September 3 - September 10
Question: What surprised you the most this week at school and why? (This could be something about your own reactions to what went on, or something that someone did, or anything else that occurs to you.)
Part of my standards are to teach culinary students how to price out menu items - or as its called in the industry: cost control.
I was shocked when so many of my students struggled with the math process involved. While some of the kids admitted to being 'bad in math', even those that self proclaim to be decent math students, couldn't wrap their head around taking their math skills and applying it in the kitchen.
1 case pork chops is $25.00 and = 10 pounds; each pork chop is 4 oz. What is the cost of 1 pork chop?
1 case of corn is $20.00 and = 20 pounds. What is the cost of 2 oz of corn? 3oz of corn?
After dividing the students into groups - placing at least one 'stronger math student' in each group, I sat with them group by group to discuss the math steps involved in costing out these items. Once they realized they were multiplying and dividing like they would in math class they broke out their calculators (yet another surprise) and began to work out the problems but still with great difficulty.
It was really surprising to see that not only did they lack the math skills to figure out these situations but that they couldn't see how their math lessons applied to these real world instances.
2 comments:
Ray,
I totally understand where you are in the classroom. It is so sad that kids don't have a good foundation of skills they need for the real world. I am afraid we have put so much emphasis on getting them ready for college, that we have left out necessary life skills. I would much rather have an employee with no formal education that has the ability to think quick on their feet than to have one with a four year degree with no common sense. Where or how do we fill in the gap? That is the question I ask myself everyday in the classroom.
Believe it or not, although it can become frustrating as a teacher to see students lacking basic skills, I believe it will later become refreshing to a student to experience using these skills in the real world.
I have students who constantly challenge the common core standards taught in class, yet sooner or later they realize those skills are essential in our everyday lives. You would be surprised to know how incorporating those basic math skills can enhance their ability to appreciate life in general.
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