teachers of all shapes and sizes....

No i don't mean the fatties and the skinnies but rather the different way people end being teachers. Sure, I could tell you about my day with the kids and about how I have lice in my class and have now begun the excruciating process of cleaning my life but that's no fun. So instead I'll tell you about the awesome cooking class I took today with Mariana. I found that while we were in the class I was analyzing his teaching style instead of well... paying attention. First thing, expectations not clear. a) the class is 3.5 hours long... when was that EVER stated... oh wait it wasn't. b) we didn't eat until 8:45... so i was obviously STARVING (lay off me... I’m starving) so strike one i guess you could say, though I know now for next week. Second, his instructions were mildly jumbled and slightly demeaning. Yes, I did take a cooking class in France, yes I lived with a chef for 4 months but that does not mean I know how to cook salmon or cook T-bone steak. I'm 23 dude, cut me some slack here. And as it turned out, I wasn't as incompetent as he expected so no worries. Anyways, as the class continued on, I noted things such as his need control the actual food cooking. His GRR (gradual release of responsibility) wasn't a strength. He was good about letting us feel apart of the cooking by prepping the food then assisting in the cooking. However, we all cooked only ¼ of the meal not the entire thing. While I was ok with that for things like the salad dressing since I’ve been doing that since I was maybe, 10, there were things like cooking the steak I would have liked to understand more. To his credit he did have some sweet tips like how to tell if meat is done by using your hand and touching the meat itself. Oh, and the food was to die for I just wish it had been a bit more hands on. Mariana and I aren’t as “basic” as this “basic” skills class but we did learn lots of awesome tips and the recipes will certainly be handy. The other cool thing I got out of this was the realization that if I need a break perhaps from “regular” teaching, I can take one of my outside skills and mush it up with teaching. Ok, so cooking would be out since I’m not amazing at that or anything but I’m sure there’s another class out there just DYING to have my take charge…. Teachers aren’t just in the classroom; they can be anywhere doing anything. Many people don’t even recognize when they are teaching. Take a minute and think… Is there something in your life that you do because someone taught you to do it? Was it a teacher or was it just someone you met? Did you realize that they were teaching you?