In a recent unit in Culinary Arts, students were acquiring the necessary skills required to complete the five Mother Sauces, a foundational skill in cooking. After the initial monitored practice, students were able to create a lab completely based on their food preferences, goal setting, and skill set.  The only structural requirement was the amount of time given (3 hours total lab time) and the inclusion of a roux.  Students had background information on fresh herbs vs. spices, brown stock vs. white stock, broth vs. stock, etc. Students chose the strategies they wanted to use to create a meal that included, in some way,  a Mother Sauce, seasoned and created in personal creativity.

 The engagement was off the charts.  Not a single cell phone popped up during this time, and each group was deep in discussion on how they wanted to apply the knowledge they had gleaned from this unit and put it into practice.  

The labs were messy, organized chaos, and we felt like we were doing dishes for days.  It was apparent from the second they were given the freedom to use their voice that they would exceed my expectations, as well as their own. 

The products were beautiful, so personal to each student, and we practiced food photography and added these magnificent images to their digital portfolios along with a reflection of how they applied their learning and how their skills improved during this practice.

It's difficult as an educator to loosen the reigns and let students self-monitor and show mastery in their own unique way, but it is always so very worth it.