CCFB News» January 2021

January is the time we typically create a neat and tidy list of goals for the upcoming year in our personal and work lives. I will not bore you with personal goals (although my family thinks my goals should be to lighten up, let loose, and stop worrying which do not exactly align to my goals at all). On the work front, however, goals have been reviewed by our Ag Literacy Team and we are ready to create an engaging year of educational options. As we experienced last year, however, the best laid plans are going to need flexibility and adaptability. Just as we shifted directions for just about everything in 2020, we will see that trend continuing in 2021.

Teachers throughout the county agree that some of the virtual methods they are using now will continue to be offered in years to come. “As we have been flexible and adapted and pivoted, then pivoted some more, we have found that there is a great need to provide a variety of agricultural literacy resource materials in a variety of ways. We have seen long term care facilities, home schools, and families use our resources, and we believe there will continue to be a market for accurate ag resource in the new normal that we’ll find ourselves in soon!” shared IL AITC Director of Education, Kevin Daugherty.

We should celebrate the shift that occurred as it has opened so many new doors for use by students and educators. Don’t get me wrong, there is no substitute for in-person learning, but there has been great value in these alterative resources.

The requests for more agriculture education are being seen, heard, and developed. New programs will include virtual job shadow speakers and a virtual Ag Day event for our primary level students. We are excited to share the amazing programs that will be offered by Illinois Ag in the Classroom including tours, professional development, authors, book recommendations, and more! So, we will keep the resources coming and you let us know what else you need.

Diane can be reached at [email protected].