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Tag Archives: education

WHAT IS THE INTENT OF EDUCATION?

30 Thursday Jul 2020

Posted by culinarycuesblog in Uncategorized

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Tags

education, the importance of technology education, the importance of the arts, thinking about school budget cuts

Painted in Waterlogue

As the country continues to come to grips with the ravages of a pandemic and the trail of chaos and long-term destruction that it leaves behind, we will need to think very clearly about how a country deals with diminishing funds to support our lifestyle and establishing priorities moving forward. Without question there are two areas, short and long-term, that must be at the top of our list: education and healthcare. Of course – there are many other needs, and at some level these other needs are priorities as well, but few things have more substantial impact on generations to follow than the education of our youth and setting a plan in place for the health and wellbeing of a population. For the purpose of this article – let’s just focus on education.

For decades many have debated what a good education entails and where our efforts should lie. When budgets are tightened (education always seems to be in the cross hairs) the first targets appear to be in the arts and technical life skills. Having spent my professional life in that career category of falsely labeled “non-essential” I have been acutely aware of the rising desire to de-emphasize the arts and technical skills and view them as less necessary than the traditional battery of courses that lead to an entrance in a college of choice. What the decision makers oftentimes fail to recognize is that the key to a “great education” is the ability to set the stage for creative thought, dreaming, and application of those courses that seem to dominate a curriculum. This article is not intended to downplay the importance of the classics: reading, writing, and arithmetic, but rather to view them through the lenses of the arts and technology. It is, in my opinion and that of many highly successful people, that application and integration of essential skills is a preferred method of generating real learning.

Keep in mind that the word education is derived, at some level, from the Latin word: “Educo” which can be interpreted as “To draw forth”. In other words, the intent of education is to create an environment where the person who is being educated is allowed to come to an understanding rather than be simply on the receiving end of information. What better way to “come to an understanding” than to think, create, produce, embrace, feel, hear, smell, and touch what it is that is being offered?

Here are a few thoughts/examples:

WRITING: When young people are presented with an opportunity to write – the natural approach is to begin with structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. All of this is critically important, but not natural. Structure and process must be drilled in and this takes time. What comes natural to young people is the desire and ability to tell stories. As soon as a two year old begins to develop a vocabulary – he or she is anxious to tell a story. The most intriguing and engaging part of writing is the ability to express a story that is drawn from experiences and vision. Creative writing is the application while structure is an important part of polishing the story. This is something that becomes real when it is encouraged outside of the traditional “course in English Composition”, when it is something that is part of everything that a student is engaged in.

When writing becomes real, tangible, and part of a student’s normal approach towards life and learning then so many doors are opened. Writers give all of us the opportunity to dream, express, feel, embrace, think, build a vocabulary, open our eyes and minds, question, challenge, connect, and enter a story as if it were part of who we are. Writing and subsequently reading what others have written is one of the most important parts of building creative thought, converting imagination into tangible ideas and results, giving hope, challenging difficulties, and becoming a problem solver. I always feel despondent when a person states, unequivocally, that he or she doesn’t read or can’t write. What a lost opportunity.

MUSIC: To those who love a particular type of music without experiencing the opportunity to broaden learning about different styles – I would state that you are missing so much of the experience that music provides. To those who have never picked up an instrument to play or approached the process of learning to play and building a connection to scales and chords, then I say that you are missing one of the great creative joys that music brings. I would dare to say that an education void of the opportunity to embrace an instrument, attempt to sing a bar or two of music, play a solo or become part of an ensemble or band, is an education that lacks breadth. Music is tactile and deeply rewarding, music is a way of understanding math (yes math), music helps individuals to understand the importance of teamwork, and music is relaxing, encouraging, demanding, structured yet free form. Music can be a friend at times in a person’s life when others seem too distant to understand and help, and most importantly – music is joy.

CARPENTRY: It is human nature to make things. Students inherently respond well to learning foundational skills that will serve them well for a lifetime. Everyone should know how to identify the right tools for the right job, swing a hammer, operate a circular saw, use a hand drill, a level, and a square, sand with the grain, pre-drill holes, and apply a coat of paint. EVERYONE will use these skills for the rest of their lives and will enjoy the results regardless of their age. This is creative expression that is tangible and like others listed is still an art form that applies basic math skills, planning, creative thinking, and various forms of communication.

TECHNOLOGY: technological advances and the products that have been a result surround us. Students are rather adept at using technology – it is almost innate. Exposing them to the positive uses of hardware and software, the thinking process that goes into design, foundational programming, and problem solving using technology is essential in today’s world.

COOKING & HEALTH: There are few things in life more important, more gratifying, and more beneficial than learning how to cook and draw out the natural flavors of the ingredients that we have access to. Cooking is an art form that incorporates all of the human senses – no other art form is this comprehensive.

DRAMA: Isn’t it interesting that many who are gifted as actors are far less gregarious when not in character? Acting allows us to step outside of the person who others perceive us to be and become someone else, sometimes revealing an inner person who has a tough time demonstrating certain traits otherwise. Acting allows us to experiment with that inner person, to see how others react. Sometimes creativity is inhibited because we are cautious about showing others that we are flush with great ideas. Acting frees many people to be expressive.

ART EDUCATION: Painting, drawing, sculpting, design, and architecture are crafts for sure, but more than that – these are visual ways for us to tell those stories that make our lives rich and connect us with a larger audience. Art can be a way to apply the concepts of storytelling, geometry, physics, and those processes that express a connection to oneself and to others (psychology and sociology).

To starve an education by minimizing these forms of expression is to minimize those opportunities to apply the skills and aptitudes that society deems essential. Real learning takes place when the opportunity to apply concepts is present.

Support your local schools and support the arts and technology.

