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As another semester comes to a close, I always feel it…that mix of exhaustion, pride, relief, and momentum. We know reflection matters. We talk about it all the time. But the reality is that the turnaround between semesters for CTE and elective teachers happens fast! Grades are submitted, we say goodbye to our current students and say hello to a brand new class roster. Classrooms get reset, and suddenly we’re starting all over again. I’m exhausted just thinking about it! And all too often, we begin before we’ve truly paused. This season, I didn’t want to rush past the learning…mine or my students’. I wanted to slow down just enough to process what this semester actually taught me and use that insight to refine what’s next. But I also knew I didn’t want reflection to feel like one more heavy thing on my to-do list. So I tried something a little different. Reflection Doesn't Have to Be a Heavy Lift Instead of sitting down with a blank page and asking myself to “reflect,” I decided to use AI as a collaborative thought partner. Not to give me answers. Not to tell me what to do next. But to help me ask better questions. What I needed wasn’t more ideas. I needed space to think. And sometimes, the right questions create that space faster than we can on our own. Together, we worked through a set of reflection questions designed to be invitational rather than evaluative. Questions that focused on how the semester felt, what stood out, where joy lived, and where tension showed up. And one honest answer at a time, clarity started to emerge. What the Reflection Questions Revealed When I slowed down enough to really reflect, a few things became clear. This semester was about connection, belonging, laughter, and purposeful learning. One moment that captured it all was during the final weeks, when students shared the South American dishes they had created with each other. They weren’t just completing a culinary lab, they were proud. Proud of what they made. Proud of what they learned. Proud to share it. Joy showed up again and again when students were collaborating, creating, and taking what they’d learned to do something new. At the same time, reflection helped me notice some tension—not around engagement or effort, but around time. I wanted more time for students to really read and understand recipes. More time to talk about finished dishes. More time for reflection. I didn’t consider the tension a failure. It was information. Reflecting on My Reflections After answering the reflection questions, I took one more step. I asked for help reflecting on my reflections, and that’s where things really clicked. What emerged was this realization: I don’t need to do more next semester. I need to be more intentional. Slowing down isn’t lowering expectations, it’s raising understanding.
What I'm Carrying Forward Next semester, my focus is on protecting what worked and refining what needs more space:
An Invitation to Pause If you’re ending a semester tired but proud, unsure but hopeful, here’s my encouragement: Reflection doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. It doesn’t require hours or perfect journaling. Choose one question. One moment. One insight. Reflection isn’t about judging the work. It’s about honoring it. And sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do before planning what’s next is simply pause, with purpose. Learn more my listening to my corresponding episode on the Make Learning Magical Podcast: A Pause with Purpose: Using Reflection and AI to Plan What's Next.
Find reflections resources below: Reflection Question template Interactive Reflection Activity (created with Canva Code)
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We’re often told that rest is the answer. That if we slow down, take a break, unplug, or finally give ourselves permission to pause, we’ll come back refreshed, energized, and ready to jump back in. But what happens when that’s not the case? What happens when you rest…really rest and, instead of motivation, you’re met with heaviness, resistance, or a sense of being stuck? That’s the space I found myself in recently. I just returned from a wonderful vacation in Cancún with my husband. I had never been before, and don’t think we had ever taken a vacation quite like this. Adults only. All inclusive. No scheduled excursions. Just all-you-can-eat food and endless beach and pool time. It was everything I hoped it would be…restful, joyful, disconnected in the best possible way. I laughed. I slowed down. I didn’t rush. And then I came home.
