An Unexplainable Tug: Following My Heart Back to the Culinary Classroom

The last 2 months have gone by in a flash. Late August, I was winding down a busy summer of virtual and in-person speaking engagements and was very content with my life as an educational consultant. In what seems like an instant, I said "yes" to a culinary arts position at the high school across town from where I taught for 12 years.

Many people have asked me, “Why did you make the choice to return to the classroom?” It’s natural to think that maybe I made the decision to make a 180 degree turn because I was unhappy or unfilled. But, I wasn’t. I absolutely loved working with Canva for Education/Wasserman Next Gen and truly loved the opportunity to present and collaborate with educators around the world. It was an unexplainable tug on my heart that brought me back. I knew it was going to be challenging in every meaning of the word. I was signing up to be “teacher tired” once again. And yet, by saying “yes” I was also returning to my culinary classroom roots. The culinary classroom is where it all began. There is something about teaching culinary arts that is super special. It’s a career opportunity for some, and it’s a life skill for all. Students are coming away from my class with a set of skills that they can build on for life in the most practical way. Whether they use their culinary skills in the food industry, to prepare food for themselves, their family, their friends, or all of the above, they will hopefully appreciate food and the value it brings nutritionally, culturally, and socially in ways they hadn’t considered before. It is also a coming together of a variety of ages, learning needs, and diverse backgrounds. It's a place where students that may struggle in other classes have an opportunity to shine and thrive. 

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I was swept into the classroom so quickly that I am just now beginning to gain traction. I started the school year three weeks late, so didn’t have time to really even wrap my head around what I would be teaching, let alone do all things that I would normally do to start off a school year. I just hoped and prayed that teaching would be like riding a bike and I would be able to get back on and ride it without any serious injuries. Good news, I haven’t had any major falls yet, though the bike does feel a bit rusty. I'm scrambling to find old recipes, learn systems, reestablish routines and procedures, and connect with educators and organizations that I'd lost touch with. I’ve stayed on familiar paths, without veering too far off-track or adding too many new strategies and ideas. I have focused on being present and revisiting the why that I wrote back in about 2016, when my magical journey was just beginning.

I want my room to be full of joy and passion for learning. This starts with being intentional about creating a safe and inclusive environment for all my students. When students walk in my room, I want them to know they belong. Every class period I greet them by name with a smile as they walk into class. I’ve paid attention to the effect it has made over time. At the beginning, there were many that would either avoid eye contact, ignore my greeting, or give me a slight nod. After two months of keeping my consistent doorway greeting, a smile and greeting is returned by most. It’s a simple thing, that makes a huge impact. Of course there have been times, when I have to make a quick dash to the bathroom or I’m having to transition from one prep to another and I miss my doorway greeting, but 95% of the time I am there waiting for them to walk into my classroom. This simple thing, has made a positive impact on my classroom culture.

With the wide array of ages and learning needs in my class, I've spent a lot of time reading IEP's, observing, communicating with support staff, and providing lots of variety in how students show what they know. I have adjusted and pivoted to meet those needs and worked on establishing clear and predictable routines. Truthfully, it's felt messy, but I'm learning so much and have never been more passionate about understanding and teaching neurodivergent learners and I'm so grateful to provide an environment where they can flourish.

​I’ve prioritized getting my students in the kitchens creating and collaborating as much as possible. Culinary Arts is meant to be a hands-on class, and I strive to create that atmosphere for them. Many students are sitting in desks for a large percentage of the school day. I want students to learn by actively working together with their peers to learn techniques and skills, solve problems, and create. If students don’t come away with anything more than the ability to collaborate with others to create something that is delicious, I consider it a win. I love seeing their growth as they get to know each other and gain confidence in their culinary skills.

I have had fun designing learning experiences such as, mystery box challenges that encourage students to take risks, innovate, and problem-solve. By creating a safe environment for collaboration and exploration, students learn that their strengths can come together in beautiful ways to accomplish things they didn’t know were possible. This shifts students from being immersed, to empowered learners. This is a magical thing to witness!

Creating opportunities for students to shine in front of an authentic audience is something that I’m prioritizing as well. Every unit I have created an experience where we involve others from beyond the classroom. Last unit, I invited staff in for a MasterChef Challenge where they had to create a biscuit or scone without a recipe and serve it to a judging panel. This unit, students are creating pumpkin pies and pumpkin bars for a Thanksgiving bake sale for staff. This is a risk for them as it is for me, but I know those risks will pay off. ​I’ve brought in some other gamified strategies too, that I’ll save for a future post, but I’ve scaled it way back and have prioritized the need to observe, reflect, and get acclimated to life in the classroom again.

I’m learning, I’m growing, and I’m remembering the joy that comes with teaching. My friend, Alyssum Barber, sent me an Instagram reel yesterday that made me tear up and rings incredibly true.

What a privilege it is to do a job you wanted for years.
What a privilege to speak love into children, in my case teens.
What a privilege to feel tired after a long day of doing work that matters.
What a privilege to be the adult you needed.

I know this work matters and I’m honored to be a teacher in a world where our kids desperately need us.