Teacher Tuesday: Teaching Moments

Teachers, at least the good ones, don’t just teach in the classroom. They don’t feel confined to the lesson plans and curriculum. They consciously, and sometimes subconsciously, look for opportunities to teach wherever they are and to whomever they’re around at the time a lesson manifests.

Shepherds College is staffed with teachers just like this – the 24/7, spiritually gifted, it’s in the blood type of teachers.

And it’s a good thing too since training young adults with intellectual disabilities to be independent is an around-the-clock job!

Teaching for life doesn’t end at 3:00pm every Monday through Friday. The lessons carry through the day and cover topics like eating a healthy breakfast, the proper way to brush teeth, managing meds, maintaining a home, making dinner, getting along with others, the necessity of sleep, public transportation, grocery shopping, how to study the Bible… and on and on.

So I wasn’t surprised when I received the following message from Mrs. Harvey:

My neighbor picks up Chipotle restaurant overage food every week which they put in bags for Distribution Only.  She has been using it to serve those in need in Rockford, but lately there has been more than she can handle.  She called me, and I thought we could service Shepherds College faculty and staff last week since there was so much donated.

I asked Chef McCarthy if I could put the food out on the table in the teaching kitchen. He went over and above and turned it into a service opportunity with the 2nd year Culinary Arts students.

They warmed all the food in advance and put it in lovely buffet chafing dishes.  

Chef McCarthy enhanced the menu of Chipotle white and brown rice, pinto and black beans, chicken and steak by adding tortillas, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and shredded lettuce, giving the students an opportunity to practice cutting skills.

The students served the staff and asked nursing to join in also.

 

It was quite a spread and lot of work for the Culinary Arts students to set it all up and then clean it up. 

There was so much left over that the students were blessed with Chipotle for dinner that night. Isn’t that cool?

Chef McCarthy could have said to Cathy, “Sure, put the food on the table and notify the staff that it’s there.” It would have been easier for both him and the students. But instead he saw an opportunity to teach lessons in buffet set-up and take-down, buffet service, food prep including cutting and bringing food to the proper serving temperature, and perhaps most importantly, how to develop a generous spirit through service to others.

Great job Chef McCarthy!

And a great, big Shepherds College “THANK YOU!” to Chipotle for providing another important lesson for the students on their journey toward Appropriate Independence.

 



Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.