HS Culinary Class teaching cooking for BOXED Mac & Cheese

[kamik86]

Good mac and cheese also requires an oven, which you probably don't have access to in college.

Well unless your talking about a microwaved one (in which case why would a high school student need to be taught how to do that?) mac and cheese from a box requires a stove or hotplate and most colleges don't have those either (not in the dorms, if they have an apartment I would assume they do have the oven too)

 

[luvsJack]

Why Blame the tax payer. What the heck are we, this unlimited ATM for the schools. How about blame administration and spending. Is teaching to cook an essential in learning. Teaching Nutrition is something for a Health related course track. That teacher who is making mac and cheese from a box is making the same amount as teacher teaching calculus for an AP Course. If the school wants to offer a cooking class than make sure that the students who take it have to bring in their own supplies.

Learning nurtrition isn't going to be worth a hill of beans if they don't know how to cook. And I believe, if you ask those chef's at any of the high end restaurants, they will tell you that yes it was very essential for them to learn to cook.

So should the calculus teacher for the ap course also buy her own text books and all supplies for her class? Or are you saying that calculus is more important than culinary?


OP, that's awful!! I think I would contact the teacher and see if I could help out by sending in some ingredients. I bet there are other parents that would be willing to do so too. Just basic ingredients so they could learn basic skills in the kitchen.

 

[undertheradar]

When my daughter signed up for this class she was excited as she wants to be a Chef. Yesterday I asked what was going on in Culinary and she told me they were cooking boxed mac & cheese. REALLY??? REALLY?? Seems the teacher doesn't get ANY budget for food and must pay out of her own pocket. How is this even possible??? The other classes get the books they need why not give the teacher the CORE items she would need to teach a good class?? I remember at least learning Chicken Cacciatore when I was in there. JEEZ...

Is it possible you could donate some money or supplies to help the class? How about organizing the parents to raise funds or supplies? Wouldn't those be the easiest solutions to the situation?

 

[Patch'sD]

Learning nurtrition isn't going to be worth a hill of beans if they don't know how to cook. And I believe, if you ask those chef's at any of the high end restaurants, they will tell you that yes it was very essential for them to learn to cook.

So should the calculus teacher for the ap course also buy her own text books and all supplies for her class? Or are you saying that calculus is more important than culinary?.

Top Chef's went to Schools like the Cuninary Institute in NY, In all my years watching Top Chef, I am still waiting for the contestant that states he learned everything in High School Home Ecc. If you want to learn how to cook ask your mom and dad or watch the Food Network. You will learn a lot more. The Calculus teacher is teaching a college level course, developing a course, developing tests and preparing them for a stringent AP Exam at the end of the year. They should be compensated much more than the individual that is teaching the culinary course who knows much less than the cook in the cafeteria preparing the lunch for students. Yet the calculus teacher has to fight for resources that are going to useless courses like cooking Mac and cheese from a box

 

[toystory1130]

How many times a day do you eat?? How many meals in your lifetime?? I think learning to cook and nutrition is every bit as important as learning calculus.

 

[HM]

My 70s junior high was similar. We moved through three courses during the course of one year: Home Ec, Woodworking/Shop, Typing. In Home Ec, we made a couple meals after learning the basic parts of cooking and measuring (we'd break into groups to do different parts of the meal) and sewed t-shirts. In Shop, we made toast tongs, salad serving forks/spoons, and a lamp. In typing, we were supposed to learn how to type without looking at the keyboard (blacked out) and hopefully more than 35 wpm. At that point in time, teachers had enough money for supplies.

 

[lizabu]

Top Chef's went to Schools like the Cuninary Institute in NY, In all my years watching Top Chef, I am still waiting for the contestant that states he learned everything in High School Home Ecc. If you want to learn how to cook ask your mom and dad or watch the Food Network. You will learn a lot more. The Calculus teacher is teaching a college level course, developing a course, developing tests and preparing them for a stringent AP Exam at the end of the year. They should be compensated much more than the individual that is teaching the culinary course who knows much less than the cook in the cafeteria preparing the lunch for students. Yet the calculus teacher has to fight for resources that are going to useless courses like cooking Mac and cheese from a box

It depends what HS. I went to culinary school and there were tons of kids who were way advanced. They had taken foods classes in HS. There are vocational HS that offer such great programs one could actually head right on out to the workplace.

 

[Patch'sD]

How many times a day do you eat?? How many meals in your lifetime?? I think learning to cook and nutrition is every bit as important as learning calculus.

And that has to be learned in High School, Do they have breathing classes too.

