Hell of a Month

The picture above says it all when it comes to the month of October in the fall semester every year.  Are you going through what I have been through this past month and perhaps the reason Halloween is a fitting end to an always scary month that is October?  It seems as though the semester gets off to a slow start in August, then kind of gathers speed in September and then ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE in October!  Students have more problems in this month, there are more meetings in this month, there are recruiters coming to campus to get December grads, we are doing community service projects through class and our dozens of student associations, and guest lecturers, and grad students trying to decide upon a research project (I remember that nightmare long ago), and on and on and on..........

Don't get me wrong, I love the heat of the battle but it seems as though there is no rest for the wicked right through to Halloween despite my best efforts to do so.  But this October it was different.  I took a train ride this morning from Grand Central Station to Poughkeepsie which runs on the east side of the Hudson fall on a sunny day during peak fall colors!  It was gorgeous train ride and my troubles soon melted away on my way to making my first visit to the Hyde Park campus of the Culinary Institute of America.  And after spending a day at the CIA in sessions, touring the campus, talking with faculty and adminstrators, and observing students I understand now why they call it Hogwarts on the Hudson  -- I was sure I was going to run into Chef Potter carrying a magic whisk around the next corner!

I am hoping FELC members and blog followers will get a clean break from the craziness that seems to happen in October because the end now draws near.  Most will now start looking forward to Thanksgiving, which means there are but 3 weeks left after that holiday; the meetings will be fewer and farther between, the students will see the finish line and catch a second wind to carry them the rest of the way, and more!  So grab a pumpkin donut and pour yourself your favorite cider recipe and welcome the end of the month and ultimately another end to a productive fall semester.

Teaching Journals

I know that many of us are like a pinball going from direction to another as we move through our day to educate our students because it is never a simple matter of showing up to teach our assigned classes.  There is much, much more to it when you consider those who directly or indirectly support what we are tying to do in the classroom, kitchen, or field with the students.  To assist you in that process it is worth taking some time to read research on teaching for learning.  There are hundreds and hundreds of journals out there that you can peruse to get ideas to teach a new class, solve an ongoing problem in the classroom on student performance, and more.

To get you started, Virginia Tech's Center for Instructional Development and Education Research has a website you can go to and access all kinds of education journals; many of which have nothing to do with culinary arts and education but EVERYTHING to do with teaching for learning. I am an advocate of looking outside our discipline to get fresh ideas and perhaps you are doing the same.  To see the list of journals and catch up on what others are doing to provide quality education to their students check out: http://www.cideronline.org/jihe/view1.cfm.  You may not be able to view all of them but if you have a library the librarian should be able to get you articles from those who may subscribe.

Have a great week!

Guest Speaker via Skype

Some time ago I clued you in to a book by Will Tuttle, entitled, "The World Peace Diet: Eating for Spritual Health and Social Harmony."  I am using the book for a first year honors class in our new college of Health and Human Sciences.  The book is provocative and an eye opening read about how our dominat meat-based diets are seriously ruining our health -- which is a fact that few want to wrap their mind around and do anything about because it requires one to become enlightened, which is just too much work.

Anyways, the kids get pretty agitated and enthusiastic about the book when we are discussing it in class.  With questions such as "What was he thinking?" or "Why would he think that?" and so forth.  So one day I told them, "Hey let us ask the author what he thinks and why he thinks it and adress some of our criticisms and concerns?"  They said, "We can do that?"  Yikes, kids, of course we can so  I contacted the author -- who lives in an RV and travels the country giving lectures about the subject matter in his book and his life as a vegan and he was more than happy to guest lecture.  By the way, he has a very reasonable fee structure and encourage you to have him speak at your campus like I am arranging for him to do to our college.

Well today was the day.  The author spoke to the class via skype that was set up by our IT kids who know more about this technology than I ever will.  Will talked about chapter 7 -- The Dominationof the Feminine -- and what he meant by what he wrote. He then answered questions that we had submitted in writing ahead of time.

The class was an awesome experience for all concerned because we could see and hear the person who wrote the book we have been discussing in class.  It turns out that the person that students pictured or heard in their head while reading the chapers was not some crazy nutcase and in truth a healthy looking, vibrant, intellient man who wants to share his perspective on Veganism with the students.  A total eye opener for the kids.  We will be sending him a package of goodies to say thank you.

So I guess the message for today is think outside the box and try to integrate the marvels of technology in your classroom even if you -- like me -- have no clue how it works; somebody knows how to work it or it would not be in existence.  The two IT staffers know about this stuff and made my honors class today a very special experience with our author talking to our class and seeing the students from his RV outside of St. Louis, MO.

Passing of a Student

Yesterday morning I was reading the local paper and learned of a Purdue student who had a horrible motorcylce accident and passed away on a bridge near campus.  It was sad to read.  Then last night one of my TA's e-mailed me to inform me that the student who died was a student in our department.  That was when the motorcylce accident I had read about in the morning instantly became an even greater tragedy.

