Friday, September 20, 2013

Follow up to Session 7 Selecting Officers - September 17th

Response to Ticket Out

What are you curious about?
  • Do our activities for weekly web wonder #4 have to come from the two chapter that we got officer plans from?
    • No, you need to pick an example activity for each of the three divisions (Chapter, Community, Student) for a total of three example activities
  • Ideas for Officer Training
  • How I can take all of this information and put it together to make an officer selection plan
    • Deep purposeful thinking
  • Different officer selection plans
    • Look at the six examples provided in class, look at examples found by fellow classmembers in Web Wonder #2 and ask on NAAE CoP
  • Different Questions to be asked to officer candidates
    • Google and read on Behavior based interviewing.
  • Is there a chapter officer selection plan that involves both nom com and elections? What does that look like?
    • Yes, use nom com to determine eligible students (those who have the skills) and let students select actual officer through popular election.
  • What is Mr. Currie's job?
    • He currently manages the National FFA Officer Team.
  • When we are teachers, how can we bring guest speakers into our classroom via technology?
    • Adobe connect is a pay service, so that will probably not be available, but you could use Skype or Google Hangout. Work closely with your school IT professionals
  • How would you approach an advisor who does not use an officer selection process to try to display an opportunity for improvement?
    • Usually I recommend to lead by example, so show how it works well in your chapter/program. If you are not a teacher yet, you might offer to run it for them.
  • How much FFA dictates what you do in your personal life?
    • I do not understand the question. The FFA does not dictate your personal life, however, if you choose to seek out a position representing an entire group, your personal actions can have impact on the reputation of that group. This is not unique to FFA, sports, band, and other clubs have similar expectations for their members and leaders to represent them to the highest level in all aspects of their life. This is true in real life as well...if a politician "errs" in their personal life, their public position is harmed as well.
  • How do I get younger member involved when most of the leadership is upperclassmen?
    • It does not have to be. Create opportunities of leadership specifically for younger classmen, like Greenhand or Junior Officers or class delegates.
  • How do you you implement a budget for officers?
    • Like you would implement a budget for anything else.
  • How do officer selection plans effect the success of an officer team?
    • You want to make sure you get the right people in the right seats on the bus
  • What is a the time commitment of a National FFA officer?
    • Full time for one year. No School, No Work, nothing else but being an officer
  • FFA has global programs, how will AgriCorp connect with those existing programs?
    • AgriCorps is a program for post college graduates, not current FFA members.
  • I am curious about how varying officer team sizes affects the way the team works together through the year
    • Depends on the amount of work you have for them to do.

What did you learn?
  1. Effective ways to select Chapter FFA Officers
  2. Training and Development of Officers is essential
  3. Increasing capacity of our chapters through leadership development of members and officers
  4. Potential is important in selecting officers. Look for students who can grow and improve throughout the year.
  5. What a nominating committee was and how this can be a good tool for officer selection
  6. Different methods of electing officers including Nominating Committee, Popular Election and a mix
  7. Ropes Courses can be used a great team building activity
  8. Consider having someone else besides the Ag Teacher manage the Nominating Committee Process.
  9. How much thought goes into utilizing Chapter Officers
  10. Must be organized! Have officer binders, planners, shared constitution and time investment
  11. There are multiple ways to handle each situation. For example; in dealing with an officer removal, you may want to have a contract for them to sign but also there is opportunity for a point system implementation
  12. It is not advisable to have the same person be president multiple years.
What do you want to learn more about?
  • AgriCorp
  • Officer Training
    • Need you to be more specific to give better answers! Ask on NAAE CoP!
  • What do you think make a good chapter officer?
    • Desire
  • How do we involve everything in an FFA Chapter and keep them excited?
    • A POA goes a long way to help establish Student Ownership which leads to Student Excitement.
  • Committees and how to Organize them
    • Next Class Session with Ms. Gensen will help a great deal!
  • The development of National FFA Officers
    • Perhaps Blaze can comment on this blog and provide more insight. Feel free to email him and ask!
  • Can/Does Chapter Officer Selection involve outside adults with no FFA Background? 
    • Absolutely, great way to involve partners in what you are doing as a program
  • How to make a good officer contract?
    • Look at examples and ask on NAAE CoP!
  • Developing the skills of younger members in the organization when currently no program exists to do that.
    • I do not understand the statement. There are programs at both the State and National level designed to develop leadership skills of young members.
  • Why does Texas FFA have so many vice-presidents?
    • They have over 60,000 members. Each area has a State Officer who is a State Vice President (there are 10 areas). From that group, a State President is selected
  • How do you use student delegates as part of the nominating committee?
    • Maybe you have one student from each grade level and a senior outgoing officer on the committee
  • Should the nominating committee go through an orientation before starting?
    • Absolutely! Provide education to ensure success
  • Should you provide the candidates a training session about how to navigate the nom com?
    • Great idea! anything we can do to bolster the educational component.
  • How do you handle the budgeting piece on an officer application?
    • I do not understand the question. If you are going to require students invest an amount of money to be an officer, be transparent and up front with it on the application.
  • Should you allow candidates to choose what office they want?
    • It depends on the situation, but usually yes.
  • I want to learn more about how to balance teaching everyday and balancing being an FFA advisor.
    • They are one and the same, indistinguishable from each other. FFA is a part of the curriculum. It is all part of the job.
  • I have heard about FFA Around the World, waht does 4H look like around the world?
  • Question for Blaze: Should Officers serve as committee chairs?
    • Depends, I say no, but will let Blaze respond in comments

2 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this class!
    Big thanks to Dr. Foster for being innovative!
    A couple of responses to Questions:

    What is my Job? – Yes, manage National Officers and also manage the convention arena / general sessions. If you are at convention, come say, “Hi.”

    Question about time commitment of National Officers – Correct. Full year. They each travel about 90 miles in their year visiting chapters, state FFA conventions, and business & industry. They also serve on the Board of Directors.

    Question about Global Programs and AgriCorps – Correct, our purpose is for post college graduates or grad students. However, in the future, there may be room to partner with 4-H and FFA global programs for short term projects / learning experiences.

    Question: What makes a good chapter officer? – Agree completely (Desire) is #1. Also being a team player.

    Question: How do we involve everyone and keep them excited? – POA and the use of committees.

    Question: Development of National Officers --- Email me for a more detailed response. We focus on three areas: Individual development of an officer (their personal growth—they are still FFA members), team development (we want a functional and dynamic team), and Goal Setting (goals that benefit the organization).

    Question: Should officers serve as committee chairs? I think they can for a few areas, usually standard committees. For example the Vice President may serve as chair of POA committee and Treasurer of Budgeting committee. However, the goal of committees in a youth organization is two-fold: 1) to help you get things accomplished, yes but 2) engage as many students as possible. This helps you have better officers as well. A freshman serves on a committee. Chairs it in year two. Becomes an officer in years 3 and 4 (potentially). It is a continuum so that officers have developed skills and experiences along the way.


    There were several questions that related to balancing FFA and life it seems… A great chapter officer team can go a long way. If you spend enough time on the front-end (selecting the right ones and developing them) you save time on the back end. For example: You aren’t stressing and spending as many hours preparing for the chapter banquet because you have a solid group of 6 to 8 leading that effort.

    Feel free to email any questions: bcurrie@ffa.org

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  2. Where can one find last year 311 Office Selection Plans examples we graded in class? I was under the impression that it could be found digitally...?

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