 

[luvsJack]

Top Chef's went to Schools like the Cuninary Institute in NY, In all my years watching Top Chef, I am still waiting for the contestant that states he learned everything in High School Home Ecc. If you want to learn how to cook ask your mom and dad or watch the Food Network. You will learn a lot more. The Calculus teacher is teaching a college level course, developing a course, developing tests and preparing them for a stringent AP Exam at the end of the year. They should be compensated much more than the individual that is teaching the culinary course who knows much less than the cook in the cafeteria preparing the lunch for students. Yet the calculus teacher has to fight for resources that are going to useless courses like cooking Mac and cheese from a box

Some how I bet you are one of the parents of the "nothing should be paid for but academics" brigade that we have to fight every year to get funds for choir.

Those chef's that go to culinary schools have to start somewhere. Classes like this one spark an interest in some kids that they didn't even know they had and gets them motivated for what they want to do after high school or it begins a process for those that already have the interest but haven't had their talent cultivated. AP calculus is usually for the kid that already knows what they want. NEITHER is more important and NEITHER is a waste of resources.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I've needed to use cooking skills far more in my adult life than any of that calculus I learned, which I've used exactly zero times since graduating.

 

[gwynne]

I've needed to use cooking skills far more in my adult life than any of that calculus I learned, which I've used exactly zero times since graduating.

Same for me.
It sort of reminds me of that great line from Peggy Sue Gets Married, "... I happen to know that in the future I will not have the slightest use for algebra, and I speak from experience."

 

[sam_gordon]

Top Chef's went to Schools like the Cuninary Institute in NY, In all my years watching Top Chef, I am still waiting for the contestant that states he learned everything in High School Home Ecc. If you want to learn how to cook ask your mom and dad or watch the Food Network. You will learn a lot more. The Calculus teacher is teaching a college level course, developing a course, developing tests and preparing them for a stringent AP Exam at the end of the year. They should be compensated much more than the individual that is teaching the culinary course who knows much less than the cook in the cafeteria preparing the lunch for students. Yet the calculus teacher has to fight for resources that are going to useless courses like cooking Mac and cheese from a box

Unless someone is going into some math field, I don't see how you can say Calculus is a NEEDED course. HS courses should be varied and give kids exposure to lots of different fields and experiences. And it's not about learning everything in HS. I'm guessing no HS student learns EVERYTHING about Calc in HS either. I haven't used (or needed) calc since I finished the course in college (25+ years ago). However, I do wish I knew more about cooking.

 

[powellrj]

My kids took a class called life skills in middle school where they learned to make microwave mac and cheese. I was a little surprised because they had been making things like that on their own for years. I guess it was for the kids who had never used a microwave before?

When I took home-ec in jr high we did learn easy cooking methods like canned biscuit pizzas and kool-aid punch, so I guess for the times its not that much different.

I am not even sure if my kids High schools even offered home-ec or shop classes anymore. They didn't take them and I don't remember if they were in the book.

 

[mnrose]

I can't even remember calculus (a fact that is glaringly obvious now that my son is taking it), and I had MANY years of math beyond calculus in college (Chemistry major here....needed a lot of math). Once I finished college and my undergraduate degree, I can safely say that I've NEVER needed any math beyond basic algebra. But, I sure have needed my home economics skills a whole bunch of times...as in nearly every single day of my life. I DO think schools should teach this...including basic sewing skills...to everyone. Unfortunately, we've got a whole bunch of parents who have never learned properly either and are ill-equipped to teach their kids.

As for the "cost", it seems to me that there should be a minor "class fee" for these sorts of classes (which could be waived for low income students). Heck, we had to buy a graphing calculator for my son to take said Calculus class, and that sucker was not cheap. LOL. If each kid contributed $5 or $10, there would be plenty of $$$ for the teacher to purchase supplies.

 

[barkley]

Top Chef's went to Schools like the Cuninary Institute in NY, In all my years watching Top Chef, I am still waiting for the contestant that states he learned everything in High School Home Ecc. If you want to learn how to cook ask your mom and dad or watch the Food Network. You will learn a lot more. The Calculus teacher is teaching a college level course, developing a course, developing tests and preparing them for a stringent AP Exam at the end of the year. They should be compensated much more than the individual that is teaching the culinary course who knows much less than the cook in the cafeteria preparing the lunch for students. Yet the calculus teacher has to fight for resources that are going to useless courses like cooking Mac and cheese from a box

i would tend not to agree regarding the compensation issue.