Instead of diving back into reality, feeling renewed, I spent an entire day binge-watching season four of Emily in Paris. I couldn’t bring myself to open my laptop. I felt overwhelmed by everything waiting for me on the other side of rest. And almost immediately, the guilt crept in. Why can’t I just start again? I rested…Shouldn’t I feel better? For a moment, it felt like failure. The more I sat with it, though, the more I realized something important. This didn’t feel like failure. It felt like being in between. And maybe that’s the part we don’t talk about enough…the space between rest and restart. The transition. The quiet, uncomfortable middle where things haven’t snapped back into place yet. Transitions don’t come with clear instructions. They don’t announce themselves neatly. They often feel foggy, emotional, and disorienting. Nothing was “wrong.”Something was changing. When we’ve been running on adrenaline for a long time…pushing, producing, showing up…rest removes the noise. And when the noise quiets, everything we’ve been carrying finally shows up. The to-do lists. The expectations. The pressure we didn’t have time to feel before. Rest doesn’t always refuel us immediately. Sometimes, it reveals us. That resistance after rest isn’t laziness or lack of passion. It’s often a nervous system recalibrating and adjusting after being in go-mode for too long. That day I spent binge-watching TV? I judged myself hard for it at first. But looking back, I don’t think it was laziness at all. I think my brain was craving the safety I felt floating in the lazy river in Cancun. Predictability. Zero decisions. No demands. And that’s allowed. Often, as teachers, we tend to think that a holiday break and a turn of the calendar year mean a big restart. Lofty goals. A dramatic comeback to the classroom. But what we actually need is a tiny re-entry. A 5% restart. A 5% restart is not:
A 5% restart can look like:
Right now, my 5% is simply writing this blog and being okay with it not being perfect. Opening my lesson for Monday and nothing more. And that’s enough. Coming back “truer” doesn’t mean coming back slower forever. It means not returning to the exact pace or pressure that led to exhaustion in the first place. Coming back truer might look like:
Rest isn’t a pause button. It’s an edit. If you’ve rested and still feel stuck, please hear this: You’re not broken. You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re transitioning. And transitions are allowed to be slow, quiet, and uncertain. You don’t have to come back strong. You don’t have to come back loud. You just have to come back honest. Even that can happen gently. Wishing you all a wonderful start to 2026, exactly as you are.  I used to think I had my teaching career figured out. I had spent years honing my craft, developing engaging lessons, and building strong connections with students. But just when I thought I had reached my peak, an unexpected opportunity led me away from the classroom and into the world of tech integration and educational consulting. It was thrilling, terrifying, and ultimately one of the best decisions I had ever made. Fast forward six years, and I felt that same pull again—but this time, it led me back into the classroom. A new school, new students, a new challenge. I had become comfortable in my consultant role, with its flexibility, travel, and the ability to impact educators around the world. Yet, something was missing. The spark of everyday classroom magic. The messy, unpredictable, beautiful experience of working with students daily. Stepping back into teaching felt like jumping into the unknown all over again. My confidence wavered. I wasn’t the same teacher I had been before, and the classroom wasn’t the same, either. Education had changed. Students had changed. And I had changed. It would have been easier to stay where I was...safe, secure, certain. But I’ve learned that the most extraordinary moments happen when we take a risk. When we step out of our comfort zones. When we trust that something magical is waiting on the other side of fear. The Magic in the Messy MiddleThe past 6 months has been a reminder that growth is uncomfortable. I have felt both invigorated and exhausted. Some days, I leave my classroom feeling triumphant; other days, I wonder if I’m making a difference at all. But then, there are moments...small but powerful, that remind me why I’m here. ✨ A student who had given up on school stays after class to ask for help because they finally believe they can do it. ✨ A group of students, hesitant at first, dive into a gamified challenge and light up with excitement. ✨ A lesson doesn’t go as planned, but the flexibility to pivot leads to an even better learning moment. These moments don’t happen without risk. They don’t happen without stepping into the unknown, embracing the uncertainty, and trusting that even when it feels messy, something magical is in the making. The Risk of ReinventionI'm