CTE Teacher Spotlight – Robin Carter
Caroline Cox
Associate Product Marketing Manager • Career and Technical Education • National Geographic Learning | Cengage
The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career Journeys series is aimed to shed light on current career trends as they align to student career clusters. In this series installation, we have interviewed Aimee Steele, Assistance General Counsel in the law, public safety, corrections and security career cluster. Aimee shares with us the career journey that lead her to her current role with Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. Aimee dives into what motivated her to pursue this career, milestones that lead to where she’s at today, how she stands out in her field and advice for others looking to pursue this career. This series also offers career outlook data collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Educator Introduction
Name: Robin Carter
Title: Agriculture Science PreK-8 Teacher
Courses: Introduction to Agriscience, Orientation to Agriscience, Exploration of Agriscience, and Fundamentals of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource Systems
Question and Answer with Robin Carter
Q: What does CTE Month mean to you?
A: The interesting thing about CTE is that the work we do is a continuous journey of growth and exploration for our students. While I’d love to say that CTE month is a special time in my classroom, it is really just a continuation of the work that is constantly happening each day. CTE teachers provide hands-on motivating tasks often that are highlighted through the year, not just in one particular month. Our students are constantly leading by example, encouraging peers to get involved, and working to build their skills.
Q: How do you engage and motivate students in CTE courses, ensuring they have a meaningful and relevant learning experience?
A: The courses I teach are all introductory in nature. This means that I have a wide range of students who may be working to deepen their knowledge or have no idea where to begin. I believe that CTE courses are motivating to students because of the various student organizations connected to them (for example: FFA) and because of the novelty and the newness of the content in general. In my classroom, students engage in projects throughout the semester to show mastery of topics or to gain knowledge. Our program has a strong focus on Plant and Animal Science. As a result, we have many opportunities for hands-on experiences with gardening, plant propagation, animal management and handling, and best practices related to both.
Q: Can you share any success stories or examples of students who have benefited from participating in CTE programs?
A: My greatest success stories are those related to students who haven’t found their place and suddenly feel they have found where they belong. I appreciate the drive that is born when a student learns they can speak well, can handle a chicken or heifer, memorize a creed, or lead a group. I love that CTE offers the chance for students of any academic level to be successful and find a home. I appreciate that the career focus allows students to start thinking about their future and exploring their interests. I always consider it a success story when we can send students into the workforce who are driven, hard-working, and willing to try new things. CTE allows those doors to open!
The Samples You Want Without The Wait!
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