ADawn Nelson
Agriculture (General & Animal Science) Instructor
Biography
PROGRAMS TAUGHT:
- General Agriculture Certificate
- Animal Science Diploma
- Animal Science AAS
Advisor for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Club
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
My teaching philosophy is to teach, engage, apply, activate, discuss, and disseminate as much of my passion for agriculture as I can effectively and meaningfully. I teach by choice and not by chance. I teach because of my passion for the diversity of all facets of agriculture. I strive to provide an educational experience with a purposeful, active learning environment with core content and relevant real-life experiences that interest learners, thus motivating them to participate actively to achieve their goals.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Northland Community and Technical College
July 2012-Present Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Farm Business Management Instructor
University of Minnesota, Crookston
May 2008-May 2012 Crookston, Minnesota
Instructor: Agriculture and Natural Resources: Animal and Equine Sciences
Advisor to 43 students
Coordinate Horse and Livestock Judging Contests
Coach Horse Judging Team
Independent School District #564
May 2008- July 1998
Lincoln High School
Thief River Falls, Minnesota 56701
Agricultural Education Teacher & FFA Advisor
Revitalized, developed, directed, and implemented 10 diversified, nontraditional agricultural education curriculum\’s
Taught an average of over 315 students per year using differentiated instruction.
Advised 75 plus students in the different aspects of the FFA
TEACHING MATERIALS & CURRICULUM DEVELOPED
- Careers and Husbandry Class
- Created to address the needs of the equine students. Who were coming in with little to no practical experience and thoughts of one career.
- New required course for incoming and freshman students
- Portfolio creation
- Career Diversity
- Basis of barn husbandry practices
- Animal Anatomy and Physiology
- Changed course from a three-credit course to a four-credit course
- The course has embedded tools for students to utilize, including PowerPoints, chapter worksheets, lab activities, case studies, and lectures that all correspond with one another
- Advanced Equine Evaluation
- Created for the higher and deeper level of animal evaluation.
- Equine Evaluation
- Evaluation handbook created for class and for horse judging teams
- Equine Management
- Creation of curriculum to include: business plan, financial statements, SWOT analysis, record keeping programs.
- Community Service Projects
- Community service projects were implemented in Equine Management (Winter Show¨«s Building) and Introduction to Animal Science (Tours for Tots (educational tours for school-aged children)
PUBLICATIONS
Minnesota Horse Extension:
5-part article series on Conformation: Form to Function published from August – December 2011
Jasper, M. S. (proposed 2012). Veterinarian Science and Assisting. Delmar.
Content Edited 8 Chapters:
o Chapter 6: Animal Health and Wellbeing
o Chapter 11: Integumentary Systems
o Chapter 12: Skeletal Systems
o Chapter 17: Diseases
o Chapter 27: Boarding and Clinical Animal Care
o Chapter 29: Companion Animals
o Chapter 30: Agricultural Animals
o Chapter 31: Horses
Wrote 2 Chapters for Veterinarian Science and Assisting:
o Chapter 30 – Companion Animals
Objectives:
1. Explain the meaning of preventative health care practices
2. Describe practices with dogs
3. Describe practices with cats
4. Describe practices with two other selected animal species
o Chapter 31 – Agricultural Animals
Objectives:
1. Discuss general considerations in providing for the well-being of agricultural animals.
2. Describe practices with cattle.
3. Describe practices with sheep and goats.
4. Describe practices with swine.
CLINICS & WORKSHOPS GIVEN
- Presented numerous career workshops to high school students
- Presented numerous speaking events to various civic organizations. (Lions, Rotary, Women of Today,
Agriwomen, Deer Hunters etc) - Created and Presented Parliamentary Procedure: The Parly Pro Puzzle Presented to educational groups,
University groups, and service organizations. - Presented for Norwest Service Cooperative: Reading in the Content Area
- Presented Agriculture in the Science Classroom: Presentation to Science teachers in NW Minnesota on integrating
Agriculture concepts into the classroom. - Presented 2011 Horse Judging Clinician for the state 4-H Horse Program
- Presented: best practices in Agriculture Education to mentee agriculture teachers
- Presented: Animal Science Concepts in the Classroom (MAAE conference Summer 2010, 2011)
PUBLICATIONS READ
- Breed Associations (Quarter Horse Journal, Cutting Horse Journal, Arabian, Morgan)
- Journal of AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)
- Techniques Connecting Education and Careers, published by the Association for Career and Technical Education
- Thriving in Academe Published by National Educational Association
- Career and Technical Education Research
- Journal of Agricultural Education
- Journal of Career and Technical Education
- Journal of Extension
- Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
- Journal of Leadership Education
- NACTA (North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture)
MEMBERSHIPS
- MAAE (Minnesota Association of Agriculture Educators)
- AAE (National Association of Agriculture Educators)
- MnACTE ( Minnesota Association of Career and Technical Education)
- ACTE (Association of Career and Technical Education)
- 4-H Horse Council
- Minnesota Agriwomen
- PEN-MAR-RED Agriwomen
- FFA Alumni
- Breed Assoc. (Morgan, Appaloosa, Quarter Horse
- Minnesota Horse Council
- Minnesota Horse Extension
- NACTA (North American College of Teachers of Agriculture)
- National Horse Team Coaches Judging Association
Department
Academics – Agriculture Programs
Office Location
Thief River Falls – 645E