IntroductionWHY

have the FFA

David Agnew

Arkansas State University

Fall, 2007

What are the two major deficiencies of new employees in business and industry (including

agribusiness)?

• Lack of leadership skills

• Poor communication skills

Nationally, there is a major concern about “leadership”.

What is one solution?

What is the FFA?

• A national organization for students enrolled in agricultural education classes.– High school and middle school– The FFA operates at the local, regional, state

and national level– The agriculture teacher is the FFA advisor

Questions to ponder• Why do we have the FFA?

• Is there an education basis for having the FFA?– Is the FFA extra-curricular or intracurricular?– Can FFA participation be considered in

assigning grades to students?

• Is there a legal basis for the FFA?

• Is there a philosophical basis for the FFA?

What is the FFA Mission?

• FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

The FFA Purpose

• • Recreation• • Patriotism• • Service• • Character• • Thrift

• • Leadership• • Scholarship• • Improved

Agriculture• • Cooperation• • Citizenship

The purpose of the FFA is to develop:

The FFA stresses three closely related areas: leadership, personal growth, and career success.

Why FFA? Teachers point of view…

• Benefits for the teacher– FFA motivates students– FFA provides rewards for students (reinforces)– Provides intrinsic rewards to the teacher

Why FFA? Student’s Point of view…

• Benefits for the student– Motivates

– Build confidence

– Develops skills

– Makes money

– Helps lead to personal independence

– Keeps students in school

– Links theory with applications

– Travel expereinces/opportunites

Why FFA? Community Point of view…

• Contributes to economic stability• Contributes to community leadership development• Build community support for education• Based in local needs• Rooted in the best of tradition• Equalizes society • Sets a high standard • Opportunities for everyone• Transferable skills

What is the basis for having the FFA?

• Legal Basis– Started by the U.S. Government– George-Barden Act– Public Law 740 (now 105-225)– USOE Policy– Court Ruling

• Educational/Psychological Basis• Philosophical Basis

Legal/policy basis for FFA

• The FFA is recognized as an integral part of the curriculum by the federal government.– 1. The Federal Government was responsible

for establishing the FFA. Agricultural education leaders with the Federal Board for Vocational Education provided the leadership for the establishment of the FFA.

Legal/policy basis for FFA

– 2. The George-Barden Act of 1946 states federal funds can be expended on "supervision by the vocational agriculture teacher of the activities, related to vocational education in agriculture, of the Future Farmers of America and the New Farmers of America".

• How many "clubs" have provisions in federal law authorizing federal expenditures on "club" activities?

Legal/policy basis for FFA cont.

– 3. The FFA has a Federal Charter (Public Law 740):

• Sec. 18 "The United States Commissioner of Education . . . is authorized to make available personnel, services, and facilities of the Office of Education . . . to administer or assist in the administration of the business and activities of the corporation."

• Sec. 8 requires Federal education officials to be part of the governing structure of the FFA.

Legal/policy basis for FFA cont.

– 4. USOE Policy states that FFA is intracurricular.

Legal/policy basis for FFA cont.

• The FFA is recognized as an integral part of the curriculum by the state government – 1. The State Board of Education has

approved the Workforce Development Education - Program of Study and Support Services Guide which states “FFA activities are an integral part of the agricultural education program”

Legal/policy basis for FFA cont

– 2. The state approved curriculum guides in agriculture include content on the FFA and it is recognized as an integral part of the program.

– 3. The state plan for Career and Technical Education (which must be approved by the state and federal government) includes vocational youth organization activities.

Legal/policy basis for FFA cont.

• The courts have ruled that FFA is intracurricular and is an integral part of the educational program.– A student in Texas who was active in the FFA

moved to a new school. The school had vocational agriculture but no FFA. He brought a lawsuit against the school and won. The school had to start a FFA chapter.

Educational/Psychological basis for FFA

• The FFA awards and incentive program reinforces learning. It is the reinforcement component of the Stimulus-Response learning theory. SAE is the response and classroom instruction is the stimulus.

Educational/Psychological basis for FFA

• The FFA is a powerful motivational tool. Psychology has shown that students learn best when they are “motivated to learn.”

Educational/Psychological basis for FFA

FFA helps students fulfill all levels of Maslow’s Hierachy of Needs.

Curriculum Integration at it’s best

• Applying a scientific content

• Communicating about the content

• Infusing academic content where it is meaningful

• Brings means to form and function

• Connects knowledge with work

• Reinforces effort with rewards

Philosophical basis for the FFA• Reconstructionism - the purpose of

education is to prepare students for the future world in which they will live and students should be taking a proactive role in shaping that future by making the world a better place to live.

• Pragmatism - the worth of an idea is proven when it is tested in a real word setting.

The Old Agricultural Education Education Model

Instruction

SAE FFA

The New Agricultural Education Education Model

Instruction

SAE FFAComplete

Secondary Ag. Ed.Program

Lets Review

• What is/are the purpose(s) of the FFA

• What are the student benefits of participating in the FFA

• What are the benefits of the FFA to the Teacher?

• How does the FFA relate to classroom and laboratory instruction?

Lets Review, Continued

• Why is Public Law 105-225 (740) so important to the activities of the FFA?

• Describe how Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs relates to the benefits of the FFA

• How does reconstructionism and pragmatism as philosophies in education relate to the FFA?