This is the Day to Cook

When I was a teacher in the classroom I remember how excited my students were when it was “the day we cook”! I remember the boys especially were very anxious to get going. Yes, ultimately they got to eat what they prepared, which I know was a huge drawing card, but they really relished the hands-on experience.

We had five unit kitchens in our foods lab with about 4 students in each kitchen. In both the middle school or high school setting, this meant that each student needed to know what to do and have his or her task clearly in mind.

There were some mishaps along the way, such as forgetting to take the plastic wrap off the pan before baking the food, or not turning the oven on, or leaving out an important ingredient. But there were more successes along the way. These included beautifully decorated cakes, crisp, attractive-looking and delicious salads, wonderful baked breads, and many foods they were proud to display and enjoyed eating.

Not only did they gain knowledge of nutrition and how to prepare different foods, but they learned many other skills, such as how to get along with others and how to communicate effectively. Working together helped them develop and improve their leadership skills and artistic skills.

It saddens me to know that many family and consumer sciences classes are being dropped from the curriculum due to time constraints. I realize students need good solid foundations in English, science, and math. I also like to think students need to develop skills in learning how to manage a home and handle family responsibilities. Being knowledgeable about preparing nutritious and tasty meals for the family is an important life skill. It is also good background for success in a food industry career.

To your positive impact on the work of the home,

Lee Jackson