Ethan Donohue was a student of mine.  He was a Teaching Assistant in my Human Resource class last spring.  He was a Teaching Assistant this fall in my large intrroductory class of 200 kids.  Not many students get to be a Teaching Assistant for me which means Ethan was a GREAT KID. 

He had a quiet confidence about him that made him a special and talented kid.  We often had conversations abuot his role as TA and life in general.  He wanted to be the best he could be and respected him for that.  Which is why he was a TA.

He was to be in his other classes today.  His chair will be empty.  He probably had plans to meet with others to study for class, grade papers for my class, have a meal with friends, and so much more.  Those plans will have to be changed, too.  The Dean of Students will offer grief counselling for students who had class with Ethan or knew him personally.  The counselling will not bring him back to us.  Tomorrow in the large lecture one of the other TA's has requested time at the end of class to have a moment of silence for Ethan to reflect on his loss and count our blessings.  We will attend his funeral so the family knows we thought well of Ethan.

Perhaps you or others you know have enountered the serious illness or passing of a student.  When all is said and done, was that student treated in a fair and just manner so there are no regrets that something more could have been done?  I was pretty tough on Ethan as a TA on some occasions -- like I am on all those who TA for me as they are held to a pretty high standard given the important role they are playing in the education of their peers in support of what I am trying to accomplish in class -- and would not have gone back to change that even though he has met with an untimely passing at the tender age of 20.  I would not go back because it was the right thing to do at the time.

So in memory of Ethan Donhue, a great kid who passed away while out riding motorcyles with friends on a beautiful Midwestern fall day, do right by your students.  You just never know what lies ahead for them -- or YOU.

Not Far From the Tree

You may or may not know it but I am a huge proponent of Service Learning whether the emphasis be placed on the service component (community service), service-learning component (connecting classroom to a community projects) or learning component (internships).  That is why I wanted to share an opportunity educators could seize upon to do service to the community through an organization called, "Not Far From the Tree."

As the website indicates under the About tab, the "core of our programming is our residential fruit-picking program, where we pick fruit from trees that would otherwise go to waste. We help fruit tree owners make use of the abundance of fruit that their trees offer by dispatching teams of volunteers to harvest it for them. One third goes to the fruit tree owners, another third goes to the volunteers for their labour, and the final third is distributed (by bicycle or cart) to community organizations in the neighbourhood who can make good use of the fresh fruit.

You can check it out for yourself at: http://www.notfarfromthetree.org/about.  If you have some familiarity with this organization or would consider volunteering let me know and I will share with our learning community on the blog.  In the meantime find more ways for foodservice faculty and students to "Sign Up, Show Up, and Serve!"

Crop Mob Concept to Help Local Farmers

Being old -- and wise -- has its advantages.  One advantage was the recent heads up through my recent AARP newsletter about an idea that started in 2008 in North Carolina when some farmers met and decided to support one another on each other's farms.  Most provided their time, talents, and expertise to help out a farmer in exhange for a hearty lunch.  The idea has since sprouted through today's social networks and there are apparently some 40 "crop mobs"  across the country.  The intent and purpose of the crop mobs appears to depend on the needs of the farmer.  Check it out at: http://www.cropmob.org/

The site has a "blogroll" which I found quite interesting and a gallery of photos of those who have volunteered in the past.  There is also a tab labelled "past mobs" that you can click on and check out but have to have a Facebook account to get the information.  I even found a great recipe for cricket bread!

This could be an excellent way for foodservice educators to get students out to a local farm to see where their fruit and vegetables come from and play a small part in production.  Who knows, perhaps your program could adopt a farm and send kids out on service learning or community service projects on a regular basis. 

Wall Street Journal Resource for Educators

If not a CHRIE member you missed this information piece from Margarita Martin who sent a message of concern that those in the Department of Hotel & Restaurant Management in our universities are unaware of the Journal-In-Education program. It's not just for the College of Business anymore! Nor is The Wall Street Journal just for those looking for careers in finance and business.

There is indeed a link for Hotel/Restaurant/Travel Management Weekly Review. This review, written by professors through out the country, gives you three articles that appeared in The Wall Street Journal that week, specific to the Hospitality Industry. Included in these e-mails is a summary for each of the three articles, links to the articles and class discussion questions are all part of the weekly e-mail.

Of course, there is a student rate for the journal itself, which I used to have my students subscribe to and read when teaching the Management class here in my department.  Sign up is possible by clicking on:: http://www.profesorjournal.com/

In the meantime check out the link to Weekly Review.  It is a good free online source for you to keep up with news in our industry or assign to students at:

http://www.profjournal.com/mail/wrkfiles/Hotel%20Restaurant%20Travel%20Management201039.html

If interested in learning more about how the Wall Street Journal (a devoted daily reader myself for years) please contact Margarita Martin, Educational Sales Consultant, margarita.rodriguez-martin@dowjones.com or call  813-334-4627