MAT Capstone Relection

MAT Capstone Reflection

                The Culinary capstone project for the Master of Arts in Teaching program (MAT) at Johnson & Wales University is a culmination of all we have learned throughout our time in and out of the classroom over the past eighteen months.  This program has given me valuable insight into the world of teaching and has helped me develop my own teaching style through a rigorous hands-on approach. 

                My culinary capstone project, the WEST Café project, is a perfect example of my eighteen month education at Johnson & Wales University.  The idea began while I was completing my culinary observation hours at Cranston Area Career and Tech.  I was observing Chef Martha Sylvestre and noticed her greenhouse located off the back of the kitchen.  The greenhouse and the area around it were over grown with weeds and the blacktop area was in disarray.  She mentioned that at one time they had thought of building an outdoor café with a small garden in that location.  I explained to her that I may have a way of raising the funds needed to make this project a reality.

                At first I was thinking of the physical project.  My focus was on how great the end product would look and what a wonderful addition this would be to the Cranston Area Career and Tech program.  What I realized in delving into this project was the wonderful educational opportunity for deeper student understanding for current and future students.  It allowed me the opportunity to use the valuable tools gained in the MAT program to create a real world project.  This project would help students relate to their future careers in Culinary Arts, Entrepreneurship, Construction, and Computer Aided Drafting.

                I was able to use the trimester project from EDUC 5004 as an introduction to demographics and provide the NECAP and SAT research information to make this a viable capstone project.  With the advice of my advisor Karen Swoboda, I resurrected my blog from the Digital Collaborative Tools class to document my progress developing the capstone project.  You can follow the project at http://morgangrillseverything.blogspot. 

                Two of the most valuable classes in creating this capstone project were Curriculum Development for Culinary Programs and Strategies for Teaching Foodservice Mathematics.  The Curriculum Development for Culinary Programs course taught me how to analyze and create viable learning experiences for students.  This went beyond Culinary Arts.  This project was a multi-curriculum project where I had to look at the curriculums of the various programs affected by this project.  I learned about the curriculums of the Construction Course, Entrepreneurship Course, and Computer Aided Drafting Course.

                In developing the curriculum for this outdoor café, math became the major focus of the project.  Strategies for Teaching Foodservice Mathematics played a vital role in the development of what I wanted students to understand about Culinary Mathematics.  I felt the real world math modules created in this project would help students increase test scores and gain a deeper understanding of math knowledge required for their future careers.

                My introduction to Understanding by Design (UBD) was a positive experience.  I have spent most of my life in the classroom following the same cultural script of listening to lectures and comprehending the material presented.  The idea of students teaching students to uncover their own understanding for deeper more meaningful learning was an eye opening experience.  It’s a role that fits my teaching style perfectly.  I have been involved in sports my whole life so the role of coach comes naturally to me.  This course gave me the tools to create a more meaningful unit for the community garden.

                The Teaching Literacy in the Content Area course focused on critical literacy as it pertains to topics in culinary arts.  One of the topics that I came up with for this project was the community garden.  This is a UBD unit designed to teach students about the benefits of having their own community garden.  This included the importance of locally grown fruits and vegetables in their own diet.  This was also a cultural learning opportunity in that the students had to discuss meals that are made in their own home.  The students also shared how foods from other cultures could be grown right in their own backyard.

                I did not mention my Special Education Courses by name because the idea of this project, like much of the focus in schools today, is to seamlessly add inclusion in the design of lessons and units.  As Culinary Educators, we are to create a positive environment where all students feel welcome and are included in the learning process.  We may add additional resources for these students but if we design lessons that focus on the five senses all students will have the opportunity to learn. 

In the Educational Psychology class, I had to present the chapter on motivation in the classroom.  I came in the class wearing my USA hockey jersey that my wife bought for me several years ago because I remembered a quote from Herb Brooks regarding the 1980 Men’s Olympic hockey team.  He said, “I’m not looking for the best players Craig, I’m looking for the right players.”  Our classrooms are not all-star teams; they are filled with students who have different learning abilities all with something to add to the learning experience. 

                This capstone project has given me the opportunity to use all that I have learned throughout the MAT program.  It has been a valuable learning experience for my future career as a Culinary Educator.  I feel confident entering this field with the current tools necessary to engage students while utilizing the best practices in Culinary Arts.