How do I get started?
Step 1: Explore the Profession
Do you have a passion for agriculture? Do you enjoy working with and helping others? Do you want to make a positive difference in people’s lives? If you said YES! You should consider teaching agriculture for your professional career.
Step 2: Obtain a Degree
If you have a passion for agriculture and enjoy working with people, then the Agricultural Education major may be a perfect fit for you! By linking the influences of agriculture and education, you will be prepared to instruct the next generation of agricultural leaders as well as consumers. There continues to be a high demand for agriculture teachers, and graduates of this program are also sought after for numerous positions outside of formal education.
Agricultural education is the most diverse agricultural degree available covering multiple disciplines. Students in the Agricultural Education major have a wide variety of technical interests including animal agriculture, science, plant agriculture, agricultural mechanics, agribusiness, and natural resources. Within the degree, you can choose from two concentrations to meet your career goals: leadership and teaching.
Transfer from Two-Year Degree Programs
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
Four Year Degree Program
Step 3: Student Teaching
For teacher certification, a minimum 2.75 GPA is required by the South Carolina Department of Education for students to be admitted to the professional level. Once admitted to the professional level, candidates must maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA in order to advance through the professional level coursework sequence and enter the student teaching experience. The student teaching experience includes guided participation and experiential learning regarding the professional responsibilities of a teacher of agriculture, including intensive study of the challenges encountered and competencies developed within the three-component model of agricultural education. Candidates are carefully paired and placed in a cooperating school with a cooperating teacher for twelve weeks of directed teaching. In the first week of the experience student teachers observe and prepare lesson plans to begin teaching one course the next week. By the third week, the student teachers assume all roles and responsibilities of the cooperating teacher and also serve as an assistant to all FFA chapter activities and career development event preparation. When our students were asked “What are you most looking forward to in the Spring as a student teacher?” All our student teachers had similar responses: they are ready to be in the classroom! Some common trends among their answers were interacting with students, working with their cooperating teachers, and teaching in a classroom setting. One student said that they were excited to finally get to practice everything they learned over all these years at Clemson.
Step 4: Obtain a Job
Because of the high demand for agricultural education teachers, many students are offered and secure teaching positions prior to graduation. The agricultural education faculty at Clemson University are contacted regularly by district administrators when positions are open or new programs are formed. Close knit ties to and communication with alumni also provide updates and opportunities for graduates to apply for positions as soon as the opportunities become open. Employment opportunities can be found on the South Carolina Agricultural Education website.
Employment Opportunities in South Carolina
Sponsors
