Teaching Middle School Agriculture IS NOT the Jr. Leagues. It’s a Whole Different Ball Game.

I’m going to say something that might make a few people uncomfortable—but it needs to be said:

Teaching middle school ag is not the junior version of “real” ag teaching. It’s not a warm-up round. It’s not the place where new teachers should be “eased in” before they’re ready for the “big leagues” of high school. Middle school agriculture is its own game—and it requires a completely different playbook.

And yet, so many people (even inside our own profession) still treat middle school ag like the minor leagues.

Let me tell you, I’ve taught middle schoolers, high schoolers, college students, and adults. And every time, I come back to the same truth: the older they are, the easier they get to teach.

Because middle school is a beast of its own.

They’re high energy. They’re brutally honest. They’re still figuring out how to be humans. And while you’re trying to teach them about photosynthesis or record books, you’re also teaching them how to ask for help, regulate their emotions, work as a team, and sometimes even how to sit in a chair without falling out of it.

Middle school ag teachers are equal parts educator, coach, mentor, and magician.

And you know what’s wild? Most Ag Ed teacher prep programs don’t spend much (if any) time preparing future teachers to work with this age group. We might train them to plan CDEs, supervise SAEs, and manage chapter banquets—but rarely do we talk about how to build a classroom culture with 12-year-olds who don’t even know how to open their locker.

We leave middle school out of the conversation. Or worse, we imply that it’s somehow “less than.”

Sure, there’s usually less FFA at the middle school level. And maybe that’s why it’s treated like an easier job. (Which, let’s be honest, the amount of "FFA Expectations" put on high school AG teachers might be why some of us are burning out before year three).

But teaching middle school well is an artform. It takes a sharp toolbox of skills. It takes strategy. Creativity. Patience like you wouldn’t believe. And if you’ve never taught middle school before, let me assure you: it is not for the faint of heart.

Just like we wouldn’t expect every teacher to walk into a kindergarten classroom and magically know how to keep 20 five-year-olds engaged, we shouldn’t expect every ag teacher to know how to navigate the middle school mind without intentional training.

Middle school ag isn’t less important. It’s not less intense. It’s not easier.

It’s just different—and it’s time we start talking about it that way.

So here’s to the middle school ag teachers. The ones laying the foundation. The ones teaching the “why” behind agriculture before the “how.” The ones introducing FFA to wide eyes and even wider personalities. You’re not in the junior leagues—you’re playing an entirely different game.

And you’re crushing it.

Want to connect with other ag teachers who get it? Come join the conversation in the Middle School Ag Teachers Facebook group—a space where we share resources, classroom wins, and real talk about what it means to teach ag at the middle level.

Join us here ➝ Middle School Agriculture Teachers

You're not in this alone—and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. Let’s do this together.