“An arts education helps build academic skills and increase academic performance, while also providing alternative opportunities to reward the skills of children who learn differently.”

-Gavin Newsom

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Education is the great equalizer

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The Problem with College for Everyone

08 Thursday Aug 2013

Tags

apprenticeship, college, college debt, culinary, education, teaching, trade programs, trades

As a person who spent 30 years as a teacher and administrator in higher education I have often thought of the dilemma we have created in the U.S. The term “education” is drawn from the Latin root word: “Educo” which somewhat literally means to draw forth. This attacks the premise that our goal as educators is to “give knowledge” and assume that the end result will be an individual ready, willing and able to function effectively in society. The intent of those who gave the process a name was to provide an environment where the “student” becomes aware of his/her own potential and calling and that they should have as much to offer in the classroom as the person orchestrating the class. What further complicates the problem that we have created is the feeling that without a college education, any individual will have a difficult time in life fitting in, making a living and making a difference.

I must state that I have no scientific study to support my theory except my observations as a teacher and as a chef and restaurant manager. Let me ramble on….

What about the trades? It was the craftsmen who made this country great; the doers, those people who made great things by using their innate creativity and their hand skills. When I watch great carpenters, plumbers, electricians, sculptors, painters (commercial and artistic), line cooks, mixologists, computer wizards, photographers, farmers, cheese makers, wine makers, etc. I find a greater sense of amazement and wonder than watching the most highly credentialed person directing the functions of an office. All of these trades and professions are important and everyone who is good at what they do should be admired. When we infer that one type of career is more valuable than another to our young people then we have participated in the worst form of bigotry.

Colleges have convinced families that a college education is the only real track for their son or daughter’s success and as a result we have many students misplaced in a program that is not for them, is outside of their ability or is simply too expensive in the long-run placing students in decades of debt.

As we have pressed the issue for college as the portal for any success (we even promote statistical data that demonstrates life-long earning power of those with various degrees vs. high school diplomas) more and more colleges have been built, college programs have been designed when the degree makes little difference with their success in that field, admissions criteria has become lax in an effort to fill seats and cover the cost of delivering these programs, and more and more students are either pushed through as a result of lowering standards, or fail to complete because it was not the right fit for them.

Every culinary school allows their graduates to believe that students will be noteworthy executive chefs or restaurant owners soon after graduation thus leading to significant disappointment, specialized degrees result in graduates with an expensive document and likely some good memories, but no prospect of a career in that field, and a debt load that parallels buying a house.

In the meantime, those wonderful craftsmen who amaze everyone who watches (carpenters, metal workers, great plumbers and electricians, line cooks, cake decorators, mechanics, and computer hardware builders) wonder where the next generation of craftspeople will come from.

College is not, nor should it be for everyone. Trade programs and apprenticeships should be restored to prominence and should participate in a program of educating guidance counselors, parents and students about the joy and oftentimes lucrative nature of the trades. I know many carpenters and electricians who have much nicer homes (paid for) than those in the professions that were defined by a college degree.

As an aside, these trade people actually use math, science and communication skills on a daily basis. Just watch a gifted carpenter figure out the angles for an addition to a house or a piece of furniture, watch a cook wrestle with the design of a new recipe or simply expand a recipe to yield a certain amount of finished product.

I support the president’s administration and their effort to promote community colleges and trade programs. Apprenticeship, which is still alive and well in Europe, should receive support from the federal government and trade schools should be a focus of an intensive PR campaign.

If America wants to restore it’s economic prominence in the world we must begin to make things again. Craftsmen are the backbone of a respected economy. Service economics is something that I promote and have always focused on when in the classroom, however, service without a proud product to serve is the basis for a subservient economy.

It really is time for a revamp of not just how we teach our young people but what we teach them and how we present their options in life. As with the meaning of Educo, our job is to draw forth and learn from each individual what will make their life full, enjoyable and financially rewarding.

I imagine many of you will have an opinion about this article. Fire away.

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Posted by culinarycuesblog | Filed under Uncategorized

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Plan Your French “Wine Memories” Vacation

24 Friday May 2013

Tags

adventure, Beaune, bicycle, Burgundy, castles, Chablis, chateaus, cheese, education, Entrains, fall, France, grapes, Harvest America, Sancerre, Santenay, Sorgule, vacation, Vezelay, vintner, wine, wine maker

In the fall of 2013, Harvest America Ventures, in partnership with The Weissberg Family of Paris and Chef Sarah Steffan of the Lake Placid Lodge, will present a vacation opportunity of a lifetime.

Unlike most wine tours that focus primarily on tasting, this educational wine immersion program is designed for wine lovers, restaurant professionals, cooks and chefs, those who appreciate the connection between wine and culture, and adventure tourists who are drawn to the beauty of Burgundy, France.

Participants will tour regional vineyards and wineries, walk the vineyards and touch the vines, chat with wine makers and renown chefs, taste various wines from the rich regions of Loire and Burgundy, visit Middle Age and Renaissance castles, enjoy the aromas and flavors of traditional French food, become a part of French village life, enjoy the musical talents of a renown French pianist, and bike through the most picturesque and peaceful French countryside.

Your home base for the wine experience will be a 16th century stone building: “The Maison des Adirondacks” in Entrains sur Nohain, France. This beautiful property is in close proximity to Beaune, Vezelay, Sancerre, Pouilly sur Loire, Chablis and Auxerre.

All of your meals, in-country transportation, wine tastings, classes, immersion activities, and lodging are included in the price of the week long, life-experience.

Watch for additional details as they unfold by checking our website at: http://www.harvestamericaventures.com. The anticipated dates at this point are September 23-29, 2013. Mark your calendars! The program is limited to four couples (8 persons) this year.

Paul Sorgule
Harvest America Ventures, LLC

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