By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT
Many students have difficulty meeting deadlines. As faculty members, we carry different responsibilities in helping them learn from these various situations.
Last month, we discussed building community in the classroom and fostering student comfort. This month, we are focusing on the other side of the coin: helping students practice professionalism by meeting assigned deadlines.
Our Professional Obligation
Although we teach a wide range of subjects, we all share a common goal of helping our students become better professionals—often a big shift for them when they are still adjusting to college and juggling the many responsibilities of college life. As faculty members, we need to help them learn in every way possible to behave and think like professionals since we only have them briefly before they join the professional world. In fact, over the last 20 years, culinary educators have been successful in changing the ways that chefs and other hospitality professionals (1) establish good team work, (2) create civil and cooperative work environments, (3) treat women and members of minority groups with respect and (4) discourage sexual and other types of harassment. Today’s commercial kitchens are very different from what they used to be!
By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT
Encourage students to use each other’s names and pronounce them correctly, and you will honor students and foster a community of learners.
Last month, we discussed getting students involved; this month, we will focus on building community in the classroom. Since the learning process is facilitated by an environment where students feel safe and honored as learners, creating a community is an important task for teachers.
By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT
The more you establish your expectation of participation and help students reach it, the better the learning experience for all.
One of the most challenging aspects of teaching is getting our students involved in class discussion and other class activities. Sometimes, they are shy or reluctant because of fear of not being articulate or making errors; other times their cultural backgrounds limit their willingness to participate in active discussions. They may also be anxious about appearing stupid or afraid they may not understand. Since we know that students who use ideas and discuss them tend to learn and remember them better, this issue of Mayo’s Clinics provides four suggestions about this dimension of teaching.
By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT
Even good students need to review to ace tests. Here’s how to help them.
During the middle of a semester and, more typically, at the end of a term, students often are overwhelmed with preparing for and taking tests. In some schools and colleges, tests come in clumps at mid-term and finals or in thirds throughout the semester. In the best of all possible worlds, students would be studying and reviewing material as the semester progresses, but they often have to learn a lot of new material and do not take the time to review. Therefore, even good students need to review in order to do well in tests.
Save the Date
Cafe Leadership Conference,
June 25-27, 2010
Hosted By:
Create a Photo Story presentation explaining the syllabus, dress code, grading policies and safety rules. Review it on the first day of class.
