A couple of years ago, at a Pre-Service Workshop (that is a University presentation for students majoring in education) someone said---"Hey Wait---You are that Illinois Ag Guy". I really didn't know how to take it.
My wife's family---and my own---would certainly laugh being called 'That Ag Guy'---but truth be told---for a number of teachers and students, Agriculture in the Classroom is as close as they get to agriculture in a given day.
My name is Kevin Daugherty, and I serve as the Education Director of the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Program. The views expressed here are my views, but I hope to share with you a glimpse of what we see in Agricultural Literacy across the state!
What does Ag in the Classroom (AITC) do? We work to develop resources that can be easily implemented into Pre-K through 12 classrooms that serve as a springboard to integrate agriculture into Language, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Our main office in Bloomington, Illinois works with individual counties across the state to provide resources, teacher training and county support. Through our network of Agriculture Literacy Coordinators across the state and the various educational supports of Illinois Commodity Groups and Agribusiness, we form our own 'Powerhouse' of Agricultural Literacy! Additionally, we work with other state Agriculture in the Classroom programs.
And so we begin! My goal in this blog will be to share what we're doing, feature various teachers, University Pre-Service instructors, and those involved in agriculture.
A little about myself.......I'm a 1988 Graduate of the University of Illinois College of Education, I have my MS from Eastern Illinois University, and have been with Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (a department of the Illinois Farm Bureau) since 2000. I'm married with 3 children, am active in our local church, as well as various civic endeavors including serving as the President of the local School Board.
Our first adventure this week will feature comments about an upcoming program we call AITC 101 for newcomers to the Illinois AITC Program as well as a meeting about a new publication relating careers and biotechnology to agriculture.
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