By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) is hosting a virtual professional development event for Texas teachers to learn more about agriculture.
“This opportunity is unique in that it is our first virtual professional development event for teachers, which will allow teachers from across the state a chance to participate when distance or location might have otherwise prevented them from attending,” Jordan Walker, TFB director of Educational Outreach, said.
The Teacher Ag Academy is set for Saturday, Oct. 10, from 8 a.m. to noon.
The free event will include three presentations and a virtual farm tour.
Walker noted teachers will be able to share ideas and engage with presenters via the platform functions.
“Our hope is that we can engage with teachers in a new way that encourages them to increase agricultural literacy in their classrooms and help provide them ideas, resources and interactive activities they can utilize in face-to-face instruction or virtual lessons with students,” she said.
The presentations will include resource information and tips about how to incorporate agriculture in the classroom from a K-4 science teacher and a U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist who specializes in connecting education and agriculture.
The virtual farm tour will give teachers an opportunity to see a working family farm.
“Family farms—big or small—are essential to Texas agriculture,” Walker said. “Giving teachers a chance to interact with Texas farmers, to ask questions and see how a farm operates can help them better understand agriculture, which allows them to better incorporate those concepts in their classroom.”
The event is open to current Texas K-12 teachers from all subject areas and includes public school and private school teachers.
Registration for the event is free and closes at noon on Oct. 2. Click here to register.
Teachers who register and attend will be entered to win one of three giveaways: a digital microscope, a $200 gift card to the National Ag in the Classroom store and a Cotton’s Journey “Field Trip in a Box” kit.
Each participant will also receive a special giveaway.
Continuing professional education credits will be available.
For more information about the Teacher Ag Academy, email edoutreach@txfb.org or call 254.751.2569.
For additional Ag in the Classroom resources and lesson plans available from TFB, visit https://texasfarmbureau.org/aitc.