Ohio state offers full year agriculture curriculum to teachers

By Andi Anderson

Twenty middle and high school agriculture teachers from across the United States gathered at Ohio State University for a unique professional development opportunity.

They left with a full year's curriculum in agricultural education, designed to enhance their teaching effectiveness and student engagement.

Ohio State is one of only six institutions nationwide that offers such a program, highlighting its commitment to advancing agricultural education.

According to Dr. Kellie Claflin, an agriscience professor at Ohio State, this initiative is crucial. "Agriculture is one of the top industries in Ohio and across the nation and we need students for those jobs," she explained, emphasizing the need for well-prepared educators in this vital sector.

The curriculum provided is inquiry-based, incorporating numerous labs and hands-on learning activities that engage students and encourage active participation in their own learning process.

Kaitlyn Wasilewski, an agriculture teacher from northern Morrow County, shared her enthusiasm for the approach: “They have fun in the classroom when they’re doing hands-on learning.”

This program aims to simplify the lives of educators by equipping them with ready-to-use teaching materials, thus allowing them to focus more on instruction and less on lesson planning.

Dr. Claflin outlined the program's goals, stating, “The whole point of this is to make teachers' lives easier and make sure students are aware of the potential of careers in agriculture as well as becoming agriculturally literate and understanding the science in agriculture.”

The hope is that the curriculum will not only educate but also inspire students. Wasilewski looks forward to the fall when she can engage her students with the new materials. “I hope they get excited about agriculture and want to take more courses throughout high school,” she said.

After a productive week, the teachers returned to their districts armed with new knowledge, resources, and connections within the agricultural education community, ready to inspire a new generation about the possibilities within agriculture.

This program underscores Ohio State's role in fostering educational innovation and supporting teachers across the nation.

Photo Credit: ohio-state-university