Hello! My name is John Robertson and I am so excited to begin my first year teaching at Riverwood Middle School! I am a proud Johnston County native from Four Oaks who has always had a passion for agriculture, working with youth and all things Wolfpack Athletics! I attended high school at South Johnston, where I was an active member of the South Johnston FFA Chapter and worked hard to understand the various avenues that Agricultural Education could take me. During my time as an FFA member, I earned the prestigious American Farmer Degree, which is the highest award that an FFA member can receive. I first started my education at Johnston Community College, where I played on the basketball team for one season. I graduated from North Carolina State University in May 2017 with a degree in Agricultural Education with a concentration in Natural Resources. During my time as an Undergraduate I was very involved in many Agricultural organizations and clubs to continue to broaden my perspective on agriculture thru many different perspectives.

For my first year, I have several goals that I would like to accomplish while at Riverwood Middle. The first of those is to implement an active and growing agriculture program. I plan to offer three different curriculums that will allow students to get a basic understanding of all facets of agriculture within their community, the state, and the nation. I would like to have several projects offered that will reinforce what students are being taught in the classroom. Some of those projects will include scientific concepts, animal practices as well as plant science. This will encourage students to hands-on learning that they may not receive outside of the classroom walls. Agricultural Education prides itself on teaching in “non-traditional” ways; oftentimes, this means getting students hands dirty and giving them real life experiences that cannot be learned through taking notes or being at a desk.

My second goal is to charter an FFA program here at Riverwood Middle School. FFA was a program that I gained most of my experience in while in high school, and really opened my eyes to leadership development activities outside of the classroom. FFA offers several activities, such as FFA camp, contests and leadership conferences that will help develop students into members who will excel in their leadership development in both high school and in their future plans. The FFA organization helped mold me into a better leader and gave me that extra motivation to help me become a college graduate at my dream school. This reason and many more are why I feel it is essential to start an FFA chapter in conjunction with the agriculture program. It reinforces both learning and leadership taught in (and out) of the classroom. I hope to have the organization chartered early in the year so that we may participate in the various activities held in the spring.

I look forward to working with the Riverwood community of students, parents and fellow teachers to help uphold the ideals of Riverwood Middle. I am excited to embark on a brand new journey that can lead the students to accomplish more than they thought was possible at the Middle School level. The students at Riverwood are one of a kind and I am incredibly blessed and honored to have started my teaching career in a community that values education and its students. Feel free to reach out to me at any time if you have any ideas or questions about what we are going to be doing in Mr. Robertson’s classroom!

6^th Grade:      Exploring Animal & Plant Science

This middle school course introduces students to the industries of plant and animal agriculture. Topics of instruction include animal science, agricultural science and technology, plant science, and careers in both fields. Students enrolled in this class will be introduced to concepts that relate to domestic animals all the way to livestock. Students will work closely to maintain and care for animals, as well as develop an understanding of animal care. Students also enrolled in this class will learn about proper plant care and maintenance, as well as the basic requirements of both edible and decorative plants. Students should expect to have hands-on experience in all aspects of this class.

7^th Grade:      Exploring Food Science

This course offered as part of the middle school curriculum teaches students about the food industry, connecting both agriculture and the consumer. In this class, students can expect to learn about North Carolina commodities and products that we see in the grocery store and on our shelves every day! Students will learn about how all living things are connected through the food chain and food web as well as develop an understanding of food safety in both preparation and storage. Students will also be provided the opportunity to harvest and prepare foods in the classroom that they have assisted in producing throughout the course as a reward for their hard work.

8^th Grade:      Agricultural Issues

This course will allow students to gain a broader perspective of the agricultural industry and the many misconceptions that the professionals in agriculture face every day. Students will be engaged in debates on agricultural issues and will perform research so they can develop their own opinion to speak both intelligently and confidently on the subject. This class will also introduce student on tactics for properly researching a topic and to identify if a source is credible or not, reinforcing skills taught in their English classes. Students in this class will also have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers on discussing these issues as well as finding creative ways to educate the school and the community. Students will also gain skills on being open to others opinions and interpretations on the subject matter while also maintaining their own opinion in a professional manner.