William P. Davenport
Connecticut Teacher of the Year
Nonnewaug High School, Woodbury, CT
Grades 9-12, Agri-science

My teaching philosophy
I strive to instill a sincere appreciation for agriculture in each student that I have so they will see the vital importance of agriculture and hopefully go on to a related occupation. My teaching philosophy is really a combination of methods used by my own former, favorite teachers from high school and college. What worked for me seems to work effectively for my students too. I have high expectations for my students, and they rise to that occasion. I try to recognize strengths and weaknesses and carefully encourage students to work to their potential. My philosophy of education is to try to connect with students, help them realize their own potential and guide them toward ultimate success.

My philosophy in action
My philosophy of teaching is best demonstrated with an example of one of my past students. The student is Carter, who came to our program with a sincere interest in agriculture. He became very active in the FFA (Future Farmers of America), which is the student leadership portion of the agriculture program. During his sophomore year, his parents went through a terrible divorce, and this affected Carter deeply. His interest in our program and the FFA kept him focused and helped him finish high school against all odds. He chose me as his mentor, and I was the only stable adult figure in his life at the time. Once he graduated from high school, he went to college and became active in the National Guard and, because of the outstanding leadership skills he developed in my class, he decided to enroll in the West Point military prep school. He proved himself there and got accepted at West Point. Four years later, he graduated as vice president of the two-hundredth graduating class at West Point. He credited his involvement with the FFA, my class and my mentoring for his success at West Point. At graduation, he was one of 16 top graduates who were invited to a special pinning ceremony by the Secretary of the Army. He could only invite three guests to this prestigious occasion. He asked his mother and his brother and then called me to invite me to be his third guest. It was one of the most rewarding moments in my entire teaching career. To be recognized by a former student for helping them succeed in life was amazing. It reminds us teachers of how influential we can be each and every day we walk into our classrooms.

My greatest teaching accomplishment
Because of my FFA chapter's national level successes and exposure, my school was chosen as the only agriculture program and FFA chapter in the country out of over 7,300 high schools to be the subject of a half-hour PBS special on agriculture education in high schools. We were filmed last April, and the special, called “Voices of Vision”, will be aired on PBS stations across the country beginning later in November.

The most critical issue facing educators today
Teacher shortage and lack of parent involvement in their child's education are two of the biggest issues facing educators.

Ways to resolve this issue
More pro-teaching-profession activities need to be held in high schools to encourage students to pursue a career in education, (e.g. scholarship competitions, young teacher clubs, shadowing programs, etc.). We should encourage more parent involvement by inviting them to see classes, serve as guest speakers, chaperone field trips and be active in PTSO (parent-teacher-student organization) groups.

One thought to inspire other teachers to succeed
In order to succeed as a teacher, you must have a passion for both your subject area and for teaching students in that subject area. Once you have that, the opportunities for success in the classroom are endless. Effective teachers have positive attitudes, are open-minded about change and are always willing to try new methods to reach even more students. Think of that one teacher you have had in your own education, the one who helped make you into the person you are today, and try to be that person for each of your students.

One lesson every student should learn
I would like them to appreciate agriculture as the nation's number one industry. It's the only industry we truly couldn't live without. Over 21 percent of the nation's jobs are in agriculture and related occupations. I want students to appreciate the fact that the U.S. has the safest, least expensive and most abundant food supply in the world, thanks to American farmers. Also, only 1 percent of our population is actively producing food on farms. These hard-working individuals are feeding themselves and the other 99 percent of us, as well as producing food for export to other countries. Don't take this for granted. We are the breadbasket of the world, and American agriculture is the envy of every other country on the planet. Also, agriculture involves much more than producing food. It includes floriculture, landscaping, forestry, veterinary science, food science, biotechnology, agriculture, engineering, aquaculture, horse management, and the list goes on!

Back to the 2004 Teacher Profiles home page