Week Four: Global Learning in Agriculture (GLAG) Week

This week the intensity dial definitely got turned up! I went from teaching two classes to four (one of which has multiple sections). I am now teaching Plant Science, Introduction to Agriculture, Animal Science (which I gave up one of my prep periods to teach), and Environmental Science. I was definitely feeling stretched as I worked to meet my goal of having all my plans for the upcoming week done by Friday. BUT - this week was also Global Learning in Agriculture Week or GLAG Week. 

I have been a GLAG participant since my freshmen year. Each year, as a result of attending the conference, I leave feeling energized to teach new topics in global agriculture and more connected to my international colleagues. For me, one of the best features of GLAG is that it is web-based and presentations are on-demand so I can participate in this professional development when my schedule allows me to. 

The theme for this year's GLAG conference was Take Action. I would like to share with you how I have been inspired to Take Action.

Integration

This was a word that stuck in my brain throughout the entire week. As I watched the presentations given by school-based agriscience teachers, university faculty, and NGO employees, I lost track of the number of times I said "Oh, that would fit perfectly into my class". Two examples that resonated with me the most was the GreenSeeder Hand Planter developed by Oklahoma State University and Honduran sweet potatoes. Both of which have connections to Plant Science, Agriculture Mechanics, Engineering, Mathematics, and so much more! There are so many applications and connections to global competencies that exist within the courses I am already teaching. Global Agriculture does not need to be a separate unit or class, it fits within my current scope and sequence. 

Putting Wind Under People's Wings

During Friday's live finale event, one of the presenters described educator's in her life that "put wind under her wings". It was just beautiful to hear the way she described how teachers had made a difference in her life - and that this was something she remembered and wanted to share 50-60 years after graduating. This was such a great reminder of why I chose to become an educator - to put wind under students' wings. 

I was also reminded of my grandfather who recently passed, just before I started student teaching. Despite his constant battle with Parkinson's disease he never failed to put wind underneath others' wings, whether it was with a smile, a sometimes inappropriate joke, or when we were younger, a line from the song "Down Down Baby" (the Sesame Street version, not a line from a Nelly song😅). I struggled for a long time with so quickly being thrown into the responsibilities of student teaching and I did not feel like I had time to be sad or grieve, but I know now he would want me to go to school every day with a smile on my face and share my passion for agriculture with my students - to put wing under their wings. 

My Theory of Change

The GLAG 2021 keynote speaker, Jennifer Williams, also challenged the audience with her message to define our theory of change. Her charge caused me to pause and think about the causes I want to take action for, my methods for creating change, and ultimately, how this concept applies within my classroom. 

In just a few words, my theory of change (and what I want my students to believe about creating change) is that even the smallest actions are impactful. For a long time, causes that have been near and dear to my heart include agricultural literacy, Parkinson's disease, and cancer. While these are large and complex problems, even my small actions of preparing daily lesson plans for agriscience classes or donating my hair to make wigs for cancer patients has had a meaningful impact, even if my actions only touch a handful of people. I hope that my students see me as an example and role model as they work to create positive changes in their local community. 

Wouldn't it be Cool if...

GLAG inspires me to think big and think outside of the box. Many participants even finished the sentence, "Wouldn't it be cool if..." in the community forum with their big ideas. And while I think it would be extremely extremely awesome if National FFA had a global agriculture proficiency to recognize student's SAE projects or students created documentaries at their local grocery stores or students were presenters at GLAG 2022, below are some of my big ideas that have been inspired by attending GLAG 2021. 

Wouldn't it be cool if...

• Students shared global experiences they have had during class with their peers (living in another country, going on vacation, watching a documentary, trying new foods, etc.)
• Students worked in teams to submit a grant to organize a global experience for the FFA chapter (aka GLAGjr, which my students will start working through the online modules in a few weeks!)
• Students hosted an exchange student from an international FFA chapter/4-H club
• Students were recognized by the United Nations for service-learning projects they organized and executed that made progress towards meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

To my #PSUAgEd2021 peers, who also attended GLAG sessions this week, what were your biggest takeaways? How are you planning to implement GLAGjr during your student teaching internship?