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In this Issue:
Statistically significant gains in skills reported
"This was fabulous! Last week I was doubtful I could adequately facilitate a workshop. Now I feel I'm ready and I look forward to it." - Workshop participant An evaluation report on seven recent Project Food, Land & People facilitator training workshops has found an overwhelmingly positive response. Participants' level of interest, confidence, skills and knowledge all demonstrated statistically significant increases as a result of the workshops. Participant ratings covered the four key topics addressed by the workshops: agriculture, environment, natural resources and people. The highest average gains occurred in facilitators' ratings of their knowledge of teaching methods for agriculture, suggesting that FLP is a particularly strong teaching tool in this area. The pilot workshops trained 200 potential facilitators how to teach educators to use FLP lessons with their students. Workshops were led by a FLP national trainer and members of the state coalition. Facilitators received copies of FLP materials: Resources for Learning and the Facilitator Handbook. Participant comments reflected appreciation for the quality of the teaching and materials. "Incredible potential of cross-discipline lessons that can be flexibly chosen and tailored." - Workshop participant FLP's evaluation of its facilitator workshops gives it a rare strength among curriculum projects-a statistical analysis of the effectiveness of its training model. The report presents data from pre- and post-workshop surveys and observations. All data were analyzed by an external evaluator. "Participants rated their general knowledge, interest, confidence, and knowledge of teaching methods in agriculture, environment, natural resources and people much higher on exit surveys than on the pre-workshop survey." -Evaluation report The techniques and themes used to teach facilitation skills also received high marks. The workshops featured four teaching techniques-activities, discussions, presentations and journal writing-and demonstrated how themes such as diversity, community and sustainability can be effectively addressed through FLP lessons. The agricultural theme ranked particularly high, providing another indication of FLP's effectiveness in teaching about food and fiber systems. Workshop participants also provided constructive suggestions for improvement. The evaluation report included a list of recommendations generated from participant comments and observations of workshops. A few of the key recommendations:
FLP is grateful to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for providing grant funding for the evaluation. The findings of the report will be integrated into future FLP workshops. They will also be useful for state coordinators and coalitions who are coordinating training workshops. For a copy of the report, click here.
Students learn from FLP "Classroom on the Mall" FLP joined the Ag-Earth Partnership's early celebration of Earth Week in Washington, D.C. Agriculture's story was told through testimonials from ranch and farm supporters, programs for students and a satellite uplink to schools nationwide. The FLP "Classroom on the Mall" booth provided hands-on activities to young people, government employees and the public. USDA Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman visited the display and spoke with FLP leaders about the program and distribution nationwide. Ag-Earth Partnership is an ad hoc, private-public coalition working to raise awareness about agriculture, conservation and environmental stewardship.
National Ag Week features FLP lesson Students nationwide celebrated "America's Largest Classroom on Agriculture" during National Ag Week, March 19-25. This year's materials featured a poster, fun facts on agriculture and Project Food, Land & People's "Step-by-Step" lesson for grades 4-12. The materials were distributed to more than 5000 teachers nationwide; the lesson is also available for downloading at www.agday.org. "Ag Week featured a lesson from FLP again this year because of educators' extremely positive response to the FLP lesson format and evidence its lessons have been pilot and field tested with students and educators," said Kathleen Montgomery, Agriculture Council of America director of industry services. The Ag Week celebration provides educators with high-quality materials and techniques to teach agricultural concepts. FLP's "Step-by-Step" lesson helps students learn about agricultural production through social studies, language arts and career education. Students work in groups to understand the path of production by discovering the steps involved in getting food and fiber from the field to the consumer. They identify the resources necessary to complete each step in the process. Students also learn about the diversity of occupations and careers in food and agriculture. National Ag Week is sponsored by the Agriculture Council of America. This nonprofit organization of leaders in the agricultural, food and fiber communities works to increase agricultural literacy. To order FLP's Resources for Learning, featuring "Step-by-Step" and 39 other lessons, go to the order form.
