Teacher uses cafe idea for learning
For people who have never had a problem cooking a meal, paying a bill at a diner or calculating costs while shopping for groceries, it may be easy to forget that not everyone is so fortunate to have the ability to complete such every-day tasks without some difficulty. Jennifer Karwatske teaches the Life Skills class at Brownsville Area High School, and she is working with her students to help them develop skills such as shopping, cooking, counting money, and cleaning with the help of a Mon Valley Education Consortium “Great Idea Grant” she received for her class this year.
The idea is to create a “Brownsville Caf?” where students can learn the skills necessary to serve customers in a caf?, as well as become customers themselves.
“We got the grant in February and we are implementing some of these skills already in the classroom,” said Karwatske. “They have practiced being chefs, waiters and customers and they are getting better at all of that.”
Karwatske said that goals for the next school year are to create a color menu and a picture cookbook. She said that although some of her students can read, others can not, so a recipe containing pictures of ingredients they need to add to a recipe would help them create some simple recipes on their own.
“We want to get all the recipes together in a binder and insert color pictures,” said Karwatske. “It would look something like a cake mix that shows the pictures of the eggs, and cups of water or oil, so the students would know what they need to add.”
Karwatske said that she would like to get all of the students to the point of being able to pay a bill with fake money and make change, but they are still working on that.
“They keep learning new steps and they have really enjoyed cooking so far,” said Karwatske, explaining that while preparing simple snacks and desserts, the students have also been making a full meal once every month, and they take a vote on several suggestions to decide what will be on the menu.
So far, the class has prepared several main courses, including lasagna, ham, chicken and meatloaf. Karwatske said that when a student’s first choice for a meal is not picked, the class can vote on that choice again next time.
“They really like coming up with different ideas,” she said. “I am very excited, and the kids are too, with what they have been able to do. They are learning things without realizing it.”
She pointed out that the class is building math skills through measuring ingredients and keeping a running total of prices when they shop.
“They are also getting the concept that everything costs money,” said Karwatske.
She said the students are learning teamwork and take turns performing the various tasks involved with food preparation.
“They even give each other compliments,” said Karwatske.
While Karwatske said that some of the students are higher functioning than others, “the goal is to get them all to be as independent as possible.”
Later in the school year, Karwatske plans to give the students a chance to show off their newly acquired skills to family members in a caf? setting. When the special event takes place, she said the students will take turns playing different roles, just as they have practiced in the classroom.
“I know the students will be excited to do this,” said Karwatske. “Sometimes when we have food left over, they get to take it home to their parents, and they are always so proud to show them that they helped make something. They are very excited with what they can do.”