Encouraging Accuracy
What methods have you used with students to instill the importance of following directions?
I give my students a recipe packet at the beginning of every term for reference, but to be able to cook in class, they have to produce handwritten recipes with detailed production. this gives them even more exposure to the material, and usually helps them retain the info a bit better.
Russell,
This is an excellent point to share with students. Accuracy and cosistency are the key to repeat business!
Jae Gruber
I teach Baking and Pastry Arts, so I explain to the students that as a Pastry Chef I need to rely on consistency. If you come into my bakery one day and fall in love with one of the types of breads or pastries I am selling, that when you come back for it again, you are expecting it to look and taste the same. If it is not the same I will probably lose that client/customer and therefore lose money. Accuracy and consistency are key in culinary arts field.
Mike,
I think your emphasis on concentration/focus is a good one. How do you gget students to refine that focus?
Jae Gruber
What a great question. I have emphasized that the combination of concentration (focus) and their cooking skills is a very powerful combination. Without the ability to follow directions all their cooking skills are diminished. The rubric will specify specifics, and can be used during formal or informal evaluation to guide how well we followed direction. It is what will ultimately allow them to keep and progress in their jobs.
Adrian,
I agree that asking students what they will do different or improve upon next time they do the same task, is far better than using a negative approach. Chances are that many students know when they have done something wrong or when something does not turn out right, but they need the instructor to tell or remind them how they could have prevented the error.
Jae Gruber
I am borrowing this one! Thanky ou!
I often say' "visualize me banging my head on a wall, because this is hwo I feel when you dont follow these instructions." Odly enough it gets a laugh and those whe were not paying attention want to know why everyone else is laughing.
Eugene,
I understand your perspective completely. Whether it be a Gneral Education course or a kitchen course, many times learning is in retrospect. Students frequently return from externship or even years after graduation to share with their instructors that "now" they understand the "what, why and how" of course content.
Jae Gruber
I usually have my students reflect on their mistakes rather than scold them for it. Understanding steps in the mistakes, explaining why it happened and pulling information from them of steps that they could change next time for a better outcome gets them involved. This helps them understand most of the time why following directions is so important to better their learning outcomes and to instill why this is going to be important in their future career.
Feed back has been slow to come. This particular course is comprised of much more written project requirements compared to previous courses which rely on practicle lab assesment. Most of the projects are not due until the last week of the 6 week term. Afterward they leave to enter the extern program and I do not see them until commencement which only takes place twice per year. The light bulb usually comes on in the last days of the class when they relize that grades are wieghted and just based on points accumulated. The importance of completing step by step processes in written projects becomes apparent. Most of our students at this point in thier career process are only focused on the cooking aspects of what they will be doing out in the "real" world rather than the paperwork portion of managing a business which hopefully they will aspire to later in thier career. So, all in all I don't hear how I have helped until months later.
Eugene,
Great best practices! Very thorough! What is the feedback from the students on this method?
Jae Gruber
In order for recipes to be successful each step must be followed by using accurate measurements and step by step processes in order for it to taste and appear correctly. I have the students rewrite the "directions" and "walk" them through the recipes noting what will occur at each critical point if the directions are not followed through. The results are evident if the directions are not followed correctly when they taste the food that I have demonstrated in front of them and compare it with what they have created.
Project assignments are often shown them via portals and screen projections. The directions for completing the projects are usually written in paragraph form. I use a dry erase board to break the project down into step by step instructions and have them write these out in their notes. Instead of them completing the entire project and then seeing how they did at the end of the project, I break it up so that there are subsections that are worth a certain amount of points. In this manner they understand that they must complete each section correctly by following the directions or they will not be awarded the total points available within each section on their way to gaining the 100% possible points for the entire project. Each time that they complete a subsection they are able to measure how successfully they followed the directions and they see immediate feedback, before they move on to the next subsection.
Ward,
What type of rubrics do you use to give the students feedback? How do you adjust your lectures and demos to engage each student? What educational techniques do you use to assist those students who are at different experience levels?
Jae Gruber
Brenda,
I have noticed that other instructors have used that same mock quiz. It definitely underscores the point of following directions!
Jae Gruber
Estella,
This is a great practice. Some instructors do verbally state their expectations, but it is even better if students see and understand the grading rubrics prior to cooking or beginning any type of assignment.
Jae Gruber
I give them a mock following directions quiz. They think this is a real quiz with questions relative to what is beinf taudht. The first sentence on the paper states real entire quiz first. Many students just begin to answer questions. If they had read the questions firts, all they would have to do is put their name on the top of the paper & return it to me. They will really pay attention the next time around
This is a culinary school. We read the recipe, demo the recipe, monitor the students while they prepare the recipe and then tast and critique the recipe with them. They are as much a part of the grading and accuracy processs as I am.
In order to emphasize the importance of following directions. I take a few extra minutes to discuss rubrics and how they work. In the execution of a recipe, many interpretations are possible.In order to level the playing field and adhere to rubrics students must follow directions on standardized recipes. This highlights the importance and explains to them the why's
