The thing about small schools, is that when you teach one of the only biology classes, you get a random mix of kids and they don't always necessarily want to be in an agriculture class. Sometimes I get students placed in Ag Bio because it fits with their schedule, some because they want to be there, and others for various unknown reasons.
I remember very vividly speaking with a student in the first month of school about why he was in my class and he said it that it was because administrators wanted to keep him away from his friends. Such a typical kid thing to say right?!
A couple months later, I was speaking with my principal after an evaluation and he asked about the same student and his performance and behavior in class. I replied that he was a model student, extremely respectful and did really good work. My principal was shocked with that reply. Long story, short-- the student had issues with many of his teachers, and had a dark past that many wouldn't be proud of...
Having had no problem with the student previously I asked him a few days later in class about why he had issues with some of his teachers? In addition to asking why him and I did not have issues? The student replied, " You respect me, so I respect you".
From that moment on, I made it my personal (and silent) goal to get this nontraditional FFA kid to show up to a meeting or put on the FFA jacket before he graduated. I knew he was smart and could benefit from FFA (whether he knew it or not).
After over a year of slowly pushing, today I met my goal!!! Jose volunteered at the Sonoma County Farm Bureau Ag Days at the fairgrounds. He was great with the little kids and was really fun to take outside of the classroom to participate in an agricultural experience. He was actually so excited to put the FFA jacket on this morning! And was so proud to wear it all day. When we got to Ag Days, I told him I had to have a picture as proof that this actually happened... Miracles do happen... Goals are met with persistence...
Convincing kids that the blue jacket is actually cool, mission accomplished!
All my kids did a great job today! I am so proud of them... I even got two super quiet freshmen to go! I've been working on them all year.