not sure how it works in other states, but in ours the individuals teaching culinary classes have the same educational and certification requirements as any of the other teachers (including calculus)in addition to providing documentation of professional paid work experience in the field they are instructing, and since it's rare to have a teacher who strictly teaches culinary courses (or strictly courses within their Family and Consumer Sciences endorsement) they more often than not have one or more endorsements in other subjects (which means they've taken 2 or more times the core coursework than a teacher who teaches calculus and only holds a math endorsement). it's a rare situation in our area that a culinary instructor in the high school doesn't have a graduate degree because the only students who are getting cooking instruction are those in "life skills" which means they have an IEP so it's a special education teacher whose instructing (to even get an application looked at a masters is needed). if the student isn't in life skills and wants culinary instruction they are attending at one of the public professional vocational schools where the instructors also have to have their teaching certifications, several years of proven professional experience AND since college credit is earned-more often than not have graduate degrees (because the classes are the identical curriculum with the same testing standards as taught at the colleges-some taught by the same instructors evenings and during summer sessions).

btw- I would like to know what resources a calculus teacher would be fighting for-does your district not provide textbooks or basic supplies for these classes? we're in a dirt poor district but no student taking calculus (standard or ap) goes without the books, supplies and even math calculators for home use.

 

[HM]

I do know that my kid's old high school is having so much trouble paying for books, that kids in AP classes have been having to buy their own textbooks the last couple years. You should have seen how some of my kids books looked when they were in school there...some had been used for more than 10 years (names in the front) and falling apart. And we live in a pretty good area with a mix of affluence and poverty. I don't know what our district is doing....letting this type of situation happen.

 

[Patch'sD]

Unless someone is going into some math field, I don't see how you can say Calculus is a NEEDED course. HS courses should be varied and give kids exposure to lots of different fields and experiences. And it's not about learning everything in HS. I'm guessing no HS student learns EVERYTHING about Calc in HS either. I haven't used (or needed) calc since I finished the course in college (25+ years ago). However, I do wish I knew more about cooking.

So you are all for having a teacher who is teaching students how to boil water, dump in a box of pasta, some powdered stuff that they call cheese make the same money as a teacher AP Calculus, History, Language Arts, Music, or Art. In our district a Culinary Arts Teacher with the same years of Service would make the same amount of money if they have the same years of service. I would much rather have a seasoned chef from a local restuarant teaching a course at a salary more in line with what they make there. This would free up funds for the core courses and ease the burden on tax payers. The kids are cooking in class and will most likely be eating what they make, thus providing their own supplies is warranted.

 

[Patch'sD]

I've needed to use cooking skills far more in my adult life than any of that calculus I learned, which I've used exactly zero times since graduating.

So without High School Cooking class you would have starved.

 

[sam_gordon]

So you are all for having a teacher who is teaching students how to boil water, dump in a box of pasta, some powdered stuff that they call cheese make the same money as a teacher AP Calculus, History, Language Arts, Music, or Art. In our district a Culinary Arts Teacher with the same years of Service would make the same amount of money if they have the same years of service. I would much rather have a seasoned chef from a local restuarant teaching a course at a salary more in line with what they make there. This would free up funds for the core courses and ease the burden on tax payers. The kids are cooking in class and will most likely be eating what they make, thus providing their own supplies is warranted.

Well, I'm assuming (yes, I know) they're doing more in the class than making macaroni and cheese. Maybe they start there and then move on to more complicated cooking skills.

I'm not sure I understand the bolded. You want the school to pay a local restaurant chef to teach the class (that idea I like), but pay him the same salary as what he gets in the restaurant? Where does THAT money come from?

I personally don't mind (ok, I mind, but I understand) having the kids pay for their ingredients. That's no different (IMO) than having the calc students purchase high end calculators, band students purchasing (or renting) instruments, or shop kids buying supplies. I don't get your hate for paying teachers of what YOU consider "not necessary" classes though.

ETA: I'm speaking as a parent of a student taking AP Calc AND Culinary Studies.

 

[barkley]

My kids took a class called life skills in middle school where they learned to make microwave mac and cheese. I was a little surprised because they had been making things like that on their own for years. I guess it was for the kids who had never used a microwave before?

When I took home-ec in jr high we did learn easy cooking methods like canned biscuit pizzas and kool-aid punch, so I guess for the times its not that much different.

I am not even sure if my kids High schools even offered home-ec or shop classes anymore. They didn't take them and I don't remember if they were in the book.

my son takes a life skills class at his high school that includes cooking and he would have loved just learning stuff for the microwave (since all his favorite foods ONCE PREPARED can be reheated that way) but he came home very surprised to find out that the first portion of the class was on nutrition, then it moved on to food safety, then the safe/appropriate way to use kitchen tools before they ever got to prepare anything to eat (and then it was all from scratch stuff-with him complaining "mom don't the teachers know there are frozen and box mixes for this stuff")