in a season of reinvention...not just as a teacher, but as a creator, author, and speaker. Balancing it all isn’t easy. Between teaching full-time, writing, speaking at conferences, growing a community of educators, and experimenting with new ideas (hello, screen-printing!), I often wonder if I’m stretching myself too thin. But I also know that if I wait until I feel ready, I’ll never take the leap. So, I keep showing up. I keep taking risks. I keep embracing the magic in the unknown. Because I believe that education should be magical. I believe students deserve experiences that ignite curiosity, creativity, and joy. And I believe that every educator has the power to create that magic...if they’re willing to take the risk. What Risk Will You TakeMaybe your risk isn’t changing careers or stepping into a new role. Maybe it’s trying a new teaching strategy, starting that passion project, or putting yourself out there in a way that feels vulnerable. Whatever it is, I challenge you:
Take the risk. Do the scary thing. Step into the unknown. Because that’s where the magic happens.  As an educator, parent, and passionate advocate for kids, I’ve always believed in the magic every child brings into this world. But sometimes, the traditional markers of success don’t tell the whole story. This realization hit close to home as I watched my son, Tommy, navigate school. His journey, his challenges, triumphs, and incredible talent, became the heartbeat of our children’s book, Dragon Smart. Tommy is one of the most dedicated learners I know. He listens, studies, and puts his heart into everything he does. But no matter how hard he worked, school often felt like a maze. Words didn’t always line up, numbers seemed to blur, and tests never quite showed the brilliance I saw in him every day. I’m sure many of you can picture a child like Tommy—someone who pours their soul into learning but feels unseen in systems that prioritize one narrow definition of success. Here’s the thing about Tommy... His creativity is boundless, and his ability to bring ideas to life is breathtaking. Watching him find his voice through art was a powerful reminder that intelligence isn’t one-size-fits-all. I knew his story needed to be told, not just for him, but for every child who has ever felt like they didn’t quite fit the mold. Together, we created Dragon Smart. It’s the story of Tommy the Dragon, a learner who faces challenges in school but discovers that his true brilliance lies in his creativity and his big, kind heart. It’s a story about celebrating the many ways intelligence can look and reminding every child that they have a magic all their own. Tommy didn’t just inspire the story, he brought it to life with his incredible illustrations. Seeing his artistic vision leap off the pages when I read the published copy for the first time was a moment I’ll never forget. It felt like the ultimate celebration of his journey and a testament to the idea that every child’s gifts deserve to be recognized and nurtured. As I think back on creating Dragon Smart, I’m overwhelmed by the power of storytelling to change hearts and minds. In our classrooms, homes, and communities, we have the opportunity to move beyond traditional measures of success and honor the diverse ways kids can shine. Whether a child is a dreamer, a problem solver, a builder, or a creator, their abilities matter. To those who have shared Dragon Smart with the young learners in your life, or are considering doing so, thank you. My hope is that Tommy’s story sparks conversations about how we define intelligence and how we can celebrate every child’s unique magic. Let’s remind our kids, as I remind Tommy, that they are truly Dragon Smart. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Whether you’re in a classroom, at home, or in your community, let’s work together to create spaces where every child feels valued, celebrated, and inspired to shine. Dragon Smart is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Project csi: bring a little mystery into classroom learning with inspiration from reality tv1/3/2025 Scooby Doo, Nancy Drew, Miami Device….ever since I was a little girl I've always loved a good mystery and find such satisfaction in solving the clues before they are revealed. Solving a mystery requires many important skills that belong in learning and I love finding ways to bring those skills into the classroom. Teaching culinary arts again has motivated me to revisit reality game shows on television as a source of inspiration. As I was scrolling through Netflix shows, I came across a show that I hadn't watched in quite some time: Crime Scene Kitchen. I knew an afternoon of binge watching was just the inspiration I needed to revisit some of my favorite ways to bring a little mystery into learning. In Crime Scene Kitchen, six teams of two bakers/detectives are given one verbal hint and 3 minutes each to rotate through a kitchen sprinkled with evidence that