Classroom Survival Tips

Survival Tips for Cooking With Kids

• Look at the curriculum for the age level--it’s all online and reinforce lessons that children are learning in class. Be creative and the keep your teacher in the loop.
• It really helps to have a lesson plan to guide your lesson. Also remember to tell the kids the objective of the lesson at the beginning and at the end so they really understand what you were attempting to teach them.
• For the first several lessons, I make sure to go over the Rules. For example, you might say to use quiet voices, work neatly, help clean up, and raise hands. Kids love cooking and get very excited. Set your mind set that they will be very exuberant and try to curb their enthusiasm as much as possible without stifling their creativity or losing that energy. Try to answer questions by having them figure it out on their own. It can also help to ask interactive questions that require a thumbs up or thumbs down gesture.
• The best advice I ever picked up from a teacher was to have a clear table when you start a lesson. If you have things on the table, kids want to touch them and it takes twice as long to get their attention. If possible, try to go over the objective and the main points of the lesson with as little in front of them as you can. Pass out items only when you are ready.
• Also, be flexible and have backup plans. Imagine discovering that you have a group of kids sitting in front of you and your electric griddle using a 50’ extension cord isn’t getting hot. Luckily, I had a camp stove, griddle and small fire extinguisher stowed in my car.
• Keep a bag packed with goodies that you might need on a regular basis and hopefully you have a school kitchen stocked with extra supplies. The basics in my bag include plastic silverware and reusable plates, garbage bags, surface wipes, cooking spray, napkins, pot holders, a can opener and a small bag of golf pencils to provide when filling out worksheets.
• Don't forget to make sure you have access to a set of plates, bowls, cups and/or napkins.
• Prepare as much as possible at home. That may mean measuring ingredients into plastic ziplock bags for each group.
• It is imperative to have a list of children’s food allergies and/or dietary restrictions.