The Project Food, Land & People Steering Committee has initiated a major shift in FLP's organization. New bylaws adopted at the March annual meeting will restructure FLP into three divisions: FLP USA, FLP World Learning Center and FLP International. A new 15-member board of governors will replace the current steering committee. The reorganization allows FLP to maintain and expand its successful USA Program while increasing the attention given to the developing areas of the International Program and the World Learning Center. Under the new bylaws, each of the three divisions will be directed by its own steering committee of 18 to 25 members. Members representing the agricultural, educational, environmental, natural resource and business/financial professions will be drawn from broad geographical areas of either the United States (USA division) or the world (World Learning Center and International divisions). A vice president for each division will be hired as funding allows. The new board of governors will include representatives from each of the three divisions and the advisory board, along with three at-large members. The governors will serve three-year, staggered terms. The president of FLP will be responsible to and work for the board. The board of governors will hold its first meeting in early 2001. FLP is seeking applicants for the steering committees for each of the three divisions. Members attend annual and regular steering committee meetings and correspond as needed throughout the year to conduct business. If you are interested in serving as a committee member, please contact Project Food, Land & People or e-mail info@foodlandpeople.org. Nine state coalitions were awarded grants in March as part of an overall Project Food, Land & People grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The $70,000 USDA grant included $45,000 for assistance to state programs in 2000. The FLP Finance Committee solicited state coalition grant applications for up to $4,500 per state. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Vermont all received the full funding they requested. New Mexico, which is still in the process of forming a state coalition, filed a grant request that will be considered once the coalition has been formed. Most of the states will use the grant funds to support facilitator or educator workshops. Other states will develop marketing activities and support materials for educators. FLP will provide periodic newsletter updates about the grant-funded activities and creative new approaches that the coalitions develop. Project Food, Land & People's web site at www.foodlandpeople.org now features the following information to answer questions asked by educators, students and supporters:
The web site will continue to expand in the coming months based on the goals, needs and production schedule outlined by FLP's Electronic Communications Committee members. The site will provide resources to learn about the interdependence of agriculture, the environment and human needs. The following target audiences will benefit from the web site: educators (including home school teachers, parents and youth group educators), PreK-12 grade students and potential FLP contributors and/or web surfers. Please bookmark www.foodlandpeople.org. Thanks go to the National Association of Conservation Districts and its former web master Beth Dethlefsen for assisting with the updates noted above. In addition, FLP would like to thank the Regnar and Beverly Paulsen Foundation and Purina Mills, Inc. for funding the committee meeting at the Presidio. FLP national conference encourages state interaction Food, Land & People held its first annual conference to encourage interaction among its 16 state/local affiliates. The March 31-April 1 conference provided a forum for learning more about each state's highlights and experiences promoting FLP, training educators and distributing Resources for Learning. The Des Moines meeting was sponsored and supported by Farmers National Bank; Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship; Iowa Farm Bureau; Olson Farms, Inc.; and Pioneer Hi-Bred International. Presenters covered topics such as: NAAEE's Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence reviewers' praise of FLP's Resources for Learning, promoting and scheduling educator workshops and integrating FLP lessons into a social studies curriculum. Additional topics discussed include: the role of FLP coalitions in building capacity for agro-environmental literacy, making connections between FLP and educational reform, financing a state FLP program, feeding the world and protecting the environment, and closing the achievement gap for students. FLP leaders Doty Wenzel of Florida and Betty Wolanyk of New York introduced FLP's 20 Spanish-translated lessons and additional Resources for Learning lessons focusing on consumer economics, global trade, grazing issues, nutrition, pest management and more. The next edition of Resources for Learning will be available for distribution by mid-summer. Those attending the conference expressed appreciation for the opportunity to learn and share ideas. Planning for next year's conference is already underway.
