends. I mean your family, your friends you have become family, your social groups, your book club buddies, your church small group, your workout besties, whoever. Being together doing things you love is crucial.
For you to be a leader you need to pour into yourself and part of that is uniting with people who light you up, encourage you and frankly can make you belly laugh.
If you haven’t found that group yet because of a wide variety of reasons let me direct you to this blog post about finding community in education and cultivating your own community (for entrepreneurs).
Train Daily
This morning I finished Run 2 of Week 11 in my “back to running” program. I decided back in the early summer that I wanted to be a runner again. I mean I was an athlete from a young age through college and continued to work on my fitness as an obsessed Pure Barre Junkie for years.
How hard could it be?
Freaking hard I’ll tell you. Mid (pushing late) 30’s me is not the same as 22 year old college lacrosse player me .
But, what I have learned is it just takes time to get comfortable again into the daily routine of running. Am I sore, tired, out of breath, red face rivaling that of a person with MAJOR road rage? Yes. Do I feel empowered, inspired and energized afterword? You bet.
The same thing goes for leadership. You gotta train daily. And just like working out, your training regimen will look different from others.
There might be a time when you spend a lot of time reading about leadership and learning about ways you can improve your craft.
There might be times where you are wholly invested in showing up in spaces that inspire you like a community leadership group.
There may be times where you go hard on a specific leadership skill like improving your speaking abilities with toastmasters or committing to writing everyday on your LinkedIn page.
There may be times when you are committed to self reflection and keep up with journaling and meditation.
YOU get to make the training regimen that works for YOU in this time of YOUR life and what YOUR goals are.
What I know about you just from the fact that you made it this far into a blog about growing your leadership skills is that you care deeply about supporting others and that makes you qualified to lead. It might not be in an official position today but that doesn't mean it can’t be tomorrow.