A Much Needed FACS Kitchen Renovation – From Drab to Fab
Outdated Family and Consumer Science kitchens seem to be a regular thing. A lot of money goes into a renovation. I was incredibly fortunate to have a full kitchen renovation with a recent district bond. This FACS kitchen renovation is a prime example for taxpayers to see why passing bond issues to support your local […]
A Surprisingly Engaging Interior Design Shoebox Project
Do you ever find yourself wanting a project that carries itself and requires very little from you? I have just the project for you. This is one interior design project that still amazes me. Students need little front loading information to get started, I share a few examples, and then their creative work goes into […]
4 Quick Fixes to Organize Your Family and Consumer Science Classroom
Time and organizational hacks are some of the best “ah-ha” moments to streamline your day. Maybe you didn’t realize some of these things drive you nuts and there can be simple and quick fixes to make your life easier. Most of these hacks can be fixed with a quick visit to Amazon and solved in […]
Engaging Activities about Life Skills for Teens
Life skills are a never ending set of tasks to learn. Even if you don’t have a class specifically on life skills, you can weave them into your Family and Consumer Science curriculum rather easily. I always tell students there are definitely some I am willing to pay for- car oil changes- rather than learning […]
5 Effective Kitchen Systems During a Cooking Lab
Cooking lab days, you know, one of the main reasons our students sign up for FCS classes. They are the days that can make you feel confident about your classroom management or make you question what full moon, severe weather, or solar flare is throwing your students’ self-control out the window. Let’s be honest, even […]
Mastering Kitchen Systems: 3 Ways to Prepare Students for Successful Cooking Lab Days
Cooking lab days are another level when it comes to chaos, stress, and they can even be full of magical moments. Mastering kitchen systems and preparing students for successful cooking lab days can be attainable. If you’ve spent any time in a FACS classroom during a cooking lab, you know how some groups bicker and […]
Optimizing Classroom Systems for Time Management in a FACS Classroom
You know the feeling, when you classroom seems choatic and out of control. Your well-planned activity goes awry. And students seem to think they run the show. Creating strong classroom systems in a Family and Consumer Sciences classroom can make even the toughtest of classes have structure and routine. Creating systems based on time is […]
5 Simple Ways to Teach Expectations when Cooking with a Guest Chef
Too often we think by junior high and high school, our students should have mastered manners and etiquette. We think they should understand how to behave when there is a guest speaker or chef. However, it doesn’t take long to realize our students are not coming to us with manners, etiquette, and experiences as they […]
5 Tips for Closing Out the Semester
The end of the semester is always known for being exhausting. It’s always a case of “The days are long” and May-cember. Survival of the fittest is great, but why not find some ways to thrive in your role and make it enjoyable for students too? With proper planning and enlisting the help of your […]
3 Ways to Maximize Your Time When Returning Back to School
Ready or not, here it comes. Back to school season is happening. Repeat after me, “THIS is the year I take back my time and find a better work-life balance.” Seriously, I mean it when I say I want that for you! It’s always difficult to give up summer, but likely you want your room […]
Using Real-World Projects to Teach Teens About Financial Literacy
Stanley cups, Birks, AirPods, Lulu, venti coffee drinks, freshly manicured nails, and more. Your students are lacking in wants and high-end habits in their young lives. It seems they might have financial literacy covered with those kind of spending habits, but I’ve realized it’s far from it. Using real world projects to teach teens about […]
Strengthening Family, Career, and Community Connections with Communication and Leadership
I can feel the eye twitch now, but I can also know I can fix it. The start of the semester is always a strong reminder why it is worth every minute of time teaching students valuable skills for communication and leadership. I spend the first week going over expectations, building relationships, having fun, and […]