AmeriCorps Service Story: Mr B's 4th-5th Class

Cassidy, one of our AmeriCorps Members shared this story: 

The elementary school where I serve has a class that is unlike any other class I’ve worked with. The class roster was crafted with special attention to both the behavioral and academic history of the students - simply put, if particular students were in the same class, there would almost certainly be physical altercations, and academic engagement would fall by the wayside.

The result of these considerations: Mr. B’s fourth/fifth mix class.

There are 26 students in this class, all of diverse academic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Even from our first lesson together, it was clear that this group had an energy to it that called for unique opportunities for engagement: and so began our culinary adventure together.

Initially, I was slightly intimidated by the prospect of cooking with Mr. B’s class. Given some of the students’ histories, I was concerned that as soon as the tools were introduced, any semblance of classroom management would fly out the window. Nevertheless, I arrived early one Wednesday morning and introduced our first recipe: Rainbow Salad. As the students began washing their hands, buzzing with excitement, Mr. B pulled me aside. He warned me that a student had not taken his medication that day, and without it, he typically doesn’t last in class very long before winding up in the principal’s office.

As the students began to get settled, that very student approached me. “I love to cook! I even fry my own eggs at home,” he shared. “And I’m so excited because I love balsamic. It’s my favorite!” I smiled, happy that that the key ingredient of our salad dressing was balsamic vinegar. “Will you measure your group’s portion of balsamic for your dressing?” I asked. “Absolutely!” he beamed.

The rest of the class went without a hitch. Students demonstrated teamwork as they shared tools, followed instructions as they carefully measured out each ingredient, and all collectively exclaimed, “Bon appetit, it’s time to eat!” once everyone in the class had been served. Students raised their hands to share different descriptive words for their creations, like “crunchy” and “fresh.” Even the student who I’d been warned about patiently raised his hand to share how he enjoyed the sweetness that the dressing brought to the salad greens.

Finally, it was time for the class to make their way to their next special. Faced with loads of dishes, three students volunteered to stay behind to clean up. They thoughtfully and efficiently proceeded to wash the plethora of cutting boards, bowls, and forks, giggling, and making up stories about their load as they went. I couldn’t have asked for a better class.