leads to a mystery recipe. For example, the clues that led to a Black Forest Cake was: pastry cream in the sink, a cake tin on the drying rack, melted chocolate, circle of almonds on parchment, toothpick dipped in chocolate, and a bottle of Kirsch. There were also some false leads like an unopened carton of raspberries, and unused pie tins still in the wrapper. Following their investigation, they are given 2 hours to create the dessert they think the evidence is leading to. The team that both recreates the correct mystery recipe with the highest degree of accuracy, determined by the judges, gets a bonus clue for a similar second elimination round where they create a showcase dessert. As I watch, so many common elements among other shows surface that would benefit classroom learning. Investigating the crime scene requires communicating, questioning, and critically thinking about the evidence to determine the mystery recipe. The contestants are questioning and talking through to interpret what the clues mean and the recipes that they lead to. Sometimes there is instant agreement, other times disagreement or compromise. They are critically thinking as they piece the clues together to determine what recipe they will recreate. This requires tapping into prior knowledge, and quite possibly, are behind the scenes doing a little research. Once the investigation is complete contestants begin replicating the mystery recipe based on their hypothesis. In order to prepare the dessert within the given time frame requires a large serving of communication, collaboration, and creativity. Teams must be efficient, fluid, calm, and kind. Disagreements and disorganization only lead to frustration and failure to complete the recipe before the time runs out. It also requires prior knowledge and skill to be able to demonstrate the methods and skills needed to prepare the recipe accurately. So, how does this transfer to classroom learning? I’m going to share some activities that I have created from the show’s inspiration that would work in the middle or high school culinary classroom. Not a culinary arts teacher? Or, teaching remote this year? I’ve been thinking about you too! Scroll past the Crime Scene Kitchen and Mystery Recipe Dash activities to find possible variations for numerous subject areas and grade levels and remote learning! I also added a Padlet that is embedded at the bottom of this post for us to brainstorm and share our ideas with each other. Crime Scene Kitchen - Classroom Edition This version is broken into four phases , so may need to be broken into two days unless you have a 2 hour block period. Mystery Recipe: Select a mystery recipe you’d like students to learn about through discovery. It is best if they have already had opportunities to learn the skills and methods needed to prepare the recipe. Stage the Crime Scene: The crime scene can be staged in a few different ways. Option 1: Stage a table or area in the classroom with approximately 6 clues that lead to the mystery recipe. Add a few false leads to add another level of complexity. Option 2: Prepare visual clues that can be placed in a manila folder to hand to each group. The Hook: As students enter have dramatic theme music playing and a graphic displayed on the screen that says "Crime Scene Kitchen". Hand out rubber gloves for them to wear while in the crime scene. You could also dress up as a private investigator to create another element to draw students into the activity. Crime Scene Divide students into teams of 3-5. It could be their regular kitchen teams, or you could divide them up differently for this activity. Share the story line and explain the activity. If using option 1, remove the caution tape and covering from crime scene and let each group in for 3 minutes at a time to investigate. Make sure they bring something to write with to record their findings. If using option 2, hand each group a manila folder and give them 3 minutes to investigate its contents. This may not be as exciting as investigating a staged crime scene. However, it may save a little time. You may choose to give them more time in this phase depending on grade and level of difficulty. Investigation & Questioning: This part of the activity has been added to give students processing, collaboration, and questioning time. Once the 3 minutes of investigating the crime scene is complete, students are given between 15 and 30 minutes to process the evidence with their team, research possible recipes, and question the witness (teacher). Each team is allowed to ask the witness 3 “yes or no” questions based on the evidence they discovered. Mystery Recipe Recreation: The length of your class period and difficulty of your recipe will determine how long you give for this part of the activity. You may choose to have students mise en place their ingredients on day one and prepare their creation on day two. Or, you may have the entire recipe mise en placed on day two.
