My February Discomfort Goal is
cooking! It’s been a great learning experience. Sometimes my meals are
delicious and sometimes the smoke alarm goes off…more than once. The more I
cook the more I notice the similarities between cooking and teaching.
Cooking and teaching is about timing.
In
cooking timing can change everything. You can overcook and you can undercook
your food. Paying attention to the clock is critical. Today, my pork tenderloin
was slightly overcooked. Had I timed it better, it would’ve been perfect. Check
on your food periodically.
In teaching it seems like we never
have enough time in our day. It’s almost impossible to make copies, go to the
bathroom, drink our coffee (for me, Mountain Dew), and teach everything on our
lesson plan. Where does the time go? If you struggle with this,
you’re not alone, try pacing. Set a timer for each part of your lesson. You can
also video tape yourself or have someone observe you to see where you can
improve. Some lessons are going to take longer and some are going to be
shorter. Find the right balance.
Cooking and teaching is hard…at first.
My
dishes never look like the pictures! I just want to be the next Gordon Ramsey!
To make certain dishes you need certain pots and pans plus lots of ingredients.
I never realized the effort it takes make a simple dish like Homemade Macaroni
and Cheese. It was a lot of work for such an easy dish. I still didn't perfect
it...but the smoke alarm didn't go off. I'm getting better.
I still remember my first days of
teaching. All the confidence I had went out the window after the first parent
called me. I thought I was a failure and that I’ll never get the hang of it.
Guess what…I still don’t in my fourth year of teaching. My confidence and
knowledge has really growth! I’m trying and I am getting better. Keep asking
questions and keep doing those engaging lessons because you think it’s what’s
best for kids! You got this!
Pass the salt and pepper.
Salt
and pepper are the two most basic ingredients on the planet, yet they are in
every thing. They’re so important in cooking because they can compliment the
great flavors in your dishes. If your dish is lacking something, try some salt
and pepper, they make everything better…especially fries!
In
the Essential 55, Ron Clark describes salt as the “negative forces of energy
who spread their poison and make our lives difficult.” Don’t spend time with
people who are salty. They will drain your energy and deter you from doing
great things for kids. Instead, be peppery! Be that spice that pops! Be the
teacher that skips around the school happily or dresses in the most ridiculous
outfits to teach a lesson.
A pile of plates and papers
I’m
just finishing my tasty Chicken Parmesan dish only to see mountain of pots,
pans, dishes, and trash all in my sink. My jaw hits the floor in disbelief.
It’s the nature of the cooking. Dinner is finished so it's time to wash all the
dishes. To create these wonderful meals you have to get messy. That's okay, the
taste is worth it!
It’s our Annual Reading Superbowl. There’s turf in the middle our room,
students are wearing jerseys, and two field goal posts stand tall. Students are
going to compete in teams for the trophy. It’s going to be a loud day.
Afterward…It was a great Superbowl! The students knew some much and had fun!
Now it’s going to take me 90 minutes to take all the décor down. I love doing
classroom transformations. Sometimes the decor is up for a week, and sometimes
it's only up for a day. The engagement and enthusiasm from the students makes
it worth it!
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Cooking and teaching are so alike in
so many ways. Some days both are easy and some days it’s better just to go
through the drive thru. Don’t forget the key ingredients to success. Keep
trying your best! After all, you are the chef!
