Perceptions and Barriers of Four Female Agricultural Educators Across Generations: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive study was to discover the perceptions and barriers of four female agriculture educators across generations in a non–traditional field of agriculture. The United States Department of Labor (2006b) defined a non–traditional job as any occupation where one gender comprises 25% or less of the total employment. Four female agriculture teachers across three generations were interviewed with the open–ended question: “What have been your personal and professional experiences in teaching agricultural education?” The teachers selected were from three generations: early Baby Boomer (Vietnam Generation), late Baby Boomer (Me Generation), Generation Xer, and Millennial. The themes revealed in the study were: qualifications to teach agricultural education, challenges in teaching agricultural education, stress in teaching agricultural education, and stereotyping of agricultural education teachers. Females teaching high school agricultural education expressed they needed to prove they were qualified; prove women can perform agricultural education duties; overcome resentment from students; balance family and work; and break the stereotype of a high school agricultural education teacher.