My Teaching Metaphor…

By Alison Nermut-Nichols

I am an experimental chef.

I have basic recipes (expectations etc. from the school or learning

environment) and my raw ingredients (my students), to which I add in a few extras

and adapt some of the others.

Every day I prepare and serve my menu a little differently. I constantly strive for

the best results possible. My passion for my career is shown in my perseverance and positive attitude (particularly in the

face of any criticism for my work).

I enjoy introducing new ingredients, methods and utensils into my kitchen. My diners are not always appreciative, and rarely acknowledge the work that I put into my dishes. The critics can be

brutal and quite often change the benchmarks by which I am assessed.

I am constantly learning new things and endeavour to sort through this new

knowledge to find the best way to present the next dish I cook. Being an “experimental”

chef means that I don’t always use things in the ways they were originally designed.

Often I need kitchen staff (other teachers, community members, teacher assistants or the students themselves) to help prepare, serve or

watch over my dishes as they cook.

Some days the ingredients have been prepared in advance (to soak up

the sauces overnight), other times a quick blanch or even deep-fry produces the best

results. Each of my dishes is prepared and presented differently.

Some recipes work out well, others need a little more work or to be replaced completely. All my recipes get written down so that they can be assessed; then I can either use those methods or ingredients again, or adapt them

to get a better result next time.

I present my dishes attractively so as to entice my diners to try something

that they have perhaps not encountered before. I must plan for some

plates to be returned to the kitchen untouched. If that is the case, I need to have other dishes that are ready to be

served to these fussy diners.

In order to present the best menu possible for my customers, I must ensure that

my kitchen and dining room is clean and ordered. A clean and efficient workspace

will ensure a productive and relaxing dining experience. My customers will feel relaxed and should be more open to accepting new

tastes and dining experiences.

In conclusion…

There are many, many qualities and skills shared between a professional chef and a teacher. Both professions need to show

sound knowledge and passion for their job. They need imagination, compassion,

patience and eagerness to learn new things and the ability to adapt to the changing

needs of their diners/students. They each need to understand that throughout their careers, they will be under constant watch and criticism. They are each responsible for the well-being of the diners/students within

their kitchen or classroom.

The End.