Guest Blogger Series: Why, How, What? Program of Activities

The classic FFA activities: fundraisers, recruitment events, food drives, annual chapter banquet, etc. What's the purpose? It's not about what we do, it's about why we do it. Simon Sinek's golden circle is a great way to put this into perspective.

Why?
FFA activities and events are catalysts of change that transform perspectives, habits, career ambitions, and relationships in an authentic and intentional way. Our purpose is to grow and empower students. With guidance, students develop and deliver their own learning experiences through a chapter's program of activities (POA). Planning and executing a quality POA at the local level is powerful.

How?
Success is the result of creative planning and detailed preparation. To invest in chapter success, students set goals and plan the necessary steps to accomplish these goals. By engaging in the development and delivery of a quality POA, students develop leadership and planning skills which are essential in all careers. The key to a quality POA is getting every member involved. The steps to develop and implement a successful POA are outlined in four steps:

• Plan: The POA should be organized by using student committees. The number of committees and committee structure varies by chapter. The chapter vice president is tasked with coordinating the work of committees and every member should serve on at least one committee.
• Develop: Once committees are formed, the POA can be developed. Planning forms are available to aid in the development of the POA. These forms make it easy to write the rough draft by hand, present the plan to the chapter for approval or amendment and prepare the POA for distribution.
• Do: Once the POA is developed and approved by members, the next step is for committees to plan each activity and event. What steps are necessary to achieve the goals approved by members? Make it happen!
• Reflect: Plans are useless without implementation. The POA is a tool used to help the chapter meet members' needs and interests. Reflection is an ongoing process. The POA should be reviewed and reflected upon regularly.

What?
The POA assists in defining chapter goals, outlining steps needed to meet those goals and acts as a written guide to provide a calendar of events the chapter will follow in the year ahead for administrators, advisory committees, alumni and other stakeholders. Every year each FFA chapter takes time to plan ways to provide engaging opportunities focused on growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture.

There are a variety of resources available to aid in the planning, development and delivery of a local program of activities. These include:

• POA Resource Guide - 15 page resource that walks a user through planning, developing, doing and reflecting on a program of activities.
• POA Planning Forms - these four forms are available in PDF and Word. Examples and instructions are included in the POA Resource Guide.
• National Chapter Award Program handbook - this includes information, a scoresheet and rubric for the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards as well as everything needed to be successful in the National Chapter Award Program.
• Chapter Success Guides - each year, a magazine is created to showcase the national finalists in the national chapter award program. These exceptional chapters are planning, developing, delivering a quality program of activities and reflecting on their experiences in a purposeful way. The 2015 guide is a great immediate resource. The 2016 guide will be available in the spring of 2017 and will feature Midd-West FFA of Pennsylvania!

For more information  please visit www.ffa.org/nationalchapter or contact nationalchapter@ffa.org.

Mr. Honeycutt and Mr. Bledsoe

 

 

Notes from the day:

• What's the future?
• What's some pressing issues:
• Relevance: AFNR (career learning and exploration)
• Developing programs of study
• Certifications
• Whatever we inspect is what we respect.
• Engaging people
• How do we tell our story?
• How do we engage our partners more?
• Standards:
• AFNR standards are a good roadmap but look at your local needs!
• Inclusion:
• How do we build that?
• Build that family relationship
• It starts at the local level.
• As a teacher, don't spread yourself so thin that you sacrifice inclusion.
• How welcome, safe and connected will your students feel in your classroom?
• Expose your students to great people, great experiences and books.
• Invest in your students.
• Grades: as a teacher determine how you will grade students fairly so every student can succeed.
• Share with parents and administration!
• How to maximize student teaching:
• Diversify your experiences as much as possible.
• Persevere! Motivation, set backs, lessons will all be challenging so learn from it all. 

 

Links:

• Revised AFNR National Standards revised for 2015.
• This link also has SEVERAL documents about the career clusters and standards.
•  
• Video chat with Mr. Honeycutt and Mr. Bledsoe

 

 

 



Story Time

Hodgepodge Day!

 

Goals

Motivation

Story time

Recruitment and Retention

 

Motivation

(PowerPoint on Drive)

Intrinsic VS Extrinsic
To energize, to activate

Marlow Theory of Human Motivation (Needs)

Push (Drive) VS Pull (Incentive) Theory
Sir Ken Robinson



 

 

 

 

 

Recruitment and Retention

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Hanagriff Round Two!

AET: Round 2

This is the second time that AEE 311 has had a chance to talk with Dr. Hanagriff. Earlier in the year Dr. Hanagriff spoke with AEE 311 about what AET was, why it was developed, and the basis of how it works. This time they have worked with the system and have come back with questions. Here are some points:

• Calendar leads into:
• National Chapter Award
• POA
• Website
• Reports
• AET is used to save the Ag teacher money and keep them organized.
• American Degree is a summary of what you've done.
• AET can be used to input all students in an agriculture, then place certain ones in FFA (PA is inclusive)
• Experience Manager is a great over view of all projects.
• New grading tools (because SAE is a crucial part of the program that should be weighted with a grade.)
• SAE Assessment tab
• Gives feedback for students and builds a teacher's journal (which helps build teacher contracts)

Video chat from today's talk with Dr. Hanagriff.

Today in AEE 311: Reflection and Expansion

What happened today?

• Reflection and unpacking: What happened on SAE day? What's the 3 most important things that happened on Tuesday?
• Had a great time with kids! Preparation is definitely important.
• Learning how to adapt and change your plan early.
• Learning had by all! College and high school students.
• How do you incorporate students with IEP's that may not be the most talkative?
• "It's never too late to learn playground skills."
• How do you develop energy? When you're excited and passionate, how do you get students passionate?
• It takes a relationship to get students to open up!
• Find what interests the students.
• Never be afraid to learn as the teacher!
• Kids don't know, what they don't know.

• Digital Citizenship!!!! Don't put anything up you wouldn't show grandma :)

• Talking with Mr. Gundlach! 40 year veteran teacher with tons of knowledge to share.
• How do you balance it all?
• How do you run a land lab, greenhouse and classroom?
• How do you build your program?

Reminders:

• Extensions are granted on an individual basis.
• Pink Time: Make the most of it!!!

Speaker Recording:

Resources:

• http://www.exploresae.com/