rrotiLe
What's Cooking?
How about math, geography and some stones? Here's how two
teachers are helping others combine cooking and education.
Stone and London decidec to write
"School should be fun," Stone adds,
Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor
their book for other educators. Their
and kids love cooking."
hen Fay Stone and Retta
idea was to teach children by letting
London and Stone are both longtime
London think "autobiogra-
them bake it: make a cookie map of
teachers. They met while working
phy," they think "melon."
the Unitec States or learn about a
together at Akiva Hebrew Day
In "Preparing for 'Melon Mania,"
comet by using cocoa for its dusty tail.
School, and learned they shared the
one of their recipes for fun and educa-
In addition to the fun that cooking
same approach to teaching: provide
tion, the two advise teachers to
offers, the authors say this
have students write about a sig-
technique actually helps
Ingredients:
nificant moment in their lives.
children learn better.
Continue the project by mak-
"We know that human
One classroom, any size
ing melon slushes: mix a bit of
Students
beings learn in three
Teachers
sliced cantaloupe or honeydew
ways," London says. "First
A handful of cooking supplies
in the blender and there it is.
is emotional. Children learn
1 copy of Have Your Cake ... And Teach It, Too
(The key word is sliced, just as
when they really care
the children have written about
about the teachers, which
Directions:
Teachers begin by reading Have Your Ca
in essays, "A Slice of My Life.")
is why they gain so much
Next, mix teachers with students.
How does it all add up?
from their parents.
All cook, learn and have fun.
Ask the children. They've
"Second, we learn when
Finally, boys and girls clean up togethe
learned about themselves by
we make a connection
Serves everyone.
writing, and they've picked up
[from the new material] to
quite a bit of math by seeing a
something we already
whole cantaloupe cut into vari-
know.
ous pieces.
"Third, we learn by
Stone and London are the
doing, by having a hands-
authors of Have Your Cake ...
on experience."
And Teach It, Too, a guide for
Those with obsessive
incorporating cooking with learn-
cleanliness habits, be
ing. This bright and cheery
advised: Stone and London
book, complete with a da77ling
really do a mean hands-on.
lemon-yellow cover, offers direc-
"Cooking is messy," Lon-
tions for such projects as:
don admits.
Fay Stone and Retta London: Toffee-like rocks, _
and it's great.
• Incredible, Edible Geology:
"That's the fun of it," Stone
Learning about stones and peb-
adds. "It's hands on. It
bles by making such delicious delica-
smells
good.
It gives children the
lots of hands-on activities and give chil-
cies as "Sedimentary Chews" (a
chance to celebrate what they learn."
dren experiences, rather than just lec-
crunchy concoction of chocolate,
She notes the book's recipe for toffee,
tures. The friendship was forged at
marshmallows, nuts and cereal)
to be preparec while learning about
ORT, where both served as president
• Soil Sundae: Studying soil and
igneous rocks. "Kids make the toffee,
of their local chapter. Today, Stone
sampling ice cream
they take their fingers and they
lives in West Bloomfield and teaches
• Map Cookies: Cooking up the
squeeze it and they feel it getting hard
third and fourth grades at William
United States using jimmies and candy
and they understand exactly what hap-
Grace Elementary in Farmington Hills.
"When there's food, you can really
pens to a rock."
London is a Farmington Hills resident
get kids involved in a project," London
But don't worry: part of the process
and a third-grade teacher at Wood-
explains.
is having the children clean up at the
dale Elementary in the same city.
Photo by Krista Husa
11
end. Stone says they don't mind:
"They actually like doing it, so long as
it's not at home."
A number of years ago, when they
were children, Stone and London did
their own cooking (and presumably
cleanec up).
Stone's mother was "a gourmet
cook," who wrote a regular cooking
column for Mohawk Liqueur. Young
Fay lovec helping Mom and Grand-
ma, as well. To this day, Stone is the
only family member who knows her
grandmother's secrets for making
incomparable chopped liver.
London's experience is that "When I
was 10, my mother got sick, so I did
much of the family cooking with my
grandmother, who came from Poland.
I still love to make challa."
Unfortunately, the authors say most
children tocay are rarely allowed to
help with family cooking, and then it's
only to add a single ingredient or to
mix for five minutes. Which is another
reason they say cooking needs to
come to school.
Have Your Cake ... And Teach It,
Too was written basec on actual class-
es London and Stone conducted, and
so far they say they've received noth-
ing but positive feedback. The iwo
also offer workshops, beginning along
the lines of an instructor who advised
students to, "Think of everything as a
math problem."
As London explains, "We say, 'Think
of everything as a recipe ...'"
❑
Have Your Cake... And Teach
It, Too is available at Borders
Books locations. For information
or to schedule a cooking work-
shop, call (248) 661-2426.
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