Judging: Invite school staff, former students, and/or local chefs to judge student’s creations. Or, you can be a solo judge, if necessary. As students present their mystery recipe recreation, judges evaluate it based on a 5 point scale for each category: taste, texture, and appearance. If the team prepared the dish accurately and guessed the correct name of the mystery recipe, they will earn an additional 10 points. Mystery Recipe Dash If you are looking for a speedy way to bring in a little mystery to your cooking lab, you’ll love Mystery Recipe in a Flash! I have used this version in my Amazing Race-International Cuisine and Amazing Food Truck-United States regional game plans to lead students to favorite regional specialties in the places we visit. However, it could be used in other areas of culinary as well such as: pies & pastries, soups & sauces, yeast breads, quick breads, etc. I would suggest students have some prior skill building in the recipe category before introducing this activity. Directions:
Don’t teach culinary arts...that’s okay!! We can recreate this experience in other subject areas too! I’ve added some possibilities to help you brainstorm ideas for your content and grade level. Crime Scene "?" Create a name for this activity. Crime Scene (fill in with your subject area) Possibilities: ELA = Crime Scene Library Social Studies = Crime Scene Time Travel Science = Crime Scene Laboratory Art = Crime Scene Gallery or Museum Math = Crime Scene Bank Heist Interior Design = Crime Scene Design Studio Create a mystery person, place, or thing. Think about what you want students to learn through discovery. Possibilities: ELA = Author, poem, character, or book Social Studies = Location, historical event, president, famous person Science = organism, planet, species, plant, animal Art = famous artist, painting, sculpture Math = calculate miles and number related clues to lead to location of fleeing bank robber Interior Design = color scheme, architecture style Stage the crime scene The crime scene can be staged in a few different ways. Option 1: Stage a table or area in the classroom with approximately 6 clues that lead to a mystery “person, place, or thing”. To add a little drama, add caution tape or a covering so it can be seen until revealed. Option 2: Prepare visual clues on paper or in a tangible form that lead to the mystery “person place, or thing” and place in a manila envelope. Add a few false leads to increase the difficulty. The Hook: As students enter have dramatic theme music playing and a graphic displayed on the screen that says "Crime Scene Kitchen". Hand out rubber gloves for them to wear while in the crime scene. You could also dress up as a private investigator to create another element to draw students into the activity. Crime Scene Divide students into teams of 3-5. It could be their regular groups if students are already on teams, or you could divide them up just for this activity. Share the story line and explain the activity. If using option 1, remove the caution tape and covering from crime scene and let each group in for 3 minutes at a time to investigate. Make sure they bring something to write with to record their findings. If using option 2, hand each group a manila folder and give them 3 minutes to investigate its contents. This may not be as exciting as investigating a staged crime scene. However, it may save a little time. You may choose to give them more time in this phase depending on grade and level of difficulty. Investigation and Questioning This part has been added to give students processing, collaboration, and questioning time. Once the 3 minutes of investigation is complete, students are given between 15 and 30 minutes to process the evidence with their team and research possibilities. Each team is allowed to ask the witness (the teacher) 3 “yes or no” questions based on the evidence they discovered. Quick Version For a speedy version of this activity, eliminate the recreation phase. After the investigation and questioning is over, students have 3 minutes to finalize their hypothesis and write their guess on a piece of paper to hand to you. Call each team up one at a time to justify their guess to the class. The teams that guess correctly get 10 points. You can create additional criteria for scoring based on their questioning, evidence gathered, research, etc., if you wish. Mystery “Fill in Blank” Recreation: The Mystery recreation stage is a fantastic way to add an additional level of collaboration, communication, and creativity to this activity. The length of your class period and difficulty of the recreation will determine how long you give for this part of the activity.
Use digital creation tool (ie. Adobe Spark, Canva, Buncee, or Google Drawings), legos, Playdoh, box of building materials, or video creation tools(ie. imovie or WeVideo ) to recreate the mystery person, place, or thing.
Judging: Invite school staff, former students, and/or local chefs to judge student’s creations. Or, you can be a solo judge, if necessary. As students present their mystery recreation they will explain how the evidence, questioning, and research led to their hypothesis. Judges evaluate the presentation on criteria appropriate for subject and mystery person, place, or thing. If the team guessed correctly, they will earn an additional 10 points. Crime Scene Learning for Virtual Learning For those teaching in a virtual learning environment, there are still ways to bring a Crime Scene activity into your learning environment as well. Here are some possible ideas for synchronous remote learning: Stage the Crime Scene:
Share out!
Share your Crime Scene activities on social media using the #MLmagical hashtag. Tag me on X at @tishrich or on Instagram @tishrichmond. Would also love for you to join my Gamifying FCS group on Facebook. I can’t wait to see students engaged in magical learning! Have fun! |
Tisha RichmondCulinary Arts teacher, educational consultant, international speaker, and author of Make Learning Magical, Dragon Smart, and co-author of the EduProtocols Companion Guide for Book 1. I'm passionate about finding innovative ways to transform teaching and create unforgettable experiences in the classroom. |
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