FLP's materials praised in NAAEE review
A recent evaluation of Project Food, Land & People's Resources for Learning confirms that FLP has succeeded in developing a curriculum which is balanced, in-depth and user-friendly. Under the supervision of Dr. Bora Simmons, the project director for the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, Resources for Learning was analyzed by seven independent, trained reviewers using the process outlined in the North American Association for Environmental Education's (NAAEE) Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence. The report states, "The summary evaluation of the reviews indicates the FLP materials follow the guidelines for excellence very well." The review process does not use a scoring system, but instead summarizes the review comments and evaluation in regard to six key characteristics of quality materials. Some Overall Reviewer Comments:
Addressing the Six Characteristics:
The full report is available from www.foodlandpeople.org or by phoning (303) 794-2858. Contact NAAEE at www.naaee.org for additional information about the Guidelines for Excellence. Florida: A success story for FLP workshops
A network of county contacts in Florida has created an effective system for promoting and coordinating FLP educator workshops. Since Florida became an FLP-affiliated state in 1998, 56 FLP facilitators from 29 counties have been trained to plan workshops and teach other educators to use FLP materials. In addition, more than 300 educators have received Resources for Learning. Florida's successful workshop promotion model relies on the active involvement of county contacts, who include agricultural producers, community leaders and educators. The county contacts work closely with FLP facilitators on a systematic approach to workshop planning.
FLP plays a key role in social studies
Social studies programs are intended to help students learn how human beings have viewed themselves over time and across cultures. Modern brain research, educational research and sound educational teaching tell us that hands-on, student-based learning is what students need. Project Food, Land & People's materials help teach basic social studies concepts in innovative ways that actively engage students. Social studies had its beginnings when the first group of hunter/gatherers found they could grow their own food and become agrarian. A farming system developed that allowed fewer people to provide food for larger groups, and a division of labor was created. Government bloomed, education began and the arts flourished. Following are samples of FLP lessons that directly address the key elements of social studies: geography, history, economics and civics. Geography - studies the relationships among people, places and environments.
History - historical understanding requires students to think through cause-and-effect relationships, to reach sound historical interpretations and to conduct historical inquiries and research leading to the knowledge on which informed decisions in contemporary life can be based.
Economics - economic concepts are the bases of economic understanding and reasoned decision making. They provide the analytical tools needed to understand and make reasoned decisions about economic issues-both personal and social.
Civics - in the United States is the study of how personal action can influence the state or federal government.
FLP lessons are well written and pilot and field tested, and are presently being used in hundreds of classrooms throughout the country. Their clear, objective treatment of social, political, and economic topics make them an ideal supplemental curriculum for any social studies teacher. Want to create a FLP coalition? FLP welcomes inquiries from anyone interested in helping build a coalition in states that do not already have one. If you would like to see a coalition developed in your state, you can begin the process by requesting a copy of the FLP Coalition Handbook. The handbook, available at no charge, serves as a guide for creating a FLP coalition. Contact FLP Chairperson Christopher Williams at 480-963-7959, or visit www.foodlandpeople.org. We look forward to hearing from you! Want to attend or advertise a training workshop featuring Project Food, Land & People's Resources for Learning? Please visit www.edgeway.net Nearly 40% of the University of California Cooperative Extension's confirmed FLP workshop registrations result from EdGateway postings.
Foundation offers new way to support FLP
Whenever I hear about an institution of higher learning receiving a major endowment gift, I dream of the day when I will frequently open letters and read the words: "I am pleased to provide you the enclosed gift to help endow and perpetuate Food, Land & People's educational programs. Keep up the good work." Recognizing the importance of making it easy for people to help sustain the organization for future generations, FLP's Development Committee recently created the Food, Land & People Foundation. The Foundation's sole purpose is to enable people and groups to contribute financial resources to endow FLP's educational programs. As an "institution of expanded learning," FLP is filling a vital need in today's society, a need that grows daily as people become further removed from the land that feeds, clothes and shelters them. In the movie Field of Dreams, the farmer in Iowa hears the words, "if you build it, they will come." I often think of that line as I work with our dedicated volunteers to develop FLP's educational materials, plan workshops and conferences, prepare grant proposals and discuss Food, Land & People's role in meeting the education needs of the 21st century. We passionately labor with a sense of urgency as we all share the dream of building the Food, Land & People organization to last for generations to come. You can help make our dreams come true by giving a major gift to the Food, Land & People Foundation, P.O. Box 29474, San Francisco, CA 94129.
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