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TEACHING APPROACH

Many of my students enroll in FRC 1010 without an appreciation for the fascinating complexity of agriculture.  Therefore, I teach this freshman-level agriculture course with the intention of exposing my students to concepts, practices, and technologies pertinent to modern agriculture. I attempt to engage and excite the students, while encouraging them to think critically and re-evaluate their perception of this field.

Teaching about agriculture in a succinct and effectual manner is not an easy task. Agriculture is diverse and “happens” in a wide array of settings. I incorporate relevant information from several different sources and actors into my introduction to agriculture. For example, I utilize highly regarded textbooks and academic journals to facilitate learning of both classic and recent topics in crop husbandry. Additionally, I assign reading materials from current popular media outlets, exposing students to contemporary agricultural issues and inviting them to engage in current debates in the field. Finally, I regularly invite colleagues from different IFAS departments to deliver lectures in their fields of expertise, with the goal of introducing my students to some of the actors behind current developments.

I work hard to keep students from all corners of campus interested and engaged with the material throughout the semester.  I hope that after they listen thoughtfully to the lectures and think critically about the information they have been given, my students are conversant with a broad range of topics in agriculture. Moreover, I expect my students to be able to appreciate the impact agriculture has in their lives. At the end of the day, mine is a quest of agricultural literacy.